Spin-in It's a happening.

Due to popular demand, the Dec 18th spin-in is going ahead (unless it snows ).. the 3rd Wednesday of the month Spin-in, at Saint Paul's Church Hall, 7pm. See you there .

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November 20th Spin-in cancelled

Sorry everyone, but colds and the cold have put too many people under the weather, so to speak.  November spin-in is cancelled.  Hope to see everyone at the Guild potluck dinner Dec 3rd.

Spinning Workshops in the works

Thanks to guild member Kathy M, the Guild will be hosting a couple of spinning workshops in the new year.  Cheryl Weibe from Saltspring will be instructing.  The workshop descriptions will be posted in the next few days.  Please vote for the workshops you are interested for both weekends ie vote twice for your favs if you can make both dates, otherwise just the weekend that works for you.
Here is a link to the workshop descriptions.

Spin-In Wed Oct 16th

Indio woman spinning.She is using a spindle similar
to a Navajo spindle whose bottom end is resting in a bowl.
Photo from A short Spindle Typology

It's the third Wednesday of the month!  This summer weather has us all relaxing and the third Wednesday snuck up on me. Apologies for such a late posting.  Bring your wheel, or your spindle, or your knitting, or a friend...and don't forget something for show and tell.  Wednesday Oct 17th. 7 pm.

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October Program - Olds Fibre Week

Where does one go to learn more about weaving, spinning or even about judging a fleece show?  At the next scheduled MIWSGuild meeting one of our Guild members will talk about Olds College Fibre Week and in particular her experience in taking the Master Spinners Certificate Program.  Examples of the homework assignments will be shown. This is a 6 year program.  Do you have to be a titch obsessive about spinning to take this program or do sane people take it too? Find out on Oct. 2. 7 p.m. 

P.S.  Bring your show and tell items to share.

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Second Wednesday/First Fall Spin-in

Postcard made out of cork from Orgosolo, Sardinia.
Woman with top-whorl-spindle. The spindle is
brought to speed by rubbing up the thigh.

YES!  It is fall and the Mid Island Weavers and Spinners Guild has started up again.  We held our first meeting and now it's time for our first fall spin-in.  Bring your wheel, or your spindle, or your knitting, or a friend...and don't forget something for show and tell.  Wednesday Sept 18th. 7 pm.

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Hostesses for 2013/14

October          Betty and Eva

November       Lynne and Fiona

December       Potluck

January           Crystal and Darlene

February         Joyce and another volunteer that wasnt present.

March             Anne and another volunteer

April               Autumn and Sheila

May                Heather and another  member??

June                Potluck at Anne's

Guild Programmes for 2013/14

Programmes for MIWSG 2013/14

October           Master Spinners Program (Liz)

November       Demo of Nuno Felting (Heather-Might have to change with May)

December       Potluck

January           Small peyote beading beginner project (Crystal)

February         Dying fabric with 'Sharpie' pens (Anne)

March             Coast Salish Wool Dog and Spinning (Liz)

April               Felting (Betty) AGM also

May                Maybe Margie?? about what she learned at ANWG conference

June                Pot Luck

continuation of the previous minutes

Continuation of the previous minutes

Darlene Booth had s shawl she had knit out of different yarns that was very nice.

Autumn had knit a shawl out of her own hand dyed and hand spun yarn.

Sheila , Autumn's Mum had also knit a shawl?

Crystal-was busy with the summer production at Chemainus

Lynne had the new Magazine Ply

Heather talked about the ANWG conference and my 1^st prize in the felted clothing of the fashion show. Also brought some yarn bought at the conference.

Margo had a bog she had designed, a hat knit form a sweaters she had undone from her hand spun and a teddy bear blanket.

Tina knit a great pink skirt which she had a picture of.

Eva, Betty ,Jeannette and Anne had tells.

New member Joyce had bought a Lendrum spinning wheel and was learning to spin.

Minutes of the MIWS Guild September 4/13

Starting after 7pm we had 16 people present. Two guests included. Membership fees of

$20 were being taken by our treasurer Crystal.

Talked about hosting the next ANWG conference in 2015 or later and we discussed it and voted NO to hosting it.

Eva Ryan Made a motion to not host it and Jeannette Brooks seconded it.

We discussed getting in touch with Kathy McDonald to see if we want to host a learning event in the next few years. There is a $600 grant available to guilds who are members or ANWG.

Treasurer's report We have a little over 1000 in the account from the end of June. Didn’t get the full amount but someone can fill it in when we have it. The silent auction made $75 at our June pot luck.

Library news: Lynne Vanderlinde very generously is giving her copies of the new Ply magazine to the guild library. We also have two new issues of Handwoven

Now contact Karin at islandmoria@gmail.com

Liz asked if a lady who is in an old folks home who has had a stroke could use the guild table loom and have someone come and assist her to re learn weaving after a stroke.

Hostess List was passed around and so was the programme list which will be a separate attachment.

Eva moved we adjourn the meeting at 7:36 and Fiona seconded the motion.

Show and Tell

Forgot we ususally put names in a bag from show and tell and one gets a memebership free. We had a raffle prize which margo Turner won.

Liz Kaarrema showed her spun samples of all different animals and plant material including cat!

Fiona Ballard had suffered form pneumonia for part of the simmer so she wasn’t able to do much but knit. She had about nine beautiful items that she had knit Some phenomenal lace knit Shawls.

Claire Ballard, Fiona’s sister in law visiting from England / Ireland had lots to show. Some felted vessels and some great needle-felted tiny teddy bears and people.

Fall is coming and Guild fibre activities will be starting up - SEPT 4th, 7pm

Photo from the collection
at the University of Innsbruck

The Mid Island Weavers and Spinners Guild invites spinners, weavers, felters, knitters, and other  fibre fanatics to join us.  We are from all walks of life, young and old (currently our youngest is about 14 and our oldest is in her 70's but we don't ask), and we all share of love of fibre.  We have monthly meetings which consist of a few business items (we try to minimize that) usually have a speaker talk on some interesting fibre related topic, tea and coffee (with great home baking) and a show and tell.  We also have a drop-in for spinners (knitters are welcome) on the third Wednesday of the month and we organize workshops and events throughout the year.  Feel free to pass this message on to people you might know of who would be interested.

Our next meeting is Wednesday, September 4th at 7 pm.  If you've got something you would like to show off, please bring it. Hope to see you there.

spinning and knitting or weaving

Spinning or knitting or weaving on July3rd on Protection Island. At heather;s. Liz will pick up in town.

May spin-in

Spinning in Ireland

The Mid Island Weavers and Spinners (and other FibRe FReaKs) are hosting another 3rd Wednesday of the month spin-in on May 15th, 7p.m. in the basement of St. Paul’s Church downtown Nanaimo. The spin-in is open to anyone (a devious plot in which we hope to lure people into joining the MIWSGuild). Learn how to spin, spin your heart out, or just bring your favorite fibre or just come and knit and meet like-minded people. 
The Guild now has a carder, so if you have some fleece you would like to card, feel free to bring it and use the carder.
NOTE: There will not be a third Wed spin-in in June....but we may organize an outdoor weekend spin-in.___________________________________________________________

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Wednesday Spin-in

The Mid Island Weavers and Spinners (and other FibRe FReaKs) are hosting another 3rd Wednesday of the month spin-in on April 18th, 7p.m. in the basement of St. Paul’s Church downtown Nanaimo. The spin-in is open to anyone (a devious plot in which we hope to lure people into joining the MIWSGuild). Learn how to spin, spin your heart out, or just bring your favorite fibre or just come and knit and meet like-minded people. 
The Guild now has a carder, so if you have some fleece you would like to card, feel free to bring it and use the carder.
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March 6th Guild Program: Got Gauge?

[Photo: One pattern, two different gauges]

March 6th Guild Program: Got Gauge?

This will interest beginners and advanced if you want to use your own handspun or designs.  The importance of getting the right gauge before beginning a knitting project using ready made yarns OR getting started designing your own patterns from the gauge you get using your yarn and the right needles to make the fabric you envision.  You will learn how to count stitches and rows, and use your knitted swatch to design a basic sweater or vest using your measurements.

 Bring: a sweater that fits you well, a 30 stitch by 40 row swatch that has the hand you like in a knitted fabric ( experiment with needle sizes and take notes), a measuring tape, calculator, pad and pen or pencil.

Noni has been knitting since she was six.  A very accomplished knitter and spinner.  She recently retired with her husband to Gabriola and is a member of the Gabriola Guild.

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THE Big Sale

The big stash, destash and restash sale. 

It only happens every two years.
We currently have 23 tables confirmed with an exciting variety of vendors.  There will be items ranging from equipment (looms and wheels), sheep and alpaca fleeces, roving, dyed fibre, commercial and hand-spun yarns, books and hand-made products such as knitting bags, needle-felted Don't miss it.
March 16, 9:30 -1 pm
in the basement of St. Paul's Chruch downtown Nanaimo (click here to see a map) (across from the Dorchester Hotel - the entrance is on the other side of the church at 100 Chapel St, across the street from the new condos).

Check out this video on why you need stash:

Wednesday Spin-in

Joseph-Athanase Aufray - By the Spinning Wheel

The Mid Island Weavers and Spinners (and other FibRe FReaKs) are hosting another 3rd Wednesday of the month spin-in on Feb 20th, 7p.m. in the basement of St. Paul’s Church downtown Nanaimo. The spin-in is open to anyone (a devious plot in which we hope to lure people into joining the MIWSGuild). Learn how to spin, spin your heart out, or just bring your favorite fibre or just come and knit and meet like-minded people. 
The Guild now has a carder, so if you have some fleece you would like to card, feel free to bring it and use the carder.
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Wed Guild meeting - Combing wool

As long as the weather is fine and the roads are good, Karen Braun will be coming to share her knowledge on using wool combs. Combing wool gives you the most beautiful locks and roving to spin. If you haven't tried it, you must. You will love it. You may even become addicted to it. Just warning you. If you have some wool fleece (locks 3 inch or longer works best) bring it. Bring wool combs or flickers and a very small crochet hook and a diz (or a button with a hole that the crochet hook can fit through) if you have them. We will also have some available for sharing.

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PUCHKA Peru Textile Tours

The world is changing - some traditions are being set aside, others are
being reclaimed and after all these years of delightful experiences with
participants from around the world, for which we are very grateful, our
final tour dates will be:

22 day with 8 days of Workshops tour: 20 September - 11 October

11 day Studios/Mini-Workshops tour: 14 - 24 October

This will be your last chance to see the real Peru with PUCHKA and to meet
and work with your Peruvian counterparts. Our intention is that these will
be the best tours ever and we invite you along. After 2013 the focus of
PUCHKA will change so that we are more engaged with the projects we support
in our beloved Peru.

We would appreciate it very much if you would forward this to your guilds
and other textile communities. Thank you very much from all of us involved
with PUCHKA Peru.

Email us at textiletours@puchkaperu.com for more information and check out
our FB page at
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Puchka-Peru-Textile-Tours/359173150761516?ref=hl


Sasha McInnes
PUCHKA Perú
2645 Mt Stephen Avenue
Victoria, British Columbia Canada V8T 3L5
(250) 360-1898 - land line/telefono fijo
www.puchkaperu.ca
www.puchkaperu.com/feedback.shtml
http://www.puchkaperu.com/teachers_coworkers.shtml
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Puchka-Peru-Textile-Tours/359173150761516?ref=hl


“Perhaps travel cannot prevent bigotry, but by demonstrating that all
peoples cry, laugh, eat, worry, and die, it can introduce the idea that if
we try and understand each other, we may even become friends.”

Maya Angelou

January meeting

Kathy's cowl

It was our annual distaff day meeting and some guild members brought their spinning wheels and spun while Karin kept the meeting brisk to keep within the 30 minute time frame and it worked. Here's a few pictures from the show and tell.
Karin showed us her latest design with fractal coloured handspun wool.
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This has been a Mid Island Weavers and Spinners Guild blog update. If you are reading this as an email, you should click here to see this item in its full glory, images and all: http://miwsguild.blogspot.com .