June 2025 Newsletter

So, when I created my monthly newsletter themes last year, it was well before our Challenge group had decided on the theme of Black and White for our guild challenge. I guess I could have changed it from rainbows, and all the gorgeous colors, to black and white, but somehow, I found there was a great deal to reflect between the two extremes and where we traveled this year. 
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Black and white can show bold, sharp contrasts. I find my eye led into the picture due to its simpleness and lack of clutter. I might find myself wondering what the statement is that the artist is trying to make.  With color, there is expression, and warmth. The details are softer and muted. I can sometimes find a story in the picture. Neither picture is right or wrong, pretty or ugly. They are just different. In the same way that each creation that comes off a loom is unique and fun. This year’s challenge will be especially exciting since there aren’t too many “rules” to box someone in. I’m used to being told what size, or items to make, or what fiber to use so when I realized there were almost NO rules, other than black and white, it was almost too hard to choose.  And I will admit like some, I’ve procrastinated till the end, trying to get birthday towels, and ANWG towels done first....... I’m hoping to have enough time at the end! I also want to give a personal thank you to each and every one of you who stepped up and volunteered for a job at last month’s meeting. WWG is a very special group, but we can’t do it without folks helping out. June 14th will be our last meeting until fall [September] but I look forward to seeing you at events in Lynden and other WWG events.


​Meg Spaulding
WWG President 2024-2025
June Weaving Colors

June 2025 WWG Program

The WWG June meeting will be held at the Bellingham Public Library on Saturday June 14. The meeting room is in the lower level of the library; go down the stairs/elevator just inside the front door.
Whatcom Weavers Guild strives to be available and accessible to all members. With this goal in mind, we would like to ask any member or guest that is attending a meeting or other WWG function to refrain from using perfumes or strongly scented lotions or other products for the health and safety of our members who have allergies or respiratory problems. Thank you for your consideration.
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  • Set up and Social Time: 10:00-10:30
  • Business Meeting: 10:30-11:00
  • Show and Tell: 11:00-11:15 Guild Challenge Show and Tell, and Potluck
  • Break: 11:25-11:45
  • Program: 11:45-1:15
  • Social Time and Break Down: 1:15-2:00​. There is no mad dash to leave, we have the room until 2:30. Your help is always appreciated in stacking chairs when you are done visiting!
Membership Update

Thanks for the patience by the membership as the Guild has transitioned since January to an Online Membership Form for New and Renewing Members. This has included logistics being fine-tuned by Michelle, our treasurer, and Marion, Membership Chair. Within the first two weeks of June, expect another Guild email to all members with a PDF copy of the WWG Membership Directory (June 2025). Highlighted in yellow are the names of the 17 new members joining WWG since January –a huge weaving welcome to all of you! As of June 1, 2025, we are an active guild with 81 members. The Directory provides email addresses and phone numbers for all members, as well as listing Weaving, Fiber and Dyeing Interests. Let’s imagine you have a Table Loom question and want to find a fellow member to ask a question of – you can look up members who clicked on Floor/Table Loom Weaving and contact someone by phone or email. Instructions will be included for how to print out the Directory in Excel. The Directory is for the personal use of current members and is not a resource to use for promoting services like classes, independent instruction, fiber products, and affiliations with businesses like local yarn stores. The Membership Directory will also include a page with contact information of the Board and the current leaders of the active study groups. The Board information can also be found on the About page on the WWG website.

Thanks to everyone for sharing about your weaving and related interests on the 2025 Membership Form. Here are some highlights about our members and their artistry and weaving interests and talents!

Number of members: Area of Interest
72: Floor/Table Loom Weaving
34: Small Looms
32: Tapestry Weaving
48: Knitting
39: Spinning
30: Felting
21: Crochet
49: Sewing
31: Embroidery
27: Quilting
21: Basketry
19: Beading
19: Paper or Papermaking

Wow.  You hopefully agree that we are an active weaving guild affiliated with the Handweavers Guild of America!
It has been fun to have been Membership Chair for the last three years!  In June/July, I’ll be transitioning this role to Addie Pobst. I encourage all WWG members to reflect on how they can be involved with our guild. Helping with being involved with study groups and committees and being in board positions are great and rewarding ways to get to know fellow weavers and help our guild to operate smoothly.
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Weaving hugs,
Marion

Weaver’s Yarns

This new section is dedicated to YOU, the amazing weavers in the Guild. Marion will be contacting people each month for a short “get to know you” spotlight. She’s going to try to get a good mix of long-term and newer members. I also hope that you (yes, I mean YOU) will help fill this space with short articles on whatever strikes your fancy. Have you seen something amazing in a museum? Have you attended an interesting class? Met a weaver on your travels? Taken a photo that screams “tapestry”? Shoot me a quick email at [email protected] so we can all enjoy your stories – I mean yarns!

Tricia’s thoughts

I’d like to say that I am humbled to be taking over just a very tiny amount of the work Sheila Atwater has been doing for the Guild for years. Sheila – where on earth did you find the time and energy for it all? Since taking over the collection and delivery of the washcloths the guild members have made for Hospice House, I have been able to see firsthand how welcome and meaningful they are to the volunteers and workers. I look forward to each guild meeting to see the creativity and beauty you have put into each donation. I’m going to keep weaving more through the summer break and I hope we can start the September meeting with a huge donation. Thank you, each and every one of you who have woven for this outreach opportunity.

Tricia Morell
Stack of Washcloths

​​News from Committees and Interest Groups

For more descriptions and information about each of the WWG Study Groups, please see our web page for Education.
The Tapestry Focus Group
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The tapestry focus group is meeting in homes on the First Monday of each month from 1pm-3 pm.  Topics will vary from meeting to meeting, but will always be something new, exciting and different.
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Sheila Atwater
Tapestry Focus Group coordinator
[email protected] 
Text:  360-201-0818
The Rigid Heddle Weaving Study Group
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The Rigid heddle study group will be meeting on zoom. If you are curious or thinking about joining a study group, come join us. There is no obligation or cost, and you can discover what we have planned. We will be meeting approximately monthly online to provide support and encouragement and quarterly to show our projects.
If you would like to receive a zoom invite, please email Meg Spaulding at [email protected]
Ikat Study Group

​The Ikat Study Group is continuing this year, with self-directed learning and meeting semi-monthly for sharing and show and tell. We are working through the projects in the book Ikat The essential Handbook to Weaving with Resists, by Mary Zicafoose. The group meets at the Jansen Art Center.
For more information, please contact Carol Berry, [email protected].
​Band Weaving Group

The Weavers of the Band meet to discuss projects and techniques.
Contact Cindy Harris for more information.
Online Workshop Opportunities

Although we do not currently have a Workshop chairperson, please see our Study Groups page for a list of recommended online courses and other learning opportunities.
Norwegian pick up band
Driveway parties  (a.k.a The Loomatics)

We are starting up again June 25th at Sharon Allen’s house. This is a rain or shine mid-week event for us to get together, bring a project to work on, a small snack to share if you'd like, and join other members of the guild in community and friendship. 

This mid-week event started in the summer of 2020 (!) when we were desperate to see our fiber friends and continues to be popular with our membership...come and check it out. Here are the details:
Home of Sharon Allen
3003 Crest Court
Bellingham

Bring:

  • Project to work on
  • Chair (Sharon has several, but just in case)
  • Snack to share (only if it's easy...we always have enough)
  • Reminder, this is a Rain or Shine event. Until it warms up a bit, we will be inside Sharons home so no need for multiple layers of clothing!

Sharon is asking for people to sign up for one of the months we will be meeting to help with setup, hosting and cleanup. Arrive at 11:45 and set up chairs and stay until 3:30 to help with cleaning up. This way we can meet even if Sharon finds a way to get out of town!

Sharon Allen, 360-305-0111

Community Outreach

Whatcom Weavers Guild sponsors several Community Outreach programs. For more information about these projects, please access the Community Outreach page on our website:
  • Small Looms at the Bellingham Library Skill Share Space
  • Hospice Washcloth Project
  • The Sno-Cap Project
Small Looms at the Library
(12 noon–3PM)
We continue to hold our Small Looms sessions at the Bellingham Library Main Branch on the first Saturday of each month from noon to 3PM.  We are also seeing a steady increase in the numbers of people stopping in to see what we have to offer.  This means we could use more volunteer help each month as well. Just bring a small project that you are working on to demonstrate what we do. Then be prepared to answer questions and maybe even get someone started on a project of their own using the materials we provide.  Please consider joining in the fun and being a volunteer, there is a sign-up link in the outreach section of our website. Thank you.
Small Loom gathering
​Hospice Washcloth Project

The total washcloths made in April was 68. That brings our total to 623 out of the 700 Hospice uses in a year.

Instructions for weaving washcloths for Hospice:
  • Use un-mercerized cotton yarns, 60-100% works the best.
  • The finished cloth should be 10”x10”
  • They do not need to be fancy. Plain weave is fine.
  • You can choose the weight and sett that you prefer to make a soft, medium weight cloth.
  • Please use lighter colors. No black, navy, brown or dark greens please.
  • A machine sewn edge is OK for the finish, as is a short fringe.
  • Bulky hems are discouraged. ‘These cloths are folded small to fit into the kits.
  • When finished, wash in hot water and mild detergent.
  • Dry in the dryer with no softening agents.
  • These cloths will be used once and offered to the families to keep as a memory keepsake.
  • When weaving, please keep the purpose in mind and weave with care and love.
 
Tricia Morell
​[email protected]
Hospice Goal Chart
Washcloths by Addie Pobst

Whatcom Weavers Guild Libraries

WWG Equipment Library

​Contact Sharon Allen at [email protected] for information on the items available.
WWG Book and Literature Library
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There are two new books that have recently been added to the Whatcom Weavers Guild library.  Please take some time to check them out along with the hundreds of other books that reside there.  And if there is a book that you’d like to see added, please email or text me for suggestions.   

My first introduction to Inkle weaving was during Covid when several of us took a zoom class with Laverne Waddington on Andean Pebble Weave.  After a few days of brain freeze, feeling stupid and knuckleheaded at just not ‘getting it’………I finally got it!  The light bulb went on and I was smitten with Inkle weaving.  Next came “in Celebration of Plain Weave" by Annie MacHale which I’d highly recommend for anyone beginning with Inkle weaving.  Now the Weavers Guild has just purchased MacHale’s latest book “Three Color Pick Up For Inkle Weavers” which I’m looking forward to spending a few days perusing this summer.  

Another new book that may intrigue you is “Radical Potholder Weaving” by Deborah Jean Cohen.  There are over 100 new patterns in plain weave, shadow weave, & twill.  There’s even a chapter that teaches how to convert floor loom drafts for the potholder loom, reverse engineer any potholder, & chart your own design.   

Both of these books are new to our library and both would be great for summer travel with a take along small loom.  Please remember to call Carol Berry to find a convenient time to come to her house where our great library is stored.  And if you need an Inkle loom there is at least one in our equipment library at Sharon Allen’s home.  Thank you to both of them for generously donating space and time to house our libraries. 

Lynn Berman
[email protected]
(360) 739-8334

From the Jansen

Classes and Dye Days at the J

Here are the J’s upcoming classes! Mark you calendars and sign up!

Coming up, we have:
June
  • Indigo Dyeing with Sheri Ward, Thursday, June 5
  • Leaves & Fishes Basket with Judy Zugish, Saturday, June 14
  • ​Summer Camp (kids), June 24-27
  • Woven Wrist Bands with Dana Murphy, Wednesday or Thursday, June 25 or 26, (kids & youth)
​July
  • Hand painted Combed Top with Erica McCurdy, Friday, July 11
  • Botanical Printing on Paper with Wanda Johanson & Wendy Pare, Wednesday, July 16
August
  • Paint with Natural Dyes with Erica McCurdy, Saturday, Aug. 2
  • Indigo Dyeing with Sheri Ward, Thursday, Aug. 7
  • Eco Dyeing with Natural Dyes with Wanda Johanson & Wendy Pare, Tuesday, Aug. 12
  • Natural Dye Day with Erica McCurdy, Friday, Aug. 15
September
  • Ikat Workshop with Mary Zicafoose, Wednesday-Friday, Sept. 17-19
  • Beginning Weaving with Darlene Mathias, Sept. 30 - Oct. 28
To register and  for more information please visit here. For some classes, the website listing will not yet show the class - save the date and check back!

Classified Ads

For Sale & ISO (In Search Of)
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Please keep ads clear and concise, with title of item for sale, asking price, an accurate description, and your name, contact information, and general location. Photos must be in jpeg format, and emailed as attachments, rather than embedded in your email.
Table Loom

Some years ago, I purchased a loom from your organization. I do not have space to use the loom and would love it if someone could use it.  It measures 30" wide x 25" deep and 19" high, has all working parts. The warping board is about 39" x 30, and there is a 24" raddle, a few bits of thread, and a "Learning to Weave" book by Deborah Chandler. There is no manufacturer’s mark on it. Would you have anyone interested? I don't know what to ask for these.  Thanks.  

Donna Mason
[email protected]
360 595-1083
Charka
Gypsy spinner- cotton lap charka. New, with some cotton and lazy kate. 
$100.  Contact [email protected].

Saori Loom
Marie Maretska, [email protected]

Upcoming events of interest to Guild members!

Front Street Arts Festival

The Jansen Art Center will be hosting its second annual Front Street Arts Festival on Saturday, July 26.  It was a great event last year, for both the guild and the J textile studio.  Save the date and come join in the fun!


Small Expressions Exhibit from HGA

We are very pleased to announce that the prestigious Small Expressions Exhibit will be on display at the Jansen Art Center from Oct. 9 to Dec. 30, 2025. This is an annual juried exhibit sponsored by the Handweavers Guild of America and consists of high-quality textile art from all regions of North America. To complement this exhibit, we will be hosting special events with local textile artists, demonstrating and discussing various forms of textile arts - felting, tapestry, harness loom weaving, dyeing, and more. If you would like to participate in those kinds of events, or help plan them, please contact Sheri Ward at [email protected].  


Navajo Rug Exhibit

The Jansen Art Center will soon be hosting an exhibit of Navajo rugs, which will be on loan from Ron Polinder. Ron has an extensive collection of Navajo rugs, which he wishes to share with the community. You may have seen some of his rugs at the Wool Show at the Northwest Washington Fair a few years ago. The scheduled opening of this exhibit is on Thursday, April 10, and the rugs will be on display for a couple of months, time period yet to be determined. (And, apologies: the last newsletter stated that the opening was on April 3; April 10 is the correct date.) 

The J also continues to display original tapestries by Jim Davenport, which are also well worth a look. 


Textiles a la Carte

The Jansen Art Center will begin having a “no host” drop-in textile get-together on the third Thursday of each month, starting at noon.  Bring your lap work and spend some relaxing time with your fiber friends in the Piano Lounge of the J.  The first get-together will be on Thursday, April 17.


The Shifted Warp Ikat Scarf with Mary Zicafoose, Sept. 17-19

Ikat is a revered and exciting resist-dye fiber process resulting in graphically beautiful 
woven cloth.
This three-day workshop provides instruction in eight distinct ikat warp shifting techniques used to create classic patterns and high contrast design in a woven ikat scarf. Students will dye their ikats in an indigo blue synthetic dye bath using Procion MX dye. This workshop requires experience in winding a warp, warping a loom, and weaving. Previous dye experience is not necessary.
Participants in this three-day workshop will design, wrap, dye, and weave a classic blue and white shifted warp ikat scarf. The scarf is the format for teaching and learning the basic techniques of the warp ikat process. Each student will stretch a warp for their scarf using warp yarns and a warping board they have brought to class or borrowed from the studio. The warping boards will be secured to workshop tables using two 3” C-clamps, either brought from home or borrowed from the studio.  A variety of ikat wrapping techniques will be demonstrated. This is a unique opportunity to work in person with Mary, an experienced ikat weaver.
Registration for this workshop is now open for all students.

​Our Monthly Show & Tell

Submitting content for the newsletter

The deadline for submitting content for the newsletter is 5:00 p.m. on the last Sunday of the preceding month, unless otherwise specified.  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 content for the next newsletter to [email protected] or [email protected] with “newsletter” included in the subject line. 

For photos and images, please send individual JPEG files (please no .tif, .png, .gif etcetera), as attachments only! Do not embed them in the body of your email. 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 Tricia at [email protected] if you have questions.