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Past
Issues
| "The HUB"
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Vol. XXIX,
No.5 |
| Bimonthly
newsletter of |
September -
October 2008 |
THE NORTHWEST PENNSYLVANIA
SPINNERS AND WEAVERS GUILD
Saturday, October 4, 2008, from
10:00 a.m. to 2 p.m.
September
Program
Billie Bookamer will instruct us in spinning
alpaca. There is a $5.00 fee for material. Bring your wheel.
October Program
Time is up. The 2007 guild challenge is up for
judging. Please bring your purses for all to see. Karen will do the way
and means of evaluating your efforts.
Dye Day 2008: October 11 at
the Crytzers’
We will be working with indigo, one of the oldest
and most important
dyes in the world. Indigo is the only reliable source of blue dye in
nature. Various plant species across the globe can be used (e.g. woad,
dyer’s knotweed, and the indigo plant of India), but they all contain
the same dye. Dyeing with indigo requires care and attention, but the
reward at the end, when your fiber magically turns blue before your
eyes, is worth all the trouble!
We will be able to dye at least four ounces of
yarn, fiber, or fabric
per person. Unlike most dyes, indigo works with any natural fiber – you
can bring anything from wool to cotton. You could even try tie-dyeing a
T-shirt! However, I don’t recommend using silk – it will take the dye,
but the relatively high pH of the dyebath is harmful to the fiber.
“Recycled” fibers like Ingeo or SoySilk are OK, as are most synthetics.
Note that, because indigo dyes pretty much anything, you’ll want to
wear clothes that you don’t mind getting blue!
Once everyone has had a
chance to dye her four ounces of fiber, people can continue to dye
until the vats (or the people) are exhausted. In addition to your
fiber, please bring the following supplies, if you have them:
- enamel dyepots
- thermometers (used for dyeing only)
- large, clear glass jars (will not be
usable for food afterwards)
- long wooden spoons or sticks (for
dyeing only)
- camp stoves and fuel
• hot pads/mitts (these may end up blue…)
- clothesline or rack (these will get
blue too…)
- rubber gloves (if you don’t want blue on
you!)
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Calendar of
Events
September 6th - NPSWG
Program Meeting at Christ Church 10:00a.m.to-2:00p.m.
September 16th - NPSWG
Tuesday
Spinning at Christ Church 10:00a.m.to 2:00p.m.
October 4th
- NPSWG Business/Program Meeting at Christ Church
10:00a.m.to-2:00p.m
October 11 - Dye Day at the
Crytzers’
10:00a.m. to 2:00p.m
October
21st
- NPSWG Tuesday Spinning at Christ Church 10:00a.m.to 2:00p.m.
Minutes of the August 2008 NPSWG Meeting
Karen Fry
called the
meeting to order and announced the other new officers: Program Chair Bonnie Crytzer and
Treasurer Bonnie Orr.
Ann Sheffield
is continuing as Secretary. The first topic of discussion was our
meeting
place: Christ
Church
is asking $500 for 2009, almost
double the $275 we paid this year. Several possible meeting places were
suggested, but most had some kind of disadvantage (no space for our
library,
difficult access for people with limited mobility, too far from our
central
area, etc.). Sue Spencer
agreed to
approach Christ
Church
to explain our status an
educational non-profit organization and to offer them $275 for the
coming year.
Members need to investigate the most promising alternatives and seek
other
options as a back-up plan in case Christ Church
rejects our
offer.
Bonnie Orr explained that her computer was down and so
she could only give us an abbreviated version of the Treasurer’s
Report: the total balance had decreased by $124.40 compared to the
previous month. She asked if there should be a limit on how much money
we keep in the checking account (the savings account has a better
interest rate. Jim Crytzer noted that how to manage the funds is up to
the Treasurer. Bonnie O. also noted that the computer issue means that
John won’t be able to do the Hub; Jim nobly volunteered to do one more
issue. The minutes of the June meeting were approved. Barb Lodge noted
that there are membership cards for this year.
Sue Spencer talked about the Family Field Day in
Waterford on Sept. 27. We will demonstrate spinning and weaving and
will have a guild sale table; other vending at the event is free, also.
Sue is scheduling 20-minute mini-demonstrations throughout the day –
for example, Taryn Barnett will demonstrate needle-felting, and Billie
Bookamer will demonstrate crochet. Sue needs volunteers to do more of
these short demonstrations. We discussed our donation to the sponsoring
Wool Growers Association and agreed that our donation has traditionally
been the $25 sponsorship of the People’s Choice prize.
Bonnie Crytzer announced that the annual Dye Day will be
October 11 at her house. Ann will be helping us dye with indigo. Barb
passed along several announcements of upcoming events provided by
Elaine Fertig: Saturday, August 9 (11 a.m.–5 p.m.), we will be
demonstrating at the Baldwin-Reynolds House in Meadville for their
Rural Heritage Days. The House currently features an exhibit of
historic quilts. On August 16–17, we are demonstrating at the Civil War
reenactment in McKean. You can set up on Friday evening (6–9 p.m.) and
attend a pig roast or arrive before 9 a.m. on Saturday (or Sunday). The
event is signposted with boards showing Union and Confederate flags. We
have been asked to wear denim skirts and white shirts to fit in with
the historic theme and to avoid anything obviously modern. We will be
sharing a large tent on-site and will have a great view of the
battlefield! On Wednesday, August 19, we are demonstrating at the
Crawford County Fair in the Home Economics Building from 10 a.m.–2:30
p.m.. Enter through Gate 6 and explain that you are demonstrating to be
admitted free. We will judge the fleeces that same day. Members are
also encouraged to enter their creations in the Fair!
Karen
Fry said that the Go Erie Days event went well and they would like us
to come back next year. Bonnie C. announced that she has information on
several events. The Mountain Fiber Festival will be held Sept. 6-7 in
Harford, PA (near Binghamton, NY; see www.pafiberfestival.com).
Sept. 19-20 is the annual “Knitters Day Out” in Harrisburg; the
featured instructors are Kathryn Alexander, Margaret Fisher, and
Charleen Schurch (www.knittersdayout.org).
A “ Knitters Getaway Weekend” on October 3-5 will be hosted by the Inn
at Starlight Lake in Starlight, PA (www.knitinnretreats.com).
The New York Sheep & Wool Festival in Rhinebeck, NY, will be on
Oct. 18-19 (www.sheepandwool.com).
Bonnie also passed on a message from Judy Hanninen about the upcoming
buy/sell/swap event at the next meeting of the Mercer Guild.
We discussed how to
honor the memory of Ilene Elliston. Ilene was a founding member of our
Guild and a good friend to us all through the years. We voted to donate
$100 to the Friends of the Oil City Library, the charity her family
requested. Ilene also left her stash to the Guild. Bonnie Crytzer will
inventory it and offer the family anything they would like from it
before we decide what to do.
Because of Ilene’s
death, the Bag Challenge show-and-tell has been postponed until at
least September. The September meeting is an “off-month” and also falls
on Labor Day Weekend, so it was suggested that the Bag Challenge be put
off until the October meeting. However, Vicki Ferster was not present
and so no final decision could be made.
Show
and Tell.
Ruth Walker-Daniels recommended the book Stitch ‘n
Bitch Nation – despite its vulgar title and threats of funkiness, it
contains lots of good information and some nice patterns.
Pictures
of the guild at
the Civil War Reenactment near McKean. 
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President’s
column
Hi,
Those of us who were present at the Baldwin Reynold's House on August 9
discussed when the best time to reschedule the purse challenge would
be. It was first discussed at the August meeting. The consensus is that
we should do it at the October meeting, as it was noted that the
September meeting is on Labor Day weekend and people may be travelling
or have company. This is a break for those of us who have not yet
completed our challenge item, so get busy girls!
We are looking for a new editor for the HUB. The
Orr's computer has
died and they are unable to replace it at this time. Jim Crytzer has
kindly offered to publish this edition, but we really need someone to
step up to the plate and take it over.
Karen Fry
Classified Section
The NYS Sheep and Wool Festival ( aka the
Rhinebeck Show ) Workshop schedule has undergone a complete re-do this
year. There is a new committee in place to oversee the schedule. We
have over 20 instructors and 50 plus class offerings. Beginners to
advanced fiber folks will be able to choose from a large selection of
classes. Classes are Thursday October 16 through Sunday October 19 and
will be held on site. Two day festival admission is included in class
fee..
Check out our website at:
http://www.sheepandwool.com/workshops.cfm
Sara Healy
NYS Sheep and Wool Festival
Workshop Committee
Loom and Great Wheel for Sale
Bonnie, Well here is the info on the loom and
great wheel.
The loom is a 42" Lillstina 4 harness in good condition. There are some
shuttles and bobbins with it. The great wheel is in real good condition
and I don't know what else to say about it - it's a great wheel. I'd
like to sell them together for $650.00. Thanks! Ellen
gracie6@zoominternet.net
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