Past Issues

THE NORTHWEST PENNSYLVANIA SPINNERS AND WEAVERS GUILD

Saturday, April 1, 2006, from 10:00 a.m. to 2 pm
Christ Episcopal Church, Diamond Park, Meadville, PA

Calendar of Events

March 4th - NWPSWG Program Meeting at Christ Church 10:00a.m.to 2:00p.m.

March 21st - NWPSWG Tuesday Spinning at Christ Church 10:00a.m.to-2:00p.m.

April 1st - 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.

May 6th & 7th - Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival

May 20th- Edinboro Highland Games

May 27th & 28th- Great Lakes Fiber Show, Wayne Co. Fairgrounds, Wooster, OH

Minutes of the February Meeting

Minutes of previous meeting were read and approved.

Treasurer's Report
303.02 checking
913.28 savings;
1640.90 McCartney Scholarship Fund.

Guild Web site report: Susan Fenton suggested that it would be in our interest to host our own website. Cost would be $7/month, paid 2 years in advance. Marcus and Meagan Weidner volunteered to provide free web space. Susan was authorized to investigate all possibilities and act as she thought best.

A nominating committee was named: Sue Spencer, Bonnie Crytzer, and Ruth Walker-Daniels. A slate of officers is to be presented at the April meeting.

A shawl was chosen to be given to the Christ Episcopal Church for their Feb 10 dinner/auction fundraiser.

The directory of guilds and fiber shops to which we submitted members businesses is now available at $15.95/copy + s & h; or in lots of five at $7.95 each. It was decided to order five copies.

The June 1-2 workshop by Barb Lodge on making chenille was described and examples shown. Sign-up deadline is May 1. Cost $15.

Sue Spencer volunteered to audit the Treasurer's account. Karen Fry volunteered to act as President while Donna recovers. Roz reported that Sue Spencer donated Alice Starmore's knitting book to the library.

Sigrid thanked the guild for her award, and announced her new website: www.artsstudio.org, and e-mail address: sigridartsstudio@aol.com.

Highland Games will be the 3rd Sat in May. Karen will weave. Spinners, so far, will be Roz, Barb, Sue.

2006 Dues

The following members have paid dues through 2006:

Nancy Allio
Debi Barry
Mabel Cable
Andrea Cooley
Bonnie Crytzer
Lorraine Dallas
Mary Donaldson
Ilene Elliston
Susan Fenton
Victoria Ferster
Elaine Fertig
Karen Fry and Laura Fry
Cheryl Geist-Brozell
Eve Hanlon
Judy Hanninen
Sharon Heiser
Susan Helm
Anita Louise Hotchkiss
Elizabeth Jennings
Deborah King
Barbara Lodge
Donna Long
Roz Macken
Chris McCormick
Joanna McDermot
Mathilda Murphy
Mary Musser
Sigrid Piroch
Sharon Reiland
Patricia Retchloff
Joyce Rose
Ann Sheffield
Janet Smouse
Sue Spencer
Donna Townsend
Donna Volponi
Ruth Walker-Daniels
Meagan Weidner and Marcus Weidner
Donna Wellman

If your name is not on this list, we have not received your 2006 dues. Please send a check for $15, payable to NPSWG, to Susan Fenton (see Member Directory for address). Only members who have paid dues by April 15, 2006 will continue to receive The Hub, and will be included in the 2006 Member Directory.

If your name is not on this list but you feel it should be, please contact Susan. Your check may have been received after The Hub went to print. You can also check the status of your dues by logging into the Members area of the guild web site, http://www.npswg.com/

New Guild Web Address

The Guild has a new web address: http://www.npswg.com/ Your old bookmarks will continue to work for a few months, automatically redirecting you to the new address, but please update your bookmarks at your earliest convenience.

Thanks to members Meagan and Marcus Weidner for providing us with this free web hosting!

Classified Section

From: Leah Mulartrick <leah.mulartrick@gmail.com>

Hello,
My name is Leah Mulartrick. I have a few questions and inquires.

I grew up in the area of Bucks County. I have always loved the beauty and culture of the area. I have of now become very interested in the wonderful guilds of Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania has a wealth of wonderful craftspeople I am mostly interested in the weaver and spinning guilds. I have always had an interest in textiles and clothing. First of all I would love to hear any general information about NPSWG.

I am interested in purchasing fabric that is handwoven or handspun. I am interested if you know any person or individual who is willing to make yardage and what price that would entail as I know the fabric takes a lot of work to produce. I have this wonderful handspun woven shawl that I would love to make for myself. But I can not find the fabric anywhere. I would also love to use a handmade fabric as so often in the culture of mass production the beauty of fabric becomes lost. Maybe you know a member of the guild who would be willing to work with me. I would love to find out more information.

You can email me at <leah.mulartrick@gmail.com>

From: "Lantz, Jessica" <c-jlantz@state.pa.us>

HACC, Central Pennsylvania's Community College along with The State Museum and The PA Guild of Craftsmen are presenting an exhibition in November 2006, Pennsylvania Craft. This exhibition is a statewide juried initiative that will include cash awards and a purchase award from The State Museum.

I have attached the entry form for Pennsylvania Craft, it is also available at www.pacrafts.com .

Thank you,
Jessica Lantz
Curator of Arts
Radius, HACC Gallery & Museum Shop

March 3rd Meadville Council on the Arts, Market House, 2nd floor Open House, 6:30 to 9pm members exhibit.

Hi All - I would like to invite everyone to join the Meadville Council on the Arts, and also, to consider exhibiting a completed piece in the Member's Show. If you're not sure it's for you, do come and attend the Opening on Friday evening, March 3rd. We always have a good time, and it's to support the arts in the community. Thanks, and hope to see you there! Lorraine

(contact Lorraine or the HUB editor for a copy of the brochure)

WEAVING WORKSHOP: MAKING (and using) YOUR OWN CHENILLE YARN with Barb Lodge.

2-day workshop, June 1-2; $15; Christ Episcopal Church.

Sign-up deadline is May 1.

This is a plain weave project--you need only two harnesses. If you do not have a table loom or folding loom, and wish to learn this process, you can audit the workshop for $15 (the guild loom will be set up and available for shared use).

The FIRST DAY will be spent making the chenille yarn, the second day we will re-warp the looms and weave an item--chairseat, bench mat, pillow, rug. The finished product will depend on how much scrap yarn you have.

Materials needed:

• Pre-warped loom (10/2 or 20/2 cotton, color will not show in the final product)
• 8/4 or similar warp yarn for second day warp (color will not show)
• Scrap yarn--all colors, sizes, amounts, fibers (wool, acrylic, cotton are ok, but rayon, slippery yarns and novelties are not suitable). Please take time to wind skeins into balls (cones are ok) before coming to the workshop.
• Stick or ski shuttles
• Scissors (sharp) or rotary cutter and cutting mat
• Containers: to hold balls of yarn while winding
• shuttles--buckets, shoe boxes, coffee cans--6 or more.
• Over-the-door clothes/towel hook arrangement (if you have one)
• Weavers Knot: you will find it very helpful if you learn how to tie a weaver's knot before coming to the workshop. Illustrations can be found in most beginner books, or I can teach interested members at one of the meetings between now and May meeting.

March 18th at ARTS

March 18th Sigrid is hosting the NE Ohio Guild of Columbia and is inviting member to join in. Meet at the house at 10am, lunch at the Inn then to the studio. 10 to 4 RSVP to Sigrid.

Fiber Enthusiasts' Travel Guide

“Knitters’ and Crocheters’ Spinners’ and Weavers’ Travel Guide”. The guild will be getting this book in bulk, at the wholesale price, so sign up with Bonnie if you want a copy. Wholesale is $7.95. Retail $15.95. This has all the shops and guilds in the 50 states. Put it in your car for the next trip.

ANITA’S HOMESPUN TREASURES

From Route 8 in Centerville, turn west onto Centerville Rd. by the country grocery store. Go approximately 3 miles. It’s the white house on the right, watch for signs. She has wool roving and batts, felting needles, patterns, threads, triangle looms, and gifts for those last minute occasions. Hours are Monday and Saturday 10a.m. to 4p.m. and Friday 2p.m. to 6p.m. Please stop in and see Anita and her treasures.

Input Needed

Our program coordinator, Patricia Retchloff, would like to receive some input as to what you’re interested in learning or being presented with at future guild programs. Please include your name, interests, and abilities along with suggestions for program topics and/or presenters. Mail or e-mail to Pat or bring to the next meeting. Thank you.

Sigrid’s Words to All

What a total surprise…better said…a complete shock to receive the Guild Award package by mail in September from Ilene Elliston. I was unable to be present at the time of the luncheon, as I was still bedside with my husband at UPMC Hospital in Pittsburgh, following 4 spinal surgeries. Not only was I bowled over to receive a Guild Award, an incredible once in a life time happening, but the very lovely write-up that Barb Lodge read at the Anniversary Luncheon. I will forever treasure them both. My heartfelt thanks.

I had been asked to present an Award to Barbara. I was sorry that I missed my “moment in the sun” to reflect on Barbara”s work in the Guild. Those thousand times she worked quietly behind the scenes to see that all went smoothly from meeting to meeting and project to project. Always there for whatever needed to be done. She was the “fixative”, for lack of a better term, that kept the Guild intact through changing times over all those many years. Always loyal, always available, always ready to say “yes” to pick up on a need no one saw, to fill in where there was a need. And still today. Only rarely is anyone else ever aware of her quiet and constant giving. If anyone can be said to have aided the continuity of the Guild in its evolving and emerging path over the years. I especially know of our early years-it is Barbara Lodge!

Looking at things through the Guild is just one way to look back on our 25 years. Over and over again we are reminded of the friendships that have formed and the ties that bind. In times of need, there is support. In times of loss, there is a friend to care. I have learned from the Guild that Friendship is a Golden Thing that shines the brightest on our darkest days.

Unfortunately I had to miss the last 2 Anniversary Luncheons. I was teaching a weaving workshop out of state. But the one before I cannot forget. I sat beside Elizabeth Fellnagle, in retrospect a very special day foe me. She was the first person I met when I was introduce to handspining at a Lamb Roast in Mercer in 1976, which led to my joining that Guild and all that happened next. She had married late in life, to a lovely gentleman who fixed her spinning wheel. But the anniversary event was different, as she told me that she had cancer and was not supposed to have survived that long. I did not see her again because soon after she had a recurrence and died. I still miss her. And all the others that have “gone before us”.

We are, it is a fact, ever so lucky to have our “Guild Family” and loving friends. I can take little credit for helping out since we moved SE in 1996. It is a great pleasure to know that the relationships and sharing that have been garnered over the years, by me and so many besides myself, and on all levels (personal, fibers, etc.), has meant a lot to others as well. Weaving to me is not just interlaced fibers but rather the people who weave them. And we are the lucky ones who also weave friendships that have lasted these many years.

Thanks to all for making these years so enriched for me and for one another. Three cheers for the Guild and another 25!

Sigrid at ARTS