We will be doing demonstrations at Fruitlands on Sept 14, 10AM-4PM, and Oct 11, 12-4. In September we have two people demonstrating on the guild loom. If anyone is interested in bringing a loom, a rigid heddle, inkle, or table loom, we could offer people a hand-on opportunity. We have 3 people on Oct 11, but more are always welcome. If you would like to help, let me know.
Do you want to try tapestry weaving?
Janet’s submission to the Faculty Exhibit at NEWS, July 2015
There is still space in Janet Austen’s Tapestry Workshop the last weekend of October. All the details can be found at this post https://nvwg.org/?p=490. This class sold out at NEWS, to the disappointment of many.
To sign up, send an email to Laura to hold your spot, and send a check to Laura Busky, 96 South St, Berlin MA 01503.
This class is appropriate for all weaving levels.
Weave a button? !
Embellishments woven on Jacquies WeeLoom
Jacquie Chalmers weaves buttons on “Wee Looms” made on her husband’s 3D printer. We’re talking with her about a guild program in the spring. Anyone interested?
We’re hoping to have her do a hands-on program at one of our Guild meetings in the spring.
Demonstrations at Fruitlands
The Director of Education at Fruitlands has contacted me to see if the Guild would be willing to do weaving demonstrations at Fruitlands this fall. The dates suggested are Monday 14 Sept. and Sat.-Sun. 10-11 Oct. Here is what she says:
1) Senior Day at Fruitlands Museum – Monday, September 14 10am-4pm. On this day, individuals ages 55yrs and up are admitted free to the museum buildings and grounds. We are planning a series of walking tours, artist demonstrations, and a lecture on Shaker music and we’d love to include a demonstration on weaving. We can arrange to have a large loom staged on the porch of the Fruitlands Farmhouse or inside the Family Learning Center (part of the Farmhouse building) so that folks can see a work in progress. NVWG may also have smaller table looms set up inside the Family Learning Center so that people can try weaving under the guidance of a guild member. The event runs from 10am until closing at 4pm, but if it seems like it would be difficult to pull folks together to cover such a long day, we could make the demo a bit shorter – say from 1pm until 4pm or 11am until 2pm.
2) Harvest Weekend – Saturday, Oct. 10 and Sunday, Oct. 11 12-4pm daily. I believe NVWG participated in Harvest weekend in 2013. As I recall, we had a large floor loom set up on the Wayside Visitor Center porch and table top looms inside. Somebody was doing a demo on the large loom while visitors tried their hands at weaving on the smaller looms. We’d love to do this again if your group is interested. This event runs for four hours each day and we’d likely want to looms staffed for the full time frame each day.
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Is anyone willing to help with this? We have some volunteers for October, but more are always welcome!
NVWG exhibit at NEWS
Who’s going to NEWS?
If you’re going to NEWS, post a quick reply here and let us know when you’re arriving and leaving. The NEWS organizers are good at housing guild people together, so we should all be in the same general area.
I’m arriving on Wednesday late afternoon or evening and departing Friday, not sure what time. Anyone going to be around for dinner Wednesday?
2015 Guild Challenge Show & Tell
Dorothy uploaded the photos from the pot luck with the results of the Guild Challenge. We are awesome!
Tapestry Workshop Announced
Tapestry Weaving Workshop with Janet Austin
Work in progress: Janet’s 2015 calendar tapestry
Saturday 24 October and Sunday 25 October 2015
9.30-12.30 and 1.30-4.30
Class description: Tapestries can be woven on any loom, but frame looms have the advantage of being inexpensive and portable. In this 2-day class, participants will learn basic tapestry techniques for creating shapes, a mini tapestry design lesson and information about tapestry tools and materials. No previous experience is required.
Cost: $175 for the 2-day workshop. Checks should be made payable to the Nashoba Valley Weavers’ Guild.
Materials fee: $35 per student materials fee is payable to Janet on the first day of class. The fee includes yarn and a frame loom. You get to keep the loom but if you prefer you can return it for a $25 refund.
Supplies: Notebook, pencil and scissors. Bringing your own yarn is optional.
There are a maximum of 8 students in this class. We will take checks to reserve your spot on a first come, first served basis beginning at the Guild pot luck on Tuesday 23 June. If you want to sign up for the class but are not coming to the pot luck, please contact Penny before 6 pm on Tuesday 23 June. If there are more than 8, we will have a random drawing of all those signed up on the first day.
There is a possibility that we will schedule a second session of the same class if there is enough demand. So if you are interested in the class but cannot go the weekend we have scheduled, please let us know.
Janet Austen, Tapestry Weaver
Floral Fragments #6 by Janet Austen
BFA, Fibers, Massachusetts College of Art
MFA, Painting, University of North Carolina at Greensboro
Coordinator and Secretary, 1993-2009, Tapestry Weavers in New
Board of Directors, 2001-2009, American Tapestry Alliance
Member: Weavers Guild of RI, Art League of RI.
Janet Austin has been weaving since 1972. She has taught weaving and spinning classes at the Durham (NC) Arts Council, Slater Mill, Court House Center for the Arts, various elementary schools, at the New England Weavers Seminar (NEWS), and in her studio. Her tapestries are exhibited nationally, most recently in Small Expressions 2014, The Art is the Cloth, and the upcoming Small Tapestry International 4. Janet lectures about tapestry, writes articles for Tapestry Topics, the newsletter of the American Tapestry Alliance, and is author of the blog: Tangled Web www.austintapestry.blogspot.com
Potluck Supper
June 23 Potluck Supper, Guild Meeting and Challenge Projects
This year Reba is graciously hosting the pot luck supper and Annual Meeting at her home. The supper will begin at 6:30pm. Please park on Armstrong Road rather than on Reba’s road as her road is too busy. Bring a dish to share and a place setting (plate, utensils and cup). Drinks will be provided.
Don’t forget your Guild Challenge projects which will be displayed. There will also be a silent auction of weaving books donated by Pat McAlpine. Reba will have some of her stash for sale and will give a percentage of the sales to the guild. We will also pick up our Softball Cotton Yarns for the blanket projects for nursing home donations.
Reminder – It is time to pay membership dues – please bring a check for $25 to the meeting and give it to Laura.
Details about the fall tapestry workshop with Janet Austin will be revealed at the meeting and deposits will be taken to reserve space in the workshop. The workshop will be held on October 24-25.
More on NEWS show entries
I have a slight correction to the procedure of entering items in the NEWS Fashion and/or Gallery Shows. All physical items *must* be delivered to NEWS by Susan Targove. The show intake people will not accept items that are brought in individually. The best way to get your items to Susan is to bring them to the potluck on 23June. If that isn’t an option for you, then please contact Susan directly.
Getting items back from the shows will work in a similar fashion. There will be one person appointed to pick up all items for our Guild, and individuals will not be allowed to collect items until the Guild Rep has taken possession of them.
I look forward to collecting your entry forms and fees this week. Please remember, they need to be postmarked by tomorrow (or delivered to the Tues morning study group at The Fiber Loft tomorrow morning)!
Laura