Monday, April 8, 2019

Celebrating our Guilds 40th Anniversary 
with a tea held on May 11th.
For all members and former members ....




Friday, April 5, 2019

April Show and Tell
Anne knit a multi-grey shawl.  Sorted colours spun and knit
from one Costwold sheep.

Anne's home spun sweater, circular knit yoke.
Margaret's knit vest out of her wool, processed at
"That Darn Yarn Shop" in Kamloops.

Myrna's shoulder 3D felted purse, made at the recent Felted Workshop
with an adjustable corded strap.

Jacquie's pink and charcoal twill tea towels inspired by a skein of
lace weight cotton.


Ann's tea towel, black weft resleyed to 20 epi. Front .....

Back of the tea towel.

Ann made this green sleeveless top - 16 epi sett made
looser.  Going to make 2 more.

Ann's felted purse with felted strap attached,
made at the Felted Workshop.  Strap attached with
a button on the inside.  She also made a small change
purse to go inside. 

Carole's triangle lace shawl from a book of sock yarn shawls.

Try to get these ladies to smile nice for the camera!
Carole knitted vest for her granddaughter, needs buttons!

Now Carole needs to make two more vests for her grandsons, this one still needs to be
put together.  Two down, one more to knit!

Gudie's "Inspired by a photo" recycled skein, brown earth,
bright green for sprouts and growth.

 This is Gudie's "inspired by a photo" kayaking on White Lake, saori weaving.

Sharon is sewing quilts, one with piped binding.  She also has a blue green colour gamp 
on a loom in her studio that she is working on.
Sharon's woven broken twill runner in natural colours.


Barbara's needle felted gnomes, made with the Kooteney forest as her inspiration.
While hiking through the forest!

Needle felted Easter egg.

Mona's tea towels, 8S hearts and 12 treadles.


Mona's cream wet felted jacket with needle felted flower
on the shoulder.

Louise's Scottish town traditional pattern on a shaped cowl.

Louise's Yak and Silk handspun 618 yards in 100 grams.

Lady Weaving in the Woods ... Alpaca twill weave infinity scarf.

Lady Weaving in the Woods ... 

Lady Weaving in the Woods ... Colour and weave hucklace tea towel. 
Noelle's 16 small socks knit from her small bits of sock yarn.

Noelle's tapestry.

Thursday, April 4, 2019

April Monthly Meeting - Special Guest
Dr. Ruth Brighouse was our guest speaker at our April meeting.  She has traveled to Guatemala for the past 17 years and loves their textiles.  She brought us samples of weaving from different villages in Guatemala.  Each village has distinctive patterns that they weave and she brought examples of their large wide weaving and embroidery.  She would like to organize a fibre textile trip for 8-12 individuals for November 2020.  If you are interested in more details contact Sherry at katzlady15@yahoo.ca. 




April Monthly Meeting
Shuswap Spinners and Weavers
Minutes
April 1st 2019  evening meeting

Called to order just after 7:00p.m. by President Sherry B who then introduced our guest speaker.

Dr Ruth Brighouse who has traveled to Guatemala for the past 17 years and loves textiles.   Each
village has distinctive patterns that they weave and she had many examples of their large wide weaving
and embroidery.  She would like to organize a fibre textile trip for between 8 and 12 individuals for
Nov 2020. She has so far arranged for a 12 seater van and driver and 3 back strap weavers that would
teach Back strap weaving. She estimates Kelowna to Guatemala to Kelowna cost for a 2 week trip
around $3000 - $4000.00.   She will keep in touch with plans with Sherry B. She has traveled
extensively around the rural areas doing surgeries for people that can not afford to go to the large
centres for medical aid and developed a midwife emergency plan in rural areas. She says it is a safe
area to travel in and a democratic dictatorship with changes every 4 years.  
Contact email is ruthbrighouse@attglobal.net

Minutes of March meeting moved by Carole D to be accepted as written, 2nd by Jacquie H. all in favor.

Additions to the Agenda
1.  That we will hold a Used Equipment sale at the October meeting since the Feb one was fun.

2. New membership list will be emailed out to everyone and PLEASE check correct spelling of names
when contacting people

3. Discussed Renovation plan (May thru Aug) for Rooms 1,2,3, for the Rec Centre and possibly in the
future that we may get pushed out of the rec centre if their direction changes.  Darby Boyd, General
Manager of the Shuswap Recreation Society met with Noelle and Ann, and dropped hints that we did
events at Haney House and Ann had the impression that he was suggesting that we meet there.   We can
not plan until we know what the situation is so it was suggested that we write a letter and ask for
clarification and state our concerns and position.

4. Lis B volunteered to take the Minutes at the May meeting as both Louise and Lynne will be away

Reports

Library- Gabrielle C- reported that the GCW Bulletin, VAV and Spin Off magazines are in the library.

Equipment- Ann N- 1 table loom rented, nothing else to reported

Workshop report- Louise S-  Gave final accounting for the 6 ANWG Workshops
                           -written report attached to minutes.
                          - everyone agreed workshops were great and knowledge gained was immense
- questions about making money-  however considering the overall pre-planning and last minute
problems that pop up when planning workshops this amount is not excessive and can be used for
future workshop subsidies.   We have to value instruction and the time instructors put into their
workshops. As the instructors were from within the guild they did not charge full fees. And
members should not complain about a $30.00 fee for a full day workshop.
Sharon gave a thank-you to Louise for writing the grant and organizing the workshops.  Louise wants
to thank all the people who have helped her write the grant.

SAF report- Althea M – reported that all the classes in A8 have been gone over and revamped and
should be typed up soon, New classes were added and some removed.  Need to give feedback for next
year after we see the new list.
Next SAF meeting they will discuss Prize Money for classes, etc.  Noelle has transferred the SASCU
grant of $300.00 to the SAF for the Sheep to Shawl prizes but we need 450.00 so will see if the fair will
cover that,  and also $100.00 for prize money, to be decided where to use.

Blog and Facebook- Bea J- all up to date

Historian – Wendy L – Bea reproduced a bunch of pictures from the blog so they have been put in
scrapbooks now,   Janet P took slides and put them on a USB Stick so easier to look at now.
Thank-you everyone.

Elections- Judith absent – however she will be phoning people and asking you to step forward into
vacant positions.  Consider getting involved, phone Judith to volunteer.

Tuesday Night Spinning- Bea J- Rod and Bea will be going to the OK Library at the Piccadilly Mall
every Tuesday 6-8:00 p. m., as they have missed a couple due to snow and poor roads and new people
were wondering  “Where the spinners were?”

Sheep to Shawl- Lis B-  She has 1 Rep Weave blue placemat not claimed from the guild project.  
Contact Lis if this is yours.
Salmon Arm team- Carole D will weave, Bea J, and Lis B will spin. We need 3 more spinners and some
one has to do the plying.
Monashee Weavers have said they will not be attending.  She has not heard from any other groups.

Enderby Art Festival – Lis B- We will rent 1 space 10’x10’ for 25.00 and usually get another 2 spaces
for doing demos 20’ x 10’.  Several people said they would attend and help Lis. -Barb A, Louise S,
Wendy L, and some others which I didn’t get names.

ANWG Conference- asked who was going to Prince George, no one has plans to go yet.   So we will
not be doing a booth.

Piccadilly Display Case- Loanna K- April using theme of “inspiration from” and showing a picture and
then the final products.  Almost set up.
May- need a sign promoting our 40th Anniversary- possibly guild projects from the past 40 years –
Ann suggested everyone bring their projects for the display window and the Anniversary/Reunion Tea.
Loanna is away from June til Fall so needs someone to organize summer window displays. Probably
will continue with 40th Anniversary themes.

Baby Blanket project- Jill W- 3 are done, only 2 left to weave on this warp.

40th Anniversary/Reunion Tea- Ann N – showed beautiful invitations made by Carolyn V
Showed some past guild projects and asked members to look and then bring their guild projects for
display at the tea and in the mall window display.  Has a sign up sheet for goodies that will be bought
instead of buying from a store as ours always taste so much better,
Has a sign up sheet for attendance.
Sept 20,1979 was our first meeting, people have been going thru scrapbooks, membership lists, and
other sources finding past members that are no longer attending and inviting them.
Ann has made a list of past deceased members and is making an honor board.
More last minute info at May meeting.

Gamp Project-  AnnN- another warp tied on ready to weave,  finished gamps passed out to members.
Add your name to list in the guild room if you haven’t already done a gamp and you want to.
Sharon also has a blue/green warp on a loom at her studio in Armstrong. Contact Sharon

June Potluck -  6:00 p.m.  in Room 1- short meeting and elections after eating.   Bring any show and
tell and your SHEEP THEME projects.

Spin Out Oct 26th- Bea J – no report – Committee- Marianne M, Bea J, Marg F, Michelle F,

Dates to Remember:
Vernon Spin In- APRIL 13th Sat
SSW Meeting- May 6th evening
40th Anniversary/reunion Tea- Sat May 11- 2-4:00 p.m.
SSW House Spin in – Elvi Pukas -Thursday May 23rd

Lumby Days – Demos by Monashee Weavers and Spinners June 8 & 9th 10:00-4:00
ANWG Conference Prince George- June 11 -16th
Father’s Day- June 16th Haney House
Pioneer Days- July 14th Haney House
Enderby Arts Festival- Sat July 27th
Car show- August 11th Haney House

Thank-you to Bea J and Myrna B for April Goodies

Next meeting May 6th 7-9:30        Fibres Unlimited 2:30-5:00-Rm 3
Meeting adjourned at 8:25     Attendance 34 people
Coffee Break

Show and tell was very good look at the blog or Facebook soon.

Guild weaves 40 years of warm memories together

Shuswap Spinners and Weavers celebrate 40th anniversary with events throughout the year.

Friends and Neighbours by Leah Blain, Salmon Arm Observer
It all started with a notice in the Salmon Arm Observer 40 years ago.
The article caught Noelle Cox’s attention. She and her husband were still new to town, having moved here the year before.
“Someone put an ad in the paper that said, ‘If you’re interested in joining a spinners and weavers guild to come to a meeting in the basement of the library. I was quite excited,” said Noelle.
The Shuswap Spinners and Weavers guild formed in 1979. That year they had their first Christmas sale in the library basement (the building that is now the art gallery). The next year they had their first sheep to shawl demonstration. Of course, these public demonstrations and competitions didn’t always go well. They laughed as they recalled one particular competition at the fair.
“We had three teams – Vernon, Kelowna and Salmon Arm,” said Ann Nikmo, “the only space we had was the quonset hut so we had to take turns. We did ours on Friday and people kept telling us to ‘sshhhh’ during the opening ceremonies, but we said, we’re in a competition and we have to finish by a certain time.’”
And then there was the guild sweater project. They had asked James Murray, who was the Observer photographer at the time, to take a picture of the finished product. It didn’t quite work out the way they wanted.
“The sleeves were different sizes,” said Ann laughing at the memory.
They had to do some fancy manoeuvring so it wouldn’t be noticeable in the picture.
“If you didn’t have these failures you wouldn’t have things to talk about and laugh about,” Ann added.
Over the years the club held pretty steady between 30 to 40 members.
“About five years ago it took a big jump. We had between 60 and 70 members.”
The key to their continuous popularity is twofold.
“We’re very inclusive,” said Ann, who has been a member for 30 years. “Anyone working with fibre can belong.”
The spinners and weavers guild includes felters, dyers, knitters and crocheters. Besides welcoming an eclectic mix, they are active in the community.
“I think because it’s because we do a lot of stuff in public,” said Noelle. “We go to the Salmon Arm Fair and heritage days at the mall and I think that brings in a lot of people.”
“We’re a very active group both in our own right and the community,” added Ann. “We have a blog, we’re on Facebook and on Tuesday nights we’re at the library.”
Ann’s own history with weaving began in her post-secondary school years.
“I was at university in home economics and I had to take a textile course. The new professor was from Eastern Europe and she had to take all these people and try to teach us textiles…”
Her professor was the internationally-acclaimed textile artist Joanna Staniszkis whose commissioned works hang in prominent buildings around the world.
Both Ann and Noelle enjoy their creations on a more practical level.
“I use my blankets, tea-towels and table runners,” said Noelle.
“Not a day goes by when I don’t use something I’ve made,” said Ann, explaining it’s a great way to up-cycle.
“I think what I love is that you can just take a bunch of yarn and create so many different looks and create something from scratch. I’ve seldom gone into a store and bought yarn. I create things from other people’s left-overs. It’s fun to do.”
The Shuswap Spinners and Weavers will be having a few events throughout the year to celebrate their 40th anniversary. To find out more visit their Facebook page or their blog, shuswapspinnersweavers.blogspot.com