NPSWG: The Hub

Past Issues

"The HUB"	Vol. XXV, No.5
Bimonthly newsletter of	September - October 2003

THE NORTHWEST PENNSYLVANIA SPINNERS AND WEAVERS GUILD

Saturday, October 4, 2003, 10:00 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Donna Wellman's house, Centerville, PA

October Program

The October meeting will be held at the Wellman residence located in Centerville (see member directory for address). This is our annual guild Dye Day. We will be dying fiber, yarn or what every you want with natural dyes, indigo, woad, or chemical dyes. If you have made a dye, please bring it along. We always like to experiment with new dyes. At this time of the year there are many interesting plants to use: golden rod, Queen Anne's lace, trefoil, hollyhocks, calendula, cosmos, dahlias, walnuts, tansy, and nettles are only a few of the possibilities. If you need help with making your dye, please email Donna Wellman.

NOTE: Berries do not make a dye, they make stain. No matter how lovely they look, the color from those poke berries doesn’t last, so leave them alone!

If you would like to paint some yarn, please bring small containers, sponge brushes, vinegar, and saran wrap for steaming.

If you would like to use natural dyes, please have your fiber pre-mordanted. You may use any mordant you would like. If you need directions on mordanting, contact Donna. There are many recipes on-line also. Remember it is different for animal or vegetable fibers. Ann Sheffield wrote a good article on mordanting in last year’s July - August issue of the Hub.

Please bring a Coleman stove, fuel, a pot to cook your fiber. vinegar, a dish to share, a chair to sit on, bring your wheel to spin and plan on having a good time. You may bring as much as you want to dye and we will take turns until it is used up.

Minutes of the August Meeting

The Treasurer reported that two McCartney Memorial Scholarships were awarded to Sue Spencer, and Elaine Fertig. Sue will do her workshop scholarship obligation to the Chautauqua Guild, Elaine will do hers to the NW guild in December.

Report on 2004 Spinning Retreat. An overnight stay, August 14-15, 2004 at McKeever will cost approx $110 and will include two half-day classes and evening lecture by Patsy Z, 4 meals, snack, beverage. Attendees will furnish their own linens. Donna Wellman has submitted a grant to help offset cost.

Hand-spinners Choice Fleece Award plaque was displayed. It will be awarded along with $10 at the Crawford Co. Fair. Elaine Fertig will coordinate spinning demonstrations at the fair.

Ann read a "Thank You" note from Beth Brown-Reinsel.

The dog hair spinning project is almost completed.

Sue Spencer proposed to buy the book Skydyes, the proposal passed.

It was decided to donate $25 to the Home Textile Tool Museum and to consider planning a field trip. Sue and Laura Spencer will organize.

Newsletter exchange. Ann will ask Jill to enclose a note in the newsletters to other guilds, asking that copies of their newsletters be sent to Maggie so she can scan them for news items to include in our newsletter. Maggie should then pass them on to the program persons (Donna and Kate), after which they should be kept in the guild library.

The Oct meeting will be dyeing at Donna Wellman's. Bring dye pots.

Ikat Workshop

Barb Lodge will teach an ikat dyeing workshop in 2004 if there is enough interest. She will show samples and explain the workshop at the Oct meeting.

December Meeting

Elaine Fertig will give her knitting demo in exchange for her grant. Also please consider a worth while cause for this year’s Christmas exchange. Please give ideas to Donna so that she can plan ahead.