April Program: Show off your Errors & Swap/Sale
Members who have created a fiber project that did not go perfectly are encouraged to bring them to show and share. How did you move from unweaving/tinking/ripping out to acceptance? Did you repeat it as a new design element throughout your project or use it as a learning tool? Do you keep a learning journal and if so, how has this helped you?
Also slated for this month is a De-stash/Swap Meeting/Guild Sale. Guidelines are as follows:
- Only Fiber-related items, equipment, books, yarn, etc. may be brought to the meeting
- 4 tables will be set up and labeled – Guild Sale, Free, Swap, For Sale
- All items from the Guild sale/Swap/For Sale tables should be clearly labeled with owner’s name and $$
- Set-Up is between 9:30-10:30 am
- Sales/swaps will start AFTER the Business Meeting.
- Each member is responsible for their own financial transactions. Please bring cash/check if you plan to purchase, and Sellers should bring change. Some sellers may have Zelle, or other cashless forms accepted–that is up to them.
- Guild Sale Items – An envelope will be provided for you to place your cash or check in. The honor system will prevail.
- Swap items should be placed in a see-thru plastic bag with the owner’s name on it so folks can transact a swap with an item or items they brought.
- All items not claimed during the meeting must be taken home by the owner or given to Amy for donation at the end of the meeting. Amy will bring her truck and go to Goodwill to donate.
- Guests and Potential Members may purchase but may not sell. This is a guild member event.
Members Enjoy Statewide Conference
Several members of our Manasota Guild recently attended the FTWG Conference in Kissimmee, Florida. FTWG (Florida Tropical Weavers Guild) is the State wide weavers organization which hosts an annual conference. At the conference members participated in a variety of workshops. Here are pictures taken of projects participants worked on during the conference.
March Program: Guild Challenge
This years challenge was to represent “your happy place” in a fiber form. Our members were encouraged to choose a photograph, painting, advertisement or some image which evokes a sigh of relaxation, or a smile. It could be a woven, felted, or another form of fiber expression. Below are photos of projects members created to represent the chosen theme. They used their textile skills to weave, make tapestries and art quilts, and create dioramas.
Guild table at FTWG (the Florida Tropical Weavers Guild – our statewide organization which hosts an annual conference)
Fabric Collage Workshop Snapshots
Becky Kobos taught us how to create mini fabric collages in a frame-able card format. The group spent the day developing designs in cloth, fusing them together and Becky demonstrated free motion stitching.
See Becky’s studio and a description of her work here.
Our Liz Spear Workshop
What an exciting opportunity! Liz gave us a terrific ‘hands-on’ experience. She helped us create unique garments with individual style!
January Meeting News
On January 13th our members were the guests of the Sun City weavers as they sponsored their first Distaff Day. Traditionally this is the day that women returned to the work of spinning fiber into thread for weaving, after celebrating the holy days. The Sun City group offered a tour of their weaving facility, gave demonstrations of fiber techniques throughout the day, raffled prizes, offered treats and great ambiance to us.
January Mini-workshop: Weaving on Unusual Looms
January 3rd our members were able to try weaving on nontraditional looms such as rocks and shells. This exercise was an introduction to a different form of weaving – one that could be utilized on any number of objects.
Sixty Years and Thriving
Originally formed in 1964, the Manasota Weavers Guild has continued to explore the craft of weaving, share it with other curious people and evolve in new directions. Members shared memories of past guild activities, had a luncheon and shared a very special desert.
December Show & Tell
November in Review
Our meeting was jam packed with great activities this month! Those attending enjoyed a demonstration of Nuno Felting. With a Power Point and in person demo members had a chance to get comfortable with the technique.
Along with the program, members participated in other activities which included a towel exchange, Spinning group and a Fiberworks learning/sharing session. They also had a fantastic Show & Tell and a chance to look at prize weavings from Ruth Jelks a prominent Sarasota resident and past guild member.
Saori & Sakiori Workshop
Friday, November 3, members of the Manasota Weavers gathered to explore the principles of Saori & Sakiori weaving. Robyn Becker presented information about the weaving theory and Becky Kobos assisted. Each participant chose a curated color “inspiration” bag filled with a variety of yarns supported by an picture and color palette chosen to generate imagination. Textures, colors and different weaving techniques were used to create a weaving on a warped foam core loom. Final color choices were individual and unique to each weaver creating exciting and interesting fabric as shown below. We had a wonderful time to sharing stories and weaving together.
We hope you’ll join us at the next Friday workshop on January 5th where we’ll explore weaving on unusual looms. Sign-ups will be available at the guild meeting on November 11th.
Mission
Through monthly meetings, study groups and special workshops, Manasota Weavers Guild offers our members a range of opportunities to increase their knowledge and skills. We welcome new weavers and spinners and provide instruction and mentorship. Our members also promote awareness and appreciation of the fiber arts through a variety of community outreach programs.
Membership in the Guild is open to anyone interested in the arts of loom weaving, tapestry, spinning, knitting, basketry and related fiber arts.
