March 2022 Newsletter

Crocuses, daffodils, Inkle Weaving! That is what’s coming up around here.

The upstairs room that has been a catchment area since December’s wrapping tornado got a cleanup tornado last week. Because a few of the Inkle weavers scheduled a warping date, and… table space for four people* and looms… you get the picture. Spring Cleaning Gets Real. Making space to learn and practice. *Yes, four of us decided we can meet in person, in a small group indoors. Masked and vaccinated, with a hepa-filter air purifier going.

Andean Pebble Weave on a four-shaft floor loom is a revelation. Not sure how to do it, I started with a narrow band and followed the instructions carefully. That worked! Next, a project with three objectives: 1) use my plant-dyed yarn. 2) try a wool warp and weft. 3) go wide, hopefully wide enough to sew a little pouch. Starting with blanket-weight wool dyed with Marigold, Cochineal, and Madder, paired with three shades of natural gray, I measured a section for a patterned stripe, and border stripes that I hoped would give me a five-inch-wide band. Learning as I go: This is a very warp faced weave. 140 ends weave up just under 3 inches wide. The pattern is coming out well though, and this experience will support planning of the next piece. Eventually, I hope to weave an Andean Pebble Weave pick-up patterned cloth on a backstrap loom.

Crocuses: Spring must be on its way.

Andean Pebble Weave Pick-up band, on 4-shaft floor loom. Wool, dyed and natural gray colors.

Tracy Hudson, a textile artist living in Port Townsend, weaves all her cloth using a backstrap loom, after spinning much of the yarn she weaves with! Tracy’s loom rolls up and goes where she goes. The photo here shows Tracy’s loom on display at the Quilt and Fiber Arts Museum in La Conner. Her exhibit, titled “Yarn, Cloth, and the Pull of the Earth: Spun and Woven Interactions” will be up until April 30. On occasion, Tracy will be there in person, weaving and answering questions. Tracy has presented her collection of Ladakhi textiles in a Program for the Whatcom Guild a few years ago, and it was lovely to see her again at QFAM. I hope you can get out and see the show! For information click here.

Warmly,

Carol Berry, President

Skeins of yarn dyed with Cochineal, Madder and Marigold.

Tracy Hudson’s Back Strap Loom, on display at the Quilt and Fiber Arts Museum, LaConner, WA.

Upcoming Guild Programs

March 19, 2022 – Anastasia Azure – Handweaving as Expressive Art

Anastasia Azure hand weaves sculptural art for interiors to evoke serenity and well-being by exploring the elegance of geometry. Interlacing hand-dyed nylon with wire, her billowing forms are sought internationally for residential, hospitality, wellness and public spaces. Sculptures are made to order, customizable in size and color.

Anastasia Azure shares the development story of her sculptural woven art and jewelry. By transforming the double-weave technique, she incorporates contemporary materials and traditional metalsmithing to create fiber art. Elegant geometry, complex science, and spirituality inspire her.

This interactive virtual presentation shows the cross-cultural, symbolic nature of mandalas and elemental shapes. Anastasia insightfully shares why she makes artwork and what she brings to the world. As a guide towards higher creativity, she explains her design approach to create artistically expressive handwoven cloth.

All information and images taken from her website.

April 23, 2022 - “Joy of Fiber”

Dear Fiber Friends,

The April Program will feature what that brings our Whatcom Guild members joy in our Weaving and other Fiber activities.
This will require photos and words from members, which Nancy Ridenour will put together into a program presentation.
Please take a moment to share what brings joy in your life with fiber, by March 30, if possible, to give Nancy time to put the show together.

Please share pictures, words, stories, video, recordings, or any special method. You can choose to talk about your work and the happiness and pride it brings you, like we do with Show and Tell at meetings, or your photos can speak for themselves.
To make it easy for Nancy to collect our information, she has created the survey form linked in this message. Use the link below to fill out the survey.
All Things Fiber Life Survey Link

View the Survey now, to have some time to think about the words, photos, even a video that you would like to provide for the show. You can fill out the form and submit it again, as many times as you like!!

If the link does not work, please e-mail Nancy. She will e-mail you a survey within an email. You will have to also send her pictures of your fiber joy to this email.

May 21, 2022 – Jane Stafford about her trips to India

Jane started weaving at 21, purchasing a new Fanny loom with the help of a chattel mortgage on her 1976 Chevette. Before two years had passed, Jane was accepted as an ambitious – though possibly under-qualified – student at the Banff School of Fine Arts. In another two years, Jane was a teaching assistant at the Banff Centre; after a few more, she was an instructor there. In the years that have followed, Jane has had the great fortune of earning a livelihood based on what she loves most — weaving and sharing her passion for excellence in cloth. Jane has visited India multiple times and will be talking about these visits during her May 21 presentation.

June 18, 2022 – Show and Tell for the Guild’s Weaving Challenge project!

Here is a copy of the information in the October 2021 newsletter on the Challenge Project.

Challenge Guidelines

Challenge begins October 2021 and completes with a presentation of finished pieces at the June 2022 Guild meeting.
Using the Photo above as inspiration, make something in the fiber technique(s) of your choice! It’s that simple.

Inspiration can be the colors, the textures, the lines. What strikes you about this picture?

Helpful guidelines for your fiber pieces

Size – big or little, the sky’s the limit!
Fiber Technique – there are so many to choose from – felting, knitting weave structures galore - choose whatever you want to play with!
Project type – anything you want! Towels, tapestries, scarves, garments, socks, bands – we want to see all the ways this picture can be interpreted!

Have Fun!

How to submit Show and Tell for monthly meetings

Here’s a reminder about the current plan for meetings

Our Guild meetings begin at 10:00 a.m. with a business meeting. By about 11:00 a.m. there is usually a short break, followed by the program. A Zoom link is sent to members about a day prior to the meeting and program. While online, please keep yourself muted unless you are the speaker. During a program, it usually works best for most to have their device cameras clicked off though presenters sometimes ask for cameras to be on to gauge about questions.

Announcements

Seattle Weavers’ Guild workshops

Click to the Workshops page for more information; this includes how workshops are available, space permitting, for non-members. As of this newsletter getting compiled, the March workshop spots were limited.

Color, Design, and Weave on an Inkle loom
Friday, March 25

Baltic Pickup
Saturday, March 26

Color Pickup
Sunday, March 27

Classic and Non-traditional Rep Weaves
Saturday, April 30 – Sunday, May 1 (class is full)

Twining, Looping, Soumak, and Inlay Sampler on the Rigid Heddle Loom
Friday, May 27

Lace Weave on the Rigid Heddle Loom
Saturday, May 28

Fiber Fusion Northwest classes

Click to the Class Info 2022 page on the FFNW website, at for more information click here.

Sat Jun 4 and Sun Jun 5, all day: Beginning Loom Weaving by Liz Moncrief
Sat Jun 4, all day: Cedar – From Bark to Basket by Kay Harradine
Sat Jun 4, morning: Flax Spinning by Karen Chabinsky
Sun Jun 5, all day: Card Weaving-Threaded-In Design by Marilyn Romatka
Sun Jun 5, afternoon: Weaving 102 by Karen Chabinsky

Whatcom Weavers Guild Library

WWG Equipment Library

The Guild has equipment for short-term loan to members. J ust a few of the items are a yardage counter, bobbin winder, shuttles, reeds in commonly used sizes, shaft table looms and Rigid Heddle Looms. The complete list and the equipment, resides with Sharon Allen. Contact Sharon.newchapter@gmail.com for info or loan arrangements.

WWG Library

To access the Whatcom Weavers Guild Library’s catalog click on this link. A password is not needed. This gives you a list of all the books and magazines in the Library. It doesn't sort by topic and doesn't say if the book is checked out or not. To find out if a book is available for check out, contact Carol Berry.

Book Reviews by a happy Guild member!

This month’s Library Spotlight focuses on two of our books for beginning spinners. While one is older than the other, both offer slightly different variations on learning to spin, with lots of clear instructions and illustrations/photographs.

Start Spinning by Maggie Casey (published 2008)

This is a wonderful little book for beginners to learn how to spin. It has clear and concise instructions, accompanied by great color photos. The first 2 chapters are about spinning with wool first, since it is the easiest fiber to use for good initial results, and how to prepare for spinning.

Do you want to learn how to spin starting with a drop spindle? You’ll be on your way after reading Chapter 3. And then Chapters 4 and 5 will acquaint you with basic wheel anatomy and terminology. Chapter 6 will get you up and running with your wheel, with information on troubleshooting to get you over any rough patches.

The rest of the book deals with plying, finishing and customizing your yarns to suit your needs, and fiber preparations. I love that she gives great tips too, like making Lazy Kates out of shoeboxes!

Hands On Spinning by Lee Raven (published 1987)

While this one is the older of the two books, it also showcases very clear directions and illustrations paired with black and white photos. Ms. Raven first takes you back to the simplest and most inexpensive spinning tool possible, the spinning hook made form a wire coat hanger! She also illustrates how to make your own drop spindle, or make a Lazy Kate from a shoebox, or even how to use 2 glass jars for your singles to roll around in while you are plying them. Don’t have a Niddy Noddy for winding your yarn into skeins? Just use a chair back! Pretty great ideas

for those of you on the tightest budgets.

She then proceeds on to using drop spindles and spinning wheels, with lots of good fiber prep, carding and finishing information, and even a few very classic knitting patterns you can adapt to your handspun yarns.

The Selecting and Spinning Fibers chapter towards the end discusses the properties of various other more exotic fibers.

To sum up, either or both books will definitely tell you what you should know to get your started on your spinning experience. Carpe Spinnum!

From Members

From Mary Oates:

This last month with the help of Carol, Sheila and I warped the big demonstration loom for the Waldorf school. The 5th grade students are working on the weaving. It will be fun to see the finished item. It feels good to work on outreach even though many of our activities have been curtailed during the epidemic.

From LeslieAnn Bestor:

A local resource - Ragfinery
Although Ragfinery was the first place I visited when I moved to Bellingham last year, I've learned that not everyone knows about this little gem. So let me introduce you! Ragfinery describes itself as a place of textile transformation and

upholds the principles of recycling and reusing, it is a retail store run by a non-profit and it is like a candy store for textile enthusiasts. All of the goods for sale have been donated by individuals or partner organizations and the sales allow Ragfinery to support their mission of diverting textiles from the waste stream and supporting local jobs.

What this means when you open the door is that there is a festival of color and possibilities everywhere you look and all of it is amazingly inexpensive. There's fabric of every kind and amount, from yardage (lengths over 2 yards) to remnants to scraps - the scrap table is my favorite place, where I can get anything I can stuff into a produce bag for $1. There’re notions of all kinds, sewing machines, tubs of laces and embroidered things, the most wonderful display of spools of thread (a dime or a quarter each). I like to make little zip pouches from my end of warp scraps - yes, they have zippers and I pick some fabric to match from the scrap table, maybe even a spool of thread. Oh, and did I mention the buttons?

And for weavers or other yarny types? There's a spacious cabinet across from the cash register that holds baskets with an assortment of natural fiber yarns. Most of them are knitting yarns, but we weavers are known to use them, too.😎 Further into the store, you'll see a table with coned yarn. It's a mixed assortment and, as with all thrift stores, what's there varies every day, but I've been finding some great scores. S ome on big cones with various fiber types and lots of smaller cones and partial tubes. I've seen some great wools and cottons, some small shiny bits that would make fun accents. There are some acrylic cones, but most of those yarns have a separate section further back. I snatched up 2 cones of silk noil once, talk about good timing!

I encourage you all to stop by and check it out. They also sell upcycled clothing and goods, lots of fun inspiration there. And keep them in mind if you are downsizing or clearing out, I would have loved a place like this when my mom passed so her stash of fabrics and yarns could end up in creative hands instead of the landfill.

Ragfinery
1421 N Forest St, Bellingham
phone: (360) 738-6977
website: https://www.ragfinery.com/
e-mail: hello@ragfinery.com

ANWG update by Diane Banks

For those who are new to our guild you may have heard the acronym, ANWG, bantered about. Here is the meaning behind ANWG and what it brings to our guild members.

The Association of Northwest Weavers Guilds (ANWG) is an association of fiber art guilds located within the Pacific Northwest (Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington and Wyoming) and Western Canada (Alberta, British Columbia and Saskatchewan). ANWG provides services and support to its Member Guilds with the idea that by combining resources and providing an economy of scale, services can be provided that would be very challenging for any individual guild. One way that ANWG reaches this goal is by sponsoring a conference every other year hosted by a local guild. The very first conference hosted by the Seattle Weavers Guild took place in Seattle, WA in 1957. The 2017 conference took place in Victoria, BC, with many of our guild members attending. Due to Covid-19, the 2021 ANWG Conference at Willamette University in Salem, Oregon, was cancelled. With much thought and health considerations, the ANWG Conference Steering Committee is moving forward to the next conference. The 2023 ANWG conference will be held on June 11-18, 2023, in Bend, OR. For more information, please go here.

The primary focus of ANWG and Member Guilds is weaving but also includes spinning, felting other fiber arts. As with all types of artistic media, technology has played a key role in the growth and expansion of the fiber arts beyond its ancient beginnings. ANWG support to all fiber arts can once again be found during the conference through workshops, presentations, fashion show and vendors supporting the fiber community.

The goal is for most of the planned 2021 workshops to be held in 2023. For more To see a list of presenters and workshops please go here.

The fashion show is one of the highlights of the conference where a spinner, knitter or weaver can enter their creation. Entries must be substantially handwoven, hand-felted, or knit with handspun yarn. Any article of clothing or fashion accessory for men, women, or children is acceptable. Awards are given out in many different categories. For more information on the submission of an item or more for the fashion show please go here.

Finally, there are over 90 member guilds and affiliates representing over 4,070 weavers, spinners, and fiber artists in the Northwest and you are a part of this community.

HGA’s Guild Development Retreat held January 29

The Handweavers Guild of America held a Guild Development Retreat by Zoom on Saturday, January 29. Attending from WWG were Carol Berry, Marion Scichilone and Judith Sen.

Here are the panel discussion topics, ranging from forty-five to 60 minutes. In between each, there were Zoom break out rooms to join to talk in smaller groups.

Welcome & Discussion with Executive Director Elizabeth Williamson
Panel: Marketing Your Guild
Panel: Using Technology to Grow Your Organization
Panel: Partnerships & Collaborations
Panel: Fundraising

Here are highlights from our notes. And, also attending was Molly who joined with the Whidbey Weavers Guild. All of us agreed that our Guild is already doing many of the efforts and activities mentioned.

Have some social or gathering time before or after in-person or virtual guild meetings; this will be of interest to some members.
Strive for an online presence with a website and a social media presence. Instagram typically attracts younger people.
Guilds in NYC and Pennsylvania joined together for a virtual Movie night – great guild collaboration!
Hold discussions at general and board meetings about development of future board members; consider shadowing, co-positions, mentoring.
Reach out to textile and similar programs at area colleges and universities; provide guild information, offer to present to a class, graduating students have had access to large equipment on campus and are likely to be thrilled to hear about guild benefits like a book/magazine and tool/equipment libraries.
Start a newsletter if a guild does not have one. Key communication tool with members. Several attendees interested in getting newsletter copies from other guilds.
Several comments that some guilds around the country are having challenging times due to COVID; not able to plan or find enough interest in Zoom meetings, concern that current members will not return when there are in-person meetings and events.

From the Jansen

Classes and Dye Days at the J

The Textile Studio has a new schedule of classes for winter and spring quarters:

Weaving Classes

Beginning Tapestry with Val O’Conner, Saturdays, March 5-26
Exploring Overshot with Sheri Ward, Tuesdays, March 15-April 5
Beginning Weaving with Sheri Ward, Tuesdays & Fridays, April 26-May 6
Extreme Warp Make-Over with Robyn Spady, Wednesday-Friday, May 18-20
Summer & Winter Weaving with Sheri Ward, Tuesdays-Fridays, June 7-17

Felting classes

Felted Hat with Donna Hunter, rescheduled for Saturday, April 9
Felted Bowls with Donna Hunter, Saturday, May 21

Dye Days: generally the first Thursday of the month

The first Thursday of the month
Wool Immersion & Indigo Dyeing, Thursday, April 7
Block Printing with Dyes, Thursday, May 5
Dyeing for a Quilt Project, Thursday, June 2

Spinning class

Beginning Spinning with Chris Paul, Tuesday & Saturday, April 26 & 30

Knit and crochet group

Third Tuesdays of the month: April 19, May 17, and June 21

For any of these classes or workshops, check the J's website for details.

Robyn Spady’s workshop, Extreme Warp Make-Over

The Jansen Textile Studio is excited to offer a workshop by Robyn Spady, well-known weaver and wonderful teacher. Be sure to check your calendar and make time for this great workshop. Here’s Robyn’s description of this workshop:

Hate to warp, but love to weave? Want more versatility from a single warp? Then this is a workshop for you! In this workshop, participants will warp their loom with their choice of one of three four-shaft threadings and perform an extreme makeover and weave it many different ways . . . from twill, lace, and overshot to swivel, corduroy, deflected weft, and double-faced. At the same time, participants are presented with the basics of different structures and how to adapt a single threading to weave a number of different weaves, including concepts such as star vs. rose fashion, weaving on opposites, and echo treadling. Four-shaft loom required. (Note: This is not a round-robin workshop.)

Studio Showcase Exhibit Coming up in June

The J will be hosting an exhibit of pieces created by students and instructors in the various studios of the Jansen Art Center. The exhibit will be in the Library on the second floor during the month of June, and will likely include items from Ceramics, Painting, Jewelry, and of course, Textiles. We would welcome submissions of pieces you made at the J, or later on your own after taking classes there. If you’ve participated in a study group, say the Navajo Saddle Blanket or rep weave study group, consider entering your items from that – it would be wonderful to feature those efforts along with items made or inspired by a class.

Stay tuned for specific details on how to enter the exhibit. The Textile Studio would love to have a nice representation of items you have made in class, later as a result of what you learned, or from your own inspiration.

Weaving Equipment for Sale

The Textile Studio is in the process of moving from the back studio to the former dance studio, a somewhat larger space. As part of this change, we have some equipment for sale. For either of these items, contact Sheri Ward, sheri.ward@icloud.com.

Cone Rack: A handy place to store your cones of yarn and keep them easily accessible. $100 OBO.

Floor Loom: An 8-harness, 48” Countryside Loom, originally owned by Linda Dinus, a past long-time guild member. This is a very sturdy loom, suitable for weaving rugs or anything else you might like. Removable parts on the warp beam, so it can be warped on the solid beam, or sectionally. The harnesses are metal, and it can be a heavy lift to raise more than four harnesses. $300 OBO.

Classified Ads

9” Pioneer sample loom. Open heddles and reed. $250
Looking for good home. Price negotiable.
Contact: Jan Nilsson, 509-999-2118, e-mail: nilssonarts@gmail.com

59” Glimakra countermarch loom. Reed, texsolve, warpsticks, bench, lease sticks. $2400
Looking for good home, Price negotiable.
Contact: Jan Nilsson, 509-999-2118, e-mail: nilssonarts@gmail.com

Montana Looms maple 8-shaft table loom with 18" weaving width in excellent condition for $350. Comes with lease sticks and a 12-dent reed. Please contact Sigrid at 360-913-3656 or rschumac@mindspring.com if interested.

In Search Of (ISO)

This newsletter section was added in our monthly February newsletter. Just another resource for us and our pocketbooks!

Each month look for In Search Of next to the Classifieds. It can be asking for a cone of 8/2, a partial cone of 3/2, accessories that you don't want to pay top dollar for. You get the idea! So that means it’s appropriate to ask for Free items in addition to things you are willing to pay for.

Calendar of events of interest to Guild members!

Please contribute details of upcoming events of interest to WWG members to info@whatcomweaversguild.org !

Whidbey Weavers Guild Spin-In
April 2-3, 2022
Oak Harbor High School, Whidbey Island
Guild Spin-In – Welcome (whidbeyweaversguild.org)
On Saturday from 11 am – 1 pm the Marketplace admission will be free for the public.

Puget Sound LYS Tour
May 11-15, 2022
https://www.lystour.com/

Slow Yarn Crawl PNW
May 27 – September 5, 2022
http://www.slowcrawl.com/

Fiber Fusion Northwest
June 4-5, 2022
Evergreen State Fairgrounds, Monroe, WA
https://fiberfusion.net

Convergence 2022 – Handweavers Guild of America (HGA)
July 15-22, 2022
Knoxville, TN
https://weavespindye.org/convergence/

Northwest Washington Fair
August 11-20, 2022
NW Fairgrounds and Event Center, Lynden, WA
https://www.nwwafair.com/

2023 ANWG Conference (Association of Northwest Weavers’ Guilds)
June 11-18, 2023
Riverhouse Convention Center, Bend, OR
https://northwestweavers.org/conferences/fiber-connections-2023-salem-or/

Submitting content for the newsletter

The deadline for submitting content for the newsletter is 5:00 p.m. on the last Sunday of the month. The newsletter will be on the WWG website around the first Sunday night of each month or in the first few days of the following week. The goal is for members to be reading the newsletter about mid-way between Guild meetings and programs, which are on the third Saturday of each month.

Please send newsletter content to Marion via her e-mail address in the Membership list or to info@whatcomweaversguild.org. For photos and images, please send individual JPEG files. Text can be typed into the body of an e-mail or be sent as a Word document that is saved as a doc or docx but not as a PDF. Contact her if you have questions.