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President’s Column
Hello Fiber Friends!
Great news! The Guild has a new meeting place! Starting in September we
will be meeting at In the Making in Cahaba Heights! Big thanks to Donna
for welcoming us there! We will meet in the downstairs room. Be aware
that parking will be an issue as construction will be ongoing.
The specifics will be in the August newsletter. We certainly enjoyed our
time at St. Peter's! But what better place for us than in a knit
shop!!!!
I am excited about 2 more things this month....color and spinning.
Gale's presentation got me all enthused...can't wait to dye my sock
blanks in August! Planning on some wild socks! Then the second thing is
the Tour de Fleece. If you haven't heard, go to our Ravelry page and
find out. Such a clever way to get us spinning. Our thanks to Gale for
telling us about this. We are the Vulcan Spinners.....think you'll like
the picture of our mascot! Also, we have spinning fiber packets for
those spinners who want to participate....limit one per spinner and they
are $10.
Stay cool and hydrated...the Corgis are seeking out the A/C vents and
ice cubes! Since there will be no meeting in July, I'll see some of you
at the workshop in August. Then it's time for a Fiber Frenzy in
September!
Karen
Remember no meeting in July!
We will resume meetings in August with our Dyeing workshop which will be at Karen Ford's house.
Then in September, we will have Fiber Frenzy at new meeting place In the Making in Cahaba Heights.
GBFG Sock Blank Dyeing Workshop
Saturday, August 8
We
have 27 members that have signed up for dyeing workshop. Registration
is now closed. The location has changed to Karen Ford's house . More
information will be forthcoming in August newsletter.
Bring Us Your Best for the Homewood Show
It’s
not too early to begin thinking about our annual guild exhibit at the
Homewood Public Library, during the month of September, 2015. Our theme
this year is “Bring Us Your Best.” Please consider displaying your
best work from the past year, or any work you’re proud of that hasn’t
been seen in public. For the past ten years or more, the library has
welcomed us to use the two large glass cases in the entrance foyer, as
well as three table-top cases in the central hallway. The exhibit will
run through the month of September, and we will collect your work at the
August guild meeting, returning your work at the October meeting. If
it not possible for you to bring your work to the August meeting, please
email Mary Kaiser to arrange for pickup. This is a great opportunity
for guild members who do not sell their work to shine in a
museum-quality setting, and it’s also a way for professional fiber
artists in the guild to reach a wide audience.
Team Vulcan Spinners, TDF2015
While
cyclists from all corners of the world are competing in the Tour de
France, Ravelry (online community of fibery folk) holds an annual Tour
de Fleece spin-along during the Tour de France. They spin, we spin. A
real spinning-themed spin-along.
The concept is simple:
Challenge Yourself.
Spin.
Have fun.
For
the first time, the GBFG has a team, the Vulcan Spinners. As a
wildcard team, we make our own guidelines and keep track of our own team
members. As of noon on July 2 we have 13 team members including 2
co-captains. Each participant has stated her/his own goals and will
post daily progress reports with supporting photos in the guild's Tour de Fleece thread.
Come
cheer us on! You don't need to be on the team to follow our progress.
The more comments that give us encouragement, the better.
Start
date is Saturday, July 4. We have two days of rest (just like the
cyclists) on July 13 and 21. The last day to spin is Sunday, July 26.
Go Team Vulcan Spinners!
Old Shale: Variations of an Old and Much Loved Lace Stitch
A Free e-book from the Wednesday Afternoon Knitting Study Group
Members
of the Wednesday afternoon knitting study group came up with the idea
to knit 25-inch samples of 10 different versions of Old Shale to
explore and record some of the possible ways to knit this lovely, old
lace stitch. We pursued this project for the fun of seeing all of the
different versions that could be produced by a group of knitters, all
sharing the work of knitting useful swatches. Individually, none of us
would likely have ever knit a 25-inch long swatch, or knit 40
variations of one lace stitch. Working together,laughing and
talking over coffee, the work was nothing.
Old
Shale, Variations of an Old and Much Loved Lace Stitch is a stitch
dictionary of variations of a single lace stitch. You can download Old
Shale on Ravelry at http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/old-shale-variations, which will let you find it easily in your own Ravelry library and keep up with updates.
When we finished knitting the samples and recording them in photographs,
charts and instructions, we turned them into three small baby
blankets. The instructions for making the blankets are included in the
back of the Old Shale e-book. We hope you will find these variations of
Old Shale inspiring and useful in your own work.
The Guild on the Web
Between newsletters and meetings, keep up with the guild on the web at:
If
you don't want to miss new posts to the guild blog, 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 blog@greaterbirminghamfiberguild.com.
You
can post to the guild's Facebook page yourself! Emily shares
information and posts that she receives on the guild's Facebook group
page and keep Facebook users up to date on what is going on in the
guild.
Ravelry isn't just for knitters anymore. Crocheters, weavers, and
spinners all upload photos, project information, and patterns. Kathryn
is managing the GBFG group and has posted helpful information on
participating in the Ravelry guild group on the blog, find it at http://greaterbirminghamfiberguild.blogspot.com/2015/04/gbfg-on-ravelry.html
Next in our series of craft mysteries
The Sugar Maple Chronicles by Barbara Bretton
Protagonist: Chloe Hobbs, owner of a local knitting shop called Sticks & String
Setting: Sugar Maple, Vermont
Number of books: 4, plus one short story
Sugar
Maple looks like any Vermont town, but it’s inhabited with warlocks,
sprites, vampires, witches, and an ancient secret. And Chloe Hobbs,
owner of Sticks & String, a popular knitting shop, has a big secret
too. She’s a sorcerer’s daughter in search of Mr. Right, and she’s found
him in Luke MacKenzie, a cop investigating Sugar Maple’s very first
murder. Bad news is he’s 100% human, which could spell disaster for a
normal future with a paranormal woman like her.
Why we love it: The magic in Sugar Maple adds a fun twist to the traditional murder mystery. Not to mention, Luke is an absolutely dreamy love interest.
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 dkattus@charter.net and 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:
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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