newsletter of the fort worth weavers’...
TRANSCRIPT
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Where The Weft Begins
Fort
Wort
h W
eavers
’ G
uild
President’s Notes Carolyn Gritzmaker
Beautiful spring weather today, and I’ve been outside more than in. It’s hard to con-
centrate on weaving when the day is so fine. But I have been trying to work on a
piece for our show in September. It’s all fits and starts and full stops lately, with noth-
ing working as planned. It’s probably time for a change of pattern as this one isn’t
cooperating! I hope that you are having better luck than I am at present. The yard
and garden beckon….
Our Stash Bash sale was a huge success. Many thanks to those of you who donated
some of your stash! We plan to have more sales like this in the future, probably three
or four times during our guild year.
In this issue you will find a couple of recommended changes for our constitution. The
first involves a slight rewording of our guild’s description, and the second will add a
family rate to our dues. Be sure to read the information which Margaret Arafat has
written up on this as we’ll be discussing the proposed changes at our March meeting
and then voting on the changes at the April meeting.
Another change, this one to our Standing Rules (which does not require a guild vote)
was adopted by the Executive Board at our board meeting last month. It involves the
use of our email list for advertising, and is explained in the information from Margaret.
Several questions had come up about this topic this year, and I admit that I am one of
those in the wrong by passing along emails to you all from non members about items
for sale. My apologies, I was definitely not thinking it through! The proper place for
these would have been (and will be) as paid ads in the Heddle Herald.
See you on March 23 at our next guild meeting! 9:30 for coffee and friends, 10:00 am
for our program on Lace Weaves followed by our business meeting.
Happy Weaving!
Newsletter of the Fort Worth Weavers’ Guild
Founded in 1955
March 2013
http://www.fortworthweaversguild.org
Newsletter Deadine: April 18th is the submission deadline for the
next issue of the Heddle Herald. Please send your contributions to the
Editor, Sandi Rosenstiel, at [email protected]
Meeting Room
The March guild meeting will be in Room 205.
Inside This Issue:
Note: Article Titles & Page Numbers are hyperlinked to their
actual location within this Heddle Herald. Return to the Table
of Contents by clicking on the fabric bar at the top of any
President’s Notes 1
Weave Across Texas Challenge 2013
2
Announcements 3
Officer Nominations Lace Weave Program
4
Upcoming Exhibit at the Kimball 5
Stash Bash and Silent Auction 6
Volunteer Opportunities 7
Inkle Weaving Workshop Review
New Library Books
8
CHT Basket Update 9
Betty Vera Fall Workshop 10
When Blue Meant Yellow 11
CAC Show Update 12
CAC Show: Questions and Answers 13
CAC Show: Questions and Answers continued 14
CAC Show: Show and Judging Categories 15
CAC Show: Entry Form 16
CAC Show: Show Judging Form 17
Minutes of the February 2013 meeting 18
Addition to the Standing Rules 19
Proposed Constitution Changes 20
Important Dates
Treasurer's Report
21
The Sale Is Approaching 22
Classified Ads 23
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Officers
President
Carolyn Gritzmaker
Past President
Katie Gosko
1st Vice President
Jackie Wallace:
Programs
2nd Vice President
Sandra Gonzales: Public
Relations/Publicity
Treasurer
MaGee Grundmann
Secretary
Nancy Berger
Committees
CAC Show Chair
Lorelei Caracausa
CHT Liaison
Margaret Humphries
Financial Advisement
John Grundmann
Historian
Martha Zinn
Hospitality & Sunshine
Gail Attaway
Library
Sue Freeman
Membership/Mentors
Katie Gosko
Newsletter
Judi Morris: Publisher
Sandi Rosenstiel: Editor
Nominating
Lynn Smetko
Sales
MaGee Grundmann
Web Site
Sherri Coffey
Workshops Sue Jolly Christine Guernsey
Yearbook
Margaret Arafat
Contact information is in the Guild Yearbook.
The Heddle Herald is published
8 times a year between Septem-
ber and May, and sometimes
during the summer.
Challenge 2013 Jackie Wallace
Weave Across Texas Margaret Humphries
The 2013 FWWG Challenge is to weave a project inspired by a picture/
photo. The project can use the colors, texture or subject of the picture as
inspiration. The Challenge should help Guild members prepare for the
2013 CAC show, Through the Eye of the Beholder. The Guild Challenge
projects will be presented at the May Luncheon.
The Dallas Handweavers and Spinners Guild will host the Contemporary Handweavers of Texas biennial conference this year at the Addison Convention Center. The conference celebrates weaving in Texas and Texas weavers. We encourage everyone to attend and be a part of this exciting event. If you can volunteer to help, please contact Marty Ben-son, Shannon Hardy or Margaret Humphries. Jette Vandermeiden will be our judge for the Members Exhibit at the conference. She will also be teaching several classes, offering pre-conference workshops and giving a show review class. Kay Faulkner has been a full time professional hand weaver since the mid 80’s and has been working, studying, and playing in the textile field all her life. Kay will be teaching a pre-conference workshop on woven Shibori, as well as teaching during the conference. East Texas weaver and spinner, Midge Jackson, will be teaching two days of pre-conference spinning classes which you may take together or separately, as well as con-ference seminars. Seminars this year include new fiber trends, sewing with handwovens, drafting, historical weaving and hands-on activities. As has been the tradition at our conferences, there will be raffle baskets to ooh and aah over while deciding where to place your tickets! Pre-conference activities begin on Thursday, May 30, 2013, with tours on Thursday and Friday. Friday night official conference FUN begins. FUN ends on Sunday, June 2 at 1:00 PM. Visit the conference website at http://www.weavetexas.org for details.
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The 3rd
annual Yellow Rose Fiber Producers Fiesta takes place April 19-21 in Seguin, Texas. For details visit www.yellowrosefiberproducers.com
Dozens of vendors from around Texas and beyond will be presenting their yarn, fiber, and crafting tools. Austin's own Alisha Goes Around will have her hand-dyed yarns available, while Jeri Brock, whose hand-crafted wooden spindles are featured in Yarnorama's fiber and spindle club in Paige, will be showing off crafting tools just as exquisite as the yarn they spin.
Location: 950 South Austin Street, Seguin, TX 78155
There is also a full roster of classes for attendees who want to expand their skill set. Whether you want to join the trend of broomstick lace, start spinning with different kinds of fibers, or learn techniques for fixing knitted mistakes, there's a course for everyone. Online registration is available, with payment for class through PayPal.
Open from 11 am to 7 pm on Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday, admission to the fiesta is free.
Announcements
Lorelei has graciously agreed to let Sherri post her Loom Maintenance and Buying a Used Loom presentation as a PDF on the Guild website. Login and then scroll down the Members menu to Loom Maintenance. You will be given a choice to save the file or download it to view through Preview. What a great way to share a great presentation! Thank you Lorelei and Sherri.
Loom Maintenance and Buying a Used Loom
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Nominating Committee Announcement: Slate of Officers The Nominating Committee would like to announce the following slate for Board positions in 2013 to 2015: Lynn Young – President Sandra Gonzalez — Second Vice President Margaret Arafat – Treasurer Thanks to the contributions of our members, the FWWG has grown strong and successful. Thank you all for volunteering for these important positions! Voting will take place at the April meeting.
If you read the Program Schedule for the year, you know that the March presentation will be on lace weaves. It’s the first (and perhaps last) time I’ve given a program so I’d like to know what you really want to hear on the topic. My plan is not to show you how to weave specific lace weave structures; that would be a workshop. What I want to present is an overview of lace weaves, and discuss some generalities and “rules” which may or may not be true. If you have specific questions that you would like me to address, please send them to me a few days before the March 23 Meeting, and I’ll try to answer them ([email protected]).
Officer Nominations
Lace Weave Program Margaret Arafat
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Mark your calendar for the upcoming exhibit at the Kimbell Museum: Wari: Lords of the Ancient Andes, on display June 16-September 8. The Wari culture created the first extensive empire in South America between 600 and 1000AD, long before the Inca. The exhibit will feature a wide range of works, all demonstrating the extraordinary technical and artistic genius of the Wari, in-cluding some spectacular textile treasures.
Of special interest to textile enthusiasts:
Saturday, June 15, from 10am-12:30pm. The final lecture of the opening day symposium is The Material Sublime: Wari Tapestry, Woven and Tie-Dyed Tunics, presented by Susan E. Bergh.
August 11 at 2pm: The film, Peruvian Weaving, by John Cohen, will be shown in the Kimbell auditorium.
For more information, see the current Kimbell Art Museum Calendar members’ magazine or visit www.kimbellart.org.
Upcoming Exhibit at the Kimball Sandi Rosenstiel
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Stash Bash A Success! Thanks to all that contributed to the success of the Stash Bash inaugurated at the February Guild meeting. We raised $360! It was amazing. In addition to being a successful fundraiser, I think we all had fun looking through the assorted weaving goodies donated by members for the sale. Thank you so much. The Stash Bash may be something we put on quarterly or semi-annually. I heard many comments expressing inter-est in having more Stash Bash events. It is a good way to add to our weaving yarn, tools and reference materi-als. This was a great idea from Lynn Smetko.
March Silent Auction Item The March FWWG meeting will include a silent auction. This month the featured item will be Margaret Salisbury Sheppard’s self-published book of miniature overshot patterns. The book is a collection of patterns representing over 50 years of weaving. Most of the drafts in the book are original patterns created by the author. The book is spiral bound for ease in using and is in excellent condition. It was published June 24, 1989. Margaret Shepperd was a member of our Guild and was the mother of Ann Schrader and the grandmother of Ellen Smith. We are so honored to offer this treasure in our silent auction. Thank you Ann and Ellen for donating this very special book. This is a must-have item for your weaving library. The silent auction item must be purchased the day of the sale by cash or check.
Stash Bash and Silent Auction Sandra Gonzales
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Committee Position Opening
Want to do something for the Fort Worth Weavers Guild, but afraid to take on a position that might be too taxing or imposing? How about becoming the next Yearbook Chair? It’s not difficult, and it doesn’t require any experience as a weaver. You don’t have to have been a member of the Guild for very long, either. You only need a few computer skills and a willingness to keep up with the Roster. Jean Walbridge created the format in current use, and I simply change things as needed.
The position will officially be transitioned to my replacement immediately after the new Board and Committee Chairs are sworn-in at the Guild Luncheon and Challenge Presentation on May 18, 2013. If you think you might be interested, I’ll be happy to talk with you. If you decide to take the position, I’ll give you a tutorial before you begin. See me at the Feburary meeting, or contact me at 817-422-8134 or [email protected]. – Margaret Arafat
Call for next newsletter editor
Thank you Sarah Diamantopoulos for volunteering to be the next publisher of the Heddle Herald. We are still looking for the next editor. If you delight in playing with words, the Heddle Herald and Sarah need you!!! The editor receives and refines articles submitted by members and sends them on to the publisher for insertion into the newsletter template. It’s a great way to keep on top of what’s going on in and around our guild. Sandi and Judi will happily provide guidance and support. Please contact Sandi at [email protected] or 817.481.5993 if you would like to chat about editorial duties .
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Barb graciously hosted 14 fellow weavers at her lovely home on a dreary Saturday. We had SO MUCH FUN!! Barb began by showing us the different inkle looms: the big one made by Schacht and the Inklette by Ashford. We were given a folder containing detailed information on the anato-my of the inkle loom, how to make the heddles, and how to warp the loom. Barb explained each step, referring to our looms to make sure we knew how they worked. Barb showed us her sam-ples and her few mistakes, which, as a new weaver was comforting. Barb’s thoroughness to eve-ry aspect of the class was amazing, even down to each person receiving almost the exact amount of black and white 5/2 cotton to warp our looms! Barb’s walked all of us through making heddles and warping our looms. She repeatedly reas-sured us that, ‘yes, the threads will get messy; it’s okay, it will work itself out! Trust me!’ And it did!! Then we began the exciting part of actually weaving on our Inkles. Barb made sure each of us understood the process by frequently checking on our progress. She encouraged those who felt comfortable with the two-color Inkle weaving to try weaving with three colors, and a few of the participants did. I was delighted to learn how to use the Inkle loom be-cause it’s portable enough to take on car trips. There seem to be endless possibilities for Inkle-woven pro-jects: belts, tote bag straps, guitar straps, cell phone cases, bookmarks, and the list goes on. Barb’s expertise, patience and reassurance made for a wonderful, FUN day. When we all have mastered the basic Inkle weaves, we hope Barb will teach us pick-up techniques. She’s a great teacher!
A review of Barb Nelson’s Weaving Workshop, Nance Howsman
New Library Books Sue Freeman
Navajo Saddle Blankets: Textiles to Ride in the American West. Edited by Lane Coulter, 2002.
Please let me know who donated this book.
The Song of the Loom: Mew Traditions in Navajo Weaving. Frederick J. Dockstader 1987.
Useful Baskets. Mara Cary, 1977, donated by Carolyn Gritzmaker.
The Mummies of Urumchi. Elizabeth Wayland Barber, 1999, donated by Sandi Rosenstiel.
Tenun Ikat (Indonesian Ikats). Dra. Suwati Kartiwa M.Sc., 1993, donated by Sandi Rosenstiel.
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Since I last itemized the things for our guild basket, the list has grown! Nancy Berger has promised a second Rahr t-shirt, 2 Rahr beer glasses, a small Chili cookbook, Chisholm Trail spice, salt and pepper mix for french fries, The Fort Worth rub, and French Blend peppercorns, as well as 2 hot pads. If you will plan to bring the things you have promised to the March meeting, I will be there to col-lect them. The basket will be assembled and delivered in a timely manner. Please bring the recipes you are willing to share for our FWWG recipe packet. Thank you all for the useful and unique things you have contributed. As I said before, this will be the best basket!
CHT Basket Raffle Ann Schrader
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I was excited to open my mail and find a signed contract from Betty Vera today! Looks like the fall
workshop is a go. Everything is falling into spectacular place! The workshop is November 8, 9, and
10 of 2013, 9:00-4:00.
The Guild has voted on the Color and Pattern with Supplementary Warp workshop. We should all
learn a great deal from this class. This is a round robin type class. You will leave with many sam-
ples and a great deal of new knowledge.
We were lucky to be able to rent the Ridglea Christian Church again. The Pastor is excited about
having us back and we are excited about the comfortable room, convenient location and great
kitchen facilities during the 3-day workshop.
If you haven’t signed up yet for the workshop, please do so soon. Last I heard it was filling up
quickly. Send your $75 deposit to Magee Grundmann ASAP to assure a space. We will be forming
a waitlist soon.
If you have any questions about the workshop, call me at 972-989-6114.
Betty Vera Fall Workshop Christine Guernsey
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Note: dates indicate the word’s first documented appearance in English.
P is for Purple: “Royal” comes from the Latin regalis, meaning “belonging to a monarch.” When you hear “royal” you may think “blue” but the royal color of the ancients was, without question, purple. In the ancient world, however, “purple” meant any shade of dye that could be extracted from certain types of shellfish, notably the murex and the buccinum. The Greeks called all dye-producing varieties of shellfish porphyry, which became purpura in Latin, and purple in English.
The root of porphyry means “to mix,” “to knead,” or “to stir violently.” Homer uses porphyry to describe the turbulent, restless movement of waves. The dye probably got its name from both the stirring motions of the dyer and the rapidly changing color of the dye. The shellfish’s glands contained a milky white fluid which, on exposure to light and air, turned from white to cream to yellow to green. After several dips the cloth would reach its final color, which ranged from scarlet to violet to brown to black, depending on the species and age of mollusk, its diet, the season, and the weather. Entire cities in the ancient world made their fortunes from purple dyeing. Of these, Tyre was the most famous. It took some 20,000 shellfish to dye one square yard of fabric, so only the very rich could afford purple cloth. In the fourth century, one pound of wool dyed with Tyrian purple cost as much a baker earned for one thousand days’ work. A teacher of Greek or Latin literature would have to tutor a pupil for twenty five months to earn that pound of wool. Wearing purple, therefore, was a sign of high birth or status. Alexander the Great wore purple, sat beneath purple canopies, and walked on purple carpets. Cleopatra’s flagship had purple sails. Rulers gave favored subjects purple garments as a sign of esteem. The Bible records that Belshazzar honors Daniel with a purple robe for deciphering the writing on the wall; the Book of Esther tells how the Persian king Ahasuerus dressed Mordecai in purple to thank him for saving his life. As time passed, rulers became less inclined to share the royal color. When Nero saw a woman at one of his recitals dressed in purple, he had her stripped of all her clothes and then of all her possessions. In the year 424, the Byzan-tine emperor Theodosius, who wore a purple diadem, purple robe, purple trousers, and purple shoes, pronounced that anyone caught wearing the royal shades of purple would be guilty of treason and put to death. It took the inven-tion of aniline dyes in the nineteenth century to make purple accessible to the masses.
When Blue Meant Yellow: How Colors Got Their Names: Purple
Write a Review! If you have read a book or seen a movie related to weaving, please share a review of it!
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Welcome to 2013, the year of our Guild’s The Eye of the Beholder show during the month of September at
the Fort Worth Community Arts Center. I hope that you have already planned your project or, maybe even
started weaving.
Our space at the CAC is much smaller this year. We only have one gallery, so a few things will be different
to accommodate this change. First, we need to limit entries to your 2 most precious, most beautiful, most
interesting pieces. The size of each item may be no larger than 1440 square inches. This works out to
something like 24” x 60” (approx. shawl) or 36” x 40” (small rug). These are just suggestions to give you an
idea of a size comparison. You do NOT have to weave a shawl or small rug! Each piece must be accompa-
nied by a 3” X 5” photograph from which the inspiration for the piece was derived. To help cover the cost of
the show, and because we can no longer fund the show through raffle tickets, (by law,) a nominal fee of $5
will be assessed for each hung item.
We have established categories to help everyone plan their stupendous entries. This year our categories
are pared down to: Art Concept, Wearable Fashion, and Functional Household. Ribbons will be awarded for
1st, 2nd, and 3rd place in each category. Additionally, three special ribbons will be awarded: Best of Show,
Juror’s Choice, and Freshman Class Award, a very special award to someone who has only been weaving 3
years or less, as per their yearbook biography. Through this special award we want our new weavers to un-
derstand that what they do, what they weave, is on par with the seasoned weavers who have been at this
trade for eons. The eye for art and style has nothing to do with time spent warping a loom or throwing a
shuttle! By the way, thank you Sue Freeman for agreeing to design and weave these very special awards,
something to be forever treasured by the weaver who earns them.
That means we want everyone to enter at least one item! Please do not decide to forgo this show because
you are averse to being “judged.” If you really do not feel comfortable having your woven masterpieces eval-
uated by our judge, you have that choice. All evaluations will be sealed in an envelope that only you can
open. If you feel uncomfortable seeing this, or more to the point, comfortable enough in your weaving style
to not need to see this information, please feel free to dispose of the envelope, unopened, at your conven-
ience. Only those of us that wish to be in competition for the 2013 CAC Silk Ribbons need to choose the
option on their entry form, to be evaluated for placement.
Final tidbit of important information: items must be turned in by August, 17th, 2013. No item will be accepted
after that date. We need to have everything in hand at this time because the hanging crew needs time to
produce a show brochure and assemble, re-assemble, and re-arrange again the best display to dynamically
highlight every item. Jimmie McDonald has agreed to help with this process. With her knowledge from her
many years of designing, and a degree in interior design, she’ll help make this show so spectacular that the
outside world will begin to understand just how intricate, beautiful, and special handweaving can be.
We know that this year has just barely begun, but…GET TO WEAVING!
CAC Show Update Lorelei Caracausa
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In the Eye of the Beholder: Inspiration in Fiber
Each time the Fort Worth Weavers Guild exhibits at the FWCAC, the Guild grows. The size of the Guild grows as we
attract new members. Our individual skills grow, as does our appreciation for one another’s work. Our public image
and recognition from other groups and organizations grow, as well. An important component of this growth is feedback
from expert weavers outside of our own small community. This component is what judging provides. We ventured into
this realm at the 2011 CAC Show, and we are doing it once again. If you are entering this arena for the first time, you
may feel more than a bit unsettled and/or insecure so let’s talk about some possible concerns. You may find yourself
pleasantly surprised with the answers.
1. “I don’t want my work deemed not good enough to hang on the wall.”
This is not a juried show. Pieces will not be critiqued before the Show is hung to determine whether they will or
will not be accepted. Everyone’s work will be accepted unless it doesn’t meet Show Policy criteria. We haven’t
had to turn anyone away in past shows.
If you are worried about having your work evaluated, ask someone in the Guild whose work (and opinions) you
respect to give you advice and/or pointers to help you submit the best piece possible.
The usual standards for the Show remain the same. Each piece must have been woven within the last 2 years
(except for Life members and those who no longer weave); must be free from obvious errors; must contain some
element of weaving; and must be original work (not copied from someone else’s pattern in a book or magazine).
2. “What’s the point of having a judged show?”
A judged show brings a greater level of respect and appreciation that we need from the community and artists of
other genres if we want our work viewed as “art”.
It generates good publicity for the Guild and our individual artists on a local, state and national basis, and more
importantly, that publicity is free.
On a personal level, a judged show serves as a challenge for each of us to create and execute the best work we
can. It is an opportunity to stretch ourselves as artists and craftsmen.
It is an educational experience, a chance to receive constructive feedback from an expert in the field.
3. “My work is not good enough to be judged.”
We bring our work to guild meetings for Show-and-Tell, give it as gifts, offer our work for sale, and exhibit it in
non-judged shows so we are already proud of it. Trust us, it’s already being judged. Having it evaluated by an-
other weaver shouldn’t be a problem.
We can also say that after seeing some of the pieces proudly shared at “Show-and-Tell,” being a new or inexperi-
enced weaver shouldn’t be a deterrent, either.
For the first time, we have an award specifically for those who have been weaving fewer than 3 years, the
“Freshman Class” Award. We are using the information provided for the Yearbook. A few members did not give
a date, but we know almost everyone’s weaving-history which will be used in lieu of a number.
4. “I don’t like the idea of competition between weavers.”
When we hang our pieces on the FWCAC walls or offer them for sale, we are already competing, subliminally in
the first instance, monetarily in the second.
We cannot expect to win every “competition”. Like a marathon, there will be winners, but there will also be those
who simply want to better their own time in the previous race. Winning is not the goal; entering and finishing are.
We lose only when we don’t participate.
CAC Show: Uh-oh, someone’s going to critique my work. Margaret Arafat
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5. “It’s not fair to put my work up against someone who uses a ‘computer-driven loom’.”
Having a compu-dobby attached to a loom does not guarantee good cloth. Good cloth is determined by a set of
factors that remain constant regardless of the type of loom used: fibre, color, pattern, sett, tension, beat, selvedg-
es, finishing, hand . . . .
A dobby keeps track of the shafts, and allows the weaver to use more harnesses than could be lifted with a con-
ventional floor loom. It lets the weaver design more complex patterns, but it doesn’t guarantee that the resulting
cloth is pleasing to look at or touch, has structural integrity or is woven well.
A dobby does not automatically guarantee a win in an exhibit, either. Many award-winning items done by FWWG
members have been woven in plain weave, on draw-looms, on 4- or 8-harness floor looms, or using only bits of
woven cloth incorporated into the final piece. More isn’t necessarily better.
6. “Will there be judging criteria?”
We have set the criteria that will be used, and have included a copy with this newsletter.
7. “Will prizes be awarded?”
First, second and third place ribbons will be given in each of three (3) categories, and a single ribbon will be
awarded in three (3) others. All twelve of these ribbons will be woven by Sue Freeman.
We will also present awards from the Handweavers Guild of America (HGA), Handwoven, and Complex Weavers
(CW) awards. These organizations provide free publicity as well as awards.
The exact categories for which ribbons will be awarded are described in this newsletter.
8. “Who sees the results?”
Only the judge.
The judge will have no idea whose piece it is at the time of judging. Each entry will be assigned a number which
will be the only identification provided for judging.
Results will be sealed in envelopes and returned to the artist. If you don’t want to look, don’t. If your piece has
an award ribbon affixed to it, however, you might change your mind.
Lorelei and I will be in the vicinity of the judging, but as in 2011, the only scores we will see are our own. We will
not even know the scores award-winners receive. Those will be indicated by the judge through ID numbers only.
Award ribbons will be affixed to the applicable entries as they hang in the Gallery, and will remain in place from
the date they are awarded until the Show is taken down. No other “critiques” will be in evidence.
Critiques will be delivered only when the Show is taken down from gallery walls.
9. “What if I don’t want to have my work judged/critiqued/evaluated?
It isn’t an option for this show. Every piece will be evaluated. Again, don’t want to know what the judge said?
Don’t look in the envelope.
Having something you created judged/critiqued/evaluated is daunting, but it can be very rewarding even if it
doesn’t garner a prize. Each judging is meant to help make us better weavers so even if you don’t agree with the
score or comments, you can learn something to apply to your next project.
You may have more concerns and questions so feel free to contact us at anytime. We, and other guild members
whose opinions you value, are here to help in any way that we can. Be sure to read the Hanging Show Policy in the
FWWG Yearbook, and look at the Member Entry and Judging Form provided in this issue of the Newsletter. The first
you will need when you deliver your piece (another will be issued in a subsequent newsletter), the second is so you will
know how your piece will be critiqued. Questions? Contact Lorelei (817-312-3208, [email protected]) or
me (817-422-8134, [email protected]).
CAC Show continued
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st, 2
nd and 3
rd place awards will be given in the following categories: Note: Pieces will be placed in one of these
three (3) categories according to your instructions on the Entry Form.
Fashion: Includes Constructed Garments (Clothing made using a prevalence of handwoven fabric), Yardage (2-3
yards, minimum); and Fashion Accessories (Scarves, shawls, jewelry, purses, hats, etc.)
Functional/Household: Includes table runners, towels, draperies, coverlet, floor rug, table linens, etc.
Art Concept: Includes tapestries, decorative wall rugs, wall hangings, free-standing forms, basketry, 3-dimensional,
etc.
A single award will be given for each of the following 3 categories according to the Judge’s discretion:
Best of Show Award: The recipient of this award meets all the criteria set for judging.
Juror’s Choice Award: This piece will be the one the Juror likes best.
Freshman Class Award: The recipient will be someone who meets all the criteria set for judging, and has been a
weaver for fewer than three (3) years.
Awards which meet the criteria established by the following organizations will also be given:
HGA Award: Given for handweaving (and fiber arts) of special merit which shows a fresh, individual approach and
expresses personal creativity, shows an awareness of aesthetic and functional considerations, and demonstrates
competence in technical skills.
Complex Weavers Award: Given for excellence in handweaving using a draft or structure beyond plain weave.
There is no requirement for the number of shafts used to create the piece.
Handwoven Magazine Award: Given for excellence in weaving for the home.
Overall, fifteen (15) awards will be given. If you have any questions about where your piece fits within the first three
categories, contact Lorelei Caracausa (817-312-3208, [email protected]) or Margaret Arafat (817-422-
8134, [email protected]).
CAC Show Show and Judging Categories
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CAC Show Entry Form
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CAC Show Judging Form
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The meeting was called to order by President Carolyn Gritzmaker following the program, Make it Mine, presented by MaGee Grundmann. Officers Reports: Treasurer: The guild had a current balance of $12,365.11. Programs: Jackie Wallace announced the March 2013 program will be Lace Weave” by Margaret Arafat and the April meeting will be Bog Jackets with Evaline Wright and Sandra Gonzales presenting. Secretary: The minutes of January 26, 2013, following the correction: “The silent auction of a basket woven by B.J. Conrad and weaving items was won by Lynn Young.” were approved. Committee Reports CAC: Margaret Arafat passed around a sign-up sheet for volunteers at the Alpaca Show, March 1 – 3, to support Lorelei Caracausa and Sue Free-man. FWWG sale, in conjunction with the Pottery Guild, will be held at the Community Arts Center July 13, 2013 10 am to 4 pm. Those who wish to sell their items must follow the guidelines in the membership Hand Book. There may be a request for items to be turned in before the sale to facilitate organization and display details. Two forms were included in the February newsletter as guides for the CAC show. All items submitted will be evaluated but only juried if so requested. All items are due on August 17, 2013 and must be a total of 1440 square inches or less. The items must have been woven within the last 2 years unless the weaver is a life member. Remember there is a special classification for those who have been weaving 3 or fewer years. There will not be a distinction between items woven on dobby looms and hand-powered looms in judging. The items will be judged, not exclusively but as part of the evaluation, on the interpretation of the inspiration photo. CHT: Margaret Humphries collected washcloths from many weavers. CHT Conference information is available at www.weavetexas.org. The confer-ence will be in Addision, TX May 30 through June 2. The fee includes events and unlimited classes, as well as the vendor floor. There will also be a one-day entry fee for the vendor floor. All those who register receive a “goodie” bag (including our washcloths and soap). Sarah Diamantopoulos, Nancy Berger and Lynn Young volunteered to help assemble the washcloths and soap. Many items were donated for the FWWG raffle basket. It will be a great basket! Rebecca Shanks requested door prize donations for the CHT conference. Website: Sherri Coffey announced that the library listing is now available on the website. Be sure to register for the “Members Only” access. Nominating Chairman: There is still an opportunity to volunteer for: Yearbook Newsletter Editor Membership: The guild 8-shaft loom is available to borrow. Contact Katie Gosko. The Weaving 101 group will continue to meet as needed by new members. Workshops: The Inkle Loom workshop offered by Barb Nelson for March 9, 2013 is FULL with a waiting list. A workshop by Betty Vera, November 8 – 10, 2013 will be at Ridgelea Christian Church. The cost could be about $180, with a $75 deposit due when signing up for the workshop. Old Business: Volunteers are needed for the Editor and Membership positions. New Business: Announcements: Barb Nelson announced a 4-shaft 36” Harrisville loom for sale - $200. Lucas McCain requested volunteer weavers for the Annual Fine Arts night April 11 2013, 6-7:30 at Sagamore Hill Elementary school. Lynn Young and MaGee Grundmann volunteered for The Western Hills Primary school Fine Arts Night March 7, 2013, 6 to 7:00. Contact Carolyn if you are interested in demonstrating weaving. Visitors: Marie Hauff, who recently moved to Fort Worth from Austin, and Trish Teeters. Show and Tell: Jean Walbridge showed her Tape Loom binding, which she said was a tedious project, Margaret Arafat showed her cell phone bag with felt lining, Sarah Diamantopoulos showed her thick and thin sampler and Sue Acree brought her wool horse blanket. Stash Bash: Sandra Gonzales announced the new opportunity for guild members to donate their stash for other members to buy, with all proceeds going to the guild. If this “sale” is successful it may be happen again. The first Stash Bash will take place directly after the business meeting. The meeting was adjourned. The next meeting will be March 23, 2013 at 10 am, with social visiting at 9:30. Meet at the University Christian Church, 2720 S. University Dr. Fort Worth, TX 76109.
Minutes of the February 23, 2013 meeting Nancy Berger
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There have been conflicting signals about how advertising as a general topic is managed by the FWWG. The “rules,” published in the Heddle Herald since Guild-year 2004-05, haven’t changed. (Refer to this issue.) These advertising standards apply to active FWWG members as well as to the General Public: classified ads for sale of personal, fiber-related equipment and materials are free; ads for everyone else are not. Random emails from people who want to sell their studio fall in the latter category. Business advertising by anyone, member or not, is not free. Individuals who send such emails should be informed of the Guild’s advertising guidelines. This brings up how to manage Internet promotions.
Regardless of how proud and anxious you are to share your latest endeavor, or to make an an-nouncement or request that does not directly fall under Guild-business, a mass mailing derived from the FWWG Membership Roster is not permitted. Therefore, the Board has voted that the following statement is henceforth included in the Guild’s Standing Rules, located in the Year-book:
F. The use of the FWWG Membership Roster for mass mailing by the Internet for any purpose other than Guild-related business is not permitted.
Addition to the Standing Rules
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A vote by the FWWG Membership is required for approval of the following two (2) Board-recommended changes to the Constitution and By-laws:
1. Because of the potential tax implications of and confusion generated by the term “non-profit,” it is pro-posed that the purpose of the Fort Worth Weavers Guild, as stated in Article 1: NAME AND PUR-POSE, Section 1 of the Organization’s Constitution, be changed from:
The name of this organization shall be “Fort Worth Weavers Guild.” A non-profit organization, its pur pose shall be to promote an interest in handweaving and to encourage the highest standards in craftsmanship.
To: The name of this organization shall be “Fort Worth Weavers Guild,” a group whose purpose shall be to promote an interest in handweaving and to encourage the highest standards in craftsmanship.
2. To encourage membership by married couples and/or parents with minor children who are also members, dues for a “family” membership would be offered at $5.00 less per individual. By-laws, ARTICLE V: DUES, Section 1, would be changed to read as follows:
Annual dues of the Guild shall be payable in May, on a two-tiered basis. Members who receive their newsletters via email shall pay $30. Fees for members who choose to receive their newsletters though the US Postal Service shall pay the amount accepted by the Board as recommended by the Newsletter Editor. Married couples and/or parents with minor children who are also members will pay a Family Membership rate of $5 less per individual applicable to however the newsletter is re-ceived. This will include all mailings of the Guild for one year. Amounts required for all dues will be posted in the newsletter (Heddle Herald) and on the website.
Proposed Constitution Changes: Your Vote is Needed!
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Announcements
Attention: To ensure timely recordkeeping, please either give checks for workshops
and mini-workshops to MaGee at the Guild Meeting or send them to her
home address: 6230 Frank Christian Road, Azle, Texas 76020. Please note
that this is for workshop and mini-workshop payments only.
2012-2013 Dues: If you haven’t paid your dues for 2012-2013, please do so now to ensure you
remain an active member of the FWWG, entitling you to attend meetings,
participate in workshops and the biennial Show at the CAC, and receive our
fantastic newsletter, the Heddle Herald. Dues are $30 for an electronic copy
of the newsletter or $38 for a posted version, payable to the FWWG. Mem-
bers are encouraged to take the electronic version to help keep costs down
and to be responsible consumers of natural resources.
Important Dates
Guild Meeting Schedule Unless otherwise announced, meetings are
held on the 4th Saturday of the month,
September & October and December-May.
Join us at 9:30am for coffee. The program
begins at 10:00 and is followed by a business
meeting.
March 23: Huck Lace, pre-sented by Margaret Arafat
April 27: Bog Jackets, pre-sented by Evaline Wright and Sandra Gonzales
May 18: Luncheon & Chal-lenge Presentation, begin at 11:00
From Our Historian Martha Zinn:
We all love to remember: Where were we when...? Who wove what for whom....? When did we...? As historian, I am trying to save the memories of our weaving collective. But I cannot be everywhere, and that is why I need your help. I would like to record the stories of our weaving lives digitally over the next two years. When you weave something remarkable, when you travel and see what others have woven, when you endeavor to pass on our weaving heritage to others through inspiration or teaching, when you take a fiber class, please remember to take pictures. Then send them to me. If you use a film camera, I’ll scan the images and return the originals to you. Those of you with digital cam-eras and smart phones can simply forward images to me electronically. With this digital photographic archive I hope to produce annual or biannual slideshows to share our weaving journey. But I cannot do it without your photo-graphic contributions. Please send your pictures in high resolution to me, Mar-tha Zinn, at ([email protected].) Thank you.
Happy Birthday!
March Birthdays 7 - Ruth Taylor 8 - Rebecca Shanks 25 - Toni Russel 29 - Barb Nelson
March Treasurer’s report:
Previous Balance: $12365.11
Expenditures: None
Deposits of: $983.00
Current Balance: $ 13348.11
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We have lots of
new colors of
fibers to play with!
Heritage Arts
10740 C.R. 102
Grandview, Tx 76050
(817) 517-5800 (metro)
We are about to begin working on the FWWG “first-ever, stand-alone” Sale which will be held on Satur-day, July 13, 2013, in Gallery 6 of the Fort Worth Community Arts Center. We will be sharing the Center (but not the Gallery) with the Pottery Guild which should be a very good blending of two different crafts. Past Guild-sales were held during the Show Reception on Gallery Night, and a percent of artists’ pro-ceeds were taken to off-set Show expenses. Although a few things about how the Guild manages a sale may change, a commission on all sales will still be paid to the Guild to defray expenses for the Biennial Show. If you have not already done so or haven’t in a long time, please read the Guild’s Labeling and Inventory Process and Sales Guidelines. Both documents are in the FWWG Yearbook. Any changes to one or both of these will be announced well before the Sale. Postcards announcing the Sale will be made available for e-mail and postal distribution as we get closer to the Sale. Even if you don’t want to sell anything, we hope you’ll take and send the cards to as many people as possible so we’ll have a good turn-out.
The Sale is Approaching Margaret Arafat
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Miscellaneous
Meeting Do’s:
Bring your fiber-related Show-and-Tell.
Bring your nametag.
Bring your cup.
Swap & Shop
Your trash may be someone’s treasure.
When cleaning off your shelves, don’t
forget your fellow fiber friends. Put a
price on it and bring it with you! Books,
magazines, yarn, patterns, tools, equip-
ment – if you bring it in, someone may
want to take it off your hands. If it doesn’t
sell, you take it back home.
Membership Dues
Annual dues for membership in the
FWWG are payable in May or September
at two levels: $30 for members who re-
ceive Internet copies of the Heddle Herald
and $38 for those who receive it through
the US Postal System. Checks are made
payable to the “FWWG.”
Newsletter Articles
Share your experience and knowledge
and keep the Heddle Herald informative
and interesting. Send articles and reports
to the Editor, Sandi Rosenstiel at
[email protected] or call 817-481-
5993.
Newsletter Ads Guild members may advertise the sale of personal fiber-related equipment in the news-letter and on the Guild webpage at no charge. Ads will appear until the member requests an ad’s removal by the newsletter editor. Non-
members pay $25 per issue.
General Advertising in the Heddle Herald is available at the following rates:
Full page: $20; half page: $15; quarter page $10; 1/8 page: $5.
Rates are per issue and apply to any busi-ness ad regardless of Guild-affiliation.
All ads must be submitted in copy-ready format, and any required payment made, prior to the newsletter deadline. Pay-ment is accepted by check, payable to “FWWG,” sent to treasurer MaGee Grundman, 6230 Frank Christian Road, Azle, TX 76020.
Contact the Editor at
[email protected] to advertise or for more information.
Classified Ads
Want your ad displayed on the guild’s website?
As a guild member, personal ads for fiber-related items are free.
Send the ad in a word document to our Web Diva, Sherri Coffey.
Contemporary Handweavers of Texas Contemporary Handweavers of Texas, Inc. (CHT) is a non-profit organization
founded to promote an interest in weaving and the fiber arts. CHT supports indi-
viduals and guilds throughout the State through education and networking. Infor-
mation about the Organization, membership forms and updates on Conference
2013 in College Station are available at http://www.weavetexas.org.
Dues are $40 for a 2-year membership (July 1- June 30), payable in odd-
numbered years. Send your completed membership form and a check made pay-
able to “CHT” to:
CHT Treasurer, Kay McWilliams
1304 Dominik
College Station, Texas 77840
Loom for Sale
Schacht 20” 4 Harness Table Loom
Comes warped
$425
Contact Liz Arthur – 817-707-9475
(cell) or email at [email protected]
Here’s a link to the guild Facebook page. You can find photos of the guild show, taken
Facebook and Guild Web Site
WEAVING EQUIPMENT FOR SALE
Schacht Original Rigid Heddle Loom with trestle floor stand and 8-,10-, and 12-dent
heddles. 25-inch Weaving Width. $200.
Schacht Tapestry Loom with A-frame table stand, 18-inch weaving width. $75.
Ashford Joy Spinning Wheel with Travel Bag and extra bobbins, single treadle. $400.
Hagan Norwegian Tapestry Loom. This is a metal portable loom with an adjustable floor stand, a table stand, and a unique coil and shedding assembly. Maximum weaving
dimensions are 45x71 inches. $200.
Ashford Charka Spinner. This is high-ratio quill spindle spinner. $250. Llke new.
All of the looms and spinning wheels are in excellent condition and ready to go. Carol Sewell, 817-443-1400; [email protected]
Navajo Loom For Sale
6ft tall by 6ft wide, with a base depth of 42”. It’s a hard wood and has two steel
bars.
Asking $100 or best offer. For more information, contact Jennifer at
[email protected] or 254-630-2017.