GBFG December newsletter

Newsletter of the Greater Birmingham Fiber Guild

President’s Column    Happy Holidays!  It’s a busy, joyful month, as we finished our hand-made gifts and fill up our calendars with parties and get-togethers, but it’s also a time of reflection as the year winds down.  This year has been a banner one for the guild, with exciting workshops and inspiring programs, new members, and lots of action in our social media outlets like our blog, our Facebook page and our Ravelry group.  New tools and beautiful new fibers seem to appear overnight, and every trip offers an opportunity to explore a yarn shop or weaving studio.  As we welcome a new board to the guild, I want to thank every member of the 2016 board for their hard work and enthusiasm, (and being a good sport about climbing the hill to my house for every board meeting)!  I’m also grateful to the new board for 2017 led by Jen Lackey, as we hand off the baton.  I plan to step back in the next year to develop some creative projects in the forgiving privacy of my own studio, but I’ll be back soon, I hope with some new work for show-and-tell.  My sincerest wishes for a safe and happy holiday season and a rich and rewarding 2017. Mary Kaiser   Laverne Waddington Weaving Workshop   Registration for the March 2017 Laverne Waddington workshops opened December 1 for guild members. All the information you need is in previous posts on our Facebook page, on the guild's Ravelry thread for the workshops, and on the guild blog. You can also ask any questions by writing to workshops@greaterbirminghamfiberguild.com Membership Dues Renewal It's that time of year when we ask members to renew their memberships.  Dues for 2017 will be $25.  Please fill out the application form below  and give it with a check to Nancy Lavender at the December meeting or mail both to: Greater Birmingham Fiber Guild PO Box 660723 Birmingham, Al 35266-072 It would be great to have all renewals by the first of January. Member information form 2017 Name:                                             Email address:                                     Ravelry name:                                      Phone number:                                     Address:                                                                                      Fiber crafts you do:     ☐ Spinning        ☐ Knitting        ☐ Weaving        ☐ Crochet        ☐ Sewing        ☐ Tatting        ☐Quilting    ☐ Embroidery     ☐ Other (please describe): Are there any programs or workshops you would like to give? Are there any programs or workshops you would like take?   Knitting at ArtPlay    ArtPlay, located at 10th Ave. and 19th Street, will be offering a free knitting group on Thursday evenings from 6-8 beginning September 8.  Mary Kaiser will be moderating, and giving knitting instruction or help on an as-needed basis.  All are welcome.  We often talk about books while we knit, so please bring your recommendations!   Proposed 2017 Officers We, the Nominating Committee, respectfully submit the names for officers of the Greater Birmingham Fiber Guild 2017: President:  Jennifer lackey Programs:  Jennifer Justiss Workshops:  Shira Robinowich-Miller Treasurer:  Nancy Lavender Secretary:  Maddy McLendon Social Media (Blog): Barbara Gower Membership:  Janna Ford Newsletter:  Deb Kattus Past President:  Mary Kaiser Thank you to all who have agreed to serve. Karen Ford Janice Weinstein Elizabeth Young New weaving study group!   We are finally set for a first weaving study group meeting.  It will be on second Thursdays, the first one being in November on the 10th at 6:00pm at Hoover Church of Christ.  Anyone interested in weaving is welcome to come.  Bring a project on a small loom, if you have one going.  That would include inkle, rigid heddle, card, backstrap, tapestry, even zoom looms.  Otherwise, just come ready to be inspired.  If you want  to be included in the reminder emails, let Kathryn Pitt know.  Or watch the new Weaving Study Group thread on Ravelry.   The Guild on the Web Between newsletters and meetings, keep up with the guild on the web at: the guild blog at www.greaterbirminghamfiberguild.blogspot.com, maintained by  Emily Levitan, blog@greaterbirminghamfiberguild.com, the guild Facebook page at www.facebook.com/greaterbirminghamfiberguild,maintained by Janna Ford, fb@greaterbirminghamfiberguild.com, the guild group on Ravelry at www.ravelry.com/groups/greater-birmingham-fiber-guild, maintained by Kathryn Pitt, rav@greaterbirminghamfiberguild.com.     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 toblog@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          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 hosting a tatting and crochet group at her home.  Please check the group discussion thread on Revelry for more information.  Weaving study group: Second Thursday of the month at 6 pm at Hoover Church of Christ.  Contact Kathryn Pitt for details or check the weaving study group thread on Ravelry.  Join us for First Friday Spinning Study at Jen Lackey's house.  We meet around 6pm.  Feel free to email Jennifer for directions and parking information.  Email: jeekeehoo@gmail.com   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.   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).      2016 Officers and Board    Mary Kaiser – President Jennifer Lackey – Program Elizabeth Young/ Mary Spanos – Workshops Janna Ford - Membership Nancy Lavender – Treasurer Jan McMahon - Secretary Emily Levitan – Website Deborah Kattus - Newsletter Karen Ford - 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.

GBFG parties!

Our annual Fiber Guild party was a smashing success with great company, fantastic food, and a Dirty Santa yarn gift exchange. Thanks to 2017 president Jennifer Lackey for hosting.

The 2017 board members are:

President:  Jennifer lackey
Programs:  Jennifer Justiss
Workshops:  Shira Robinowich-Miller
Treasurer:  Nancy Lavender
Secretary:  Maddy McLendon
Social Media (Blog): Barbara Gower
Membership:  Janna Ford
Newsletter:  Deb Kattus
Past President:  Mary Kaiser

Thank you to all who have agreed to serve!

Holiday party this Saturday

We will be having our annual Holiday Party this Saturday, Dec. 10th @ 11AM at Jennifer Lackey's house in Homewood.  Please bring a salad or a dessert to share!  

There will also be a optional gift exchange.  If you'd like to participate, please bring 4 oz. of yarn (wrapped, all the same yarn, unused, enough for a small project).  We will do a slightly "dirty" Santa exchange :)  

Please carpool if at all possible as parking is limited!

If you need directions email Jennifer.

Weaving by Jennifer Lackey

Our own Jennifer Lackey is selling her beautiful weaving at In the Making as part of the Me Made sale. Stop by In the Making during the month of December to check out all the lovely hand-made items.

It's not too late to register for the Laverne Waddington workshops

Registrations for Laverne Waddington's backstrap weaving workshops (March 2017) opened for guild members yesterday. If you didn't get your registration check in the mail yesterday, it is not too late! We will start checking the guild's post office box next week and notifying the people who got a seat soon after. We have a plan for how to handle getting too many registrations for either the workshop, but we hope that won't happen, we hope to have space for everyone who wants to attend. So, if you missed sending in your registration on December 1, send it now. If the workshop you want is full, we'll get in touch with you to see if you want us to tear up your check or hold it and put you on a waiting list.