Calendar of Events - see the newsletter in the Members Only area for more details on events.
We have guild meetings September through May.
To both promote the fiber arts in our csommunity and to encourage participation in a wide variety of events, the Guild welcomes individuals and businesses to advertise events & classes in our online Guild calendar. For full details and rates (if applicable) please review our Advertising Policy.
Challenge 2023: The “Escences” of Weaving (aka Bling! )
Organized by Elena Prisekin
The idea is from Handwoven Magazine Editorial Calendar September/October 2023
Here is your chance to explore iridescence, opalescence, luminescence, and pearlescence in weaving. All four of these characteristics can make a fabric sing with color and light. Show off your techniques for creating one or more of these effects or even other color effects whether you use structure, color placement, yarn choice, or all three to do so.
We will share our results in the May 2023 Guild Meeting. It will be fun to compare our results to the Handwoven Magazine issue in September/October 2023!
Study Groups
Band Weaving - Led by Joanne Teague, third Thursday of the month, 6pm
The AWSG Bandweaving Study Group started up on Aug 17th, after a summer break. We meet the 3rd Thurs of each month @ 6pm (virtually, at this time).
We support each other in all types of Bandweaving: inkle, card/tablet weaving, band weaving. We often have (optional) group projects, where we all do a similar band, to learn, support each other and compare notes. Ours goals are learning and sharing. We are open to non-AWSG members, and via Joanne, encourage textile re-enactor participation. Please contact Karen Williams if you have any questions: email Karen Williams
Topic: AWSG Bandweaving Study Group
Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84156633985?pwd=eVRDcGNYRzBVMzVGU0F4UzBMZHJJdz09
Meeting ID: 841 5663 3985
Passcode: weavingAugust’s topics will be:
Physical vs. virtual going forward
If physical, location/time
What people wove/learned this summer
Brainstorm on list of future group projectsChuranunu - Led by Scharine Kirchoff, Meets 4th Sunday from 11:00-2:00 p.m.
The concept of Churanunu (pronouned “Chu-ra-nu-nu”) originated in Okinawa, Japan. Churanunu is a process…of discovery, learning, and following one’s own creative path.We welcome your participation at the Churanunu Study Group. Our next meeting will be held on Wednesday, April 26 at 11:00 am. The meeting agenda will include our individual 3-Dimensional Form Projects. In addition, we will be creating a 3-D star paper book at the mtg. Please contact Scharine Kirchoff at this email for additional information. April 26th will be our last meeting before we take a hiatus for the Summer .
Join Us At the Make-It Gatherings by Lorri Wright, third Saturday of the month, 10am - 2pm - cancelled in August
Join us for the Monthly Make-It Gathering on the third Saturday, 10 am to 2 pm. Walk straight back from the parking lot to The Commons House. There are three separate rooms for our different study groups. Please join us for either a study group or to simply work on your project with others. 3322 Commons Circle off W34th. Saturday April 15th (third Saturday), 10am to 2pm.
Local Opportunities by Sherry Rogers, usually the 3rd Saturday of the month, 10am - 12pm
We spin at the Eagle River library as a community outreach, to introduce our community to spinning with both spinning wheels and drop spindles. The Eagle River library advertises this event for us, and consequently, it is important that someone show up each time. Additionally, the library, as part of their publicity, will advertise that if someone is interested in trying to spin on a wheel, they may contact the library in advance. The librarian then reaches out to us so that we can have someone bring an extra wheel and fiber. If you have an extra wheel and fiber that you would bring, or are willing to let someone try spinning on your wheel, please let me know.
While it is a library, the old rule of complete silence is no more, however, they would like us to keep it to a conversational level of speaking, as there are those who are studying. Sorry, no whooping it up... Generally speaking, we will spin on the 3rd Saturday of the month, with the exception of Jan and Feb, when it will depend on the library’s holiday closure schedule. (Often they are closed on the 3rd Saturday because of MLK Day and President’s Day. This Feb, we will spin on the 4th Saturday.) Also, we will NOT spin during the summer (June-Aug), nor will we spin in Dec.
We will be advertised as spinning from 10 AM to 12 noon, HOWEVER, if you can’t come until 11 AM, that’s just fine. Everyone is welcome to stay longer than 12 noon, if they would like.
Here is the schedule for 2023:
• April 15
• May 20
• Sept 16
• Oct 21
2023 Handwoven Scarf Exchange - due by October 31st
Registration Open Now!
HGA invites you to participate in our 2023 Handwoven Scarf Exchange. Participants will submit a Summer Scarf and/or a Winter Scarf. If you submit a summer scarf, you will receive a summer scarf in exchange. If you submit a winter scarf, you will receive a winter scarf in exchange. If you want to submit one of each (1 summer scarf and 1 winter scarf), you will receive 1 summer scarf and 1 winter scarf in return. Textile exchanges are a great reason to get in front of the loom, an opportunity to share your work with others and see their work in return, and a chance to get some new wearable art!
Guidelines
- Weave a scarf at least 5" wide and 60" long not including fringe. These measurements are finished measurements, meaning you have washed and dried your scarf or finished it as appropriate for the yarns used.
- Include a worksheet (download) with your complete contact and weaving information (draft for your weaving, along with thread samples and sources). Insert the worksheet in a sheet protector to keep it flat and neat while shipping.
- Clearly mark your worksheet with SUMMER or WINTER scarf. You will be the one who determines if your scarf is to be considered a summer scarf or a winter scarf.
- Email a digital copy of your worksheet to the exchange administrator (to compile a complete listing of all scarfs entered). Instructions will be emailed with your registration confirmation.
- If you submit both a summer scarf and a winter scarf, please mark them clearly and wrap them separately. Enclosing each one in a large plastic bag is suggested. You can mail them in the same package.
- Submit your scarf along with your completed project worksheet.
- Ship your scarf beginning October 1st. Scarves must be received by the exchange administrator no later than October 31st. Instructions for mailing will be emailed with your registration confirmation.
- DO NOT MAIL TO HGA. Your scarf will not be received.
- Scarves will be exchanged and returned by November 30th.
Participant Requirements
- Current HGA Student, Individual, Family, or Professional Artist Membership. Not a member?
Join today!- Participant fee of $15 to cover return priority-mail shipping (international participants will have their items returned via first class mail) and administrative fees.
Community (Optional)
Participants will be invited by email to join the Facebook group for the exchange so they can share and communicate with each other.
Online and at your own pace by Karen Williams
- https://classes.warpandweave.com/ Tien Chui is a weaver who specializes in color theory. She offers several classes, both pre-recorded and live.
- https://www.schoolofsweetgeorgia.com/ This is a monthly/yearly subscription. For one price you get access to their whole catalog that has many spinning and weaving classes in addition: knitting, crochet, dyeing, felting
and color theory.- https://janestaffordtextiles.com/school-of-weaving/ This is a yearly subscription course. There is an amazing amount of weaving content. AWSG members have taken these courses and given them high reviews
- https://heddlecraft.com/on-line-weaving-education.html Heddlecraft has a listing of other weaving online courses.
- https://rebeccamezoff.com/online-learning Rebecca has a great online course for tapestry weavin
- https://www.alannawilcox.com/online-workshops Alanna has a broad choice of spinning and dyeing classes.
The guild has a scholarship program that can be used for virtual classes. There is no financial need requirement. We only ask that you give back to the guild in some way, like leading a study group, writing an article or teaching a class. The scholarship committee will work with you to find a perfect match between your skill/time and the guild’s needs.Live and interactive by Karen Williams
• https://lunaticfringeyarns.com/product-category/instructions/workshops-seminars/ Offers a variety of classes, from single project “weave a-longs” to special guest instructors.
• https://store.vesterheim.org/collections/fiber-arts-folk-art-courses An intriguing variety, ever changing of Nordic traditional textile crafts, including a free class “Viking Era Clothing And Jewelry” on Nov 19th and a recording of their most recent class “Symbols In Bandweaving: The Emojis Of Traditional Handcraft”.
• https://kakawdesigns.com/collections/online-classes Guatemalan weaving, dyeing and embroidery classesEagle River Library Spinning
Spinning at the library as a community outreach, to introduce our community to spinning with both spinning wheels and drop spindles. The library advertises this event for us, and consequently, it is important that someone show up each time. Additionally, the library, as part of their publicity, will advertise that if someone is interested in trying to spin on a wheel, they may contact the library in advance. The librarian then reaches out to us so that we can have someone bring an extra wheel and fiber. If you have an extra wheel and fiber that you would bring, or are willing to let someone try spinning on your wheel, please let me know. Contact Sherry Rogers at (907) 694-3319 for more info.While it is a library, the old rule of complete silence is no more, however, they would like us to keep it to a conversational level of speaking, as there are those who are studying. Sorry, no whooping it up...
Generally speaking, we will spin on the 3rd Saturday of the month, with the exception of Jan and Feb, when it will depend on the library's holiday closure schedule. (Often they are closed on the 3rd Saturday because of MLK Day and President's Day. This Feb, we will spin on the 4th Saturday.) Also, we will NOT spin during the summer (June-Aug), nor will we spin in Dec.
Library Spinning will be advertised as spinning from 10 AM to 12 noon, HOWEVER, if you can't come until 11 AM, that's just fine. Everyone is welcome to stay longer than 12 noon, if they would like.
Here is the schedule for 2023:
- Feb 25
- Mar 18
- April 15
- May 20
- Sept 16
- Oct 21
- Nov 18
July 11-17, 2024 Convergence®
More information
Value Package Online Registration Now Open
Handweavers Guild of America, Inc.'s (HGA) 2024 Convergence® Conference taking place July 11-17, 2024 in Wichita, Kansas. You can review our sessions, special events, and more on our website, and keep an eye out for the Delegate Registration Booklet in the fall issue of Shuttle Spindle & Dyepot.
Interesting Fiber Classes
https://lunaticfringeyarns.com/product-category/instructions/workshops-seminars/
This is not ANWG or HGA, but it is interesting. Each of these classes is one hour long and available for $20.00 over Zoom
Ukrainian Folk Art Project
The AWSG band weaving study group’s next project is in support of Ukraine. We will each pick a project either inspired by Ukrainian folk art, in Ukrainian flag colors or from a Ukrainian source. We are looking at various Ukrainian textile sellers on Etsy who sell PDFs, since this is a way to financially support textile artist in Ukraine. Ukraine folk costuming contains a lot of embroidery. In addition, there is some overlap in band weaving with fellow Baltic countries. A lot of patterns while not intended for weaving, would be very easy to use in weaving. Or this may be the perfect time to use your handspun in embroidery.Below is a list of Ukrainian Etsy sellers of PDF patterns. I searched Etsy for “Ukraine PDF”. This list is in no way complete. I did verify that each of the sellers below is from Ukraine. This idea came from this article: https://www.kvoa.com/townnews/commerce/before-the-ukraine-invasion-she-made-belts-now-she-makes-camouflage-nets-for-troops/article_71501489-6ed2-53a0-8be6-b7b0b49cbe51.html The lady profiled in the article is the first shop listed below. The article may inspire you to join us in this project.
Some examples are:
https://www.etsy.com/shop/WovenSlavicBelts
https://www.etsy.com/shop/EveEmbroideryShop
https://www.etsy.com/shop/HandyHappyFabrics
https://www.etsy.com/shop/JPCrossStitchPattern
https://www.etsy.com/shop/NatkoPatterns
https://www.etsy.com/shop/JPCrossStitchPattern
https://www.etsy.com/shop/Mufficorn
https://www.etsy.com/shop/VividStitchShopNeedle Felting by Pam Clifton
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