Tuesday, March 17, 2015

Blue!

At Saturday's meeting, Deborah Narramore described something interesting that she had recently come across. Someone had realized that the color blue was not mentioned in either of Homer's books, the Iliad or the Odyssey, and suggested that this could indicate that the color blue was one of the last dyes to be discovered.


After the meeting, Jennifer Lackey remembered hearing a Radiolab episode about this very topic. You can listen to the podcast and ponder the possibilities for yourself: http://www.radiolab.org/story/211213-sky-isnt-blue/
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30" Schacht Flip loom with stand for sale!

From Elizabeth Blake:

For sale:  30” Schacht Flip Loom WITH stand, includes 10 dent reed, two warping pegs, two shuttles, two clamps, threading hook, and complete warping and weaving instructions.  Bought in January and used once before I realized I just don’t love weaving.  Pictures and description can be found here: 

http://www.woolery.com/store/pc/Schacht-Flip-Rigid-Heddle-Loom-Available-in-15-to-30-p6884.htm

Retails for $378 for loom and $199 for stand, will sell both for $500.  Please call Elizabeth at 910-1951 or email trailingyarn@gmail.com if interested.  Am posting to Ravelry this weekend but would prefer to sell locally.

Thanks!
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Wednesday, March 11, 2015

Charities you may want to help

If you are interested in volunteering your fiber expertise to help others, you might be interested in the articles a couple of our members sent in.

Janice Weinstein recently found an interesting online article about charities looking for handmade donations: 7-charities-looking-yarn-crafters

Deb Kattus received the following call for local volunteers: Yarns Downtown call for volunteer knitters
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Friday, March 6, 2015

Guild Newsletter, March 2014

Newsletter of the Greater Birmingham Fiber Guild 

 

                      President’s Column   
 

                        

                   
 

Hello Fiber Friends!

As I was contemplating what exactly to write this month, the subject of mentoring came to mind. I think this is a critical  concept in the fiber world. I believe I read somewhere that you must teach your craft to 7 people in your lifetime in order to keep your craft alive!

I know fiber folks  to be a most generous and giving people.......always quick to share a trick or a short cut they have learned or even developed themselves. And they are especially comforting when you hit a snag in a project, drop those stitches, break a weaving thread or have your flyer literally fly off your wheel. They will patiently sit and listen to your wheel to find the "noise", advise on sett, and drool over your fiber.

In keeping with this thought, the project the knitting group did a while back is ready to be presented to you all...generously, with love and much creativity!!!! I can't wait to see it all put together!! I love our Show and Tell segment in the meeting when all this is displayed....the excitement over a finished project, group groaning over a failure, and of course help and advice on making whatever better!!!!!

See you all on Saturday! Can't wait to see what you have been up to this past month! I'm still thinking about those lovely antique wheels we learned about last month!!!!!

Karen Ford

 

                                                                                                
                                                                    
 


March  Meeting
Saturday, March 14
10:00am - noon
  St. Peter the Apostle Catholic Church
2061 Patton Chapel Rd
Birmingham, AL  (205) 822-4480

 

The Old Shale e-Book:
A presentation by the Wednesday
Afternoon Knitting Study Group

The Wednesday afternoon knitting study group has been working on an unusual project that they are finally ready to share.

They began working on an e-book last year that presents more than  50 variations of the traditional Shetland lace stitch called Old Shale (often called Feather and Fan).

Eleven  group members knitted large samples of 5 different variations each. Photographs, charts, instructions, and more, have been collected into a PDF that the group plans to distribute for free from the guild blog and from Ravelry. There is still a little editing and
proofreading to do, but if you can bring your iPad, smart phone, Android tablet, or any wifi-ready device to the meeting, you'll be able to download the pre-release version of the Old Shale e-book, complete with photographs and charts.

For anyone who likes to experiment in the field of fiber arts, this program should be inspirational, and for anyone who likes to knit, you will come away with an encyclopedia of new stitches to try on your next scarf, baby blanket, or sweater.
                
Interesting Fiber Items to Read and Check Out...

 
The Guild on the Web
Between newsletters and meetings, keep up with the guild at http://greaterbirminghamfiberguild.blogspot.com/ If you don't want to have to visit the blog to see if anything new has been posted, you can choose to receive new posts by email. Go to the blog and look for "Follow by Email" on the right hand side of the page. Type your email address in the window and click "Submit."
    If you want to have something posted on the blog, send it to web@greaterbirminghamfiberguild.com
 
 
                  
            
         Study Groups Meet Monthly
  • Spinning Study Group:  4th Wednesday of the month from 10 am to 2 pm at St. Peter’s Church in Hoover.  Please check out the GBFG Blog  for cancellations or schedule changes.
  • Nancy Clemmons is interested in sharing her love of tatting with others by teaching one or more in her home. Please contact her if you are interested.
  • More groups may meet in the future.  Watch the newsletter for more information and let a board member know if you are interested in a study group.
 

Newsletter News...
 
Each month, I am planning to have items coming from YOU, our Guild members. These will include short book reviews related to any fiber art; a tip you have discovered and used that make your fiber art a little bit easier to execute; any fiber related articles; and a fiber question you would love answers or suggestions from other guild members. Please send your ideas, suggestions, book recommendations, questions to me (Deborah Kattus ) by the 20th of the month to go into the following month's newsletter.
Email me at newsletter@greaterbirminghamfiberguild.com put GBFG Newsletter in the subject line.

 

Greater Birmingham Fiber Guild
 
The Greater Birmingham Fiber Guild is comprised of individuals dedicated to the dissemination and preservation of fiber arts.  Meetings are the second Saturday of the month, 10:00-12:00 (no meeting in July). Visitors are welcome.  The Guild offers programs almost monthly, focused workshops several times a year, and equipment rental (see below). 
 
 2015 Officers and Board 
 
Karen Ford – President
Mary Kaiser – Program
Debbie Scott – Workshops
Emily Levitan - Membership
Nancy Lavender – Treasurer
Janice Weinstein - Secretary
Mary Spanos – Website
Deborah Kattus - Newsletter
Janelle Zorko Schultz - Past President
 
 
Rental of Guild Equipment & Materials
 
The Guild has available, for rental to members, the following:
  • Lucy Neatby's DVD knitting collection. 
  • Drum Carder
  • Laura Fry's Magic in the Water  book and DVD.
There will be a $30 deposit per DVD (Lucy Neatby) and $100 deposit for the drum carder. Deposit for Laura Fry's materials still to be determined.
The rental fee for all items is $5 per month rented.
Equipment can only be checked out at Fiber Guild monthly meetings and a check-out list will be posted inside the door of the cabinet. Deposit checks will be held by Nancy Lavender, treasurer, until returned in original condition.
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