January 2021 Newsletter

Endings, Beginnings, and a year that has been “A Bit Wonky”

The January Newsletter heralds not just a month and season, but also a New year. Every year we look to the turning over, what’s been accomplished, what events have passed, what are our goals, what do we anticipate? This little time between the two mid-winter holidays is more than ever, a time for some reflection. Gratitude: I am well, with enough food, a warm, dry place to live and plenty of string! Gratitude for the work I am able to do with my hands, which occupies my mind, pleases my senses, and keeps my loved ones warm or dries their hands when it’s finished.

The past month has seen the passing of two long-time weavers associated with the Whatcom Weavers Guild. Linda Rees, a founding member and career tapestry weaver, passed away in December. A few of Linda’s remaining tapestries, including one simple and charming piece titled “A Bit Wonky” are looking for homes. Rowlanda Hughes, limited by a life-long disability, found satisfaction in weaving, assisted in recent years by Weavers Guild members who dressed her table loom regularly, passed in December also.

Gratitude that there is still some warp left on my loom(s) figuratively, and literally.
I received two lovely weaving books as gifts recently, and I am inspired by what I am reading to approach familiar weaves in a new way! But First… Two looms have the remainders of scarf warps on them – in each case, the first scarf has been woven, cut off, finished and gone to a happy recipient. Now, time to re-tie, and weave the second half of each. Nice to have some weaving to do without having to make big new decisions before getting started.

But then…I get to start a new program of color and cloth for the year. By the time you read this, I will be finished with a 12-thread Andean Pebble Weave band, and have a wider, more ambitious band on the inkle loom. A small portable project is a welcome break, and I am so pleased to have braved the world of online learning this past year. It’s something I would not have done if I didn’t have to – and I am so glad I tried it! With my new-found tech-ish confidence, I have signed up for two new projects in 2021. The Maiwa School of Textiles Indigo Course – taught online for the first time ever. And FiberWorks Weaving Software. Yes, I’m getting started with drafting software, thanks to the gentle persuasion and awesome support of a wonderful mentor. Also still learning in the old-fashioned way, looking at new and old weaving books, and experimenting with “what-if’s” on the loom, adapting known structures to try them out in new ways.

Looking forward to seeing you, via Zoom – and maybe at the front porch or garden gate – remember, you can request a book from the Guild Library, anytime, and pick it up curbside!
Between online resources, mentors, ongoing projects, and the books and videos in our Guild Library, the Public Library, and on your own shelves, I hope there is inspiration enough for all of us, to keep our spirits up as we enter into a new and hopeful year. 


Warmly,
Carol Berry

Please Renew Your Membership!

Membership renewals are due in January.  In order to update our files, we are asking everyone to fully complete a 2021 Membership Form.  (Click Here for Membership Form) The form has been revised to provide more information that will help the Guild plan for the future.  Please mail your check and form to the address at the bottom. Also, please fill out the entire form. Writing “same” or “no changes” is not enough. We may need to refer back to a form to make sure our information is accurate. Thanks for supporting your Guild!

Guild Meetings and Programs – Winter 2020 & 2021

​Online meetings and programs using ZOOM will be the norm, at least through June 2021. A Zoom meeting invitation will be sent to all members a few days before each meeting.

January 16, 2021, Handweavers Guild of America   -   Executive Director, Elizabeth Williamson
  
Have you ever attended National Handweavers Convention? Wondered how the Convergence Conferences come to be? Learn about Convergence, the Certificate of Excellence Programs, HGA Publications, the scope of weaver’s guilds throughout North America and beyond, from a representative of the Handweavers Guild of America, in the January 2021 Whatcom Weavers Guild Program.

Since 2015 Elizabeth Williamson has served as Executive Director of the Handweavers Guild of America in Suwanee, Georgia. As Executive Director, Elizabeth has been responsible for leading the board through the development of a strategic plan, consolidating technology platforms for a better customer experience, and nearly doubling the organization’s Convergence® conference attendance.

Meeting starts at 10 am - break 11-11:15, 
Program starts 11:15am - 12:30pm. 
Zoom link will be sent the week before.

February 20, 2021 – Judy Newland, Navajo Weaving and Culture
Navajo weaving is a mirror of the Social, economic and political history of the Navajo People of the Southwest. Judy Newland, retired faculty in Museum Anthropology at Arizona State University, and director for the ASU Museum of Anthropology, will take take us through an illustrated look at the history, designs, motifs and iconography of Navajo textiles. A weaver, spinner and dyer for over 40 years, Judy has relocated to Whatcom county and is now a member of the Whatcom Weavers Guild.
​
Meeting starts at 10 am - break 11-11:15, 
Program starts 11:15am - 12:30pm. 
Zoom link will be sent the week before.

Announcements

Linda Rees 
November 10, 1940 - December 19, 2020 

Bellingham, Washington - Long-time local artist, Linda Rees (née Schult), passed away in the early morning hours of Saturday, December 19, 2020. Born and raised in St. Louis, MO, Linda moved to Bellingham in 1970 and quickly became a fixture in the growing fiber arts community, where she was a founding member of the Whatcom Weavers Guild. Her tapestries were inspired by the smooth surfaces and geometric designs of traditional Navajo rugs and the bold colors of Mexican serapes. Linda was a do-er and enjoyed connecting with people through volunteer work at the Whatcom Museum. Hiking, vegetable gardening, mushroom hunting, and birdwatching kept her in close contact with the natural world. 
Linda made a significant contribution to the fiber arts community through her writing; the author of numerous articles in weaving magazines and the editor of the American Tapestry Alliance's newsletter for a number of years, she also published a book on another tapestry weaver from St. Louis, Muriel Nezhnie Helfman, in 2004. The two artists shared a similar fate, with their careers cut short by dementia. 
During her last years in memory care, Linda was supported by a wonderfully generous and caring group of local friends that included Lee Ingram, Aurora Fox, Susan Richardson, Marcia Lippman, Louise Grant, and Amanda Muir. Linda was married for twenty-five years to the late Rod Rees, a former professor of psychology at Western Washington University. She is survived by their daughter, Ellen Rees, and sixteen-year-old grandson, Eivind Rees, who both live in Oslo, Norway, as well as by three of her four siblings, Kathy Still, Elaine Ahrendt, and Pat Snow. A memorial service is tentatively being planned for June 2021, if travel and large gatherings are possible again.

Rowlanda Hughes
1934 - 2020

Rowlanda J Hughes was born at St Joseph Hospital in Bellingham on July 12, 1934. 
She has lived in Belfair, Bremerton, and Bellingham.  She moved to Alderwood Park March of 2007 before that she lived at Rosewood Manor for several years.  Rowlanda passed away on December 11, 2020. Limited by a life-long disability, Rowlanda first learned to weave as a young adult, while living with her parents on the Hood Canal. Later, Whatcom Weavers Guild member Richard Harvey provided Rowlanda with a small table loom and helped her to get started weaving again. Rowlanda found great satisfaction in weaving and was assisted in recent years by Weavers Guild members who warped her table loom.

Jack Lenor Larsen

Well-known textile artist, Jack Lenor Larsen passed away at age 93. He was originally from Washington State, and participated as a judge for one of our guild's textile exhibits at the Whatcom Museum many years ago. Read About his life and contribution to Textile Design in the New York Time here.

Snow Cap Project – 2020/2021

It is not too late to start making hats and scarves for those in need, continuing our annual “Snow Cap” project, shepherded for many years by Guild Legacy member Barbara Snow. The coldest days are yet to come, and over 700 people are without permanent shelter in Whatcom County, as of last count. Interfaith Coalition connected us with Ronalee Kincaid, who is collecting hats and scarves at her home during COVID.  She distributes them through schools, CAST (Interfaith’s Coffee And Sandwiches Together meal program) and by taking them to sites such as the current tent encampment at City Hall.
The current drop-off location is near Bellingham Tech School.  Contact Ronalee/Project Warmup at 360-393-1283 to arrange a drop-off time. ​

Call for Magazines

Do you have excess issues of Handwoven Magazine, or other publications with color photos of handwovens on looms? Judith Sen is collecting weaving magazines to send to a developing weaving school in Niger, West Africa. Contact Judith [email protected]. For more information about the Weaving School click here. 

Kumihimo Wishes Project – Seiko Purdue
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WWU Fiber Arts Professor SeikoAtsuta Purdue has invited the community to share in a Kumihimo project, which will be exhibited at the Jansen Arts Center in 2021. Seiko is planning to hang 365 pieces of Kumihimo collected from participants, as well as one big Kumihimo piece. If you would like to participate by weaving a small Kumihimo cord, kits are available at NW Yarn and Social Fabric. For more information about the project click here.

Guild Library contents online

Dori Painter, the Guild’s librarian is pleased to announce that the entire library inventory can now be viewed online (click here to see the inventory). The magazines and other resources are now also being uploaded to the site.

Guild Library new check-out procedure

The majority of items in the Guild Library have been moved from St. James Church to Carol Berry’s Studio in Bellingham. Books, magazines and videos can be accessed two ways:
A book or video can be requested and Carol will pull the request, fill out the check-out card, and place the book in a bag on the enclosed porch to be picked up at a pre-arranged time. 
Guild members can make an appointment to view the collection in person and select items to check out. Studio visitors will be required to be Covid symptom free and wear a mask at all times while in the building.

The Guild Library is located about 1.7 miles from St. James Church, in Bellingham. There is a bathroom, with handwashing and hand sanitizer available, adjacent to the room where the books are kept. Appointments to access the Guild Library are available most days of the week, between 9 am and 4 pm. Contact Carol by email to make an appointment [email protected]. She will give you the address and a number to text or call before your arrival. 

For those who have checked out a book and haven’t been able to return it for the last 6 months, You can return your books now! Send an email to [email protected], with book return in the subject line. Carol will get back to you about dropping it off curbside at the Studio. A reminder message will be sent out soon to folks who have books checked out. ​​

2020-2021 Guild Challenge(s)

Every year, the Challenge committee dreams up a fun challenge for our collective creativity! Last year’s Challenge yielded lovely results, based on founding member Linda Rees’s lifetime collection of yarn color wraps. It was fun just to see all of Linda’s color schemes, and choose what we liked, or what we thought would help us “push the envelope” creatively. The results included tapestries, towels, a tote bag, shawl, scarf, Inkle bands and more!
This year, we have several source ideas to challenge us, which can be pursued separately, or combined. 

​Whatcom Guild Challenge Details
Start planning now to complete 1, 2, or all 3 parts of the 2021 Challenge. We will set up an online interest group, ask questions and chat about our progress. The Big Reveal, where we show off our results will be the May and/or June Meeting Show and Tell sessions.  We also share photos of Member Challenge projects in monthly newsletters, as they are completed and submitted.

If you would like assistance planning your project, ordering yarn or assessing the usability of yarn you have, measuring a warp, dressing a loom, or want to borrow a table loom, email [email protected], with WWG 2021 Challenge in the subject line.

Whatcom Weavers Guild 2021 Challenge Options

“World’s Best Handtowels - from VAV, the Swedish Weaving Magazine
This handtowel pattern is a reconstructed draft, based on handtowels woven at the “Hamsta Home” a care home for men with disabilities, in Timro, Sweden. The latest issue of VAV - available in the Guild Library, has an article about the origin of these towels and the author/designer’s personal connection. The project requires a four shaft loom, and is very suitable for a table loom or a floor loom. The project will be warped on the Guild Table Loom, and a narrow version, for mug rugs, will be warped on the Guild’s tiny “Structo” loom, which members can check out of the Library and take home for weaving. ​

VAV magazine has generously provided us with a PDF of the project instructions and draft for these towels. (Link to PDF here) As designed, they are woven in 16/2 cotton, two threads to a heddle. They can also be woven in 8/2 cotton, or in 22/2 cottolin, one thread to a heddle. Bonus Detail: These towels are finished with a zig-zag stitch and a sweet little fringe - no hemming! ​

Cathy Meyer   -   VAV Towels

“Bento Bag” - from Handwoven Magazine
Several members have made this type of bag, in a class at the Ragfinery. Very simple sewing! We had a little discussion about making a Bag as a Guild Challenge this year. And then there it was in the latest issue of Handwoven!  If you don’t subscribe, the magazine is available in the Guild Library. The project as shown in the magazine was woven on a rigid heddle loom. It could be any type of fabric of medium weight and drape. All it takes is a piece of medium weight cloth 3 times as long as it is wide.  A section of “World’s Best Hand Towel” fabric, from the VAV project, would work very well!

ANWG 2021 Conference Colors 
The “Worlds Best Hand Towels” as designed, call for a natural unbleached warp, and any colors you like for stripes in the weft. Bobbin buster!  OR - Use the ANWG conference colors for Fiesta stripes, and triple your challenge accomplishment.
Samples of the Bockens Cotton versions of the Conference colors, in 16/2 and 8/2 will be available at Carol’s Maple Street Weaving Studio.

Study Groups, Fiber Show and Share Options

• Sakiori (Japanese Rag weaving) on rigid Heddle Study Group – contact Susan Torntore or Mary Oates
• Andean Pebble Weave Pick-up Band Weaving online Interest Group -Wednesdays at 9 am – via ZOOM – contact Carol Berry or Sharon Allen to join the group.

Member Show & Share 

We all love seeing each other’s Work! Share at our Monthly Zoom Meetings, in the Newsletter, or our private Facebook Group. For the Newsletter, please send photos and a short description of your fiber work to the WWG Newsletter editor [email protected], or to [email protected].

Whatcom Weavers Guild also has a private Facebook Group, where you can share work in progress, finished work, questions, problems, challenges and triumphs – just with members – the rest of the world won’t see it! Contact Sharon Allen with questions, or ask to join from Facebook. ​

Paula Tarleton, wearing scarf ​

Soft wool & Alpaca Huck Shawl – a sample for a Blanket, and a wonderful gift in itself!

Diane Banks – Getting Started with Bound Weave – on a new Counterbalance Loom!

Sophie Bardsley-Tayor, with Sharon Allen

​Close up of Sophie’s Twill weave

Learning 8-shaft Twill, Table Loom, Shelly Stanton

Sophie tried out the four shaft Dick Blick Artcraft loom with a 4,3,2,1 threading. She then selected 4 patterns from the Dixon book The Handweavers Pattern Directory using the 4,3,2,1 threading as a guide.  It was her first time using a floating selvedge and as soon as she saw what happened if she didn’t use it...no mistakes! Stay tuned for her next project.  She will be working on a floor loom making a few rugs. Happy New Year!

The Jansen Art Center & current Covid restrictions

For at least the first part of January, the Jansen Art Center is likely to continue its very restricted opening for studio visits. The timing of other activities - the winter exhibit, classes, and study groups - will be announced as information becomes available.

In the meantime, if you would like to access the textile studio, please make an appointment through Sheri Ward, [email protected].  Vin would be there to let you in the building, roughly Monday through Friday, 9-5, but only by pre-arrangement.

Videos You Might Enjoy

A short bit of online learning for everyone – Learn to tie a weavers knot

How Commercial Upholstery Fabric is made – from Design to Mill to Client to Couch

Botanical Colors Videos
Botanical Colors, a Seattle-based purveyor and teacher of natural dyes and techniques, is hosting a series of videos centered on that topic. I've watched one, an interview and display by Rowland Ricketts whose indigo-dyed exhibit pieces will (someday) be on display at the Renwick Museum in Washington DC. The Ricketts video was excellent, and I expect the others are as well. Worth checking by clicking here.

How to submit to the newsletter

Have something to add to the newsletter?
​
Whatcom Weavers Guild Newsletter welcomes news about textile related activities.  We do not accept commercial advertisements of goods or services.
Please e-mail your submission to:  [email protected].
Your submission should include: title of event (e.g Eco Dyeing Workshop), name of Instructor or group leader (e.g. Donna Hunter), and location, time and cost (if any).  It may also be helpful to give directions to the location.
If you are including any photos, they must be attached to the e-mail and be in JPG format. (Do not embed the photo in the email.)
Deadline for submissions is the 25th of the previous month.  (e.g. deadline for March would be February 25).
We do not charge for listing sale of weaving or spinning equipment.  Please see the listing in this issue for an example.  Your ad will run for 60 days. ​

Online Resources & Activities

Our guild members are enjoying the Zoom Programs and our monthly meetings, and lots of other resources available online. Handweaving.net, The Norwegian Textile Letter, Seattle Weavers guild Instagram, Jane Stafford Online guild, maiwaschooloftextiles.com are just a few.

Textiles & Tea

​The Handweavers Guild of America, Inc. (HGA) is excited to announce a new program, Textiles & Tea. Each week HGA will host a conversation with some of the most respected fiber artists in the field today. In our 45-minute discussion we will focus on their artwork and their creative journey. We will allow 15 minutes at the end of our conversation for questions from the audience. Textiles & Tea will take place every Tuesday at 4:00 PM (EST) beginning in January 2021 and will be broadcast via Zoom. These broadcasts will be free to view and open to all. Textiles & Tea will take place online every Tuesday, 4:00 - 5:00 PM EST. Click here to register.

Stay at Home and learn more about your Countermarch
​
​Joanne Hall is offering classes for Countermarche Loom users who are weaving at home at this time. Paula Tarleton and Carol Berry have signed up for the first class, which is now full, but Joanne plans to offer more, for as long as we are staying home. Instruction is by email with attachments. Along with balancing a countermarch tie-up, using the texsolv system and evaluating and adjusting sheds, we will warp and weave a project. There will be a suggested 8 shaft and a 4 shaft project available. If you have a Countermarch loom and are interested in future classes, contact [email protected]. To learn more about the class click here. 

Local Fiber Groups

​Due to the uncertainty around us regarding how and when organizations may again begin meeting and/or holding events, we are not able to provide updated information. Below is contact information for the groups in our area.

olympiaweaversguild.org
whidbeyweaversguild.org
skagitcountyweaversguild.org ​

Maiwa School of Textiles – Free online mini-workshops

​Textile supplier, Clothing and textile retailer, and Artisan Foundation: Maiwa, is preparing to offer the Maiwa School of Textiles Online! Maiwa is launching a new online presence with a collection of free lessons on Natural Dyeing. Topics covered include Fibre Types, Water PH, WOF (weight of fibre) to Setting up your Dye Studio – whether it’s a separate space or a corner of the garden. https://www.schooloftextiles.com/ ​

​Jane Stafford Online Guild   ~   from Sharon Allen

January 1, 2021 a few of us are joining other guild members in joining the Jane Stafford Online Guild. I’ve heard such nice things about it so I did some research and here is what I found.
It was launched in 2017 to serve the many people who were on the waiting list to take classes from Jane at her studio. The first year of monthly videos were dedicated to things that you might get in a beginning weeklong workshop while subsequent seasons have been devoted to Color & Design, Pushing the boundaries of Plain Weave,
Twills on 4 shafts, and this upcoming year is devoted to lace.
The great news is that as a member you get access to all the past videos, PDF’s and weaving kits, though she does encourage you to work from your stash. There are online forums for community and support.
New episodes “drop” every five weeks. The first one for January is on the 21st, giving you ample time to navigate around the site as well as clear a loom in anticipation of 2021’s learning!
If you are interested in doing more research Google “Jane Stafford Online Guild” and see if this is a good fit for you.
The cost for a one year membership in US Dollars comes to around $75.00.
I am excited for opportunity to learn, have access to an additional video library and be part of yet another community of weavers.
Finally, if you are a current member of the Jane Stafford Online Guild I would like to know. If there is interest, I’ll be creating an interest group for members to meet on the Zoom platform. Also, as we get into the Spring and Summer and the promise of a vaccine I am considering moving a loom back to my garage and warping it with a Jane project for all of us to work on in the driveway.
That felt good to imagine…a time when I can be with all of you again!

Weaving Draft and Documents Archive   ~   from Sharon Allen

Do you know about Handweaving.net? 
When I was a new weaver I spent a lot of time on this site imagining all of the possibilities.  My first warp on the loom that I inherited had yards and yards of extra warp, so I went to Handweaving.net to find something that would work for the threading that was already on the loom.  For me it was my first taste of sampling…one table topper at a time.  
Handweaving.net describes itself as “A digital weaving archive with drafts, historic weaving documents and more.”  Currently the website contains 74,564 + handweaving drafts.
While you may browse the site as much as you’d like at no charge, browsing only gets you the photos, no drafts.

​For a fee of $25 annually, you also have access to the following:
Full Drafts
Ability to print full drafts
Download in WIF (weaving information file)
Common threading search (unbelievable how many drafts are threaded 1,2,3,4
Draft color editing

News From ANWG
​
​Even as we are getting excited for ANWG 2023 in Salem, OR, planning for ANWG Conference 2025, which will be located in western Washington, most likely in the Seattle/Tacoma area,  is starting now. Several Whatcom Weavers Guild members have volunteered to help in various planning roles for this upcoming event. Please consider the following call for volunteers, from Nancy Deitch, of the Skagit Weavers Guild:

A special volunteer call is going out for 2 very critical roles needed to support our ANWG 2025 committee.  First, we are in need of a webmaster (2 positions to be filled, primary and a backup).  Secondly, the conference volunteer chair is looking for a co-chair to join her efforts. 

Please contact Nancy, if you would like to help out!
Nancy Deitch
ANWG 2025 guild liaison
[email protected]


The Conference Colors Exhibit offers attendees to create a space where they can present items in the conference colors including towels, garments, yardage and other items.  For further information visit this page.
 
Towel Exchange:  Stay tuned for More information about this popular activity.  

STUDY GROUP OPPORTUNITY—Weaving Challenge ANWG Noh Coat
ANWG Conference 2021 in Salem OR

The ANWG challenge is based on the work of American fashion designer Bonnie Cashin. The Noh Coat was one of her iconic designs from 1950s-1970s, and Threads Magazine generously provided a pattern for the challenge (Oct/Nov 1990 No.31).

This study group will:
Provide the Threads article and coat pattern
Learn the designer’s inspiration and philosophy for this the garment
Explore the innovative handwoven fabrics that Cashin used in her designs
Sample some of Cashin’s and other fabric structures to design our own coat fabric
Make a full size pattern and muslin/fabric coat samples that fit us
Explore methods of binding our coat fabric, even making our own handwoven binding

If you are interested in joining a ZOOM STUDY GROUP for this challenge, beginning in September, email Susan Torntore ([email protected]).

Get ANWG Challenge info here. ​

Classified Ads

Note! If you have fiber supplies or equipment that need re-homing, you can place them in the Classified section of the newsletter. An 8-shaft table loom listed has found a good home – and its new owner is now a member of our guild! ​

Pendleton Loom for Sale
Mary Pendleton Handweaver, Sedona
4-shaft Jack Loom for Sale
48” wide, 6 treadles, Bench, extras
$2,000 for all, OBO. Any reasonable offer considered
Contact Valorie Swenson, [email protected]

Gilmore Jack 4 harness floor loom with 45" weaving width and sectional beam. Manufactured in Canada based on Gilmore plans. Good condition. Acquired last year in Canada at an estate sale. Includes 10 dent reed and Leclerc tension box. Contact Sigrid via phone or text at 360-913-3656. Located in Snohomish County but delivery is an option. ​Asking $350. 

Glimakra Standard, 8-shaft Countermarche Loom, many extras, $2,500 .
60” Tapestry Loom, $1100.
Contact Jan Nilsson for more information – 509-999-2118 (Text Ok)
Click here to see PDF document with photos.