April 2022 Newsletter

New Beginnings

Daffodils are blooming, Rhubarb is poking up. A brown bunny has been visiting my garden. He or she is welcome to nibble on the leaves of the emerging dandelions and the weedy strands of grass I haven’t gotten out to clean up. (It’s been chilly!) I am always happy to see dandelions because they provide the first food in spring for ground-dwelling bees and other pollinators. And my bunny friend. Tulips are getting ready, and a friend gave me Dahlia tubers and seeds as a birthday present. Anticipation of color keeps me going. Tulips soon, Dahlia and Zinnias later. Planting Japanese Indigo again this year, too.

The colors of the Double Rainbow workshop were knockout! The workshop was a stretching experience, I am inspired to continue and overjoyed with the tools I now have for color combinations in cottolin. I want to do the workshop exercises all over again, in other color options. Speaking of inspiration in Double Weave, the March Program with Anastasia Azure was another knockout. Double Weave sculpture and jewelry, inspired by the shapes and colors of flowers and the sea. And who knew acid dyes will color nylon yarns and monofilament?!
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Can you see the bunny?
See the Bunny up close
The Conference colors for ANWG 2023 are giving me ideas too. Goal: Plant dyed yarns in the conference colors. I just this minute got out my dye journal for a look at the samples created in last Spring’s Maiwa online workshop. Excited to discover I already have samples and the recipes for plant dye versions of the conference colors. A few degrees warmer weather means getting out into the Dye Studio (AKA garage and garden shed) to see if I can coax these colors out of plant material and into yarn again.
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Joy of color!
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​Carol Berry, President
ANWG 2023 Conference Colors in 8/2 cotton with Plant-Dyed yarn and Fabric Samples: Cutch=Adobe Red, Myrobalan=Yellow, Indigo=Blue, Myrobalan w/Indigo overdye=green, Cochineal+Logwood=Purple.
Double Rainbow Sampler: Six colors of cottolin weave small checks in two intersecting layers, for 90+ combinations of 2 or 3 colors. Thanks to Jennifer Moore’s Double Rainbow Workshop.

Upcoming Guild Programs

April 23, 2022   -   “Joy of Fiber”
 
Dear Fiber Friends,
 
The April Program will feature what 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 April 15 or sooner, if possible, to give Nancy time to put the show together. 
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Please share pictures, words, stories, videos, 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 this link below to fill out the survey. 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 has visited India multiple times and will be talking about these visits during her May 21 presentation.

“I have had the great fortune to travel to India 3 times assisting Charllotte Kwon from Maiwa Handprints on workshops and tours. Now, I can invite you to join me on a wee tour of India visiting villages in Rajasthan, Gujarat, Kerala, West Bengal and Orissa. All of these villages specialize in natural dying, block printing or weaving. It is my great pleasure to share these images that have changed my life, my weaving practice and my outlook on life.”
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.
  1. Inspiration can be the colors, the textures, the lines. What strikes you about this picture?
  • Helpful guidelines for your fiber pieces
  1. Size – big or little, the sky’s the limit!
  2. Fiber Technique – there are so many to choose from – felting, knitting weave structures galore - choose whatever you want to play with!
  3. 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.

Save The Date!

Color Confidence 3-day Workshop  with Sarah Jackson

Friday June 24
Saturday June 25
Sunday June 26​
Students will explore color compositions, learn how weave structures impact color interaction, and discover fresh ideas for developing color studies. This workshop is a combination of presentation, discussion, and weaving; it is not a round-robin workshop. Students will complete the workshop with a greater understanding of how colors interact in woven cloth. They will know how to sample effectively and how to evaluate ideas for cloth using their sample color combinations. They will leave the workshop with woven samples and confidence in their own creativity and ability to work successfully with color.

Whatcom Weavers Guild Booth Project

The Whatcom Weavers Guild Booth Project for the June 2023 Association of Northwest Weavers Guilds (ANWG) Conference in Bend, Oregon is underway! The Whatcom Guild Booth Theme is “Connecting our Fiber Community through Study Groups & Guild Challenges.” In an enthusiastic response to the Slideshow presented at the March Meeting, quite a few members are already planning to attend the conference and want to help with the Booth Display. View the Slideshow PDF here.

It is hoped that every Guild member can participate in some way, even those who may not be able to travel to attend. (It can be hard to plan this far in the future). So far, we have a Design Team, a Set-up Team Lead, a Tracking Lead, and quite a few members who want to help with transport or other aspects of the project!

Everyone is invited to create a fiber piece for display, reflecting our Guild theme and using some form of the conference colors. The Tapestry Study Group is already planning to adopt the ANWG Colors for their 2022-2023 challenge project!

The timeline for the project is generous at this point. The application for a booth has been submitted. Now through October 2022, individual members and study groups can start planning their creations for the booth display. In January 2023, we’ll be asking for intended submissions. The deadline for completed work will be April 2023.

The overall conference theme is “Fiber Connections 2023.” More information about the conference can be found here.

​​​​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 [email protected] for info or loan arrangements.

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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.
Library Spotlight #6 by a happy Guild member!
A Handwoven Treasury - Projects, Tips & Techniques From the First Ten Years

Interweave Press’s Handwoven publication has always been a lovely projects resource for us weavers. Although this book was compiled in 1989, most of the projects presented are classic and timeless. Many weaving techniques are outlined clearly for you, and all drafts etc. are provided to complete the projects.

Come check it out in our WWG Library!

Themes include Table Toppers, Curtains and Screens, Towels, Pillow, Rugs, Scarves & Shawls, Coats Dresses & Tops, and Evening Bags. A handy yarn chart is given towards the end, to allow you to match equivalent yarns if the originals aren’t available for you.
One of my favorites is the Overshot Table Mat, with the values reversed from traditional overshot, so the lighter weft forms the pattern over a darker graded warp.
Another is the Bold and Beautiful Cocoon Wrap (below), with pleats down the back that give it a dramatic design and a nice loose drape, rather than the bunched-up look so many cocoons have.

Join the Board! ​

Whatcom Weavers Guild Board positions are opening up for the 2022-2023 year. Each position is elected annually, and members usually serve for up to three years in a position. The Board plays a crucial role in continuation of the Guild, ensuring management of activities and responsibilities that support the organization. Each Board member has a vote on decisions affecting the Guild as a whole. Large decisions are brought to the General Membership.
We all love fiber and want the Guild to continue. There is work involved, but not too much if we share it. The responsibilities of every position are flexible. The entire Board never rotates at one time, so new Board members never need to feel like fish out of water.

Here’s how to join the Board:
  • Read descriptions of the positions that are opening up. (Short descriptions below, full descriptions on the website, link below).
  • Think about what fits your skills and interests. Contact the current member in this position, to get an overview of the responsibilities.
  • Send an email or speak up at a meeting to have your name placed on the roster. Elections take place at the General Meeting on May 21, 2022.
  • A meeting including outgoing and incoming Board Members will be scheduled in June. The new Board takes responsibility in June, 2022, and sits through June 2023.

To read the Whatcom Weavers Guild Constitution, by-laws and Policies, including Board Position Descriptions, click here.

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Positions Opening for the 2022-2023 Term:

Secretary: Records minutes at monthly general Guild Meetings and quarterly Board Meetings. Drafts and mails correspondence as needed.
Current Position Holder: Sheila Atwater “The secretary position is one which is great for a new member, as it's a way to learn names and faces, etc. That is exactly the reason I took it.  I was fairly new to the organizational part of the Guild and felt it was a learning opportunity. I have learned more about how the Guild is put together and how it runs. I still misspell names at times. (That is just me and my fingers on the keyboard).”

Membership Chair:
Maintains the database of members, containing name, address, phone number, email address, craft interests. Provides information in a spreadsheet or table for organization and distribution of a Guild Directory for all paid members.
Current Membership Chair: Jan Burton “The busiest time for the Membership Chair is during January and February when membership renewals are coming in. The data base or spreadsheet contains information for 60-90 members. I make sure updated contact lists are sent out as needed, so that everyone gets their newsletter and meeting notifications each month.”

Workshop Chair
Organizes one or two online or in-person workshops per year, based on interest and suggestions from the Guild as a whole. Collaborates in the development of an annual Guild Challenge Project.
Current Workshop Chair: Sharon Allen “Workshop Chair is a fun position because you get to contact instructors and choose workshops you would like to take! It’s only busy once or twice a year, preparing for a workshop and when one is happening.”

2nd Vice President (Person in Waiting…)
Welcomes new members. Organizes volunteers to set up and restore the meeting hall when the Guild meets in person. Coordinates with the Workshop Chair to develop and present an annual Guild Challenge Project. Steps up to Vice President at the end of a one-year term as 2nd VP.
Current Second VP: Leslie Ann Bestor “The Lady in Waiting position (2nd VP) is a great way to ease into being involved with the guild. The responsibilities are light and you get to know how things work without too much pressure. Other board members are there for support and you can contribute your ideas for keeping the guild vibrant. Give it a try!”

Workshops and Classes of Interest

Sheperd’s Extravaganza, April 21-24, 2022   -   Puyallup Fairgrounds

Fri Apr 22, 10:00 am to 1:00 pm: Rug Hooking All In One Introduction, instructor: Judy Taylor
Sat Apr 23, 11 am to 2 pm: Blending for Color, instructor: Georgeann Curran
Sun Apr 24, 10 am to 1 pm: Bringing Your Wool Portraits to Life with Needlefelting, instructor: Amy Wolf
Seattle Weavers’ Guild workshops

Click to the Workshops page for more information; this includes how workshops are available, space permitting, for non-members. 

​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, 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
What are Guilds Doing in Other States? Here’s Colorado!

"Colorado Weavers Day" Craft and Community
May 6-7, 2022  - virtual program

Every other year, Colorado Weavers Day brings weavers from across Colorado together to celebrate our craft and get to know each other. This year’s event will be a virtual conference (so you can live anywhere to join in — you don’t have to weave in Colorado to attend Colorado Weavers Day!)

Speakers: Steven Frost, Robyn Spady, Elizabeth Williamson, and Mary Zicafoose. Click here to learn more about them.
Here is the Registration form
Door prizes: We are getting terrific donations. Another reason to register!

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 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
  • Generally the first Thursday of the month
  • Wool Immersion & Indigo Dyeing, rescheduled for Thursday, March 31
  • Custom-Dyed Napkins, soon to be rescheduled; check the J’s website
  • Block Printing with Dyes, Thursday, May 5
  • Dyeing for a Quilt Project, Thursday, June 2​

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:
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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.)
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Studio Showcase Exhibit Coming up in June

​You are invited to submit items for a Studio Showcase Exhibit at the Jansen Art Center this summer. 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.

The J will be hosting an exhibit of pieces created by students and instructors in the various studios. 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, photos from Performance, and of course, Textiles. We would welcome submissions of pieces you made at the J, or later on your own after taking classes here. 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.

By May 7, we hope to have a collection of pieces from students and instructors in the Textile Studio that can go on exhibit, and that list will be finalized by May 14. There are details on the next page for submitting your items. Bear in mind that, since this an exhibit from all the studios, we won’t know exactly how much space we’ll have for Textiles. So it may be that we accept your item, but then don’t actually use it in the exhibit. We will, however, do the best we can to include all the accepted items. Your pieces can be for sale or not, as you choose. If an item is for sale, the J’s commission is 40%.

​There will be an opening reception for this Studio Showcase Exhibit on Thursday, June 2, and then the exhibit will be there until July 8. If you are a textile instructor at the J, please feel free to pass this on to your students as well as participating yourself. If you have any questions about this exhibit or how to submit your items, please contact Sheri Ward, email [email protected].

We hope you choose to participate. We would love to display your wonderful pieces!

Sheri Ward
For the Jansen Textile Group
​Textiles Entries, Studio Showcase Exhibit

Submission deadline is Saturday, May 7, 2022.
Please use this link to submit your items.

Before you begin, you’ll need the dimensions of the item, a photo, and an artist statement.

Photos taken with your phone will be fine for the submission form, if they show the work clearly, without background distractions. Be sure to indicate a title, or “untitled”, or what the piece is, such as Scarf, sampler, tapestry, etc., and height (inches) X width (inches) for each piece.

Creating an Artist Statement
Answering the ten questions below will help create a short statement that tells about you, and the work you are submitting for the exhibit. (200 words or less) You don’t have to answer all the questions. Tip: 200 words is about one-third to one-half page of 12-point type, with 1-inch margins. If you want help composing this statement, contact Sheri with this information.
  • Your name
  • Class or workshop where the work(s) was created, or that inspired the work(s).
  • Name of Instructor(s)
  • Year the piece was made, year the class or workshop was taken (if known)
  • Type of work: (i.e. Weaving, felting, knitting, crochet, tablet weaving, tapestry, dyeing, warp painting, etc., or a combination of techniques)
  • Materials used: (i.e. wool, cotton, linen, silk, tencel, rayon, wood strips, cedar bark, etc.; procion dyes, fiber reactive dyes, acid dyes, natural plant material, lichens, oak leaves, avocado pits, etc.)
  • Tools or equipment used (i.e., table loom, floor loom, frame loom, spinning wheel, spindle, knitting needles, felting tools, etc.
  • Where it was made; (In the Textiles Studio, Dye Studio, outdoors, at home, etc.)
  • What you like about the work, liked about the class or workshop and instructor.
  • What you might like to do next, in this textile format, or another.

Jansen Art Center
Studio Showcase Exhibit 2022
June, in the Library

Submissions deadline: Saturday, May 7 using this link.
Final list of accepted submissions, Saturday, May 14
Delivery of artwork: Saturday, May 28, 11 am-2 pm
Installation: Tuesday, May 31
Reception: Thursday, June 2, 6-8 pm
Exhibit close: Friday, July 8
Artwork pickup: Saturday, July 9, 11 am-2 pm
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, [email protected].
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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

No classifieds submitted for April.
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 [email protected] !
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Here’s a spotlight on Sheperd’s Extravaganza!
April 21-24, 2022
Washington State Fairgrounds, “J” Barn, Puyallup
Fleece and Fiber Show
Sheep Consignments
Used Equipment Sale
Craft Table
Fiber Arts Contest
Workshops
Demonstrations
Volunteer opportunities
Here’s a link to the information page, including entry forms.

​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
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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 [email protected]. 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.