scswg newsletter march2017yarns march&2017& &...

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Yarns March 2017 Sunshine Coast Spinners and Weavers Guild www.scswg.org Yarns March 2017 Next Guild Meeting First Monday of the month: March 6, 2017 St. Johns United Church, Davis Bay Doors open at 11:30 a.m. Meeting starts at 12:30 p.m. Southern Spinin Third Tuesday of the month: March 21, 2017 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Bring your own lunch. Location TBA. Please note: Spinins aren't just for spinning – knit, crochet or stitch, if you prefer. Northern Spinin Last Thursday of the month: March 30, 2017 Held at Yvonne Stowell's yurts, 1288712889 Sunshine Coast Highway (2 km north of Madeira Park). Starts at 10:00 a.m. Potluck lunch; Yvonne provides tea and coffee. (Suggested donation: $3) Weavers' Circle with Mary Bentley Every Wednesday from February 1. Held at Yvonne's yurts. Dropin after 9am, fee is $10. Beginners thru experienced welcome. Library Come to the Guild meeting early to peruse the Library. Remember to set your books/mags/DVDs out for return.

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Page 1: SCSWG newsletter March2017Yarns March&2017& & Sunshine(Coast(Spinnersand(WeaversGuild(& Yarns March2017& ((NextGuildMeeting(First&Monday&of&the&month:March6,2017&

Yarns March  2017    

Sunshine  Coast  Spinners  and  Weavers  Guild  

www.scswg.org  

Yarns March  2017  

   Next  Guild  Meeting  

First  Monday  of  the  month:  March  6,  2017  St.  Johns  United  Church,  Davis  Bay    Doors  open  at  11:30  a.m.  Meeting  starts  at  12:30  p.m.      

Southern  Spin-­in    

Third  Tuesday  of  the  month:  March  21,  2017  10:00  a.m.  to  2:00  p.m.  Bring  your  own  lunch.  Location  TBA.  Please  note:  Spin-­‐ins  aren't  just  for  spinning  –  knit,  crochet  or  stitch,  if  you  prefer.      Northern  Spin-­in  

Last  Thursday  of  the  month:  March  30,  2017  Held  at  Yvonne  Stowell's  yurts,  12887-­‐12889  Sunshine  Coast  Highway  (2  km  north  of  Madeira  Park).  Starts  at  10:00  a.m.  Potluck  lunch;  Yvonne  provides  tea  and  coffee.  (Suggested  donation:  $3)    Weavers'  Circle  with  Mary  Bentley  

Every  Wednesday  from  February  1.  Held  at  Yvonne's  yurts.    Drop-­‐in  after  9am,  fee  is  $10.    Beginners  thru  experienced  welcome.        

Library  

Come  to  the  Guild  meeting  early  to  peruse  the  Library.  Remember  to  set  your  books/mags/DVDs  out  for  return.    

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Yarns March  2017    

Rovings    I've  been  spending  quite  a  bit  of  time  at  my  loom  lately,  trying  to  finish  up  a  baby  blanky  for  a  little  one  –  expected  any  day  now.  There  have  been  more  hours  than  necessary  reaching  and  twisting,  and  when  I  just  can’t  throw  the  shuttle  one  more  time,  it's  jump  up  from  that  project  to  get  dinner  going.  Then  it's  back  to  the  loom  while  food  is  cooking.  We  eat,  clean  up,  and  before  I  know  it  I'm  at  the  spinning  wheel  for  the  rest  of  the  evening,  madly  trying  to  get  a  spinning  project  completed.  Sound  familiar?  I'm  sure  most  of  you  have  experienced  the  aches  and  pains  of  maybe  a  few  too  many  hours  at  the  loom  or  wheel  or  both!    How  do  we  ever  survive??    Well,  all  this  has  got  me  thinking  again  about  how  important  it  is  to  pace,  balance,  and  nurture  ourselves  while  doing  what  we  love  to  do  most:  play  with  fibre!  (That  35  day  cough  was  not  something  I  want  to  repeat  any  time  soon!)  Lately  I  have  been  regrouping  and  working  hard  to  get  back  to  do  all  that  I  love  and  what  makes  me  feel  good!    Fibre  guildies  seem  to  have  a  wonderful  array  of  complementary  activities  to  keep  healthy  and  vibrant!  I  am  constantly  becoming  aware  of  these,  from  remembering  to  stretch  and  walk  around  to  enjoying  each  others'  work  at  spins-­‐ins  and  weaving  circles,  to  hiking,  skiing,  gardening,  walking  the  dog,  swimming,  yoga,  Tai  Chi,  meditation,  volunteering,  spending  time  with  family  and  friends  and  sharing  wonderful  food  at  potlucks.  Guildies  seem  to  know  how  to  keep  healthy  in  mind,  body  and  spirit!  That  is  how  we  survive!      On  that  note,  I  would  like  to  share  Marie  Claire’s  exquisite  Sweet  Potato  Soup  recipe,  which  I  experienced  at  the  last  potluck.  Thank  you  Marie  Claire!  My  weekend  guests  loved  it!    

Merrily    

Marie-­Claire's  Sweet  Potato  Soup  

You  need  1-­‐2  onions,  depending  on  size.  A  large  chunk  of  fresh  ginger,  a  couple  of  garlic  cloves,  and  a  small  chili  pepper  (bird  tongue)  or  ½  -­‐  1  tsp  cayenne,  salt  to  taste,  heavy  coconut  milk  (1  can  at  least),  3-­‐4  sweet  potatoes  (yams),  1  -­‐  1½  limes,  and  water  or  broth  (or  a  mix  of  both).    Sauté  sliced  onions  and  chopped  up  ginger  until  the  onions  are  soft,  add  garlic  and  cayenne  pepper,  add  cut-­‐up  sweet  potatoes  and  water/broth  to  cover.  Boil  until  potatoes  are  soft.  Process  in  blender  or  with  hand  held  blender  'til  nicely  pureed.  Add  salt,  coconut  milk,  and  

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Yarns March  2017    

finally  pressed  lime  juice.  Check  flavour  and  adjust  if  needed.  If  you  have  cilantro,  add  before  serving.      Enjoy!    (Sorry,  no  precise  instructions  re  amounts  of  ingredients.  I  am  an  intuitive  cook.)   Off the Shelf A  Dyer’s  Garden:  From  Plant  to  Pot,  Growing  Dyes  for  Natural  Fibers,  by  Rita  Buchanan,  1995    An  increasing  number  of  people  are  experiencing  the  joys  and  the  unending  journey  of  discovery  that  comes  with  dyeing  with  natural  materials.  And  many  are  also  starting  to  experiment  with  growing  their  own  dye  plants.  When  we  participate  in  the  entire  process  from  growing,  caring  for  and  harvesting  the  plants,  dyeing  with  them  –  especially  using  fibre  produced  in  our  own  communities  –  and  then  using  our  spinning,  knitting,  weaving  or  felting  skills  to  create  a  garment  or  household  item,  we  can  feel  not  only  a  heartfelt  satisfaction  but  also  know  that  we  are  contributing  to  a  healthier,  more  responsible  way  of  living  on  the  Earth.    Rita  Buchanan’s  A  Dyer’s  Garden  provides  good  information  to  help  you  get  started  with  growing  your  own  dye  plants.  After  answering  a  few  basic  questions  about  dyeing  with  plants,  the  author  gives  suggestions  on  how  to  decide  which  plants  to  grow.  She  also  gives  advice  on  which  not  to  grow,  which  can  avoid  that  “Why  did  I  ever  plant  that!?!”    There’s  basic  information  on  growing  dye  plants  from  seed,  saving  seed,  dividing  perennials,  and  planning  and  planting  a  dye  garden.    Next  comes  a  section  on  the  dyeing  process.  While  good  basic  information  is  presented,  I  feel  there  are  two  shortcomings.  One  is  that  the  author  doesn’t  emphasize  the  importance  of  scouring  the  fibre  first  or  go  into  the  proper  methods  for  doing  this.  The  other  is  that  she  gives  information  about  mordanting  with  stannous  chloride  (tin)  and  potassium  dichromate  (chrome)  –  two  extremely  poisonous  substances  that  should  never  be  used.  Buchanan  also  talks  about  using  copper  sulfate  (blue  vitriol)  for  copper  mordanting  and  ferrous  sulfate  for  iron  mordanting,  without  emphasizing  that  these  are  toxic  chemicals  that  should  be  used  with  great  care  (and  there’s  debate  about  whether  or  not  they  should  be  used  at  all).    The  main  section  of  the  book  consists  of  good  information  on  growing,  harvesting,  and  dyeing  with  30  herbaceous  dye  plants,  including  Japanese  indigo  and  woad.    There  are  

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Yarns March  2017    

photos  of  dyed  samples  for  each  plant,  which  let  you  see  at  a  glance  what  colours  to  expect  with  different  fibres,  mordants,  and  sometimes  pH.    Growing  your  own  dye  plants  gives  added  depth  and  satisfaction  to  the  process  of  natural  dyeing  and  is  a  journey  of  discovery  in  itself.    A  Dyer’s  Garden  is  a  valuable  resource  to  help  you  with  this  adventure.  

Heather  Apple    

Exhibitions/Happenings                

Sunshine Coast Spinners and Weavers Guild

FIBRESHED presents

“from Shepherdess to Knitted Dress” at

Fibreworks Studio and Gallery 12887 Sunshine Coast Hwy. Madeira Park

!11:00 - 4:00

Sunday, April 9, 2017 !

*follow the process from farm to finished product *meet Sunshine Coast Shepherds and Shepherdesses

*Sheep Shearing *Weaving, Spinning, Carding, Felting, Natural Dying

*mini-workshops *demos

*wool sales *local organic refreshments

!for more information please visit the Fibreshed website at:

sunshinecoastfibreshed.ca !!

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Yarns March  2017    

ANWG  GUILD/FIBRESHED  DISPLAY:  The  Blanket  Project  is  coming  along,  thanks  to  the  weavers  who  are  now  hard  at  work.  We  have  less  than  30"  left  to  weave,  so  be  sure  to  contact  Penny  if  you  want  a  chance  to  take  part.  We  will  likely  re-­‐distribute  the  leftover  handspun  yarns  soon  for  other  projects  people  have  in  mind.  All  items  welcome  for  the  guild/fibreshed  booth,  these  must  be  finished  for  the  June  meeting.  The  focus  is  fibre  from  Langdale  to  Lund,  but  you  may  include  any  BC  fibre.  We  need  items  for  our  Teddy  Bears'  Picnic:  theme-­‐bears  (and  other  animals?),  plus  how  about  needle  felted  food  items?  Garments,  accessories,  wall  hangings,  baskets,  wreaths,  felted  items,  skeins,  pillows,  mats,  and  any  other  wild  ideas.  Bring  your  proposals  and  questions  to  the  March  meeting.  Our  thanks  to  all  who  are  participating  in  any  way!    7th  ANNUAL  100  MILE  FLEECE  AND  FIBRE  FAIR,  COOMBS,  BC:  Bringing  together  local  fibre  producers  and  fibre  products  with  spinners,  weavers,  and  the  fibre  crafting  community,  the  100  Mile  Fair  will  feature  more  than  30  vendors,  spinning  demos  and  display,  door  prizes,  and  a  4-­‐H  fibre  group.  A  great  opportunity  to  stock  up  on  local  fleece  and  fibre,  buy  hand  crafted  and/or  dyed  yarns  and  related  fibre  tools  and  accessories.      Sponsored  by  the  Bradley  Centre  Thursday  Spinners,  the  Fair  will  take  place  Sunday,  May  28,  2017  from  9:30am  –  3:30pm  at  the  Bradley  Centre,  975  Shearme  Road,  Coombs,  BC.    Free  Admission.  Food  service  onsite.    For  further  info,  please  contact  Linda  Rehlinger:  [email protected]    or  check  out  http://www.bradleyfibrefair.alwyz.com.    

   FIBRE  CAMP  SEPT  8-­10/17:  Mark  your  calendars;  planning  is  well  underway  for  Fibre  Camp  2017  at  Camp  Sunrise,  next  to  the  Langdale  ferry  terminal.  Lots  of  fibre  fun  for  weekenders  or  day  campers,  in  a  beautiful  setting.  Comfortable  accommodation  and  great  

 QUILT  SHOW:  The  Sunshine  Coast  Quilters  Guild  is  very  pleased  to  announce  our  Quilt  Show,  June  17  to  June  18,  2017  at  the  Sechelt  Band  Hall,  5532  Sunshine  Coast  Hwy  (behind  McDonalds).  The  show  will  be  open  from  10am  –  4pm  each  day.  Admission  is  $8.00,  free  for  children  12  and  under.      

For  further  information  or  details,  please  contact  Karen  Biddlecombe  at:  [email protected]  or    604-­‐313-­‐1820.    

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Yarns March  2017    

food,  too.  We  will  offer  workshops  with  Ann  Harmer  (dyeing  with  mushrooms),  Anna  Marie  Vallee  (tapestry  weaving)  and  Roz  Winters  (free-­‐form  knitting).  Watch  this  space  and  our  guild  website  for  more  info.    FASHION  SHOW/ART  CRAWL  (submitted  by  Verna  Chan):  I  just  wanted  to  clarify  that  the  fashion  show  we  are  planning,  at  the  Robert's  Creek  Golf  Course  in  October  to  coincide  with  this  year's  Art  Crawl,  is  open  to  anyone  who  makes  clothing/wearable  accessories  (shawls,  scarves,  etc.)  on  the  Coast.  Everyone  is  also  welcome  to  submit  items  for  the  fashion  show  –we're  hoping  that  there  can  be  some  Guild-­‐approved  items,  as  well  as  Fibreshed!    The  fashion  show  and  Art  Crawl  display  are  entirely  separate  –  you  do  not  need  to  be  an  Art  Crawl  participant  to  be  involved  in  the  fashion  show.  We  do,  however,  have  a  beautiful,  large,  well-­‐lit  space  for  the  Art  Crawl  that  is  in  close  proximity  to  the  RC  Hall  (where  there  will  be  another  grouping  of  artists  from  Powell  River  this  year),  so  it's  a  great  opportunity  to  share  space  with  other  textile  artists.  We  can  accommodate  a  couple  more,  and  it  is  a  very  minimal  cost  for  a  weekend  where  hundreds  of  people  are  expected  to  come  through!    Please  feel  free  to  call  me  at  604-­‐886-­‐3114  or  email  [email protected]  for  more  information  or  with  any  questions  you  may  have.  We  are  looking  forward  to  hearing  from  you  and  will  pass  on  details  as  we  work  them  out.    

Findings For  Fibreshed  enthusiasts  and  others,  I'd  like  to  recommend  an  inspiring  article  found  in  the  December  2016  issue  of  Vogue  Knitting  magazine.  Leslie  Petrovski's  "The  Accidental  Yarn  Seller"  tells  the  story  of  English  entrepreneur  Rachel  Atkinson,  founder  of  Daughter  of  a  Shepherd.  The  company  produces  limited  edition  yarns  from  Hebridean  sheep.        

 Nancy