February 2024 Newsletter

Greetings Fiber Friends!

Our January meeting was a roller coaster of last-minute changes due to the weather, but I was pleased to see how well we were able to pivot and have a group of 24 for the business meeting on Zoom. The best part, however, was the informal round robin discussion that followed in lieu of our regular speaker. I had asked people to think about sharing their favorite memory of a guild event or talk about what they've gained by being in a guild and the ensuing discussion was rich and warm.

When I talk to other people about the benefits of guild membership, I always list our resources - the book/media library, study groups, equipment library, speakers and workshops, the hundreds of years of collective weaving experience coupled with mentoring, the list goes on and on. And those things did get mentioned briefly, but what most people spoke of at our January meeting were the friendships made and sustained for years, the support network that started as a group that flocked together over a common interest in textiles and grew into much deeper connections. Those connections have enriched not only our fiber journeys, but our daily lives and a number of folks spoke of how much they were helped by fellow guild members during challenging times. Yes, it's about community and I'm delighted to see how strong our community is.
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The following weekend a group of 8 WWG members attended an online Guild Development retreat hosted by the Handweavers Guild of America, the national organization of weaving guilds. Most of us gathered at Sharon Allen's to watch together and were treated to some great panel discussions about developing/sustaining a strong board, diversity and inclusion, and keeping up with technology. It was exciting and inspiring, and we had some lively conversations following each panel. 

It was also encouraging to see the mix of WWG folks who showed up - some new members (yay!) and some of the stalwarts. This is part of a healthy eco-system, the succession of 'generations'. Our guild continues to thrive because of the contributions and participation of our members, both new and longstanding. Becoming involved in the guild as a board or committee member or through our community outreach events is a great way to both sustain our guild and build those personal connections that so many mentioned last month. And I gotta say, it's alot of fun getting together to 'work' on guild stuff - good snacks, creative inspiration, a certain amount of silly laughter (in addition to accomplishing amazing things as a group).

Let me know if you'd like to become more involved, we welcome your input!


​LeslieAnn Bestor
WWG President, 2023-2024


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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