Fabric Archives - Desert Weavers & Spinners

January 2024 Meeting

Date:
Monday, January 22, 2024 at 9:30 am Pacific time

Program:
Robyn Spady: Thirty-Six Techniques to Make Your Weaving Easier and Happier

Robyn spoke about her history, process and work. Here is a program description from Robyn:

“Would you like to learn a great method for repairing a broken warp end, tracking your treadling while you weave, making your own repair heddles, or just make weaving easier and more pleasurable? This gizmo-and-gadget centric presentation looks and feels like an interactive show-and-tell and will introduce over 36 offbeat tools, techniques, or tricks to assist weavers in all phases of weaving.”

Show and Share

Sandi Wollin: *Warp for Scarves for Winners of Manhattan Amateur Classic Amateur Ballroom and Latin Champions. Cashmere, Silk, Merino Blend 2/28.*

August 2023 Meeting

Date:
Monday, August 28, 2023 at 9:30 am Pacific time

Program:

Denise Squires: Raising Fiber

DWS Member Denise Squires led a discussion on her journey from how she acquired her first sheep at the age of 13 to her present day work with Shetland sheep, Angora goats and Angora rabbits. She also shared what she does with her sheep; experiences at various county and state fairs and shows; her work with 4H kids; and her fiber art work.

Show and Share

Bren Ahearn: *School Shootings in the USA: March 31, 2011-January 30, 2019*. Wool felt, ink; 72″H X 216″W, 2023 (Model: Doug Brown)

Bren Ahearn: *School Shootings in the USA: March 31, 2011-January 30, 2019* (Detail). Wool felt, ink; 72″H X 216″W, 2023

May 2023 Meeting

Date:
Monday, May 22, 2023 at 9:30 am Pacific time

Program:

Robyn Spady spoke on Closures and noted that making a buttonhole can be daunting since it often means putting a hole in a garment or fashion accessory. In this session, participants explored different techniques that may be used to secure a garment or fashion accessory. The group learned that from frogs and hand-wrapped hooks and eyes to knotting and clasps, designing and making your own closures can be fun and exciting.

Show and Share

Linda Bohlinger: *8/2 Cotton Towel* (huck weave on rigid heddle loom)

Denise Squires: *Shawl* (woven on 24″ Ashford rigid heddle, using a 7.5 dent reed. Yarn: Lion Mandala 100% acrylic Chimera color way; Used a pick-up stick for 1:1 waffle weave. Finished size: 21.5″ X 80″)

April 2023 Meeting

Date:
Monday, April 24, 2023 at 9:30 am Pacific time

Program:
Joan Ruane: How Important Industrial Hemp is to our Environment

Joan has been teaching spinning for almost 30 years. As a graduate from Springfield College, she taught in the Tucson public schools before going to New Zealand in 1971. In New Zealand at that time were 3 million people and 30 million sheep, she learned to spin from Ruth Reid. Returning home to the U.S. a year later, she brought with her two fleeces, a Pipy wheel and a flick carder.

In time, Joan’s focus turned to industrial hemp which is the topic of her presentation entitled How Important Industrial Hemp is to our Environment.

Joan informed the group how to spin and weave industrial hemp.

Show and Share

Sammie McGlasson: *Scarf*: variegated mohair, variegated handspun wool, 8/2 cotton, variegated nylon warp, variegated nylon weft

February 2023 Meeting

Eco-Printing on Silk Scarves + Show and Share

Date:
Monday, February 27, 2023 at 9:30 am Pacific time

Program:
Eco-Printing on Silk Scarves: From Plant to Print
by Suzanne Chappell & Nettie Roberts

Nettie and Suzanne shared their eco-printing journey of discovery. They explained that eco-printing is the transfer of plant images onto cloth, paper or leather, and it can be done with or without the use of mordants. The natural juices and tannins present in plant leaves and flowers magically produce different colored prints on, in our case, fabric. They also gave a demo.

Nettie Roberts is an artist who likes to experiment with anything fiber.

Suzanne Chappell is primarily a weaver who likes to dabble.

Nettie Roberts (foreground), Suzanne Chappell (behind Nettie), Tech Person Jeffery Pinkston (with striped shirt)

2022 Fiber Challenge & December 2022 Show-and-Share

In May of this year we started a Fiber challenge. The same fiber was given to every one who signed up to take part in the challenge, we had around 20 people sign up. We showed off the projects as our December program. Here are the guidelines that were given:

You can combine it in any way you choose to create something unique to you: spin it, knit with it, incorporate it into a weaving, felt with it, wrap it, …you name it, you do it. We are asking everyone to take a few notes as to how you decided to create what you did and take a few pictures as you go along to document how you got to your finished masterpiece! We will share it at the December meeting as the program. It will be fun to see what we all come up with.

Thanks to Martha Lumia for organizing the challenge.

Here is the fiber, pre-challenge:

Here are some of the Fiber Challenge creations:

October 30 – Meeting Photos

Our October meeting focused on the various items that can be woven with a Riggid Heddle loom. Mariellen Boss, the speaker shown above, gave us a background on the “little loom.” She also shared many of the variations on the popular loom including; the size, portability, price and versatility. Here are some of the beautiful results that our members wove. Continue reading “October 30 – Meeting Photos”

September 25 Meeting Photos

Our President, Linda Bohlinger shared this beautifully woven multi-shaft fabric that she will make into a garment (photo by Julie Roy) during our “show and share” portion of the meeting. After that, Carol Loch presented a program about Inkle Looms. Here are some photos taken by Sandra Wolin during the program and more photos of the many talents from our members. Continue reading “September 25 Meeting Photos”

August 28 meeting

We have a special treat in a fascinating hand-woven textile presentation. Darleen Wilkerson Karpowicz, local artist and designer, will present Uzbekistan and Central Asia hand-woven textiles. Continue reading “August 28 meeting”