Past Issues

THE NORTHWEST PENNSYLVANIA SPINNERS AND WEAVERS GUILD

Saturday, April 5, 2003 10:00 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Christ Episcopal Church, Diamond Park, Meadville, PA

Minutes of the February Meeting

The February meeting of the Northwest Pennsylvania Spinners & Weavers Guild was held on Saturday, February 1, 2003, at Christ Church Episcopal in Meadville, PA. The meeting was conducted by Ann Sheffield.

The first order of business was a correction to the December minutes. The gift certificates to the Tattered Corners book store were provided by Sue Spencer. Thank you, Sue! Sorry!

Bonnie Crytzer presented the treasurers report: checking account balance is $486.78 and savings account balance is $4,037.64 for a total of $4,524.42.

The new library books are in. We now have Alden Amos’s Big Book of Spinning, The Twisted Sisters’ Sock Book and The Knitter’s Stash available for loan.

The guild welcomed guests Kendra Durfee and her daughter, Klarissa, and Laura Spencer.

The flyers are out for the Beth Brown-Reinsel workshop. Scholarship applications are due April 1, 2003. Applicants need to describe a program they would present to the guild as part of the application. Ann suggested that guild members who are applying for the scholarship go ahead and register to hold a place in the workshop.

Donna Wellman volunteered to set up a spinning workshop for 2004. This will be a weekend retreat. She will present more information on the workshop at the April meeting.

Matilda Murphy and Sigrid Piroch have both expressed an interest in teaching a weaving workshop for the guild.

Barb Hauk mentioned that the state of Pennsylvania has grant money available for groups involved in folk arts.

Fiber challenge update: everybody has their fiber and now get busy! The guild will choose the best project at the June meeting.

Donna Wellman is putting together a new guild brochure. The center section will include a list of teachers and the calendar of events (demos). There will be a separate sheet with advertising to pay for the printing. Donna submitted a motion that the cost of the advertising be set at $5 for guild members and $10 for non-members. Sue Spencer seconded and the guild passed the motion. Donna also moved that we use the sheep logo for the brochure. This was seconded by Jill Rouke and passed.

Under new business, Susan Buell reminded the guild that Christ Church will hold its annual arts week the last week of July. She needs volunteers to help teach knitting or weaving to students.

Donna Wellman proposed that members of the guild who wanted to meet on off months (the first Saturday of months when no guild meeting is scheduled) should form a group to do in-depth study in spinning and weaving. The group will meet at the church from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Kate Arkwright seconded and the motion passed.

The Mercer Guild is going to Maryland again. The date is Saturday, May 3, 2003. The price is $47 until March 1 and $50 after that. The schedule of stops is as follows: 5:00 a.m. at Christ Church in Meadville; 6:00 a.m. at the Eat ‘n Park in Grove City and 6:30 a.m. at the Kings at Cranberry (off of I-79).

Sigrid Piroch reported on the on-going Michael Weaver project. A group of 200 weavers is working on 51 patterns from the book and the group is now looking for knitters, embroiderers, woodworkers, etc. to complete cross media project for some of the patterns. Some quilts were made from the patterns and have won awards at shows. They were displayed at Cook Forest last year.

Does anyone know if the Chataqua Guild is going to Toronto this year?

Show and Tell: Barb Hauk – twill pattern jacket and pillow; Sue Spencer – knitted and felted pouch; Sigrid Pieroch – silk shawls from Thailand; Jill Rouke – vest from hand-woven material; Eileen Elliston – two woven wall hangings; Lorraine Dallas – entrelac headband and Donna Wellman – three headbands made from merino fleece from New Zealand.

In Sympathy

The guild wishes to express our sympathy to Ellen Gracie on the passing of her father.

2003 Dues are Still Due

The following people have paid their dues for 2003. If your name does not appear on this list, this is your last issue of The Hub.

Debra Albert Amy Albrecht Andrea Cooley Bonnie Crytzer Lorraine Dallas Mary Donaldson Kendra Durfee Ilene Elliston Susan Fenton Elaine Fertig Kathleen Frew Arkwright Karen Fry and Laura Fry Maggie Fry-Manross Cheryl Geist-Brozell Linda Gross Judy Hanninen Barbara Hauck Sharon Heiser Susan Helm Elizabeth Jennings Deborah King Jacquie Kondrot

Sharon Kresse Barbara Lodge Donna Long Roz Macken Nancy Marts Joanna McDermot Mary Ann Morton-Bliley Mathilda Murphy Mary Musser Lyn Nagel Sigrid Piroch Sharon Reiland Patricia Retchloff Jill Rouke Ruth Ruggerio Ann Sheffield Sue Spencer Linda B. Steinbuhler Joyce Rose Donna Townsend Ruth Walker-Daniels Donna Wellman

To renew, please send a check payable to NPSWG to Susan Fenton (see membership directory for address). If any of your contact information has changed (address, phone, email) please make a note of that with your check so that our records can be updated.

For Sale

Eileen Elliston has a four harness Le Clerce loom for sale, six treadles, weaves up to 52 inches wide with extra reeds. She also has 25 half pound cones of white, 8/4 cotton for $1.35 each or all for $25.00.

Annual Shepherds’ Auction

If you are looking to buy or sell sheep-related items, the Northwestern Pennsylvania Sheep and Wool Growers Association will hold the annual Shepherds’ Auction on Saturday, May 10, 2003, at 5:00 p.m. This will be held in conjunction with the Western Pennsylvania Sheep and Lamb Sale at the Mercer County 4-H Park, which is located on Route 19 in Mercer, Pa.

Entries will be taken on sale day from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. Items may be pre-entered by sending a description to at Elaine Burkholder at burkholder@alltel.net. Include your name and a brief description of item(s) you wish to sell. The deadline for pre-entry is March 31, 2003. A 10% commission will be charged on all items. All items will sell, no reserve pricing. Proceeds will benefit the Northwestern Pa. Lamb and Wool Growers Association.

Saturday Spin Group

The Saturday spin study group had its first meeting on March 1, 2003. Many things were discussed and it was decided that May would be the trip to Maryland Sheep and Wool and the Edinboro sheep to shawl demo. July would be held at the Waterford Heritage Days where we will do a fleece to shawl demo. September will be held at the church with Maggie doing an angora rabbit demo. Angora will be available for purchase or you may bring your own. Future meetings will be planned from there. Which leaves November. Suggestions or ideas are welcome. We had a great turn out and we all learned more about learning to ply for the yarn that we would like to knit or weave with. Each session will be an opportunity to present questions and solve problems. If you have questions email me at sewsew@velocity.net. -Donna Oh: by the way no weavers showed up.

Guild Brochure

Last call for ads for the brochure. I hope to have it printed in time for the next meeting so email me IMMEDIATELY if you haven’t placed your ad! -Donna.

Collecting Stories about the Warner

There are two books being written about the Warner. One is from opening through the 1970s. The other one is mostly photos and covers the whole timeline. Both need some personal stories. Were you engaged or married in the theatre? Do you know anyone who was at the Grand Opening in 1931? Do you know someone who ushered there? Did you attend the Kids Club? Did you work in the theater at any time? Did anything happen that you remember while attending an event there? I need little vignettes and if you have any, please email me your memories or tell me when I can call you to jot down your memories. The more the better! -Barb Hauk