The Memphis Guild of Handloom Weavers

January 2012

The January issue of Common Threads, the MGHW newsletter, is now available. Send items now for the February issue - send your submissions to mghw@memphisfiberarts.org.

Send photos and descriptions of your studio & favorite tools for the February program.

Current Membership Directory

Members - Dues for 2011-12 are now being collected. They are now $40/year.

Weaving Classes!

Weave a Scarf in a Day is scheduled for Saturday, January 14, 2012 and Wednesday, January 18. $60 includes all materials and use of equipment. Looms are warped and ready, you choose a color and weave the scarf! Gift Certificate available!

Want to learn more? Beginning Weaving workshops start with an empty loom. Learn the basics of four-shaft weaving as you read a pattern, wind a warp, dress the loom and weave at least four different patterns before exploring on your own. Classes run Saturday-Sunday February 11-12. $110 includes use of equipment and all materials. $20 off for guild members or students who join MGHW.

Details and registration forms for Weave a Scarf in a Day and Beginning Weaving.

Photos from previous classes:2010, 2009.

Twill-O-Rama Workshop

Join Mary Jorgensen to explore the endless possibilities of the “Queen” weave structures, Twill. This is a “round robin” workshop suitable for newer weavers. Prior to the workshop, participants will warp their looms in a variety of twills using triadic color schemes. Mary will furnish all warp and weft yarns and wind all warps, which will be distributed at the Holiday Luncheon. Each sample 6” warp contains 3 different threadings and will be woven in 3 different treadlings during the workshop. At the conclusion, participants will leave with a notebook of samples to aid them in future weaving pursuits.

January 28 – 29, 2012, 9:00 AM – 4:30 PM, Saturday, 1:00 PM – 4:30 PM Sunday at the Weaving Room @ St. John’s.
$60.00 Workshop Fee plus $25.00 Supply Fee includes all yarns and notebook. This workshop is full.

Favorite Studios and Tools

Our February 25 meeting program will feature member's weaving spaces and favorite tools. Share and learn what works - or doesn't - so we can all move toward a more comfortable and productive creative space. Roni Engle is facilitating this group sharing program. Please submit photos of your studio space and your tips.

Holiday Luncheon!

MGHW members and guests gathered for winter cheer at our potluck luncheon and silent auction Saturday, December 17, 2011, 11:00 am in the MGHW studio at St. John's. Yummy food graced our plate while yarns, books, tools and other goodies appeared in the auction.

Bead Leno Workshop

Leno is a lace structure formed by twisting warp threads. "Bead Leno" uses bead or short straws to cause warp threads to twist, making a loom-controlled structure out of one that is usually hand manipulated. The beads are part of the loom, not the cloth! Our own Jennifer Sargent led this workshop for 4 and 8-shaft looms on Saturday November 12.

Warping Back-to-Front, Plus!
Saturday, October 22 - 9:30am-noon, MGHW Studio

Angela demonstrated a process for warping a loom back-to-front, with extra tips for dealing with challenging warps and extra techniques that will come in handy whichever way you work (like tying on with shoestrings. Sounds strange? It makes tensioning your warp easy!) Download Angela's notes from the program.

There will be a meeting of the Tablet Weavers' Study Group immediately following the guild meeting. The topic will be methods of holding the warp. We'll have setups of backstrap, weighted warps, table looms and others to try out and we'll examining the pros and cons. All are welcome, and encouraged to bring a warp with their favorite setup.

Weaving in the Park!

MGHW members shared their love of the loom for the 23rd year as demonstrating craftsmen and vendors at the Pink Palace Crafts Fair in Overton Park, October 6-9. Many handwoven items went home with festival attendees. Thank you weavers and visitors for sharing a beautiful weekend weaving in the park.

Welcome Back Weavers!

MGHW kicks off the new 2011-2012 Calendar on Saturday, August 27 with "What We Did Over the Long, Hot Summer" as members share projects, workbooks, photos and tales of their summer weaving adventures. The new schedule features something for everyone, whether you're working on basic skills, wanting to experiment with structure or get creative with color, improve your studio space, or display your work. See the full Calendar.

It is time to renew memberships. Dues are $40/year. Guild members voted to raise dues to cover our operating expenses.

New Looms!

The guild's new looms have arrived and assembly is complete! We are now the owners of four beautiful new Harrisville Designs 22" workshop floor looms - two 4-shaft and two 8-shaft - and a Louet Jane 15" 8-shaft table loom.