Past Issues

THE NORTHWEST PENNSYLVANIA SPINNERS AND WEAVERS GUILD

Saturday, April 2, 2005, from 10:00 a.m. to 2 pm
Christ Episcopal Church, Diamond Park, Meadville, PA

Calendar of Events

March 5th – NWPSWG Program Meeting at Christ Church 10:00A.M. to-2:00P.M.(Sock Challenge)

March 15th – NWPSWG Tuesday Spinning at Christ Church 10:00A.M. to-2:00P.M.

April 2nd – NWPSWG Business/Program Meeting at Christ Church 10:00A.M. to-2:00P.M

April 18th – NWPSWG Tuesday Spinning at Christ Church 10:00A.M. to-2:00P.M.

April 28th thru 30th :Weave a Legend, Weave a Coverlet by Sigrid Piroch at Cleveland Hgts, Ohio

May 7th Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival (No Guild sponsored bus trip for 2005 and no regular guild meeting)

May 21st Edinboro Highland Games Fleece to Shawl Demonstration

June 12th thru 18th: Midwest Weaver’s Conference 2005 at Lakeland College, Sheboygan, Wisconsin

July 2nd NWPSWG Meeting and Demonstration at The Baldwin/Reynolds House in Meadville, PA

July 6th thru 10th Fiber Arts Conference at University of Pittsburgh in Johnstown, PA

July 11th thru 17th MAFA 2005 Leesburg, Virginia

July 16th Waterford Heritage Days Demonstration

October 8th thru10th: “Eastern Great Lakes Fiber Conference” at Chautauqua Institution, New York

Minutes of the February Meeting

TREASURER’S REPORT GIVEN BY BONNIE CRYTZER WITH A TOTAL OF $3,499.35

TREASURER’S REPORT ACCEPTED

OLD BUSINESS:

1. BI-LAW COMMITTEE: Will report at a later date

2. SUBSCRIPTION RENEWAL FORMS: Interweave Press forms in the library.

MAFA dues are $50.00. The conference in Virginia is expensive. You can apply for a guild scholarship and MAFA is offering scholarships. The form is in the back of the MAFA booklet.

3. SOCK CHALLENGE Starts in March. It will not just be socks. We will work up the fibers, blend, pick and spin in 2-3 & 4 plies and then hand paint the yarn. You can use the yarn for something other than socks.

4. THE 25TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE GUILD: Need a committee and please fill out the form you received about suggestions and return it to Donna Wellman.

5. July 2nd the off month meeting will be at the Baldwin/Reynolds House. Meet there between 10 and 2.

Anyone who knows of an event that we can take part in please let us know.

6. WORKSHOP: Matilda will have a proposal for the next meeting for a workshop she would like to present.

7. There was a motion made by Pat Retchloff to use paper ballots when voting on a workshop given by a guild member, it was 2nd by Joyce Ross voted on and accepted.

NEW BUSINESS:

1. Need someone to audit the books. Dorothy Maynard volunteered.

2. Sue Spencer presented topics for workshops by C. Quinn. Sue asked if people were interested by a raise of hand. She will look into Oct or Dec for this year and see if something can be set up.

3. Pat Retchloff will take the minutes of the meetings while Barb Lodge is out of town.

4. Sue Spencer will present the April meeting with an overview of things she learned while at SOAR.

5. No bus to Maryland this year.

Notes from the President

Many thanks to Roz for presenting a great felting program. Roz spent many hours washing, carding and preparing wool for us to use. We all had a great time and the mittens were great. It is so wonderful when guild members take their time to show us a new skill to use. If you would like to share a program with us, please let Pat know so she can schedule you in.

I have only received a handful of surveys. We need your input on things to do. If you have not filled it out you may do so on line. It will take only a few minutes. Sue does such a good job with our website. Thank you Sue. While there don't forget to update your email address so that you may receive the newsletter online. This saves us alot of postage.

We will begin the sock challenge on Saturday March 5, 2005. Please bring your carders, hand cards, combs and what ever else you would like to use to prepare your sock wool. We will have wool and nylon for you to use. If you would like to contribute for the wool you may make a donation to the guild. If you would like to add mohair or anything else to blend with your wool please do so. You do not have to make socks with this fiber. This will just help you to understand what goes into spinning wool for socks. You can weave it or make a hat. The date has not been set to paint the yarn with Kool-Aid. We will decide at the March meeting. I would like to do this before the end of March or middle of April.

See you in March. Happy spinning and weaving. Donna

Local Happenings

The Northwest PA Sheep & Wool Growers will be having their annual membership meeting on April 9, 2005, at the Woodcock Township Building (Route 86 north of Meadville). There will be a tureen dinner at 6:30 PM, with a short business meeting to follow. Approximately 7:30 PM, the speaker will be Dr. Robert Van Saun, from Penn State, speaking on nutrition factors which affect nursing/growing lambs. His presentation should be an hour in length, with time for questions afterward.

Also, the Sheep & Wool Growers sponsor a Lamb and Wool Queen contest for our area. Young shepherds between the ages of 17 and21 may apply. For more information, you may contact Sarah Yurisic, sheeprule99@yahoo.com

CUYAHOGA WEAVERS GUILD OCT 19, 20, 21, 2005

Our fall workshop will feature Mary Bentley from Vancouver. This was the most sought after class taught at Convergence 2004 in Denver. She'll be teaching us the versatile tied unit weave called Summer and Winter in a way that I've never seen it taught before! She will teach us to master its traditional variations and apply them to contemporary geometric designs. Sign up needs to be EARLY so that Mary will be able to wind all the warps and send them off to us in plenty of time to pre-warp our looms. We're expecting 20 participants so after May 1. 2005, the workshop will be open to members of other guilds.

Participants will work on their own 4H or 8H looms. Mary suggests that 8H looms be table looms otherwise there will be up to 12 tie-up changes which could be cumbersome for some people! But not to worry because if it's truly too hard for you to get down on the floor and re-tie, Leslie, Parlin and hopefully others will help so please do not be discouraged from taking this workshop if all you have is a Baby Wolf! You will be so sorry that you missed Mary Bentley!! Direct tie-up 4H or hand treadles are acceptable. This is considered an intermediate to advanced level workshop, mostly because of the fine 10/2 threads and there will be some pick-up. You will be weaving samples, placemats, table runners or fabric for clothing. You decide.

Additional information can be obtained in the Guild Library.

Note to Guild venders

Our guild wishes to find a source for “Six Thread Embroidery Floss” in a good bright color to use as pattern thread for guild motifs. We need approximately two hundred yards. Contact Ilene Elliston or Bonnie Crytzer

Classified Section

For sale: Toyota Serger, three thread, accessories, thread and books. Like new. $100.00 Contact Ilene Elliston (see member directory for contact info)

For sale: Angora Rabbits. One white female, two gray males. $30.00 each with cage. All three for $75.00 Contact Donna Long (see member directory for contact info)

For sale: Baby Wolf loom. 8 harness 10 treadles. This loom is in excellent condition.

2 Union Rug Looms 2 harness. Contact Donna at sewsew@velocity.net (see member directory for contact info)

For Sale: Two Glimakra boat shuttles. Good condition. $20.00 each. Contact Sue Spencer (see member directory for contact info)