New blog banner photograph for the new year

For the past year we have been fortunate to have Debbie Scott's nuno felted silk and wool scarves as the banner photograph on this blog. Since you have only seen a "slice" of that photograph on the banner, here is the full photograph. These scarves are amazing.

Copyright 2015 Debbie Scott.

For 2015, one of Terry Martin's beautiful hand dyed and woven scarves will provide our colorful inspiration. Here is the gorgeous scarf from which the banner was taken.

Copyright 2015 Terry Martin

Thanks to Debbie and Terry for sharing their work!

Saturday's party begins at 11:00!

Annual Guild Holiday Lunch

The Guild’s holiday lunch is an annual tradition, where we celebrate fellowship and craft with a pot-luck meal and a gift exchange, and stories, laughter as we look back on another great year. This year’s lunch will be at Mary Kaiser’s house in Hoover at 11:00. Please bring a salad or dessert to share; paper goods and drinks will be provided. The gift exchange this year is a favorite small fiber-related gadget (no more than $15) that you would like to share with a guild member. Please wrap your gift and place it in a plain brown paper bag for our “blind” exchange.

If you don't have a gift to exchange PLEASE come anyway. It is a time for socializing and sharing cheer!

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A new knitting book club at the Homewood Library

 from Heather Cover

Knit One, Read, Too!

A book club at the Homewood Library

Tuesday, January 6, at 6:30 – 7:30 p.m. in the Lucretia M. Somers Boardroom,

 

Work on your WIPs as you talk about books in this brand new book club!  This month we’ll be talking about the stories in Knitting Yarns: Writers on Knitting edited by Ann Hood. Bring your knitting (or crochet, or smocking, or sewing, etc.) and enjoy light refreshments as we talk about the stories we liked, those we hated, and the ones that touched our hearts. Knit One, Read, Too will meet at 6:30 p.m. on the first Tuesday of each month. For more information contact Heather Cover at hcover@bham.lib.al.us or (205) 332-6621.

Guild Newsletter, December 2014

President’s Column                            Hello Fiber Friends! I know everyone is staying warm because we have all those beautiful wool articles we have made waiting for it to get cold! It's this time of year I really wish I could be like an octopus! Just think....the ability to have four projects going at once.....oh wait I already do that....but as an octopus I could finish them all at one time instead of having to prioritize and then something never gets finished in time......oh wait that's what January is for! Good luck with all your gift projects! May your needles never stop! We will be at UAB this month teaching 2 engineering classes about spinning and weaving! What a wonderful opportunity to enlighten the younger generation to the delights and secrets of our crafts! Also, I'm looking forward to seeing everyone at our Holiday Party at Mary Kaiser's, always such good food, friends and fun! Take care and knit/spin/weave on...Santa is counting on you! Karen Ford                                                                       December Meeting Annual Guild Holiday Lunch The Guild’s holiday lunch is an annual tradition, where we celebrate fellowship and craft with a pot-luck meal and a gift exchange, and stories, laughter as we look back on another great year.   This year’s lunch will be at Mary Kaiser’s house in Hoover (directions below).  Please bring a salad or dessert to share; paper goods and drinks will be provided.  The gift exchange this year is a favorite small fiber related gadget (no more than $15) that you would like to share with a guild member.  Please wrap your gift and place it in a plain brown paper bag for our “blind” exchange. And if you don't have a gift to exchange PLEASE come anyway. It is a time for socializing and sharing cheer! [Some data has been removed.]                                        The Happy Weaver Workshop - taught by Terry Martin Get ready to enjoy your loom. .. This workshop is for you if you are a new weaver - it will help you develop good habits from the beginning.  This workshop is for you - if you have put the loom aside and keep planning to get back to it but just can’t seem to make yourself.  We will be weaving a project with the focus on having a well-prepared loom and to cultivate the ergonomics of weaving.  This results in few broken threads and fewer frustrations.  Plan to get organized, learn good habits, refresh your skills, enhance your understanding of the process from the beginning to the finished project and be a Happy Weaver.    Date:  FRIDAY, February 27 and SATURDAY, February 28, 2015 Location:  St. Peter’s Catholic Church in Hoover, Alabama             The downstairs room located underneath the sanctuary.  Time:  8:30 a.m. with your loom.  Please try to arrive by 8:30 a.m.   DEADLINE FOR REGISTRATION:  January 27, 2015 Guild members will be offered first choice to sign-up for the workshop,  non-guild members will be put on a waiting list and notified if there are openings.   Maximum number of participants:  12. Participants will need to have a 4 or 8 harness table loom or portable floor loom in good working order. Registration to Debbie Scott (GBFG workshop chairperson)  - workshops@greaterbirminghamfiberguild.com   Registration Cost:   $125.00 for 2 days(NON-REFUNDABLE) made to the Greater Birmingham Fiber Guild –        MAIL TO:        GBFG, P.O. Box 660723, Birmingham, AL  35266-0723 OR You may also give your check to Debbie Scott no later than JANUARY 27, 2015. Guild will be providing lunch both days.  MATERIALS FEE: Yet to be determined by Terry Martin.   Interesting Fiber Items to Read and Check Out... Some interesting information about Natural Dyeing: 'Donna Hardy brings the blue dye plant back to its Lowcountry roots' - http://www.charlestoncitypaper.com/charleston/donna-hardy-brings-the-blue-dye-plant-back-to-its-lowcountry-roots/Content?oid=4994405 'The Colours of Nature produces 100% eco-friendly natural dyed textiles. Since the beginning we have researched the ancient traditional dyes from India in order to recover ancient dyeing art for the modern textile industry. We have recovered the 4000 years old indigo dyeing fermentation technique. We have also recovered the mordent dyes with alum in the technique called Turkish red. The Colours of Nature has taken a holistic approach to the use of natural dyes, integrating all aspects of the process and is further researching in this field.'  www.thecoloursofnature.com BLUE ALCHEMY: 'Stories of Indigo is a feature-length documentary about indigo, a blue dye that has captured the human imagination for millennia. It is also about people who are reviving indigo in projects that are intended to improve life in their communities, preserve cultural integrity, improve the environment, and bring beauty to the world. BLUE ALCHEMY was filmed in India, Japan, Bangladesh, Mexico, El Salvador, Nigeria, and the USA.'    www.bluealchemyindigo.com      A very interesting article about the restoration of the Musee de Cluny's 'Lady With the Unicorn'.  Donna Hardy pointed out that the "tapestries are dyed with vegetable dyes such as madder and weld, they have not faded in 500 years, they still have that beautiful glow. Here's a quote from the article.'In 1992-1993, the lower parts of the tapestries were rewoven with fibers dyed with synthetic colorings that faded over time. People tend to think that the faded parts are older, whereas it’s exactly the opposite.' If done properly, natural dyes will not fade, here's the proof!" http://www.blouinartinfo.com/news/story/998953/restoring-the-musee-de-clunys-lady-with-the-unicornFUN short video on 25 different ways to wear a scarf. Definitely put a smile on my face, enjoy! http://lifehacker.com/25-different-ways-to-wear-a-scarf-in-one-5-minute-vide-1497868372?utm_campaign=socialflow_lifehacker_facebook&utm_source=lifehacker_facebook&utm_medium=socialflow   GBFG 2015 Nominating Committe The nominating committee has been formed and will be chaired by Jennifer Justiss. Also serving are Jennifer Lackey and Nancy Clemmons. The proposed slate for 2015 officers is the following: President - Karen Ford Program - Mary Kaiser Workshops - Debbie Scott Membership - Emily Levitan Treasurer - Nancy Lavender Secretary - Janice Weinstein Website - Mary Spanos Newsletter - Deb Kattus If there are any additions or questions, please contact Jennifer Justiss prior to the December 13th Holiday Party. The proposed 2015 Slate of Officers will be voted on at the Holiday Party.   It's Almost Winter and Time for Art Shows Mark Your Calendars! Christmas on the Bluff - December 11 - Noon to 9PM                         Artists on the Bluff                         571 Park Ave                         Hoover, AL 35226 Forest Park/Avondale Craft Bazaar -  December 13th and 14th - 11 - 5 pm both days. Blue Light Art Show - December 13th (9 - 4 pm) and 14th (11 - 4 pm) - Earthborn Studios, Leeds, AL          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. Signing off from the Newsletter News   This will be my last month crafting the GBFG's Monthly Newsletter. It has been a great year gathering and sending out all types of information to the Guild members and mailing list. The list has grown to almost 100 subscribers! What a tribute to the hard work  of the Guild' board recruitment and programming efforts. Start looking for fiber tidbits to send the next Newsletter guru! Susie Strauss 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).     2014 Officers and Board    Karen Ford – President Mary Kaiser – Program Debbie Scott – Workshops Emily Levitan - Membership Nancy Lavender – Treasurer Janice Weinstein - Secretary Mary Spanos – Website Susie Strauss - 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.  See  http://www.lucyneatby.com/dvd_contents.html for description of DVD contents. 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.

Copyright © 2014 Greater Birmingham Fiber Guild, All rights reserved. You are getting this email because you are a member of the Greater Birmingham Fiber Guild or are somehow affiliated with the organization. Our mailing address is: Greater Birmingham Fiber Guild P.O. Box 660723 Birmingham, AL 35266