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Volume XXXIV, No 3                                                                                                                                                                                                         May-June 2013
Bimonthly newsletter of
THE NORTHWEST PENNSYLVANIA SPINNERS AND WEAVERS GUILD
http://npswg.com/
    Hub Editor:  Karen Fry
karifry517@yahoo.com


Calendar of Events

May 5th NPSWG Program Meeting at Christ Church 10:00a.m.to-2:00p.m.
May 11th Second Saturday at the Meadville Market House 9:00a.m. to 5:00p.m.
May 15th NPSWG Tuesday Spinning at Christ Church 10:00a.m.to 2:00p.m.

June 1 st NPSWG Business/Program Meeting at Christ Church 10:00a.m.to-2:00p.m.

June 19th NPSWG Tuesday Spinning at Christ Church 10:00a.m.to 2:00p.m.

May Program

Informal Spin-in. Bring your wheel and fiber to spin. This is a great chance for new spinners or those who want to learn to try different wheels and learn from fellow members.


June Program

To be announced.
 
 
Minutes of the NPSWG

Minutes of the December 2012 NPSWG Meeting
 
Old Business:  Sharon Hoban called the meeting to order. The minutes of the December 2012 meeting were read and approved. Barb Lodge gave the treasurer?s report: the checking account stands at approximately $1300, not including $60 that still needs to be deposited. We were updated that 27 members have paid their guild dues, and there are still 10 members from last year who have not paid. Sindi Collard updated us that the church is still in "mission status," so at this time they are not able to commit the space to us or tell us what the rental fee would be. Sharon updated us that she was able to get long-overdue library books back from one of the two former members.. 
 
New Business: The Guild was updated that we bought the Pat Green carder discussed during the December meeting and Barb has ordered a belt for it. Announcements were made about a number of events:
  • The Pittsburgh Knit and Crochet Festival is March 15, 16 and 17
  • The Society for Contemporary Craft in Pittsburgh has an exhibit of abstract images woven in fine threads
  • Allegheny College is doing a Sheep and Wool Lab in April and is requesting help from hand spinners
  • The Eastern Great Lakes Fiber Conference is being held October 11-14 in Chautauqua
  • There is a Sewing & Quilt Expo in Cleveland on March 21-23
Cate Johns asked the Guild if we intend to participate in Thunder in the City and Second Saturday this year. There was general assent. Sue Veverka requested opinions on fund raiser projects for the Relay for Life. Sue Spencer briefly discussed her two-dimensional design class. Diana Cotterman circulated an album of photos from dye day. Diana requested that business cards be made with meeting times, dates and contact information. There was discussion about doing a Facebook page for the guild; this was met with a mixture of opinions. Program ideas were discussed, including possible programs on core spinning, using weavettes, having Deborah Pope do a felting program and having Carol Buttignol do a trunk show.
 

Show and Tell
:

Judy Hanninen showed a mobius scarf done with core ply yarn that she described as being very fun to make. The pattern is available on Ravelry, and she explained that it can be made with a hood extension. Judy also brought a pair of felted mittens she uses for driving that were made in two pieces and joined with baseball stitch. The cuffs were done separately with Angora.
 Sue Veverka showed us a crocheted and beaded water bottle holder that she hopes to make more of for the Relay for Life.
 Jen Phillips showed yarn from an especially nice fleece she got at the Maryland sheep and wool show. She described a beautiful lace scarf she had made from it that a woman had bought from her.


Respectfully submitted,
Marje Koehlert, Secretary

Minutes of the April 2013 NPSWG Meeting

Old Business:
Sharon Hoban called the meeting to order. New membership cards and directories were distributed. The minutes of the March 2013 meeting were read, corrected and approved. Barb Lodge gave the treasurer's report: the checking account has $1,427.40, and the savings account stands at $13,762, including the Helen McCartney Fund. Because the church remains in 'mission status,' it was recommended that we send them a check which they can cash or not, as they see fit. We were updated that the May/Jun Hub should be out by April 25. Members are encouraged to check that the Guild web site has their correct email address. The library shelves in the plastic cupboards are sagging to the point of collapse. It was noted that there will be a surplus office equipment auction at the Crawford County Fairgrounds on April 26.

New Business The Guild was updated Sharon Hoban will be retaining the Membership Coordinator position for now. Those who attended the most recent Joyous Hands Tuesday Spin described problems with locked doors due to the teacher's security concerns since the most recent school shooting. There was discussion about the possibility of moving the group, but this was tabled when it was brought up that the Nursery might be moving to the old East End School. The Hub has not been making it onto our web site; Roz Macken volunteered to upload the Hub. She also reminded us that we have newsletters available from a number of other guilds. Several announcements were made:
  • Sigrid Piroch is returning to town and will be featured at a Textile Exhibit at the Red Brick Gallery on Main St. in Foxburg on April 14. The Exhibit runs through May 12.
  • The Scottish Games and Celtic Festival in Ithaca, New York will have a Waulking of the Tweed event on June 29-30.
  • Peggy Poniatowski of Harborcreek is selling weaving equipment, including a 36? 4-harness LeClerc "Inca" counterbalance loom, a weaving bench, warping boards, shuttles, bobbins, winders, rug warp, books and magazines.
Show and Tell

   Jen Phillips showed her current spinning project: wool dyed during a "Rainbow Dye Day" at a friend's farm. She also passed around sample locks from a black Leicester Longwool fleece that she hopes to spin in the near future.
  Visitor April Cox and her daughter Ayla showed us a peacock loom, discontinued since the 1970s, that she scored for $20 at an auction and that she would like to learn to use. April raises Alpacas. She is a member of the PA Alpaca Association and notes that they have a fleece to shawl event at their show in York, PA on Mother?s Day Weekend.
  Sue Olive noted that there is another fleece to shawl event the following weekend at the Waynesburg Sheep and Fiber Festival.
  Karen Fry updated us that her daughter Laura is expecting her first baby! The ?new weaver? is due in November.
  Sharon Hoban showed two short-row helix scarves, one done in jewel tone variegated Noro yarn and the other, still in process, made with a ladder yarn.

Respectfully submitted,
Marje Koehlert, Secretary

Words from our President

  Hopefully spring is here and we have some warmer weather to look forward to coming our way!  I am patiently waiting.
We had a great May meeting. Marje Koehlert gave a great presentation using string art for making cards. Thank you for a well-done job as always, Marje! We also welcome the Cox family to our guild family.
  Jim shared a March, 1985 issue of ?The Hub?. This was actually the guild?s 5th year, and it tickled my funny bone that dues at the time were $1. They had 60 people pay dues the first meeting, and by the 2nd meeting (2 months later) they had 139 dues-paying members. At the time there were 4 satellite guilds, which eventually went to seven satellites.
  Maryland Sheep and Wool is just around the corner?actually the weekend of our next guild meeting May 4-5. I am envious of those of you who are going to be able to attend. I am anxious to hear what new ideas you may pick up from all there is to observe. Shows are a great opportunity to open minds and check out new program ideas, as well as making wonderful contacts.
  Our program committee is trying to pull together programs for the coming year and would welcome any thoughts or suggestions you may have. A beginning weaving program is being considered. It would be good to know how many people would be interested in participating, so that the program committee could know how to proceed. Please notify one of the committee if you are interested.
  Second Saturday on May 11th is also just around the corner. Please be sure to support and respond to Cate Johns as to whether you are attending and if you have items you wish to sell. This is one of our opportunities to participate in a community event and gain some exposure for the guild. I believe last year brought us some membership inquiries.
  The Ithaca Scottish Games Festival "Waulking the Tweed" is June 29-30. It would be nice if we could organize a bus or car pool for some members to attend.
.

Classified Section

I have a loom for sale. LeClerc Iris loom. 4 harness, 32 in. weaving width. 10 dent reed. $275. great condition. all instructions. no bench. contact Lorraine Dallas @ lorrainedallas08@gmail.com, or 814.789.4336 or 502.321.6090

Home Weaving Studio. $1200 The price quoted is for everything listed below. I would consider selling pieces individually, but I would need to have an offer made on the item desired. The loom must be picked up, and can be semi-dismantled for moving or taken completely apart. There are illustrated directions for re-assembly, but I suggest the semi-dismantled option. 36" Leclerc Floor Loom with bench, warp board, rug warp, books & magazines Floor Loom: Leclerc Inca 36" counterbalance 4-harness loom with wire heddles, 12-dent reed, 4 lease sticks, 2 warping rods, metal sley hook. Dimensions: L 45.5", H 53.5", D 40", approx 80#. Leclerc wooden weaving bench with storage in seat. (non-rocking) Leclerc 13-yd warping board. Accessories: Rag shuttles: three 25", three 19", and three 17" Boat shuttles: one 15.5", three 11.5" Flat shuttles: 28" Leclerc plus six others 9-15" Extra plastic bobbins: 12 Leclerc hand bobbin winder. Warping paper Maysville cotton rug warp: 1 full box of cream (10 spools), 6 full spools of brown, 2 full spools, dark green, 1 full spool brick red plus various amounts on open spools; 3 spools pink (not Maysville) Weaving books: A Handweaver's Pattern Book by Marquerite Porter Davison, Jan 1983 edition, hardbound, excellent condition; Learning to Weave with Debbie Redding, softbound, Interweave press; A Weaver's Workbook ? a Concise Weaving Course Based on a Creative Understanding of the Principles of the Craft, Hillary Chetwynd, softbound, 1988, St. Martin's Press; Warping All By Yourself, by Car Garrett, softbound, 1974, Interweave Press; A Handweaver's Pattern Book A Rug Weaver's Source Book - a Compilation of Rug Weaving Technigues, softbound; Handwoven magazines from Interweave Press, ten copies from 1985-1987.

GUILD EQUIPMENT AVAILABLE: 
The guild now owns a good set of spinning and weaving equipment which is available for rent by guild members. Included are a Baby Wolf 8-H loom; two 18 inch Leclerc Dorothy 4 shaft table looms; a rigid heddle loom; an Inkle Loom; a 7 foot triangular loom;  an Ashford traditional spinning wheel; a drum carder; a wool picker; English wool combs and Russian paddle combs. The guild Fleece-to-Shawl team has first priority on the Baby Wolf loom, but will not hold it unnecessarily (all monies generated by the team goes to the guild treasury to help with guild expenses).  Contact Marje Koehlert for rental information.

The deadline for submissions to be included in the next Hub is 25 June 2013.

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