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July 2021 Newsletter

​​Stepping Into Color with Both Feet

You know the saying about today being the first day of the rest of your life? It feels like I am stepping into a new life journey, in technicolor. This is a journey I have dreamed of for decades! Having carried and stored a jar of cochineal bugs for almost 40 years, I am now, with trepidation, learning how to use them. Madder, Marigold and Cochineal are the first three colors to emerge from my dye pots!

When learning to weave on a table or floor loom, it can feel like it takes forever to do all the little things necessary to get the warp set up before doing the “real” weaving. And then, once truly bitten by the weaving bug, one realizes the planning, winding, warping, and of course the finishing, are all satisfying pieces of the weaving process.

And so it is, I am finding, with natural dyeing. Planning and preparation make for an experience that is satisfying and successful. Upon opening the third week module in the Maiwa online Natural Dyeing workshop, I was beyond excited to start going for color! Winding, tying, scouring, mordanting, had taken two full weeks. I had examined all the yarns and fabrics, affixed un-dyed samples in a journal, scoured each and every one according to the recipes for their fiber type. What a revelation. Just as in weaving, the set-up process takes time, and taking that time makes all the difference in the success of the next steps. And what a success! The colors are rich, deep and saturated. At last, I am setting out on the journey of natural dyes with a proper map.

Maybe I could dye and felt some “ruby slippers?”
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Scoured and Mordanted ​
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Cochineal, Madder & Marigold dyed wool yarns
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​
​Carol Berry
​2020-2021 President

​
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Inspiration in the net yard
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A very large spool, Journey through the net yard

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Guild Meetings and Programs - 2021

Whatcom Weavers Guild General Meeting, July 17, 2021
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Location: Fairhaven Park, Upper Picnic Shelter, 107 Chuckanut Drive N, Bellingham

The upper Picnic Shelter has close parking available for about ten cars, level access for loading and unloading, and has disability access. There is a larger parking area down below.

​WWG has the shelter reserved from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. A brief business meeting will take place at 10:00 a.m. There will be plenty of time after the meeting for show and tell -- we should have plenty to share! -- and fiber-y activities.

The shelter has 8 large picnic tables with benches, a counter and sink at one end, an open area and restrooms at the other end. There is an ample grassy area around the shelter, with spotty shade.
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Please Bring:
Your lunch, water, or beverage (Alcoholic beverages are not allowed in the park)
Your own chair
Show and Tell items
A portable table if you have one, for displaying your show and tell, and/or working on your small project.
Please wear your name tag if you have one. We have many new members and want to make it easy for all of us to connect names with faces.
Hat, sunscreen.
Pen & paper for taking notes.
Small looms, spinning wheels, and other portable fiber activities encouraged!
August 21, 2021 -- Fairhaven Park again: Speed Dating for Your (first or next) Study Group

September 18, 2021 - Kris Bruland of Handweaving.net

October 16, 2021 - Rowen Schussheim - Tapestry

​November 20, 2021 - Liz Moncrief - Handweaving Design using a Computer Program

Announcements

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The latest news from ANWG

It’s official! The 2023 ANWG (Association of Northwest Weavers Guilds) Conference will be in Bend, Oregon, July 11-18, 2023. The location will be at the Riverhouse Convention Center where a full range of conference events and educational opportunities in this beautiful central Oregon community will be available for you!
Support our local yarn stores (LYS)

Northwest Yarns in downtown Bellingham is now offering a 10% discount to Whatcom Weavers Guild members, a good incentive to shop locally. They have the Jaggerspun Heather line on hand, Lunatic Fringe cotton, along with other weaving yarns, and a great array of roving, tools, and knitting yarns.
News from the Jansen

The Jansen Art Center is now open Tuesday through Saturday, 12:00 to 5:00 p.m., with free admission. Masks are required if you have not been vaccinated, otherwise optional. The Kumihimo Wishes: Current Times exhibit by Seiko Purdue runs from June 3 to August 26, 2021. Several WWG members took Kumihimo kits, prepared by Seiko, and completed pieces for the exhibit.
Fiber Fusion Northwest, live in October

Fiber Fusion Northwest will happen in-person this year on October 16-17 at the Evergreen State Fairgrounds in Monroe. This weekend event focuses on natural fibers and fiber arts, and its goal is to support fiber artists, local breeders, and fiber related businesses by increasing public awareness of natural fibers and their many creative uses. Vendor applications are underway. Half-day, day and two-day classes will be announced soon. Author and rare breed advocate Deborah Robson will be teaching four classes. Volunteer opportunities for planning and on that weekend are available. Click here for more information. ​​
Private Facebook group of WWG

A reminder that WWG has a private group on Facebook. Search “Whatcom Weavers Guild”, click to the group, and click on “Join Group”. Follow the steps. Thanks to Sharon for being the Admin person.
WWG’s website

Here’s a reminder that the WWG website has an awesome Resources list of organizations and retail places – local, regional, out of the area, online. Check it out here.
Thank you note from Evie Boley received in early June

In Fall 2020, The Whatcom Weavers Guild was contacted by Evie Boley, the daughter of a long-time weaver (sadly, not a WWG member) who had lived in Deming. In late spring 2020, Evie returned to Bellingham from her home in New Jersey, to manage the last of her mother’s estate, including a collection of weaving yarns and tools. Guild members responded to the request for help, and Evie sent us this lovely note.


“Carol,
I’m sorry this has taken me so long to reach you. It has been a very hectic 2 weeks!
I couldn’t let any more time go by without thanking both Sharon and you for all your help and guidance with disposing of my Mom’s “collection”. All the ladies that showed up were so gracious and supportive. I am so grateful to you for organizing the sale in such a short time. I truly could not have done it without your help. As a result I have a better idea as to how to proceed with the remainder.
Please let all the Guild members and any one else that may have showed up, how much I appreciate their being there. My Mom would have been so pleased. I only wish she had the chance to meet all of you. She would so have enjoyed the camaraderie and support you all share.
Let Sharon know what a pleasure it was to meet Sophie. She was a delight. Thank her for me for all her help and to let her know I found more embroidery thread if she’s interested. I’d be happy to send it to her!
Once again, so many thanks. I am so happy I got to meet all of you. It was such a pleasure in what was for me a difficult time. I hope in the future when I travel that way, we can meet again.

Much gratitude and Love,
Evie”

Upcoming events

​​Slow Yarn Crawl, May 28 to September 26, 2021
http://www.slowcrawl.com/
“Vintage Reimagined” is the theme. Participating area stores includes: Apple Yarns, Bazaar Girls, Cabled Fiber & Yarn, Great Yarns, Northwest Yarns, Stilly River, Wild Fibers


Puget Sound Local Yarn Store Tour, August 13-22, 2021
https://www.lystour.com/
Celebrating its fifteenth anniversary, one year late.


Spinning and Weaving Week, October 4-11, 2021
https://weavespindye.org/spinning-and-weaving-week/
This celebration “reflects the truly international membership of the Handweavers Guild of America, Inc., and the international traditions of our crafts. We invite fiber artists around the world to join together in celebration of our common heritage.”


Fiber Fusion Northwest, October 16-17, 2021, Evergreen State Fairgrounds, Monroe WA
https://www.fiberfusion.net/


Convergence Conference organized by the Handweavers Guild of America, July 15-21, 2022, Knoxville TN
https://weavespindye.org/convergence/


ANWG Conference, July 11-18, 2023, Bend, Oregon
https://northwestweavers.org/conferences/fiber-connections-2023-salem-or/

Videos You Might Enjoy

3-D Weaving with Curved Ribbons (Full talk for SIGGRAPH 2021)
Over Your Shoulder – Weaving Twill on Three-Shafts by Amy D. McKnight

Classified Ads

Loom For Sale: Anders Levad & Son (Denmark) Rigid Heddle Loom
31" weaving width, overall dimensions: 37.5" wide, 31.5" deep
Wooden heddle 10 dents per inch, Metal heddle 20 dents per inch
Includes 4 stick shuttles (19.5" and 23.5") and some narrow warp sticks

I brought this loom home from a study year in Denmark in 1965. It has been in pieces and wrapped up most of the time since then.
$125

Contact: [email protected]
Submitting content for the newsletter
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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. 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 at [email protected].
  • Home
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