New Beginnings

At our first meeting of 2007 it was standing room only. Old and new members, as well as visitiors and budding spinners squeezed into the hall for a members day full of news, chat and a bit of spinning in between.

We had a several visitors keen to learn to spin including one brave Girl Guild who also managed to learn a bit of crochet too.

Heather (in the middle picture) is looking particularly pleased after finishing her first ever piece of spinning (she's the one holding up a "L" plate).

There were several announcements including information about our exhibition to be held in the Castle Park Arts Centre in Frodsham from October to December. More information about this plus other items will be added to this blog over the next few days.

Colour Workshop - A Note from our Chairwoman

Hello
My friend Janet Major from the Alsager Guild has contacted me about a workshop at their Guild with Angharad Thomas (lecturer in Design and Knitwear) on Feb. 17th. Full day, £20 plus plate of food for shared lunch. Please contact Kath Alan 01782 782181 kath.jokallen.@btinternet.com if interested.See notes below for details.
Hope to see you on Saturday. It's a members' day.
Janet

Using colourWorkshop with Angharad Thomas
Date: 17th February 2007 For the Alsager Guild
The workshop aims to give you the chance to explore using colour and to develop your understanding of it, so that you can use it more effectively in your textile work.Topics to be covered:

Looking at colours: quality of colour: how colour works: making colour work for your projects

Timetable - 10.30 am start, 3.30 finish

The day will alternate hands on activities with colour with input from me talking about colour and showing some of my own design work.

• 10.30 am Introduction and Exercise 1 What is your favourite colour?
• 11 am Exercise 2 Looking at colour (coffee too?)
• 12 noon Looking at colour in my own work (AT talk)
• 12.30 Exercise 3 Quality of colour
• Lunch
• 1.30 pm How colour works (AT talk)
• 2pm Exercise 4 Making colour work for you
• 3pm Review and feedback
• 3.30 pm Workshop close

Materials:So participants will need to bring a collection of postcards and pictures, LOTS of BITS of yarns, coloured pencils, crayons, wax crayons, scraps of paper (wrapping paper, sweet papers, paint colour cards, etc) and glue. Also usual scissors, sellotape etc. Sheets of drawing quality white paper AT LEAST A4 size, preferably A3, can be a pad (I will bring some too). A piece of white or grey card - part of a cereal box or similar will be fine.Be prepared to pool drawing materials and yarn and paper scraps. Make sure that you bring samples of anything that you want to use in future work.

Who are we?

(left: hand-dyed fibre drying in the breeze at Rainbow Dyeing workshop run by Debbie Tomkies 2006)

Who are we?
We are a group of all ages and experience from complete beginners to accomplished practitioners/ artists who all share a passion for the fibre arts.

Where and when do we meet?
At the Croft Memorial Hall, Croft near Culcheth, Warrington. Meetings are 4th Saturday of every month and cost £3.00 for visitors. Meetings start at 10.30am (although the hall is open from 10am for early arrivals) and runs until 4pm although you don't have to stay all day if you have other commitments. We break for lunch at around 12.30pm (please bring your own packed lunch). Tea coffee and more importantly CAKE is available throughout the day for a small donation!

What do we do??
Check out our programme of events for 2007. On Members Days we bring our own projects to work on. Meetings are informal events where members can share ideas and there is always someone there to offer help and advice if you have a problem on a particular project.

Who do I contact for more information?
Our Secretary, Averil Otiv will be happy to help with any more questions (contact@averilotiv.com).

Workshops

One of the exciting aspects of attending a Guild is the opportunity to attend workshops with practitioners who are expert in their field at a very reasonable rate. For more information on some of this year's guest speakers/ practitioners follow the links added to the side bar.

(left - samples from last year's felting workshop run by Janet Gleave)

Welcome to 2007

The purpose of this blog is to provide information and record events of the North Cheshire Guild of Spinners Weavers and Dyers.


Programme for 2007

27th Jan Members’ Day - Bring your own project to work on

24th Feb Flax Spinning - Val Bryant.
All day workshop. Equipment list: -
Spinning Wheel, Niddy Noddy, strong brown uncreased paper, small ball string, masking tape or sellotape, scissors, 4 sheets Newspaper, broom handle or distaff, small piece of sponge & water pot, 2 yds ribbon, notepad and pencil, apron, any flax you have. (There will be some for sale)

24th Mar Warriors & Weavers a.m. Ian Uzzell. Viking Living History

28th April Ply-split braiding – An Introduction – Julie Hedges
Talk a.m.followed by 28/29th April Bookable Workshop starts p.m. 28th and all day 29th
If you do not want to attend the course on Sat then you are welcome to bring your own work and watch the workshop. See separate sheet for booking workshop and equipment list.

26th May Sashiko & Japanese Country Textiles – Susan Briscoe
Talk 11a.m.
There will be Japanese Textile books for Sale.

23rd Jun Members’ Day Bring your own project
( we hope to be working on woolcombing, drum carding, and hackling)

28th July Members’ Day Bring your own project

Aug Picnic TBA

22nd Sept Weaving Warrington’s Past – Kit Heald.
Repeat of the talk that was given at the AGM 2006

27th Oct Soft Basketry – Averil Otiv.
All day workshop. Equipment list: -
Spray bottle, scissors, bodkin, old T towel, Dried plant material of interest: - e.g. daffodil leaves, ornamental grasses, day lily, sisyrinchium, sweet corn husks, etc. These can be dried and stored well in advance of the workshop.

24th Nov AGM 11am Competition/ Party.
Bring plate, KFS and plate of food.
p.m. Bring a craft project you have completed in the year, preferably a spun, woven or dyed article. No restrictions as to when the project has been started!