November 15, 2014 Monthly Meeting

Our last meeting of the year was Saturday, November 15th, at the R&M Yarns Studio.

Meet & Greet:  9:00 - 9:30 a.m.

Business:  The 2014 Fiber Education Festival was reviewed and it was decided that the Festival would be offered in the Spring of 2015 (probably the last Saturday in April).  More details to come.

New officers for 2015 were nominated and elected as follows:

--Chair: Jane Collins
--Program Committee: Chris & Marie Bindrim
--Secretary: Mary Smith
--Treasurer: Phyllis Narus
--Social Media: Katrina Kaiser

Program:  Color Theory.  Attendees brought skeins, balls and cones of yarn for use in sorting colors in different ways.  Color Theory is such a great topic--nothing makes an impact as much as the colors you choose for a project.  Your choices could make or break the outcome!  Mary did a great job teaching about color value and intensity.

Show & Share:  Several members brought finished items to share.

Remember....there will NOT be a meeting in December. 

Our next meeting will be Saturday, January 17th.

Have a wonderful Christmas and New Year! 

4th Annual Fiber Education Festival Report

Despite the bitter cold and howling wind, several folks enjoyed the annual Fiber Education Festival indoors this year!  The entire Festival set up in the R&M Yarns Studio and any spare space or corner available in the Store.  It was quaint and very cozy...we all got to know each other a lot better!

There were people demonstrating weaving on a floor loom, rigid heddle loom, triangle loom, inkle loom and children weaving on cardboard looms.  There were also demonstrations on the spinning wheel, drum carding and blending fiber, felting wool items and little felted people, and a large selection of hand-turned, wood-handle crochet hooks, etc.

There was also several beautiful, handmade woven items and dyed wool yarn offered for sale.

A big "Thank You" to the Scenic Valley Handweavers Guild for all their help and hard work in putting this event together.

Check under the "Photos" tab above for photos.

November 1st--Fiber Education Festival at R&M Yarns

Several SVH members will be demonstrating what to do with fiber at this year's 4th Annual Fiber Education Festival sponsored by R&M Yarns.  Time:  10 am to 4 pm

It's free to the public and educational for the entire family.  It will be located on the front lawn of R&M Yarns at 8510 Highway 60 in Georgetown, TN 37336.  The Store will be open that day from 11 am to 2 pm only (reg. hours are Tues-Fri 10-5:30).

New this year will be a KIDS' TENT where they can dye wool fleece with Kool-Aid then felt it around a bar of soap to take home!  They can even do some weaving on a cardboard loom!  They will make a small woven pouch that will fit a gift card (some may have to finish it at home).

There will be sheep and alpacas on site and various stations showing what is done with the fiber once it is sheared....i.e. washing, carding, spinning, dyeing, weaving, knitting, crochet, felting, etc.

Some of the demonstrators will also have beautiful, hand-crafted finished goods for sale as well as natural and dyed yarns.

A local Youth Group will offer refreshments for sale.  Come out and enjoy the day with us!

Questions?  Call R&M Yarns:  423.961.0690

October 18th "Off Site" Meeting

Bill will be hosting our October monthly gathering at his Studio in Chattanooga on the 18th beginning at 9:00 a.m. RSVP requested.

Since Bill will be providing snacks and has limited space, he would like everyone to RSVP that is planning on attending.  Email:  WJBDineen@aol.com or send a text to his mobile or leave a message at 708.769.9899.  If you need directions to his studio, please email or call.

Officer nominations for President, Program Leader(s) & Secretary will be taken at this meeting with elections and installations at the November 15th meeting.

Mark your calendars for November 1st for the R&M Yarns Annual Fiber Education Festival on the front lawn.  SVH's help with this festival is greatly appreciated by R&M's owner and SVH member, Phyllis Narus.

The EarthLoom to Come

Later this month (that third Saturday meeting previously mentioned in another post), we'll come together for our annual EarthLoom.  If you are unfamiliar with this type of weaving, you can find more info here from EarthLoom Foundation.

An EarthLoom is a symbolic gathering of people in a community who join to share a sense of belonging and love through weaving.  In our bunch, it's a love for fiber, nature, creativity, community and each other.

You are more than welcome to join us for this fun outdoor activity on Saturday, June 21 at 9 a.m. in Cleveland, Tennessee.  We'll meet and weave at the home of one of our members.  For specifics on how to get to there, send us a message at Facebook with your email address.  We'll send the directions.

Whenever we meet, food is typically involved and this will be no exception.  We're going potluck that day so bring a favorite dish to share.

Don't forget to bring items of symbolic significance you'd like to share in the weaving piece.

We'll use fiber, found objects, items from nature (think vines, flowers, etc.) and weave a large work as a group.  The piece will remain outdoors until it degrades and decomposes, returning once again to the Earth.  It's that crazy, good, whole cycle of life thing.

Here are a few examples of others' EarthLooms from around the globe:

These are examples of EarthLooms from a festival in Glastonbury, UK.  Don't you just love the vibrant colors?!

This EarthLoom is more portable and is from Ashley Bryan School.  People shared wishes and prayers on strips of paper and wove these into the piece.  What a great idea!

Here's an example of an EarthLoom in progress from neighboring Riverbend Fiber Arts Guild in Chattanooga.  It really does take a village.

Save that fiber and those things you wish to contribute to our EarthLoom.  We'll see you in Cleveland on June 21!

We're on Facebook, too!

Did you know you can also keep up with what's happening with SVH via Facebook?  Be sure to find and "Like" us for quick blurbs and new pics of the latest happenings with the guild.  Here's a quick link for you to our Facebook Page:

Scenic Valley Handweavers

You'll find more in depth info here on a daily basis.

Stay in touch!

Of Warp and Weft and You

Have you ever wondered what happens at a SVH Guild meeting?  Perhaps you have thought about coming to the monthly meetings, but don't know anyone there.  Or maybe you don't yet have a loom and aren't sure how difficult or easy weaving is, but you know you are interrested in learning more.  Or you are a weaver with years of experience, multiple looms in your studio and are not certain this group is for you.

Whatever your skill level or lack thereof, we have a place for you in SVH!

The people are friendly, the talk is lively and informative, and we always have room for just one more person.  That means we have saved a place for you.

At meetings we share our weaving triumphs and the not so much.  We talk about new techniques we have picked up since meeting the previous month.  We even try new to us techniques and skills from weaving on looms to finishing techniques like braids and decorative stitches.  We bring examples of fresh from the loom, the dye pot, the fulling, the spinner's wheel  items we have made.  If you are a creative soul, this is the bunch for you.

Did I mention there is usually an assortment of finger food, too? **wink**

Come to our next meeting and see what we are about.  Whether you are a total novice or a master weaver, you'll learn something about your craft and about yourself, too.  By seeing what others are doing, you will likely gain inspiration for weaving journeys of your own.

Save that third Saturday morning of each month for yourself and the SVH Guild.  You'll be thrilled you did!

This is just some of the SVH gang.  Don't we look like a friendly, fiber loving. warp and weft working bunch?  All that is missing is you.

April 19th Guild Meeting

The monthly Guild meeting will be Saturday, April 19th, at the R&M Yarns Studio beginning at 9:00 a.m. with "Meet & Greet" and shopping at R&M.  The business meeting will begin at 9:30 a.m., followed by "Show & Tell" from guests and members.

Marie B. will teach the next "Finishing Technique" in the series from the book, "Finishes in the Ethnic Tradition" by Suzanne Baizeman & Karen Searle.

Don't forget to be working on your "Challenge" project.  If you have it finished, go ahead and bring it.

March 15th Guild Meeting

The monthly Guild meeting will be Saturday, March 15th, at the R&M Yarns Studio beginning at 9:00 a.m. with "Meet & Greet" and shopping at R&M.  The business meeting will begin at 9:30 a.m., followed by "Show & Tell" from guests and members as well as the next "Finishing Technique" in the series from the book, "Finishes in the Ethnic Tradition."

Don't forget to bring your "Show & Tell" items and your "Finishing Techniques" Notebook that we started at the last Guild meeting.

If you have your "Challenge" completed, bring that, too.  The deadline is September 20th.

Everyone is welcome to join us for a fun time of sharing....beginners and beyond!

February 15th Guild Meeting

Saturday, February 15th, will be the next monthly meeting of the Scenic Valley Handweavers Guild.

Our program will be:  Alternative approaches to beginning a project.  There will be 2-3 weavers sharing their particular approaches.  Time permitting, Guild Chair Bill will share at least one "finishing technique" with us.

Everyone is invited to join us that is interested in weaving in any form or fashion.

January 18th Guild Brunch

Several Guild Members enjoyed a wonderful brunch for the First Anniversary of the Scenic Valley Handweavers Guild.  Several "Show & Tell" items were brought as well for motivation and inspiration.

Members that had not picked up their "Challenge" yarns did so.  If you would like to take part in the Guild Challenge, yarn is still available at the R&M Yarns Studio.  The idea is to take someone's "no-longer-needed stash yarn" and turn it into something new and exciting.  The new item should utilize at least 75% of the recycled yarn.