July 2018 Newsletter

At this moment, I have an Undressed Loom. Ten yards of Shetland wool cloth has been woven, and picked up, destined for the Skagit Highland Games. The cloth will be “waulked” to traditional Scottish music and singing and returned to me ready for sewing! What a deal. Shetland wool donated from two other weaver/knitters’ supplies made up the warp and weft. Next year, my goal is to use locally grown wool! Eleven yards, sett at 12 epi, 10-12 ppi, 20 inches wide, is about thirty-five 150-yard skeins. The opportunity is open to weave cloth for next year. Up to four lengths of cloth can be finished by the “waulkers” over two days of the games.
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Up next on the undressed loom – towels, table runners and scarves for the Fibers & Beyond sale. I’m doing M’s & O’s – a structure I never get tired of! Easy to thread, with lots of room for variations. What are you are doing this summer? We would all love to see what’s on your loom; what’s in your garden; or for those who spend summertime boating – what’s on the water! Photos should be sent to Katia, our amazing WWG newsletter editor and tapestry weaver.

Hope you are enjoying the sun when you can be outdoors, and the rain when you can be inside with your fiber!


Carol Berry,
WWG President
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Photos of warp, loom with 10 yards on the cloth beam, cloth with thrums and what’s left of two cones of Shetland wool weft.
PS. Registration for Fibers & Beyond Workshops at the Jansen Center (October 10-13) is now open to the public. If you meant to register early and haven’t done so – it’s time! Get in on the fun, by volunteering to help with the Wool Show, and the F&B conference and sale.

Upcoming Programs ​​

July 21   -   Maiwa Field Trip
18 people can sign up for the Maiwa Field Trip, the day of the July meeting. Kathy Hutchinson has organized this awesome talk with Charlotte Kwon, Owner of Maiwa handprints, and Director of the Maiwa foundation. Charlotte was the keynote speaker at the 2017 ANWG conference. She is a warm, lovely, and very knowledgeable textile collector, and this is a great chance to get up close and personal with her and the fabulous Maiwa collection. Alternative Option: those who aren’t able to take the field trip can bring a small loom to St James (WWG regular meeting place), get help warping, and/or enjoy some community weaving time.
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See whatcomweaversguild.org/events for further program information or contact as at [email protected].

Program Notes

Looking Back, June 16, 2018
​June Meeting had Show & Tell, and the annual Stash Sale. Thanks to a full house of sellers and shoppers, WWG took in over $1000 for the Guild Treasury. This will provide funding for our meeting hall rent, storage unit, and Guild activities and workshops! We had a great time, took home treasures, and were able to put away some nice yarns that didn’t sell, for weaving at the wool show this summer.
​Looking Ahead, July 21 at 10:00am, Maiwa Field Trip
Join us on our annual field trip to Maiwa, where Charllotte Kwon will share her private textile collection with us. We never know where in the world she will take us, but it is always an awe inspiring adventure, and one not to be missed! Only 3 spaces left, so your RSVP is required.
Date: Saturday, July 21
Time: Be on site at 10:00am
Location: Maiwa Handprints, 1666 Johnston Street, #6 On Granville Island, Upstairs in Net Loft
To RSVP, or for carpool information, please contact Kathy Hutchinson at [email protected].
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For those who aren’t able to attend the Maiwa Trip, there will be a Hands-On weaving day. The church hall will open at 10:00 am, no regular meeting, the whole day is open, with small looms demos, warping, weaving, mentoring. Bring your own lunch and a mug, a snack to share (optional) and your small loom, spinning, or handwork. Bring a warping board if you have one.
August 13-18  Come to the Wool Show at the NW Washington Fair – WWG won’t meet in Bellingham on our regular meeting day, because we’ll be at the Fair! Sign up to weave, spin, greet, work with kids, any day or days of the week, or even be “superintendent for a day” - and be sure to enter your woven, knit, crochet, spun wool, silk, alpaca, llama, yak…any animal fiber in any technique can win a blue ribbon!
Enter online now, through August 4. Deliver work for judging Friday August 10 3-7 pm.
Volunteer to help with set-up and demonstrations during the week of the Fair.

Thanks!
Carol Berry, Program Chair

Fibers and Beyond 2018

The WWG Annual Sale will take place on Saturday, October 13, at the Jansen Art Center, in Lynden, WA. All are encouraged to put on a warp for towels, runners, rugs, and more. Quality and style in woven, knitted, felted, and hand-dyed items were all in demand by an appreciative public in 2017. This is a fun and lively all-hands event, with volunteer and demonstration opportunities for every interest and skill level. Please view our acceptance criteria and entry form.

Workshop registration is now open! You can register through Jansen Art Center's website by clicking here. Registration is no longer restricted to WWG members, it is open to the public. Be sure to register soon, to guarantee your spot in the workshops.

We have a wonderful keynote and some great workshops lined up:
Wednesday, Oct. 10:
  • The Many Ways to be Warped with Sheri Ward and guild members
  • Ply-Splitting: Braid a Scarf with John Mullarkey
  • Tablet Weaving: All Warped Up with John Mullarkey
  • Keynote Address by John Mullarkey: Warping the Fabric of Time
Thursday, Oct. 11:
  • Tablet Weaving: Two Sided Delights with John Mullarkey
Friday, Oct. 12:
  • Eco-Printing: Contact Dyeing with Plants with Caryn Friedlander
  • Stained Glass Felted Shawl with Patti Barker
Saturday, Oct. 13:
  • Stitching on Eco-Dyed Fabric with Marilyn Olsen
  • Surface Design for the Weaver: Warp Painting with Liz Moncrief
  • Collage Nuno Felted Scarf with Patti Barker
  • The Joy of Weaving with Sheri Ward and guild members
  • And, of course, the guild sale on Saturday.

Many thanks to Sharon Allen and the Peg Templeton fund for underwriting the John Mullarkey workshops to help reduce the price.
At the June guild meeting, we’ll have bookmarks and posters for you to distribute to your friends.

In the meantime, keep creating your wonderful items for the exhibit and sale!

Jansen Summer Textile Classes, from Sheri Ward

Classes
  • Beginning Weaving, Wednesdays, July 18 - Aug. 8, 1-4 pm with Sheri Ward; $145 plus $15 materials fee
  • Weaving and Tapestry Explorations, Thursdays, Aug. 9 – 23, 1-3:30 pm with Joyce Noordmans; $95 plus $15 materials fee
  • 4-or-More; create your own workshop with a group of 4 or more participants; options include Small Tapestry, Sashiko Embroidery, Scarf in a Day, and Tray Dyeing
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Spin-Knit nights, 3rd Thursdays of the month for June through September, 6-8 pm; $8 drop-in, $40 for an 8-session punch card.
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To see details and to register, visit https://www.jansenartcenter.org/textiles-studio/

From other guilds and Study Groups

Spindrifters Meetings: 
Spindrifters meet the 2nd Saturday of the month and share with Skagit County. To be added to their e-mail list contact Tina [email protected]. There you have it: You are always welcome at the "J" on Thursdays which is open studio from 11-7. Happy Spinning!! Chris Paul. [email protected].
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Workshops in Fibers and other interesting stuff: 
Dyeing, soaps, lotions, felting, spinning, weaving, botanicals… Please check my website as my schedule is always changing and usually current.
Liz Moncrief, www.aweaversway.com, 970-692-3949
From the Whidbey Weavers Guild: 
Meetings are on the first Thursday of the month and run from 10:00 to 2:30, bring your brown bag lunch and cup. Meeting place: 15 NW Birch Street, Coupeville WA 98239, www.whidbeyweaversguild.org.
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Small Looms Group—July 07, from Sharon Allen 
Saturday, July 07, 12-3pm at Bellingham Library for the active Small Looms Group. Join in on the fun with your Inkle, tapestry, tablet weaving, rigid heddle or any loom small enough to bring to the library!
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Madelyn Van der Hoogt Class Opportunity, from Sharon Allen 
I will be attending Weaving II (2) with Madelyn Van der Hoogt in August of 2018. I am excited to attend and would be even more excited if I got to share the experience with one of my fellow Guild members. Let me know if this is something that you are interested in. Sharon Allen 360-305-0111.

Announcements

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Come to the Wool Show at the NW Washington Fair.

Summer is on its way at last and that means it’s time for all of you who love working with textiles to participate in the NW Washington Fair in Linden, August 13-18. There are two exciting ways to be involved.
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Enter: Whatever textile art you do: knit, crochet, spin wool, silk, alpaca, llama, yak…any animal fiber in any technique, you can win a blue ribbon! To enter online now through August 4 go to the Northwest Washington Fair website (nwwafair.com) Click on Fair & Rodeo, then Fair Exhibitors Guide and Premium Book, then Open Class Departments, then scroll all the way to the bottom of the page and click on Wool. Or you may deliver your work for judging at Northwest Yarns in Bellingham or at the Rotary Building at the Fairgrounds on August 10 from 3-7pm..

Volunteer: Volunteers are needed to demonstrate and/or simply be on hand to greet visitors and help promote textile arts and the Guild. Volunteer for any shift(s) (9am to noon, 12-4, 4-7). We know for sure we will want people to weave, spin, knit/crochet, make tapestry, dye fabric or wool, felt, and/or work with kids (of all ages) to introduce them to any the above.
To volunteer, please contact Marilyn Olsen, ([email protected]) and let me know what you’d like to do. And don’t be surprised to get an email from me soon that will make it ever so easy for you to select the time(s) you’d like to volunteer.
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Note: WWG won’t meet in Bellingham on our regular meeting day (August 18), because, like you, we will all be at the Fair -- enjoying a Moowich!
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If you are not attending Convergence in Reno, you can still see what's happening by checking the HGA facebook page here.
ANWG Thoughts, from Liz Moncrief
Many thanks to all Whatcom Guild members for the Guild's membership in the Association of Northwest Weavers Guilds. If you don't know about ANWG, please ask Liz Moncrief, your Guild Representative. Being a member of the Whatcom Weavers Guild automatically entitles you to the benefits of ANWG, which include member registration to weavers conferences, held every two years. Our 2017 conference held in Victoria, BC was a huge success and may allow the ANWG board to issue financial grants again to the member guilds.
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Creative Clothing from Simple Shapes, Anita Luvera Mayer, September 7 - 8
Whatcom Weavers Guild and the Jansen Art Center Textile Group are excited to offer a two day workshop given by Anita Mayer on Friday and Saturday, 9/7 & 8, 2018, from 9am – 4pm. Class fee is $240 plus $30 lab fee. This is an opportunity to spend two wonderful days as she leads you through “Creative Clothing from Simple Shapes”. This comes in time to create a beautiful garment to wear for Fibers and Beyond Conference and Sale in October.
This workshop presents the methods for creating wearable, handwoven, contemporary garments constructed from simple shapes. The workshop includes the style of garment, fit, color choices, suggested weaving fibers, and pattern drafting along with methods of edge finishes, joining, linings, and embellishments including shisha mirrors, contemporary embroidery, cords and beading, and a joining stitch (faggotting) along with a crochet join. The instructor’s wardrobe of vests, kimonos, shawls and tops will be available for participants to examine and try on with time to copy patterns. These garments do not involve tailoring or sewing skills and are for “real women” of various sizes who want clothing that is stylish and comfortable.
For more information and to register please click here. You may also contact Joan Cunningham 360-733-8820 for additional information.
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Free Winter Artist & Writer's Fiber Residency in Central Mexico
360 XOCHI QUETZAL is an artist and writer's residency located on enchanting Lake Chapala, Mexico. International writers, visual artists, fiber artists, new media artists, dancers and string musicians working with fiber materials or content are all welcome to apply for our FREE 1-MONTH RESIDENCY from Dec 15, 2018 - Jan 14, 2019. Imagine spending the winter working on your art to your heart's content in sunny Mexico. We have fabulous live/work spaces for you. Applications are due July 29, 2018 through CAFÉ www.callforentry.org
We also have a personal residency program for artists and writers who need longer periods of creative time (1 - 6 months) throughout the year. For more details visit www.360xochiquetzal.com/personal-residency-overview/
2018 Dues Reminder 
If you have not renewed your membership for 2018, it's not too late.  You can send a check for $25, made out to Whatcom Weavers Guild, to WWG, PO Box 403, Bellingham, WA, 98227. We hope to see you soon!

For Sale

​Arthur Allen 30" counterblance loom, $200. 
4- shaft, 6 pedals. 12-dent reed.
No bench or other hardware.
Cloth aprons front and back, with new lashing to apron bars.
Loom folds for easy storage or transport.
Fits in the back of a Prius.
Kelley Dragon. Text 321-506-5985, or email [email protected]
Nilus Leclerc 4 harness, 6 treadle 36" beautifully cared for loom. 
This is Jo Morgan's loom for sale, submitted by Sharon Allen.
I am asking $500.00. Phone 360 305 0111.   ​