 I don’t care if it rains or freezes,
As long as I have my yarns and fleeces Piled up on my loom and at my wheel. I can wile away many an hour As winter wields its mighty power, Sitting at my loom and by my wheel… This year starts with gratitude for my yarns and fleeces, and a lovely warm, light and larger space for weaving and sewing. The hours of daylight are short, but not getting any shorter. With the holidays past and outdoor work not viable for a while, this is my favorite time of year for fiber work. Come to find out, January is officially “knit for yourself month” where we let go of the projects for loved ones, and settle into some restorative knitting, on projects that may have been put aside or put off in favor of getting the gifts finished. From now until the daffodils start coming up, it’s weaving time for me! Getting serious about my color challenge project: I have the inspiration, the yarns, the plan, and the loom I want to use. Which has a project on it: a painted warp that didn’t turn out as originally envisioned. Sampling now, with four yards of opportunity to adapt something ventured into something useful, in a timely manner. The new studio space also provides room for more than one person at a time, and a table for meeting and finishing. Friend and neighbor Judy asked to learn to weave in November, has now completed two scarves on the rigid heddle loom. We are setting up a course of study, and she’ll be introduced to the four-shaft floor loom next week (weaving with hands AND feet!) The guild has welcomed several new members recently, and that may include Judy in the year to come. Other regional Guilds are talking about a “Noh Coat Challenge” for 2021, based on fashion icon Bonnie Cashin’s design, and this will be introduced at the January WWG meeting. January 18 will find us meeting in Bellingham, at St. James Presbyterian Church, for a warm picture show, with hands-on textiles, recounting members Marilyn Olsen and Sheri Ward’s amazing month-long trip to India, on a Maiwa Textile Tour. We will also talk about programs and activities for 2020. The meeting starts at 10 am, bring your sack lunch, and whatever is hot off your needles, spindle or loom! Warmly, Carol Berry, 2019-2020 WWG President To read the entire newsletter please click here. To see details about our upcoming meetings and events please click here. To see who our board members are please click here. To browse through our "Resources" page please click here.
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 Is it really December? - The last Newsletter of 2019, looking ahead to 2020.
Well, it is cold dark and wet outside, nights are long, and I am spinning my fleeces! Okay, last night I got the spinning wheel upstairs, picked out an already carded bat, spun two bobbins full, and plied them into a pretty nice 75 yard worsted weight skein. It’s a start. My Ashford traditional, a wedding present from Great-Aunt Bertha (yes, I really did have an Aunt Bertha, a supporter of handcrafts) is still in good shape. I’m not ready to enter my yarn in the NWWA FAIR, but I have time to work up to that. We are not officially thinking about the Fair just yet. As I write, the pecan pie has not yet been baked for Thanksgiving, though it will have been consumed by the time you read about it. It is past time for me to pick out a pattern and measure a warp for holiday towel gifts. Speaking of towels, a new group project is starting at the Jansen Center. Folks can’t get enough of the 8-shaft block twill towels in cottolin, so we are doing it again! The loom is scheduled to be warped December 12. My towels at home are going to be a four-shaft M’s & O’s, in bright stripes this time. I want to see bright patches of color with plain weave color blends. The waffle weave washcloths of last month are ready and waiting to be hemmed. Many of us are still floating on a cloud of inspiration from visiting Anita Mayer’s studio and Anacortes in October, the WWG fall field trip. Anita generously opened her studio, sharing her artistic process, highlights of her life and travels, and showed her latest projects. At 87 , she is still working on new projects! We were joined by new WWG members and a number of Jansen Center affiliates, and had a great time. The December meeting promises to be just as much fun, with Donna Hunter leading a hands-on activity, of felted ornaments. We meet in Bellingham at St James Church on 14th street on Saturday December 21. Bring your show and tell, and a hot dish, appetizer or dessert to share for our annual holiday potluck meeting. I look forward to seeing you all soon! Carol Berry, 2018-2019 WWG President To read the entire newsletter please click here. To see details about our upcoming meetings and events please click here. To see who our board members are please click here. To browse through our "Resources" page please click here. |
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