All the News

Sarah Thornton will speak about the Vancouver Island Fibreshed.

If you’re not already involved with the Saanich Fair, it’s time to make plans to join the fun. Volunteer to help out in the Needle Arts Room, with the Sheep to Shawl demonstration on Saturday, the Fibres to Finish group on Sunday, or the Fleece demonstration table (new this year) on Sunday.

Make an item to display in the Needle Arts room (or find something that you’ve already made)! The Saanich Fair catalogue is available online and will tell you all the possible categories in which you can enter an item. (You can probably find paper copies around the city if you prefer.)

The deadline to enter an item is August 22. Entries have to made online but there is a form in the catalogue to help you sort out what you want to enter. Then click the big orange button on the catalogue page  to make your entry.

For more information about Guild activities, check out our page: Saanich Fair – Guild Activities at the Fair

If you enter items (you MUST register by August 22) but aren’t able to get your items to the Fair on Thursday, August 29, 2024 between 2 and 8 pm Juniper/Needle Arts Room, someone will be at the August Drop-In, August 27, to collect items and take them to the Fair for you. You can pick up your items at the fairgrounds after 6 pm Monday (or arrange with someone to collect them for you).

Welcome back to regular Guild meetings! Hope you had a great summer.

At the September meeting, the tea towels and mug rugs made for the “challenge” will be displayed and prizes will be awarded. Don’t forget to bring your matching mug.

Please feel free to bring other work that you did over the summer (Saanich Fair entries, anyone?) to share with fellow guild members.

Bingo Card Challenge – Bring your completed cards read on …

Doors open at 6:30 so you can peruse the Free Table (items brought by guild members to be taken home by others without charge), The Library (full members can sign out books and or magazines for a month or until the next meeting) and view any items brought for ‘Show and Tell’.

The business meeting will begin at 7:00 followed by members displaying items they have made and telling some details about it. Many of the items will be fresh from display and judging from the Saanich Fair. Lynda and Brenda are also planning a wee group project to end the meeting – details to be disclosed at the meeting.

St Luke’s Church Hall, 3821 Cedar Hill Cross Rd and virtually on Zoom. Guests are welcome.

It was a fine day at the Highland Games this year (2023)! Click the link to see some great photos in a new window.  2023HighlandGamesreport

Tuesday, May 16, 7pm Karen Selk will give a talk “In Search of  Wild Silk”.

Wild silk is much more than the miraculous journey of metamorphosis from caterpillar to silken luxury. It is tightly woven to an ancient living culture raising tasar, muga and eri silkworms in remote forests of central and eastern India. Raising wild silkworms, reeling cocoons, spinning fiber and weaving silk cloth provides sustainable work, while protecting the environment, and supporting communities. Photos and stories captured from weavers, spinners, and silkworm farmers over thirty years of research will transport you into their homes and villages to witness the love and dedication involved in each part of the process from soil to cloth.

The May meeting will be the Ruth Anstey lecture and challenge. The challenge will be to create something that contains silk, this could be a skein, a knitted or crocheted item, a woven item or a felted piece or anything your imagination can create. Be sure to describe/ point out the silk including what kind it is, whether it’s handspun, perhaps how long it’s been in your stash, and any other interesting facts about it.

7-9 pm March 21, 2023

The Guild’s 89th birthday party will include:

• skill building demos,
• stash-busting tables and
• show and tell.

Thank you to the following people who have offered to do demonstrations for us:

Michelle Sterk – DIY silk reeling

Trish Baer – Spinning with a quill attachment on a pocket wheel

Bobbie Williams – Weaving stitched double cloth

Laura Proctor (and the Dyer’s Interest Group) – Growing dye plants, dye seed exchange (bring seeds if you have any to share)

Aja Norgaard – Spinning demonstration

The Guild Permanent Collection – A selection of mainly woven articles made by guild members which the Guild has collected over the years.

Leftovers and Scraps – Ideas for using up handwoven and/or spun samples and handwoven and/or spun, and commercial scraps left over from other projects. Jean Betts and Christine Purse

AND beginning this month:

The Bingo Challenge presented to you by The Organizers (Brenda, Beatrice, Raven and Jill). This will last from March to the October meeting, where you can bring in at least some of the items you have created, your bingo card and with any luck win a Bingo prize. Anyone willing to contribute a prize please contact one of The Organizers. For full details read on read on …

We have expanded the page of links you will find under the main menu item Fibre Links. There are now four submenus to help you find the type of information you are looking for. The list of commercial source of yarn/fibre, list of local farmers producing fibre and links to area fibre arts related guilds and organizations are now separated and directly available from the main menu.

Newly added is a page of the best of web links providing how-to information for weavers, spinners, felters and other fibre artists. We welcome your suggestions for links to be added to this (or any other) page on our website.

Anna’s topic: Canadian Wool: Where we’ve been and where we’re going

Historically Canada had a thriving wool industry that valued the work of shepherds and manufactured the wool that was grown. In the last 80 years production has moved to low-wage countries and the majority of sheep farmers don’t see any value in their wool. The industry is at a crisis point. However, the passion and innovation of small-scale fibre farmers and artisan mills is leading a revitalization of the industry. Anna Hunter will share her vision for the Canadian Wool Industry and how everyone who loves wool and fibre arts can play a role.

The presentation will be in two halves. The first will be on our meeting night, January 17th and the 2nd will be a daytime presentation, also by Zoom, on January 24th at 3pm. The meeting will be wholly by Zoom.

There are several workshops in the works for the coming year. There will be a Beginners Weaving Workshop in the Spring with Raven teaching and Brenda as her assistant. If there is interest, another Beginner Spinning Workshop could also happen in the Spring. There are two workshops planned in conjunction with Programs presentations, Indigo Dyeing with Jane Ireland in March and Yarn Construction for Spinners (one-day workshop),a follow up to the February lecture with Vanessa Bjerreskov. That will be held at the beginning of March. When the weather warms up and we can do an outside workshop, Joanne Byskov will show us how to make a garden trellis.

Tuesday, November 15, Doors open 6:30 at St.Luke’s Church Hall, Cedar Hill X Road.

November’s speaker will be Jane Hutchins. Her topic is “How to Make an Heirloom”. She will discuss how to preserve textile collections usually concern handling, display, storage, and vermin. A significant part of the textile’s longevity is determined by the maker’s selection of materials and techniques, and in this session Jane Hutchins, VHWSG member and Textile Conservator, will outline some of the choices that determine a textile’s longevity, as well as reviewing handling suggestions for textiles of any age.

This meeting will not be recorded, so please choose to attend either in person or on Zoom on November 15th, 2022. A Zoom link will be sent to all members by email shortly before the meeting.

Tuesday, October 18, Doors open 6:30 at St.Luke’s Church Hall, Cedar Hill X Road.

October’s program will be an evening of skill sharing from our talented members. Mary Jean Betts will demonstrate boro-stitching. Gail Maier will have a fibre identification table, so if you would like help determining the fibre content of something, bring it along. Brenda Nicolson will demonstrate tablet weaving. Christine Purse will show us how to spin designer yarns. Laura Proctor and the natural dye group are going to have a natural dyeing display table. Jill Yelland-DeMooy will be spinning using the Spinneret designed and created by her mother Pat Yelland. We will also have Steve Ashton, who has built a 20-harness loom. He will be bringing his circular sock-knitting machine as well.

In addition, we will have the show and tell table, a stash-busting table and a table of donated books and magazines looking for new homes. So come out and learn new skills, and go home with new ideas and perhaps some fibre, yarns or books!

After two years it was exciting to meet in-person in our new location!

[Galleries 32 not found]

Enjoy the online Show & Tell photos to see some of our members’ work.

 

 

The Guild Drop-In evening is open to everyone – members and non-members alike. This is a time for visiting and getting to know each other. The Drop-In is held every month on the last Tuesday of the month from 7 – 9 pm at St. Luke’s Church Hall.

A time to visit, share your creations and ideas, help others with problems and generally have a fibre-oriented social time! Everyone is welcome!

The next Zoom Drop-in is June 14th from 7-9pm.

Zoom Drop-in will occur year round, on the 2nd Tuesday every month. All current guild members will receive an invitation to the Zoom event. Non-members are welcome to join us, and they should send an email to dropin@vhwsg.ca to request an invitation.

This is an evening to get together from the comfort of your own home to chat with others and learn about their fibre projects, to offer and receive help with your own projects and get to know other guild members.

The in-person Drop-In evening continues on the Last Tuesday of every month (except December).

[Remember – we are meeting on the third TUESDAY of the month] June 21

Doors  open at 6:30 pm

The Annual General meeting will begin at 7pm with presentation of year end reports and the election of next year’s executive.

The June meeting will be in-person and WILL NOT have a virtual component.  Tables will be set up in the Hall for the Stashbusting items.  Any financial transactions must be managed between the seller and purchaser, and all items must be removed at the end of the meeting.   

The Church Hall has plenty of tables that we can use for the Stashbusting Sale, but we need to set them up (and put them away) ourselves.  Members wishing to contribute items to the Sale are asked to come around 6:30 pm to help with the set-up and to help put tables away at the end of the evening.

Members who have items for sale or free, but cannot attend the meeting, are reminded that they can place them on the Guild’s Classified section on the website:  https://vhwsg.ca/classified-adsg/

 

The Guild Drop-In Evening is an opportunity to get together with guild members for an informal evening of conversation and sharing. Bring your spinning wheel, knitting or other project to work on. Bring questions if you’d like help from other members. Bring Show & Tell to share. Non-members are welcome.

Our new meeting place is at St Luke’s Hall, 3821 Cedar Hill Cross Road (www.bc.anglican.ca/greater-victoria/st-luke).

Masks required for now, and the venue has plenty of space for distancing.  We cannot use the kitchen for now, so if you wish some tea/coffee, you must bring you own ready to drink.

Zoom drop-Ins are now held on the SECOND Tuesday of the month. Zoom invitations will be sent to all guild members by email shortly before the date.

LAST DAY to vote in the May 2022 Spring Challenge until midnight tonight.

May 2022 Show and Tell items submitted for display are now online for your viewing pleasure!

2022 May Show & Tell and “Spring” Challenge

---

We are now ready to accept online submissions for the Show& Tell display and for the SPRING Challenge. When your photos are ready, head to May 22 Show & Tell page  to submit them for the online show. Note: Only entries submitted online will be considered for the People’s Choice Challenge – which has a prize of a one year membership in the Guild!

The May Guild Meeting (7 – 9 pm, Tuesday, May 17) at St. Luke’s Church Hall (3821 Cedar Hill Cross Road) is a Show ‘n’ Tell and Challenge of fibre creations made during the Pandemic.  We are going to attempt a hybrid meeting in that we will have a concurrent zoom link set up for at least announcements.  We don’t know how well a hybrid set-up will work for the Show ‘n’ Tell, but we’ll give it a try!  Photos of all entries will be displayed in the following week on the website, with voting enabled for People’s Choice for the Challenge.

1. Any fibre creation made during the Pandemic can be entered into the Show ‘n’ Tell.
2. Any fibre creation made during the Pandemic with the theme of Spring can be entered into the Challenge.
3. There are no limits on numbers of entries, and the same items can be entered into both the Challenge and the Show ‘n’ Tell.
4. Each entry (even those shown in person during the live event) should have a photograph taken of it.  Instructions for submitting the photos are available on the website:  https://vhwsg.ca/activities/show-tell/show-tell-may-2022/
5. There will be voting through the website for People’s Choice for the Challenge.  Voting will occur during the week of May 25– 31.  The prize will be a one-year membership in the guild.

It must be Spring!! We’re starting in-person drop-ins again, with the first one on March 29th!

Our new meeting place is at St Luke’s Hall, 3821 Cedar Hill Cross Road (www.bc.anglican.ca/greater-victoria/st-luke).

Masks and proof of vaccination are both required for now, and the venue has plenty of space for distancing. If you are ready, come see our new meeting space and bring some show & tell. We cannot use the kitchen for now, so if you wish some tea/coffee, you must bring you own ready to drink.

Zoom drop-Ins also continue, for those who either aren’t ready to meet in person or live further away. For the time being the Zoom and in-person events are on the same evening, but we may change that in future to let people attend both – watch this space for updates. Zoom invitations will be sent to all guild members on March 28.

Alissa Allen is the founder of Mycopigments (www.mycopigments.com). She specializes in teaching about regional mushroom and lichen dye palettes to fiber artists and mushroom enthusiasts all over the world. Alissa got her start in the Pacific Northwest and has been sharing her passion for mushrooms for over 20 years. She will talk about dyeing with mushrooms/lichen that are found on Southern Vancouver Island.

This talk will be a Zoom presentation – all members will receive an invitation by email closer to the meeting.

Catherine Knutsson of The Small Bird Workshop will do a virtual presentation on the topic of Adventures in Canadian Wool: Breeds, Infrastructure, and Sustainability.

From working with mills to the secret of how she ships loads of fleece across the country, this presentation will highlight the sheep, the shepherds, and the challenges of running a small business that has a long-term goal of providing 100% Canadian wool and fibre products.

Guild members will receive an invitation to the Zoom meeting by email in advance of the meeting. Visitors wishing to join the meeting can request an invitation from programs@vhwsg.ca

Susan Torntore will be presentationing via Zoom on the Noh Coat Challenge organized through the 2023 Association of Northwest Weavers’ Guilds Conference.

Participants are invited by ANWG to weave the cloth and make the American designer Bonnie Cashin’s Noh coat as it appears in Threads Magazine Oct/Nov 1990 No. 31.

https://anwgconference2023.com/noh-coat-challenge/

Guild members will receive an invitation to the Zoom meeting by email in advance of the meeting. Visitors wishing to join the meeting can request an invitation from programs@vhwsg.ca

September 18 – October 23, 2022  Five Sunday afternoons (not the 9^th which is Thanksgiving) – 1:00 pm to 5:00pm

Maximum Number of Students: 6

Cost: Members $320.00 Non-members $360.00

Workshop registration form and payment information is available on the Victoria Handweavers’ and Spinners’ Guild web site: vhwsg.ca

This class will introduce students to various weave structures.  Any one of these could be an in-depth class of its own, but here you will get a taste of different structures, looms, and fibres.  This will be a ‘round robin’ class: each student will receive a warp and details for threading your loom at home before coming to class.  The looms will be taken to (and left at) the studio for the duration of the class so students will be able to work on each one. Students, please indicate which structure you wish to put on your loom.

1. M’s and O’s
2. Bronson Lace
3. Swedish Lace
4. Summer & Winter
5. Crackle
6. Overshot

Workshop looms are available from the Guild to guild members if you don’t have your own to bring to class.

Date: March 12^th, 19^th and 26^th from 1:30pm to 4:30 pm

Location: Near Fairgrounds on the Saanich Peninsula

Cost: $150 for Guild members and $190 for non-Guild members

This workshop will get you started in the world of spinning, you’ll learn some of the terms used for wheels and fibre as well as several spinning techniques and plying. Fibre will be provided for an additional $25.

Week 1: Learn to names of all the parts on the spinning wheel, and different wheel set-ups (double drive, Scotch tension, Irish tension), learn to spin Short Forward Draft

Week 2: What does it mean to spin Worsted or Woolen? What’s the difference between batts, roving and top? What if you want to buy a fleece? Learn to spin Short Backward Draft

Week 3: What should you look for or look out for when purchasing a wheel? Learn to ply.

Wheels will be available for the workshop, if you are a Guild member you can also rent a wheel after the workshop is over.

Workshop Registration Form

30^th April to the 4^th June 2022

Five Saturday afternoons (not 21^st May – Victoria Day long weekend) – 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm

Number of Students: 4

Cost: $350.00 for guild members ($390.00 for non-guild members)

Learn the vocabulary and basic skills of making your own fabric on a 4-shaft loom.  The instructor will lead you through making a warp and dressing a loom as well as weaving techniques and planning a project.  No experience or equipment is required, but if you have your own loom, please let the instructor examine it before class.   An extra materials fee (approx. $20.00) may be required if you wish to have special yarn for your final project.

Workshop Registration Form

 

Joan Ruane will be out featured speaker.  Joan is a renowned instructor of spinning specializing in cotton and hemp. She will be presenting on the history and current use of Cannabis sativa (hemp) as a fibre.  Joan’s website is https://www.cottonspinning.com/hemp.html

Guild members will receive an invitation to the Zoom meeting by email in advance of the meeting. Visitors wishing to join the meeting can request an invitation from programs@vhwsg.ca

As an alternate to the judged ‘Sheep to Shawl’, this year we challenge you to a Farm to Fashion project. Our focus is to connect people with local fibre sources, to show and share the progress and end result of a project, have fun with a challenge, and possibly record the results for posterity.

Ideally, entries should have been created within the last year/ since Fibrations (Sept 25th, 2021) The challenge is open to crafts people on Vancouver & Gulf Islands, Lower Mainland, Sunshine Coast – no need to be members of the VHWSG.

We hope to  connect crafts people and local fibre sources (What is in your fibre shed?), to encourage you to push your boundaries from what you know and to promote community building and teamwork.

Full details:  Farm to Fashion Challenge

Digital Threads (online Canadian Fibre related Magazine) has published a Canada-wide holiday shopping guide that can be downloaded from their website (after joining their mailing list or taking out a free membership)

These links will remain available on the Fibre Links page on our website.

 Our presenter for the evening will be Daryl Lancaster — Great Garments from Handwoven Cloth —

This program starts 30 minutes earlier than normal since the presenter is on the East Coast.   The business meeting will start at 6:30 pm, with the speaker starting at 7:00 pm. 

Our presenter will be Melissa Dunning – on Acadian Weaving of French Canada and Louisiana.  This program starts at 4:00 pm due to the time zone difference. Check out her blog at http://melissaweaves.blogspot.com.

After a business meeting at 7pm, the presentation will begin at 7:30

Deb Essen will be presenting on a Bevilacqua weaving studio tour she took in 2018. The studio has been in operation since the mid 1800’s and they are still using the same looms in the same building!  Their specialty is richly patterned velvets, as can be seen in this link:  https://www.luigi-bevilacqua.com/en/history/

After a summer of fun, the shawls are finished and were on display at Fibrations on September 19.

Have a look at the shawls and the project descriptions provided by the teams (click Read More beside each team name).

Virtual Sheep to Shawl

SEE YOU ALL SUNDAY for Fibrations – fun, fibre and friends 🙂

We are excited to announce that Fibrations will be happening again this year!!  COVID precautions will be in place. Free Event!  But bring your Twooniees to support the raffle 🙂

September 19, 2021.   Fairfield Community Center, 1330 Fairfield Road  More info:  www.kbnfibres.ca/fibrations

The guild is planning on having a presence and we need volunteers.
(more…)

The Virtual September Saanich Fair Challenge is rapidly approaching! Deadline for photos is August 31!

This is an opportunity for guild members to share their needle and fibre arts works with others in the guild and the public.  All submissions will be uploaded to the Guild’s website and viewers will be able to vote on People’s Choice in each of the ten categories.  The Saanich Fair Challenge is the topic of the September 16th guild meeting. Deadline for online submissions: August 31, 2021

What:  Any needle or fibre arts work (e.g. weaving, spinning, knitting, crocheting, felting, basketry, etcetera) created by a guild member since the 2020 Saanich Fair Challenge.  You can enter as many items as you like.  There are ten categories for the Challenge:

I. Handspun skein from raw fibre, not less than 25 yards
II. Handspun skein, not less than 25 yards (commercially prepared fibre)
III. Knitted or crocheted article of clothing, from handspun skein
IV. Needle felted article
V. Wet felted article
VI. Weaving, clothing article, any size (e.g, scarves, shawls, jackets, etc.)
VII. Weaving, non-clothing article (e.g, towels, placemats, rugs)
VIII. Handwoven basket
IX. Tapestry, any size
X. Any other wool/fibre art article not listed

How:  Send submissions to programs@vhwsg.ca no later than August 31, 2021.  Please put Saanich Fair Challenge 2021 in the subject line.

1. Photo should be in colour and a jpg file that is 2 – 5 MB.  Please do NOT send a ‘small’ copy of your photo if prompted by your email program – we need the full-size version to make a good display for the meeting. We will contact you if the photo you send is too small for the show.
2. Photos should be sent with artisan’s name as part of the photo name.  For example, if Jane Doe sent a photo of a weaving the file name would be Doe, Jane – My Delight.jpg.
3. Description of photo should be no more than 200 words
4. Assign the item to a category.
5. For suggestions on how to take the best photos, you can refer to Katrina Stewart’s photography handout which can be accessed through the newsletter archive on the website (www.vhwsg.ca/membership/newsletter-archive/ ).  Use Weave^Beauty! as the password.

Voting and People’s Choice:  Once all submissions are loaded onto the website and the Challenge goes live, viewers will be instructed on how to vote for their favorites.  Virtual ribbons will be awarded to those that are chosen in each category.    The announcement of the winners will be made during the September guild meeting (September 16, 2021).

Helpline within the Guild –  gethelp@vhwsg.ca
The aim of the help line is  to help make connections between members easier. The challenge for many of us is what to do or who to talk to when we need help or support, want more information, have a question or problem. The help line provides one place for any member to make an initial contact with a guild member who can assist them.

(more…)

The Virtual Sheep to Shawl has nine teams registered as of June 26 with only 4 days until registration closes on July 1.

To follow some of the activity on Facebook, there is a private group called Virtual Sheep to Shawl 2021 (VHWSG) that I believe you can view even if you are not a member of the group.

Teams are from Victoria, Gabriola Island, Courtenay and Vancouver.  Team names are as follows:

The Organizers

Covid Baaa Damned

Shuttle Fish

Tagalong Singles

Sheep Shifters (Courtenay)

Mighty Mycelium Magic Makers (Gabriola)

It’s a Wrap

Wednesday Creative

Vancouver Shawl-ympics (Vancouver

---

We missed the Saanich Fair Sheep to Shawl demonstration last year, so the idea of a virtual Sheep to Shawl was born! This event is supported by the VHWSG but is open to all spinners on Vancouver Island, Lower Mainland and the Islands in between.

A “Sheep to Shawl” is an event at which spinners begin with a newly shorn and skirted fleece and end up with a finished shawl! Loads of fun to work with a team – together or apart. A Visual Record of the project is a new part of the fun. Registration is limited to 10 teams. Registration opens April 1, ends July 1st. Shawls must be received by the judges by August 31st, 2021. This will be a summer project, beginning in May when the sheep are shorn to be completed by August 31.

Two spots left!

We have now posted some of the prizes that will be awarded. Read on for more details and required registration.

We will be offering this Zoom workshop by Linda Hartshorn on Jan 29, Feb 5 & 6^th 2022.

The workshop runs 2 1/2 days. On the full days lectures are 3 times a day, usually 10 am, 1 pm and 4 pm our time. The 4 pm is a review and sharing of the student’s work. The last day is one lecture at 10 am usually.

Skill Level: Intermediate, Advanced

Cost: Cost for non-Guild members will be $200 (does not include supplies). Currently there are 6 spaces open.

Material List:

Floor or table loom, 8 or more shafts, in good working order. Loom will be pre-warped according to instructions. Two boat shuttles with bobbins, scissors, weft yarn in a variety of colors and weights, tape measure. Pen, pencil and paper for notetaking and drafting exercises. Computer, internet access and Zoom capability.

Those interested in this workshop can fill out the Workshop Registration form and email a pdf me workshops@vhwsg.ca.

 

Everyone should now have received their ballots for voting on the three motions for the AGM. The messages will have come from the address vote@vhwsg.ca

If you are a guild member and have not received your ballot, please first check your junk mail folder, and then contact website@vhwsg.ca to get your ballots. Ballots must be received by midnight June 24, 2021 (Thursday evening). Votes will be counted on Friday and the results will be announced by email.

---

---

Our combined regular meeting and AGM is on June 17 from 7:00 to 9:00 pm. Your zoom invitation will be sent by email on June 16. See page 5 of the newsletter for details about the AGM.

This will be the last regular meeting prior to the two-month summer hiatus. (Please note that Drop-ins will continue over the summer.)

Wear something you have created during the last year and join us on Zoom to share virtual coffee, cookies, wine, and chat after the meeting. We will set up some breakout rooms for small groups to meet and visit. Traditionally this meeting is also an opportunity for “stash busting”, but this year we are doing this virtually. You will receive the list of items by email on June 14.

This workshop is currently FULL. If people are interested in another workshop with Kim, we can start a waitlist. Please email workshops@vhwsg.ca

This Workshop will be on line, a computer with Zoom video and audio will be required to participate in the workshop. The workshop is planned for later in Sept/21 but we are required to confirm participation by March. If you are interested in taking the workshop, please email workshops@vhwsg.ca to confirm.

Workshop Description:

Session I:            Backward Worsted Draft Twist and its Nuances

Session II:           2 Ply yarns

Session III:          3 ply yarns

Note: Students would spin singles as homework for Part II and Part III. Also leaving about 2 weeks between Part I and II gives people time to spin the singles for the plying exercises in Part II. Part III can be one week after Part II as there is not as much homework.

 

The list for the stashbusting sale will be sent to all members at about 9am on Monday, June 14, 2021.

All sales/wanted/give aways are to be arranged directly between members. The Guild organizers are NOT involved beyond distributing the lists. This sale is open to guild members only. Items not sold may appear in the future in our Classified Ads

We hope everyone’s stash is “updated” successfully!

The Silk Weaving Studio and Sanjo Silk offer two workshops by Kim McKenna – online via Zoom.

June 12, 2021 10am – 4:30pm — Exploring the Colour Wheel with Wool/Silk Blends with Kim McKenna Registration Deadline May 26

June 19, 2021 10am – 4:30pm — Blending Nature Dyed Silks with Natural Coloured Wools Registration Deadline May 29

Detailed information available: www.silkweavingstudio.com/

 

Normally the June meeting is an opportunity for stashbusting.  This year we will be creative and use the newsletter (and if enough entries, the website).

Members wishing to decrease their stash should describe the items in a short paragraph with contact information (name, email and/or telephone number), to be included in the June newsletter.

Submissions will be organized into the following categories: equipment, accessories, yarn, fleece and fibre, miscellaneous. Include sufficient information to let others know if you have something they may wish to acquire. Please indicate if “free” or “for sale”, and if the latter, the price. Interested parties will then contact you directly if further information is required, and to arrange the transfer. Any exchange of funds will be managed between the seller and buyer.

Send your submission to the following email no later than June 3: stashbusting@vhwsg.ca

 

The Guild Book Sale is underway! For the time being, the sale is open to guild members only.

The Guild Book Sale is going well, but there are still lots of books and magazines available at $2 for books/audio/visual and $1 for a bundle of about 5 magazines. There are revised book, magazine and audio/visual lists now posted to the website. Check out the selection of videos and DVD’s on various aspects of spinning, weaving and dyeing in the audio/visual list. If you are the kind of person who learns better by seeing than reading, you should consider some of the following titles:

In Praise Of Simple Cloth, Buchanan, Rita, DVD
Beginning Four Harness Weaving, Chandler, Deborah, VHS
Spinning Cotton On The Charkha, Hallman, Eileen, DVD
Combing Fiber, Russo, Robin, DVD
Color Interaction For Handweavers, Sullivan, Donna, VHS

At present, the sale is only open to guild members, but beginning Monday May 31, we will open it to other guilds so now is your chance.

Send your list to booksale@vhwsg.ca.

Lists of books, audio-video items and magazines, along with information about how to buy them, are on the website.

The sale begins on May 17th. For more information, check the May newsletter and the website.

Come one, come all!  The last Tuesday of every month has long been an evening when guild members would gather together to work (spin, knit, weave, ….) and chat. It is time to do it again – this time virtually to keep everyone safe and avoid that night time drive. All current guild members have received an invitation to the Zoom event on the last Tuesday of the month. Non-members are welcome to join in – send an email to dropin@vhwsg.ca to request an invitation. There is no “agenda” – just drop in from home while you are working and have a chat. It is a good time to ask questions about the guild or your work. Please show us your new creations. If the crowd is large, we can arrange for smaller groups to to chat in break out rooms. Other details will evolve as we meet and experience this new Drop-In format.

Saturday April 24 from 1:30 to 3:30
Come for a few minutes or stay for 2 hours. You will need to have a computer with Zoom (video and audio capabilities).

Non-spinners are welcome. Just bring your knitting or set up your tablet beside your loom.
If you want to bring a friend to check us out, let the organizing committee know at spinin@vhwsg.ca and we will send your friend an invitation link.

All members will receive an email invitation to sign into Zoom and join a breakout room. Breakout rooms are sessions that are split off from the main Zoom meeting. They allow the participants to meet in smaller groups, and are completely isolated from the main session in terms of audio and video.  We are planning for groups of 6 so everyone can visit and spin with friends comfortably. You will be able to join the room you want and move from room to room if you wish.

More information on the Spin-In page.

Come one, come all!  The last Tuesday of every month has long been an evening when guild members would gather together to work (spin, knit, weave, ….) and chat. It is time to do it again – this time virtually to keep everyone safe and avoid that night time drive.

All current guild members have received an invitation to the Zoom event on the last Tuesday of the month. Non-members are welcome to join in – send an email to dropin@vhwsg.ca to request an invitation.

There is no “agenda” – just drop in from home while you are working and have a chat. It is a good time to ask questions about the guild or your work. Please show us your new creations. If the crowd is large, we can arrange for smaller groups to to chat in break out rooms. Other details will evolve as we meet and experience this new Drop-In format.

The Chattahoochee Handweavers Guild of Atlanta, GA is offering a workshop by Linda Hartshorn titled Weaving in a Parallel Universe April 17-19, 2021 (this is a 2-1/2 day workshop) exploring “(p)arallel threadings … used to weave a variety of structures including echo weave twills and jin (polychrome turned taquete).” Registration is now open at chgweavers.org/product/weaving-in-a-parallel-universe-april-2020-workshop/

---

The Ontario Hanweavers Guild webinar series Demystifying Flax will take place once a month, on Saturday mornings at 10am, starting in March 2021. Registration is now open at ohs.on.ca/marketplace/webinar-series-2021-demystifying-flax

 

The recording of the March meeeting is now online — check your email for the link! Contact programs@vhwsg.ca if you are a guild member and did not receive the link by email.

ALSO – The Flax to Linen presentation from our February meeeting is available at  www.youtube.com/watch?v=cLOPCAJKeLE.

---

Start taking your photos – finished or ongoing projects welcome! Don’t forget to SEND AN EMAIL to programs@vhwsg.ca no later than March 13 (Saturday) to let us know you want to show your work.

Business meeting begins at 7 pm. We will welcome everyone to the Zoom meeting starting at 6:30pm.

The main event is a Show & Tell!!!

New videos online – while we isolate, many places are providing online videos. Here are a a couple of links that may be of interest to everyone.

Sanjo Silk  and The Silk Weaving Studio have launched a YouTube channel. If you feel so inclined, you can subscribe to the channel. This will help Sanjo to qualify to have the link changed to sanjosilk instead of a series of numbers.

They only need 100 subscribers to qualify for their own “official” channel.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPy7KFOlHpXL6lgN3kEAmXQ

---

The Handweavers’ Guild of America (HGA) is making presentations available through their Facebook page.

https://www.facebook.com/HandweaversGuildofAmerica/videos/241379620918651/

sponsored by the Textile Museum Journal (George Washington University  Museum/Textile Museum)

---

 

Come one, come all!  The last Tuesday of every month has long been an evening when guild members would gather together to work (spin, knit, weave, ….) and chat. It is time to do it again – this time virtually to keep everyone safe and avoid that night time drive.

All current guild members will receive an invitation to the Zoom event on the last Tuesday of the month. Non-members are welcome to join in – send an email to dropin@vhwsg.ca to request an invitation.

There is no “agenda” – just drop in from home while you are working and have a chat. It is a good time to ask questions about the guild or your work. Please show us your new creations. If the crowd is large, we can arrange for smaller groups to to chat in break out rooms. Other details will evolve as we meet and experience this new Drop-In format.

We have started a listing of online workshops/seminars to let members know of these opportunities. Please visit the Workshops page to see the listing.

AND if you are aware of upcoming online workshops, please send us the contact information (web site address is the best) to workshops@vhwsg.ca

Come one, come all!  The last Tuesday of every month except December has long been an evening guild members would gather together to work (spin, knit, weave, ….) and chat. It is time to do it again – this time virtually to keep everyone safe and avoid that night time drive.

All current guild members will receive an invitation to the zoom event on the last Tuesday of the month. Non-members are welcome to join in – send an email to dropin@vhwsg.ca to request an invitation.

There is no “agenda” – just drop in from home while you are working and have a chat. It is a good time to ask questions about the guild or your work. If the crowd is large, we can arrange for smaller groups to to chat in break out rooms. Other details will evolve as we meet and experience this new Drop-In format.

Usually the Guild has a Holiday Potluck the first Thursday of December. Since this cannot occur in 2020, we still want an opportunity for Guild members to virtually get together and enjoy some seasonal festivities. Many members have been using their enforced social isolation to create beautiful spinning, weaving, knitting, felting, etc, for themselves and for gift purposes. The December guild meeting will provide an informal way to share those creations in photograph form. Of course, everyone is encouraged to come and watch, even if you do not have a project to share.

Please note that this meeting will occur the first Thursday (Dec 3) and not the third Thursday. The Zoom session will start at 7 pm. All Guild members are invited, including those who do not have a project to share. There will not be a business component to this Guild meeting. All Guild members will receive a link to this evening via email.

Guild members who wish to share their creations have two avenues:

We would use the ShareScreen function of Zoom. When it is those members’ turns to talk, they would “unmute themselves”, present their projects and answer any questions about them. Questions about how to use the ShareScreen Function can be addressed to Glenda S at zoom@vhwsg.ca .
For members who cannot participate during the live session, or cannot use the Share Screen function of Zoom, they can send their photos to Glenda S at zoom@vhwsg.ca and she will create a slide show for presentation on Dec. 3. Glenda MUST receive the photos for the slide show by December 2, 2020.

Here is a blurb from Elizabeth’s website: http://www.elizabethashdown.co.uk/

The last Tuesday of every month except December has long been an evening guild members would gather together to work (spin, knit, weave, ….) and chat. It is time to do it again – this time virtually to keep everyone safe and avoid that night time drive.

All current guild members will receive an invitation to the zoom event on the last Tuesday of the month. Non-members are welcome to join in – send an email to dropin@vhwsg.ca to request an invitation.

There is no “agenda” – just drop in from home while you are working and have a chat. It is a good time to ask questions about the guild or your work. If the crowd is large, we can arrange for smaller groups to to chat in break out rooms. Other details will evolve as we meet and experience this new Drop-In format.

Please note that due to the time zone difference from our speaker’s home in Pennsylvania our live meeting will be starting at 3:30 pm, with the program itself starting at 4:00 pm after the business meeting. For those who cannot join the meeting at that time, we will be recording the session and will make it available to guild members only for a limited time afterwards. All guild members will receive an invitation to the Zoom meeting by email on the day of the meeting.

Our Speaker:

Deb Brandon, author of the book Threads Around the World, will be the program speaker through Zoom at the guild meeting on Thursday, October 15.    There will be a Q&A session after the presentation.

To learn about Deb, check out the following link:     https://passionpassport.com/textiles-threads-around-the-world/

You must be a member of the guild (Active, Life, Student or Associate) to participate in this Zoom session.  If you are unsure whether you have renewed your membership, etc., please contact membership@vhwsg.ca  well in advance of the meeting.

 

It is an annual tradition that many of our guild members submit their creations to the Saanich Fair Needle Arts event. This year, of course, the Saanich Fair and our in-person guild meetings were cancelled due to the public health emergency. We wanted to go ahead and showcase the artistry and creations of our members, so we developed this virtual gallery. Guild members submitted captioned photographs of their creations according to ten categories.

Visitors to the virtual gallery voted for their favorites and the winners were announced at the September (online) Guild meeting. Virtual ribbons are attached to the photos of the winning items in each category.

Visit the gallery!  Saanich Fair Challenge — click here!

Welcome to the Guild’s Saanich Fair Fall Challenge!

It is an annual tradition that many of our guild members submit their creations to the Saanich Fair Needle Arts event. This year, of course, the Saanich Fair and our in-person guild meetings were cancelled due to the public health emergency. We wanted to go ahead and showcase the artistry and creations of our members, so we developed this virtual gallery. Guild members submitted captioned photographs of their creations according to ten categories.

Visitors to the virtual gallery can vote for their favorites (instructions are on the gallery page – click the link below).

Visit the gallery!  Saanich Fair Challenge — click here!

At noon September 17th the voting will be closed, and the People’s Choice winners will be announced at the Guild meeting (7 pm — 9 pm). Winning submissions (one per category) will have virtual ribbons applied to their photographs after the meeting.

This meeting will be held online through Zoom. Details for accessing the meeting will be distributed in September.

Since the Saanich Fair has been cancelled, we providing a way for our members to submit their “Needle Arts” works into to a virtual display. Members are welcome to enter as many items as they like. Judging will be based on People’s Choice voting, with ten different categories (see list below). Ribbons (virtual) will be awarded to those that are chosen in each category.

1. Participants must be members of the Victoria Handweavers & Spinners Guild, or their special invitees.
2. Each submission must consist of a colour photograph of the finished project, with a description of the materials used and the category for which it is being submitted (see list of categories below).
3. You may enter as many items as you wish. There will be a “door prize” (maybe two!) – a “ticket” will be added for each entry into the show and tell. Winning “ticket” will be drawn during the Guild Zoom meeting on the 17th.
4. Items must have been created since the 2019 Saanich Fair.
5. All submissions must be received by September 4, 2020 (email to programs@vhwsg.ca ). Please put Saanich Fair Challenge in the subject line. The photos will be displayed on the website. Members will vote using the same system we used for the Emily Carr Challenge (click on “Like” of the preferred entry).
6. Announcement of the winners will occur during the Guild Zoom meeting on the 17th and the winning entries will be listed on the website.

If you have questions concerning the competition, please send them to programs@vhwsg.ca.

Categories for the Saanich Fair Challenge:

1. Handspun skein from raw fibre, not less than 25 yards
2. Handspun skein, not less than 25 yards (commercially prepared fibre)
3. Knitted or crocheted article of clothing, from handspun skein
4. Needle felted article
5. Wet felted article
6. Weaving, clothing article, any size (e.g, scarves, shawls, jackets, etc.)
7. Weaving, non-clothing article (e.g, towels, placemats, rugs)
8. Handwoven basket
9. Tapestry, any size
10. Any other wool/fibre art article not listed

Congratulations to Helen Thomas who won the People’s Choice Award for her the shawl she knitted from her handspun yarns. See all the entries at:
https://vhwsg.ca/activities/show-tell/emilycarrchallenge2020/

The guild has purchased a licence to use Zoom, an online communication tool, for the next year. We are planning to use Zoom to hold meetings, present speakers and possibly even hold workshops, beginning in September. In the meantime, some guild groups like the Just 4’s and some spinning groups have been meeting via Zoom. These groups and any other guild groups who would like to meet virtually are welcome to use the Guild Zoom account. If you wish to use the Guild Zoom account for a Guild event, contact Christine Purse, at zoom@vhwsg.ca and I will get you started. If you have not used Zoom before, I can help with that too. If you would like to volunteer to learn how to use Zoom and help with running meetings, please let me know.

The VHWSG cannot hold its AGM (Annual General Meeting) at St. Aidan’s due to the Covid-19 restrictions so the executive has decided to hold the voting via email. Everyone received an email message on June 5, including an outline of the process. Anyone who did not receive that email, please FIRST check your spam/junk folder to see if it was “quarantined”, and then contact president@vhwsg.ca to let us know. You will be receiving additional email messages to complete the AGM process so it is important that you are receiving our email. Voting will take place between June 19 and June 25, 2020.

And, although our May joint meeting with DCWS had to be cancelled, people did pursue the “Emily Carr” challenge that would have been displayed at that meeting. Instead, we have posted the show online, with an opportunity for you to vote for your favourite – and yes, there is a prize! Click the link below to view the show.

Joint Meeting Challenge 2020 – Emily Carr

Enjoy the Show!

 

Photos submitted for the May Show & Tell is now online for your viewing pleasure.

Visit the Show & Tell Page.

Everyone is welcome to send photos of their work (in progress or finished) any time.  Your items will be added as they are received.  Please include a little text to let people know what they are looking at and/or your experience creating the project.

Send items to website@vhwsg.ca

The April online Show & Tell is now available!  Visit the page …

Members are welcome to send photos and/or a little story to let us know how you are doing and what you are creating! Send your entries to newsletter@vhwsg.ca for inclusion in the newsletter and/or website@vhwsg.ca to be included in the online display. You do not need to send your submission to both addresses, just include a note letting us know that you would like to be included in the newsletter and/or website.  (Note we do not publish last names on the website.)

Don’t forget that you can also post your own photos in the private VHWSG Facebook group and see what others are doing in this period of “distancing”.

Finally, if you need supplies, don’t forget to check our list of local suppliers!

Keep safe, keep happy, be kind and be creative!

We hope that everyone is well and coping with the current public health emergency. For those of you employed in essential services, we thank you for working to help us all. For everyone at home, we hope that you will take this time to stay out of the public as much as possible and be creative!

At the moment, it is uncertain when we will meet in person again, so we would like to keep everyone connected as much as possible. We know that many of you will be using the time to work on projects at home. We would like to share your creations with the Guild membership. So, if you can, please take photos of your work and write a little story about your project (include the details we all love to know!)

We will continue to publish our monthly newsletter featuring an electronic “Show & Tell”. Please continue to send in photos of your “at home” projects along with details and “the story” to the newsletter

You can also post your project to the VHWSG Private Facebook Group  if you are a member of the group.
—— Not a member? Click on the “+ Join Group” button on the group page. You will need a Facebook account. There is no deadline so keep your projects or interesting reading options coming!

For those not “on” Facebook, we can also display your works on our public Facebook page. We can post your photos for you, if you are in agreement. You can email them to the Outreach committee

And watch here for a virtual Show & Tell coming next week!

Meanwhile enjoy some memories from Texere 2019 ….

At the Vancouver Art Gallery, 750 Hornby Street, Vancouver

July 18, 2020 – January 3, 2021

Several items from the VHWSG Permanent Collection are included in the exhibit.

From the VAG website:

“Featuring over 300 works, Modern in the Making: Post-War Craft and Design in British Columbia examines the furniture, ceramics, textiles, fashion and jewellery that defined West Coast modern living in the mid-twentieth century. In the three decades following the Second World War, thousands of people immigrated to British Columbia seeking the benefits of its resource-based economy, mild climate, natural amenities and inventive spirit. This optimistic post-war environment fostered the development of exceptional design and craft practices, deeply influenced by the tenets of modernism: simplicity, fine craftsmanship and functional design for everyday use. The most comprehensive view of mid-century craft and design from this region assembled to date, the exhibition reveals how local histories, immigration patterns and materials impacted interpretations of modernism in British Columbia, while also recognizing this cultural movement’s inherent ties to colonial expansion.”

Join in to share your skills and meet other members. Bring your spinning, knitting, baskets to work on. Bring your questions – we will all pitch in to help you answer them. This is an informal time to get to know each other and share our knowledge and interests.

Community Living Victoria, 3861 Cedar Hill Cross Road – upstairs.

This month talk with members who attended Kim McKenna’s spinning workshop about what they learned to improve their spinning.

The Dyers’ Interest Group will finalize planning for this year’s Dyer’s Project Challenge – join us at 8pm to contribute your ideas or learn how to get involved.

Make two 24 x 36 cotton canvas mats. No painting experience necessary – hand painted – freehand/stamps/stencils. Include preparation, design, finishing and care.

10:00 – 1:00 Sat & Sun Sept 21-22

Cost $105 plus $20 materials

To register contact Diana Smith at dsmith2006@shaw.ca

 

ArtPod Gallery & Studios,

Metchosin Arts & Cultural Centre, 4495 Happy Valley Road

Reception – July 20 1-3pm
Exhibition – July 17-28 Wednesday to Sunday 11:00-5:00
At Coast Collective, 103-318 Wale Road, Colwood
More information www.coastcollective.ca/events/reclaimed_reworked_reborn/

This exhibition will showcase the upcycled textile garments of Catherine Mick, who has spent a lifetime experimenting on how to repurpose fabrics to give garments a new life.  Catherine is a spinner and a weaver, so she breaks old garments with worn out sections down to their most basic components and then spins and weaves beautiful new fabrics from them.

Come one, come all! We are having an Exhibition of our members’ work.

Check out the interviews with some of our members to learn more about what we do: Art Openings Reviews

A wonderful collection of items ready for the show have been posted on Instagram –  see the wide range of Fibre Arts that will be on display!

Visit the VHWSG Facebook page for photos and videos of our members’ work and “at work”.

Don’t forget to tell your family, friends, their friends, neighbours and anyone else you can think of about Texere. If you know a good place to put up a poster or info cards, please contact texereshowinfo@vhwsg.ca

Item Pickup for Exhibitors:  All items not sold will be picked up and cheques delivered at the April 30 Guild Drop-In night, 7:00-8:30pm at Community Living Victoria, 3861 Cedar Hill Cross Road (between Cedar Hill and Braefoot). If you, or your designate, cannot make this time, please contact texereshowinfo@vhwsg.ca 

 

Share your preparations for the exhibition & sale on Instagram (hashtag  #terexe19) and see what others have posted!

 

The March program has traditionally been a special lecture named in memory of Ruth Anstey, one of several members, who left money to the guild after her death. This year the guild celebrates its 85 birthday. The program presents the Salish Weavers. The library will be open and Texere will have a table where members can pick up advertising posters, hanging and sales tags, etc.

The Salish Weavers: Hereditary Chief Janice George and Buddy Joseph, both of the Squamish Nation will be sharing their knowledge of wool weaving practiced by their people. They are active weavers and teachers now. They value how weaving, ancestry, identity and community create connection and understanding between people now and to their past. They created L’hen Awtxw Weaving House to explain their journey in weaving and education.

Saturday February 23, 2019, 9:30 am to 3:30 pm
Saanich Fairgrounds, 1528 Stellys Cross Road, Saanichton
Registration fee – $20

For full information see the SpinIn Activity page.

The Final Schedule of 2 Day Conference Workshops and 2 hour Seminars have been posted under Workshops and Seminars Schedule.

Online Registration begins Sunday, January 27^th at 9:00am PST.

Online forms to submit items for an Exhibit or the Fashion Show at the conference are now online. Forms must be submitted by April 1, 2019.

Let your fingers learn the magic of turning fibre into yarn!

Two sessions, 3 hours total. In the first session, we will learn  about fibre types and fibre tools, and will learn the basics of turning sheep fleece into yarn. I expect you to practice making yarn between the two sessions. In the second session, we will learn about plying on your spindle and finishing yarns for knitting or weaving. You may bring your own spindle or borrow one for the duration of the class. Spinning fibre provided. Class will be held at instructor’s house near UVic.

Thursday May 3 and Wednesday May 16, 7 – 8:30 pm
Cost: $75
Class size: maximum 3 people

To register visit vhwsg.ca/activities/workshops/

Your registration is not complete until your cheque has been received by the Workshops Chair.

March 16-18, 2018. Lions Club Salt Spring Island. Taught by Gayle Vallance. The workshop fill familiarize you with the various bast fibres availalbe to spinners today, including spinning methods, dye processes.

Workshop cost approx $120.00. A materials fee of $25 is payable to the instructor.

To reserve a place in the workshop, send a $50.00 non-refundable deposit to Mary Paddon, 115 Marina Crescent, V8K2R2. Should you not be able to attend, you can have someone else take your place. Every effort will be made to fill your spot from a waiting list; and if successful, your money will be refunded. Cheque should be made out to the Salt Spring Island Weavers and Spinners Guild.

ANWG’s September newsletter is now posted online at http://northwestweavers.org/member-resources/archive/

We’re having a Spinning Speed Dating event! Come try lots of different spinning wheels and see what you like or dislike about the different kinds. Bring wheel and fibre if you can (but come try even if you don’t have a wheel to contribute to the pool!). How many different wheels can we get into one room?!

We are in the process of moving to a new home for our website. We are continuing to use  WordPress to manage our site, but it will now be located on servers in Langford, B.C. (islandhosting.com)

Have a look around the site. Comments from Guild members who would like to contribute content, volunteer to help maintain the site or who notice errors that need fixing, can be sent to website@vhwsg.ca