may 2017 newsletter season 2016-2017, no. 9 textile arts...
TRANSCRIPT
WW&S Newsletter, May, 2017—
May 2017 Newsletter Season 2016-2017, No. 9
Next Meeting:
Monday, May 1
6:45 PM: Show and Tell
Juliane Anderson--
Fascinating Yarn
Greeters and Treaters
Sue Hale
Gail Myrhorodsky
Cathy McCarthy
Judi Pulver
Marilyn Ryan
Susan Vegter
*see note below
Meetings are held at
Trinity Congregational
Church,
2725 4 Mile Rd NW
Off the Walker Exit of I-96
*Anyone who has not participated
in bringing treats this year is encour-
aged to do so for this May meeting. Our
June meeting will be our end of season
dinner where all contribute.
www.wwas. org
Minutes of Guild
Meeting April 3 2017 Meeting called to order at 6:45pm with
Show & Tell.
President’s Report: (Veronica Muscat) –
Two guests in attendance: Fern Alberts, Nancy
Clark (Plainwell). We have allocated more
money ($1950) for speakers for next year. The
MLH Mystery Yarn Project from Heidi Hunt-
ley's stash is coming along well. One item that
will be on display was made by Ms. Huntley–a
“dog hair 3-piece suit.”
Secretary report from January: (Amy
Ranger) – Please refer to the recent newsletter.
Motion made to change phrase regarding an
updated website as password protected. The
new sentence reads like this: Veronica is
working with Jane Fabiano-Turner to develop
a new website with password protected sec-
tions specifically for our members.
Treasurer report: (Kathy Barnett) – We have
about $14,000 in the bank. There are currently
117 members. We continue to stay within
budget.
Committee reports:
Hearts and Flowers: contact Sue Jensen if
you know of a need.
MLH: (Margaret Jager) – 11 pieces are
ready for exhibit. Julia Daniels and Heidi Bu-
koski show off several meters of overshot
“Star of Bethlehem” yardage.
Spring Textile Arts Market (TAM): (Chi
Chi Van Dyke) – be sure to have a contract
and SASE; inventory is optional; tags are es-
(Continued on page 2)
Talk to the Speaker There’s still time to tell Juliane about the
most fascinating yarn you own, perhaps have
seen and not been able to forget or of which
you have yarnal knowledge. Please include
any comment that is funny, reflective, inap-
propriate or unforgettable. Judging by some
responses I have already gotten, I may share
them during my talk. I’ll be sure not to reveal
your name, if so desired.
Emailing your response would be the easi-
est but you can also mail it to:
Threadbender Inc
2767 44th St SW
Wyoming MI 49519
Thank you in advance, and see you May 1.
Juliane Anderson ([email protected])
Textile Arts Market Highlights What a lovely sale! The
tables were filled with colorful and
inviting inventory on Saturday
morning, the work crew was ready
to go, and the TAM Sales Com-
mittee was very thankful for the
many volunteered hours which
always are an important part of
any guild sale.
So THANK YOU for work-
ing, for selling, for advertising, for
creating, and for supporting your
fellow artists faithfully and with
good cheer!
Total sales for the day were
$9,683.73, somewhat less than last
year's total sales figure of about
$10,300.
Butterflies of Yarn Those of us who did the Tapestry Work-
shop with Nancy Crampton a few weeks ago
thought it would be fun to do a yarn exchange
with small butterflies of yarn from our stash.
We would like to invite anyone who was in
the workshop, or any other guild members
who might be interested, to bring yarn to the
May meeting. Each person should bring about
15 butterflies with about 3 yards of material to
the meeting for exchange. You will be able to
go home with a nice assortment of yarn to play
with. Let's plan to do the exchange after Show
& Tell, just before the speaker begins.
Betty Christians
From the Treasurer On April 21, our digital account balance
was $11,958.82 . This amount does not in-
clude proceeds from the spring TAM sale or
money collected from some participants in the
April workshop. Per Sue Vegter, the April
workshop appeared to break even.
Thank you so much for the lovely get well
e-card and for your personal well wishes. My
foot surgery went well. The pin comes out this
week, and hopefully I will get rid of the spe-
cial boot soon.
Kathy Barnett
2 —WW&S Newsletter, May, 2017
Woodland Weavers and Spinners Guild
President: Veronica Muscat Vice-President: Megan Roach
Secretary: Amy Ranger Treasurer: Kathy Barnett
Newsletter Editor: Bob Meyering Web-master: Jane Fabiano-Turner
————————————————- The Guild encourages creativity,
originality and excellence in handweaving and fiber arts through fellowship and
education, and stimulates broader appreciation of the
fiber arts by the public.
MEMBER
Schedule: 2016-2017 PROGRAMS
September 6: Welcome Back, Show & Tell October 3: Demystifying Felt with Heidi,
Kelly and Amy November 7: Nancy Crampton--card
weaving on a 4 shaft loom December 5 Holiday party and potluck January 10: Linda Walburn--art quilting February 6: Julia Voake--Rust and Eco
Printing. March 6: A Week at the Cottage--What
to pack to satisfy your need to weave April 3: Tapestry weaving--Nancy
Crampton May 1: Juliane Anderson--Fascinating
Yarn June 5: End of year potluck WORKSHOPS November 5-6: Workshop: Card weav-
ing on a 4-shaft loom (without cards!)--Nancy Crampton April 8-9: Workshop--Beginning tapestry
weaving--Nancy Crampton RETREATS October 29: The CRC Conference
Grounds in the Sunshine Room May 6: Salvation Army's Little Pine Is-
land Camp TEXTILE ARTS MARKET December 9-10: Prince Conference
Center, Calvin College April 22: With Potter’s Guild, St. Nicho-
las Antiochian Orthodox Church
WW&S Equipment List 15” - 4 harness table Loom
24” Norwood 4 harness loom
18” Schacht Wolf Pup 4 harness loom
26” - 8 Harness Baby Wolf
Triangular Loom with Stand
Inkle Loom
Small Warping Board
Contact Judi Pulver for more information
about renting this equipment.
sential. Margaret Jager adds that everyone
should bring a snack. Heidi Bukoski reminds
people that if you are not actively selling on
the floor, please go elsewhere.
Membership committee: (Chi Chi Van
Dyke) – See her for new membership packets.
Hospitality: (Julia Daniels) – We have new,
larger pots for coffee and hot water now.
Retreats: (Sue Vegter) – Next retreat is May
6 at Little Pine Island Camp, just off of Post
Road. The cost is $20 per person and includes
lunch. Kay Hislop will demonstrate multi-
strand braiding for rag rugs in the morning.
Nominating committee: (Heidi Bukoski) –
So far one person is interested in the Vice
President position. We still need someone to
take over the duties of the Retreat Coordina-
tor, and Secretary from July through Decem-
ber.
Potential new location for Guild meetings
found at 1475 Michigan St NE (West Michi-
gan Coop wants to share the space). Tour on
Wednesday April 19 at 7:30pm. For more
information, contact Amy Ranger.
Meeting dismissed at 8:00pm, and discus-
sion of tapestry weaving began.
Respectfully submitted,
Amy Ranger, Secretary
(Continued from page 1)
Call for Demonstrators
Michigan Fiber Festival Michigan Fiber Festival 2017 invites our
guild and its members to demonstrate fiber
skills on Saturday, Aug. 19 and Sunday, Aug.
20. This year demonstrations will be held in
the Expo building! We will be right in the
heart of the action. Demonstrators are needed
to show skills in Spinning, Weaving, Fiber
prep, Knitting, Crochet, Sock Machine and
other fiber skills.
Demonstrators are asked to work on their
projects and answer questions from people
attending the Festival. Since “how to” classes
are taught at MFF, demonstrations are meant
to show the craft and whet the curiosity.
Guilds are welcome to set up an informa-
tion table. Volunteers are needed in two hour
shifts from 10 am to 4 pm on Saturday and 10
am to 2 pm on Sunday.
A day pass will be given to volunteers for
the day they are working. For your conven-
ience MFF has created an online sign-up at
www.SignUpGenius.com/
go/20F0849AAA729A46-2017. No account is
required to use a sign up. Just select a slot with
your name and email so we can contact you
with updates and reminders. Or send an email
with your preferred time slot and craft to my
email address listed below.
Thank you.
Shirley Wigman
Demonstrations Chairperson
Michigan League of
Handweavers
Exhibit Pieces Due If you haven't handed in your Mystery Bag
project, we will be happy to take it at the May
meeting. We will have tags and bags available
so that we can keep track of individual entries.
If you are unable to bring your entry to the
May meeting, you can also drop it off at the
May retreat on that Saturday. Since the exhibit
doesn't go up until the beginning of the MLH
Conference in June, you are welcome to bring
your work to me later, too. Please call first,
though!
We will be assembling the guild's exhibit at
the MLH Conference on Friday, June 2 as
early in the morning as we have clearance to
do so. If you are planning to be at the MLH
Conference on Friday, please stop by at the
guild exhibit's room and lend a hand. We
would love to have your help and input.
We will be disassembling the exhibit on
Sunday afternoon. You are welcome to pick
up your work as we take the exhibit down, but
you may also pick it up at the June potluck,
too. It will be ready for you there. If that does-
n't work for you, we will find another time to
get your masterpiece to you!
We have many entries already! This is an
exciting project and a wonderful chance to pay
homage to Mrs. Huntley for her work and gift
to the guild.
Margaret Jager, 616-773-0360
A Chance to Provide
Valet Service Each year members of the Woodland Weav-
ers and Spinners meet instructors for the MLH
Conference and/or Workshops at the Ford
Airport and take them to Hope College in
Holland. This is a wonderful opportunity to
meet some wonderful fiber artists! If you are
going to the Conference or Workshops, and
are able to drop by the airport to pick someone
up or drop someone off, please let me know.
As the time comes nearer, we will try to put a
schedule in place which gets all of us to our
destinations when we need to be there.
Margaret Jager, 616-773-0938
WW&S Newsletter, May, 2017— 3
Spinning Questions,
Weaving Answers The questions we received this month came
too late to give our mentors time to answer
before the newsletter copy deadline. There-
fore, we will post them here and have answers
for the next issue.
The season for fiber shows is here and we
have a number of vendors within our member-
ship; I suspect they will be willing to answer
questions for that venue. In fact, we have
questions that are relevant to help with possi-
ble purchases.
I want to buy a fleece – not processed – and
want to know what to look for.
Any suggestions for processing the fleece at
home? Are there books to read or YouTube
videos to use to learn?
Are there differences in how to spin various
breeds of sheep? Any suggestions for
teachers or books?
I am a new weaver and love both shadow
weave and overshot and want to learn to
recognize the differences.
Thank you for your questions, and we will
get them answered for the next newsletter. We
continue to look forward to using this opportu-
nity to encourage trying new methods or tech-
niques, taking risks with your creativity, and
helping others to maintain their love for fiber
arts.
Send your questions and answers to share
with the Guild to...
Pat Pope
Meet Susan Johnson [Roving Reporter Paula DeYoung presents
this interview with guild member Susan John-
son.]
Please tell us about yourself, your fiber
background and history.
I learned to weave in the late 70’s in St.
Paul, MN. My first teacher was Susie Brock, a
weaver from Colonial Williamsburg who
learned to weave from Norman Kennedy. I
ended up buying a loom like the one I learned
on and that she wove
on. She said it was
the closest loom she
could find to the big
barn looms at Wil-
liamsburg. I find I
like them too.
We moved from
St. Paul to Montana
where for three years
I wove mainly
household items on
commission. After
we moved to Grand
Rapids, I stopped
weaving for a few
years—I had two
little boys hanging
on my warp and
using my loom as a
jungle gym. Now I am back to weaving, have
been for a number of years, and am loving it.
What is your main personal interest or
focus?
My main area of interest is household tex-
tiles using linen. I find I like the cool smooth
feel of the linen and the timelessness of the
fiber. I also like cotton. Both have been
around so long. I am only now using a little of
the man-made fibers like rayon.
Who has inspired you in your personal
fiber quest?
All of the teachers I have had along the
way have inspired me. I have been very lucky
in that they have been so willing to share their
knowledge.
Michigan League of Handweavers is a
great resource too. I was in North Carolina and
they had heard of our MLH and had only good
things to say about it.
Do you have any specific steps, stages or
requirements that help to achieve your end
goal?
I find I like structure, then try to find a
color combination that fits the structure. So
many simple weaves can look complex. It’s
amazing what one can do with four shafts.
What do you feel is your strongest area in
your creative process?
I think my strongest area is in the technical
process. The weaving itself. I like warping
too. Once I decide on a design I like to repeat
it with variations. Color comes harder and I
have experimented a lot with combinations. I
also like working with fine yarns.
What has been your most interesting or
difficult project you’ve created?
I wove a tablecloth using 30/2 cotton in the
warp and linen in the weft. I also wove a lap
blanket using 30/2 linen in the warp and wool
in the weft. I wove an unsuccessful project
using rayon chenille and discovered it isn’t my
most favorite yarn to work with.
Have you been surprised by the outcome of
any unexpected challenges you encountered
working on a piece?
Yes, my rayon chenille blankets. I realized
I hadn’t set the warp as close as I should have.
I would rather stick to my linen and cotton!
What’s the best piece of
advice you have been
given concerning your
fiber journey?
Plan your projects well
so you can have success
along the way. When you
make mistakes, try to
learn from them. Hope-
fully I make the mistake
only once—but some-
times not! I remember
better when I can relate it
to a difficult project. I
also find I can weave for
only about an hour be-
fore standing up and
walking around. My
work is better when I
give myself time to recharge.
Do you have any dream project you’d love
to tackle?
I would like to set up my draw loom soon
and weave off a lot of runners and placemats.
The set up takes so long; it helps to have a
long warp on the loom. And I love draw loom
projects. The end result is so nice.
Is there a certain goal you have as a Fiber
artist? Have you achieved it?
I would like to use up most of my stash!
But that goal is not attainable. I have a lot of
Swedish yarns that I am trying to use up, both
linen and cotton. I have more ideas than time.
What direction would you suggest the guild
undertake in the next 5 years?
I think the guild is doing a fine job in their
fiber arts. I would, though, like to see more
done in the weaving area, but that is my own
area after all!
What advice do you have for someone
starting out in Fiber arts?
Find an area of the fiber arts that you are
interested in and go for it. The people in the
guild are very happy to share their knowledge
and love to see new interest in our fiber arts.
We are lucky to have this active guild in
Grand Rapids.
Thank You A big thank you to all who signed the card
sent to me by the Guild. It was a lot of fun to
read all your comments!
Sincerely,
Cathy McCarthy
Nominating Committee
Note Jennifer Ackerman-Haywood has volunteered
for the Vice President/President position. Jane
Yelvington has stepped up to fill the work-
shop/retreat post. A big thank you to each of
these ladies for helping to make our guild such
a great group.
4 —WW&S Newsletter, May, 2017
Paula’s Point of View
HOW DOES YOUR
GARDEN GROW A number of you are gardeners so at this
time of year you are thinking about how your
garden grows be it flowers, foods, shrubs,
lawns or anything else that pops out of the
ground.
While I plant a meager garden year to year
that has mixed results I really think my garden
as my fiber stash. In my garden I grow food
that I can make into healthy dishes to nourish
my body. With my stash I take what I have
chosen as fibers to make them into things that
are functional, beautiful, creative and/ or all of
the above. My stash nourishes my soul. It puts
beauty, function and fun in my life. I need a
bit of all of that.
For a time I prepared my raw fleece into
useable batts, roving or punis.* Then I spun
my own wool. I could go on
to weave my own towels,
scarves, wall hangings, blan-
kets and the like. I felt like I
literally was creating my own
fiber garden.
Now I do less of the initial
preparation. So it is more like
I go out and buy flats of
vegetables to grow instead of
sowing seeds. But it is won-
derful still because I am the
one that decides what kind of
fiber I want to use. Do I want
silk which is soft, drapes so
well and feels luxurious on
my skin? Or maybe I want to dip into my
stash of Karakul which comes from an old
breed of sheep over 2000 years old from Rus-
sia, Turkey and Central Asia. Its coarse dense
fiber can produce the warmest hats, boots,
gloves and rugs that battle the toughest winters
in Siberia.
Or am I in a practical mood where I want
towels for kitchen or bath? There are dozens
of types of cotton I can choose from depend-
ing on what I want for the look, use and feel of
the towel. I can spend hours choosing which
cotton yarn to turn into magic.
I often compare my spinning, weaving,
felting or other fiber work as magic. It reminds
me of the old fairy tale of Rumpelstiltskin
spinning straw into gold. Or the study of al-
chemy which sought to combine base materi-
als into gold.
It is the same wonderful feeling when I did
photography and developed black and white
pictures. I dipped the white paper into the
developer chemical and I never ceased to be
amazed when an image appeared.
Now I take a piece of fiber or yarn that to
many eyes is just fiber or yarn and I magically
transform it into something else like a shawl.
Friends who do not see the process are in awe of
my slight of hand skills. MAGIC.
I know there are some members who see the
work they do as production. Others may be con-
cerned about following the rules, having the
correct pattern or making a piece error free.
Not, me. I do not want to be in complete
control. My garden which needs sun, water, soil
and pests is not under my control really. I cannot
tell the sun when to shine though I can plant in a
space that gets sun. I can water all I want but
there is nothing like the watering that falls from
rain drops. I try to get the best soil for the crops
but I know the best soil has some manure and
other ingredients I do not want to touch or smell.
Then there are the pests that share my garden
like rabbits, deer, bugs, fungus, and plants dis-
eases. I try to fight these off but I have no illu-
sions of having super powers or
control.
So like my fiber work. I have
good looms and spinning wheels.
I buy fibers that I think have been
well processed. I have more
books than I need. My studio has
every little gimmick that I could
purchase. Yet I am pleased I am
never in complete control. Some-
times I make errors and fix them.
Other times I leave then alone
and see what happens. I used
colors to which others say,
“Ooooh they don’t go together.”
Yet in the finished piece it all
works out well. I do not want to just follow a
plan. I want the plan to open doors for me. I
want my garden to grow by accident and design.
So how does your garden grow? Traditional,
spontaneous, wild or barren? I love an old Eng-
lish or European flower garden but do not have
the discipline to figure it out. I can still enjoy
seeing them. You and I may grow our fiber stash
differently. I can still appreciate your disciplined
error free products. And I like equally as well
things that are produced that are functional but
will never pass a beauty test. There is something
special in love that comes through just from any
hand work.
Think about it. How does your fiber garden
grow.
[NOTE *The editor was not familiar with the
word “puni” or “punis.” It has to do with the
carding of wool in a certain manner. For a dis-
cussion of punis see this:
https://gourmetstashblog.wordpress.com/
what-are-punis/]
“Today, most women
are surrounded by in-
genious gadgets. They
don't grow the peas or
raise the chicken that
they serve for dinner;
instead they hunt and
gather in the grocery
store. They go through
catalogs or department
stores to buy clothes in-
stead of shearing sheep,
carding wool, and weav-
ing cloth for skirts and
coats and blankets. “
Quotation from
Helen Fisher,
American Anthropologist
{Editor—Needing something to
fill this column I found this quote
on the internet. Makes me realize
that we fiber artists are in touch
with a rich tradition unknown to
most people.]
WW&S Newsletter, May, 2017— 5
2016-2017 WORKSHOP & RETREAT REGISTRATION FORM
Date: ____________________________________________________________________
Name: ___________________________________________________________________
Address: _________________________________________________________________
City, State, Zip ____________________________________________________________
Phone: ______________________________________ E-mail:_____________________________
RETREATS:
_________May 6, 2017 Little Pine Island Camp, Comstock Park. $20 for day (includes lunch)
Workshop Policies: Workshop registrations for Guild members must be received at least 2-weeks prior to the workshop date.
Registration must be accompanied by full payment. Materials fee will be paid directly to the instructor. Non-members will be included
if a workshop limit is not filled by members within 2- weeks prior to the date of the workshop. The cost for non-members is workshop
and materials’ fees plus $30. If a non-member decides to join the Guild after the first workshop participation, the next workshop in
which s/he participates will be at the member rate for the rest of the Program year (the $30 can be applied to dues). A full refund will
be issued for a cancellation received by either the Treasurer or Workshop Coordinator 32 days prior to the date of the workshop. A
50% refund will be issued for cancellations received 31-15 days prior to the workshop; no refunds will be given after that. For both
members and non-members a complete refund will be issued if the workshop is canceled.
Retreats: Registration and payment must be received 2-weeks prior to the date of the retreat. No refunds will be issued after that
date. If a retreat is canceled, a full refund will be issued.
Please forward completed registration and payment (WOODLAND WEAVERS & SPINNERS) to:
Sue Vegter
2160 Eagle Blvd.
Holland, MI 49424
Questions: [email protected] or 616-990-0429