Past Issues

THE NORTHWEST PENNSYLVANIA SPINNERS AND WEAVERS GUILD

Saturday, October 2, 2004, from 10:00 a.m. to 2 pm
Donna Wellman's House, Cochranton, PA

Minutes of the August Meeting

NWPSWG MINUTES, August 7, 2004

We had 5 members of Butler guild as guests.

Lake Farm Park did not allow members in at a discount as promised. They sent a letter of apology. A "thank you" was received from the Textile Tool Museum for our $25 donation, which was matched, resulting in a total of $50.

Problems of our complimentary mailing list were discussed. Bonnie will send a notice in the next issue requesting that exchange newsletters be sent to her. Those who do not comply will be dropped from our list.

Problems of having only one person who can sign checks were discussed. It was decided that Bonnie should notify the bank that co-treasurer Ilene Elliston also has full authority to sign checks.

The Shepherd’s Fall Event has invited us to do a Fleece to Shawl demo on September 25th at the Warren Co. Fairgrounds. Beginning at 10am. Spinners are needed; Amy will finish the shawl started at Waterford Days.

Spinners are also needed to demonstrate spinning for the Erie Art Museum and CelebrateErie at the old Boston Store, along with other craftsmen on August 22nd. Spinners needed.

McKeever Retreat reports. 32 people are registered.

Tuesday Spin in August will be on the 4th Tuesday, at the Crawford Co Fair Home Show Bldg. Judges are needed for the Fleece Judging on Wednesday, the 25th. Spinners needed at the sheep barn on the 25th while fleeces are being judged.

25th Guild Anniversary. We need to make plans.

Shawl report. Half a shawl was woven at Waterford Days, and will be finished at Shepherds Fall event. Green shawl was raffled at Waterford Days; yellow shawl will be given as a prize during our 25th anniversary by a guild wide drawing.

Oct meeting will be a dye day at Donna Wellman's house. Donna announced that we need to plan for a spin or weave workshop for 2005--any volunteers??? Updating our by-laws was discussed. Bonnie will make copies of current by laws and we will go over them.

Barb was directed to send a copy of the McCartney Scholarship rules and policies to Susan Fenton so that she can put them on our website.

We ended with show and tell.

Notes from the President

The retreat was a great success. All the totals are not in yet, but we did fairly well. We had a total of 34 spinners from all over Pa and NY states. Patsy came from Chicago. She did a great job and we would all like to have her back again. She taught from 7am until 11pm every day without stopping. She was so giving. She even taught us to knit a mobius in the round. I was blessed, maybe Patsy wasn't, to have her stay with me. I had a 4 hour private spinning lesson.

I attended the Butler Spinners and Weavers sheep to shawl competition. We had three teams made up of 3 people. One team had 4. My team was comprised of Dennis, Marilyn, and I. Our team won by just a few points. Raw fleece is a challenge to spin. We all had a great time and learned so much about what a team goes through, Judges are tough. Thank you to the Butler for inviting us to come.

McKeever was a great place for a retreat. We would like to consider having a retreat for our 25th anniversary party next year. Please let us know what your thoughts are on this. Cost is very economical and all could afford to attend. We had a great time. The staff went out of their way to please every guest. We could invite all guilds in the area to help us celebrate. I think that many of them were members at one time.

Sept 25, 2004 Fleece to shawl at the Warren County Fair Grounds. We will arrive between 9 and 10am and spin until 2. We need lots of spinners as the shawl needs to get finished this time around. Amy has agreed to finish weaving the shawl, it is beautiful. Thank you Chris for warping the loom and Jill and Amy for the weaving that is done. We have a great time, so come and join us. If you have things to sell we will have a guild table. Keep in mind this is a sheep event.

September we will meet at the church and watch a Patsy video and blend some fibers. Bring some fiber to put in the blend. It will be interesting what it turns out to be. Be sure to bring quality fibers. No junk. What you put in is what you get out. Please bring your drum carders, baggies, 4x5 cards, and your wheel if you would like to spin the blend. We will all share with you what we learned.

October dye day at Donna Wellman’s. I hope that you all have been gathering up your dyes. Lots of weeds are in full bloom. If you need directions to Donna's please email her at sewsew@velocity.net. Please bring pots, spoons, natural dyes if you have them, stove, fuel, and what ever else you need to dye with. The guild will have some dyes to share. We will start at 10 with the business meeting while our pots are heating. Come early stay late. We make a real mess. Wish for a warm sunshiny day. You can premortant your fibers ahead if you like. Please only alum. We will be having a potluck lunch so bring something to share.

November meeting we will be sharing some new breeds of fleece that we haven't explored. Bring your wheel, hand cards.

December will be our Christmas Party. Any ideas.

Happy spinning and Weaving Donna

Note from Sue Spencer

One of the dye baths I have made up for October’s Dye Day is Hopi sunflower seed. It’s supposed to be a “true” black, but another book said it’s dark purple. Rita Buchanan says it dyes cotton and cellulose fibers better than wool. There’s not a lot, but bring a bit of something, not wool or protein, to try out.

Notes from the Librarian

FYI,

I sent Susan Fenton the webpage for the library on Friday and she was able to get it posted before she left on vacation. Members can now look up what we have on-line and I'll be putting a printout in the library cupboard within the next few days. Roz

Notes from the Editor

Interweave Press Annual Guild Subscription Program: For a limited time, Interweave Press is offering one year subscriptions on each of their six craft titles at the special rate of $21.95 each to guild members. There are two ease methods to order or renew a subscription; by phone or by mail. If you are interested, obtain a form from the guild library for mail order or call Bonnie for phone number and code.

News from the Crawford County Fair: Congratulations to Rob Brown for winning the “Spinner’s Fleece Award” with a Shropshire fleece. The judging was done by Bonnie, Roz, Sue, Ruth and Mable of NWPSWG.

NEW !!! Places to shop:

Alpaca’m Inn, Brad, Nancy, and Terrie Swanson, 10721 West Road, Albion, PA 16401, www.geocities.com/alpacaminn. alpacaminn@aol.com or 814-756-0808. Alpaca fiber both raw and processed into roving.

Forest Glen Alpacas, LLC, Doug and Tine Weston 316 McCurdy Road, Titusville, PA 16354, www.forestglenalpacas.com, or 814-827-2352 Alpaca breeding stock, fiber and fiber products.

Kindred Spirits YARN STUDIO, Jane Bigelow and Jill Bigelow-Suttell, 415 12th Street, Franklin, PA 16323, 814-346-7079. Jane and her daughter have opened a yarn shop next to the library. When you open the door of this shop the walls jump out with color and texture saying touch me. The labels Manos del Uraguay, Rowan, Harrisville, Brown Sheep, Jaeger, Noro, Maggie’s, Green Mountain and more. The textures and colors include pencil roving, kettle dyed wool, linen, cotton, alpaca, sock yarn, eyelash yarn, ribbon, and novelty yarns. Your mind starts going in circles as to what to make first. The nice thing is if you need help or want to learn how to knit Jane is there with help and classes. Sock of the month keeps you coming back for more, vest, scarf, a felted purse. Hours on Tues., Wed., and Fri., are 10 to 5. Thur. is 11 to 6 and Sat. is 10 to 3. This is a yarn crafter’s shopping stop. If you don’t see it ask.

Note from Sigrid at ARTS

My author signing is on Sat., Sept 18th at Borders in Erie, at the Millcreek Mall. I expect to set up about 10am and fold about 3:30. (Times could change yet but not the day/date.) I plan to bring a Baby Wolf loom to weave on. If anyone wants to bring spinning wheels, that's great! If so, can they let me know in advance?

I also have an author signing at Barnes&Noble in Pittsburgh, at Waterworks Mall, on Sunday September 26th.

Classified Section

From: Paula Rudnick (State College) lrudnick@verison.net. Loom For Sale: 36 inch Seivers Loom made at Washington Island, Wisconsin. 4 harness, 2 reeds, jack type, wide shed and counter bar. Will mail picture. Asking $600

From: Linda Thompson (Oil City area) whipporwill@csonline.net. Loom For Sale: # 36 Union Loom. Sectional beam, 2 harness, 2 tie ups. Asking $350

From: Andrea apasquale@lakemetroparks.com. Loom For Sale: Cranbrook Countermarche Loom, 8 harness, 10 treadles, 3 reeds, sectional beam, and bench. Excellent condition. $2000 or best offer Picture available. Sale to benefit the Fiberfest event held annual in June at Lake Farmpark.

From: shutterbug@velocity.net. Loom For Sale: 60 inch Leclerc 4 harness loom, asking $800

Calendar of Events

September 4th – NWPSWG Program Meeting at Christ Church, “Retreat Revue & Video”10:00A.M. to 2:00P.M.

September 18th – Book Signing by Sigrid in Borders at Millcreek Mall 10:00A.M. to 3:30P.M.

September 21st – NWPSWG Tuesday Spinning at Christ Church 10:00A.M. to-2:00P.M.

September 25th – Shepherd’s Fall Event at Warren County Fairgrounds. 10:00A.M. to ?.

September 26th - Sigrid is having a book signing at Barnes & Noble in Pittsburgh at Waterworks Mall

October 2nd – NWPSWG Program/Business meeting Dye Day at Donna Wellman’s from 10:00A.M. to 2:00P.M.

October 19th – NWPSWG Tuesday Spinning at Christ Church 10:00A.M. to 2:00P.M.

November 6th – NWPSWG Program Meeting at Christ Church 10:00A.M. to-2:00P.M.

November 16th – NWPSWG Tuesday Spinning at Christ Church 10:00A.M. to-2:00P.M.

December 4th – NWPSWG Christmas Party/Business Meeting at Christ Church 10:00A.M. to 2:00P.M.