May Issue Whorled News

Whorled News

The Newsletter of the Carson Sierra Spinners and Weavers
March 2009

Whorled News is a bimonthly, published six times a year on odd months.
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Carson Sierra Spinners and Weavers
2120 Ives Ave
Reno NV 89503
Sharon Campbell, Editor
(775) 846-9095 (cell)
(775) 969-3121 (long distance)
institches@rtci.net

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May 9th Guild Meeting is at Doris Woloszyn’s High Plains Ranch in Chilcoot, California. Brown Bag.

Driving directions: Hwy. 395 north from Reno, past Bordertown into California. Exit 395 at Hwy. 70 to Portola/Quincy, turn left on Hwy. 70 going west for about 2 miles. Turn left on Scott Road after crossing Long Valley Creek, before going up Beckwourth Pass. Scott Road is dirt, and after 4/10 mile to the railroad crossing you’ll pass 2 homes (stay left on main road, not right up the hill), the railroad tracks and creek will be on your left.

Continue south on Scott Road for one and a half miles to a small bridge over Scott Creek.
Another 4/10 mile to a large Cottonwood tree and the 3rd home, this is where the county stops grading the road so it’s a little rougher. Another 2/10 mile to several buildings on hill with SPRAGUE sign, but stay to left and pass the driveway. Next 3/10 mile the road curves from left to right up a small hill. Stay to the right at the fork, going up the hill and look for my 404-185 sign on a “rock jack” fence corner. This is where you turn right onto my driveway.

My driveway is 4/10 mile, first straight with a wooden fence on the left and barb wire fence on the right, then at the next group of rock jacks curve right, down over the culvert and uphill to my house …cedar siding with a dark green metal roof and large wooden barn in back. Sounds complicated but there are very few places out here. I’ll try to put up some signs to help. Call 530-993-4296 if you have questions or need help.

June 13th Guild Meeting location is the Bartley Ranch School House. Potluck.

Drive .8 mile west from the intersection of McCarran Blvd and Hwy 395. Turn left (south) on Lakeside Drive and continue .4 mile. Bartley Ranch is at the north base of Windy Hill. Turn left on Bartley Ranch Road and continue several hundred feet to the parking lot on the right, following the bridge. Bring something for the White Sale; proceeds go to the guild treasury. Plan to shop from fellow guild members. There always seems to plenty of temptation for the fiber soul and wallet. This meeting is Potluck.

MARCH 14, 2009 MINUTES

Welcome and Introductions: Toni. co-president, called the meeting to order and welcomed the members. Introductions were done. Twenty-two members were present.

Treasurer’s Report – Doris
We have five more members for a current total of 38 paid members. In January we received a $10.00 donation for the inkle workshop. The insurance bill of $519.00 was received and paid. The insurance cost was lower than last year. Current balance is $1146.34.

Membership runs from January through December. Send dues to: Doris Woloszyn,
P. O. Box 229 Chilcoot, CA 96105 and make checks payable to: Carson Sierra Spinners & Weavers.

Committee Reports

State Fair – Amy

She had the draft competition book. The document should probably be out in April. The fair is a week later this year. It opens on Wed. 8/26 and ends Sunday, Aug. 30th. There is still a need for a judge for Saturday. A discussion was held regarding the featured fiber for the fair. It was decided that fine wool would be the selected fiber. Amy will put this in the fair book. The entry must be something completed after August 1, 2007. Having a beginning category was discussed. Amy will request putting beginning category on the entry form.

Learning Tree

Mim will provide the Learning Tree today. She will share knowledge of fibers that will be up for sale at the April meeting. Today, Barbara will also give brief refresher on weaving done at the January meetings

Old Business

Inkle Workshop - Amy
Amy has scheduled a new date for April 18, 2009. Amy will check on the location and let people know. Tying your heddles ahead of time would be helpful. Amy will supply the cotton yarn. .Judy’s husband has made some belt shuttles that are useful to use on the inkle loom. Should anyone be interested in getting one let Judy know. Contact Amy if you have any questions about the workshop

Keep the Fleece World’s Largest Scarf Project – Heidi
Heidi described the project. The United Nations has designated 2009 as the Year of Natural Fibers. The organization called Keep the Fleece is promoting natural fibers by creating a fund raising project to knit the world’s largest scarf. Funds raised in the project will go to Heifer International. Funds are raised by donations of $10.00 per inch of scarf that has been either knit, crochet, woven or felted from natural fibers. Scarves are to be 9” wide by 5 ft. long. Scarves need to be completed by our September meeting, since they are sent to Keep the Fleece to be sewn together in October. After the scarves are shown together and measured, they will be taken apart and given to organizations in need. Heidi would be willing to coordinate the project, collect the money and create a journal to go with the scarves. Mim said it would be a great idea for a booth at the fair.. Connie motioned we take this on as a guild project. Seconded by Linda Loken. Motioned passed. Heidi will gladly accept donations of natural handspun fibers for this project. Friday, Oct.16th is International Wool Day.

Amy suggested making a list of people to pass the scarf from one person to another. The scarf was also passed around at the meeting for people to knit on during the meeting.

Meeting Site for November
Linda Lindsay is still checking on the Carson City Armory. Mary B. has reserved Sky Peaks for November just in case the Armory is not available.

Weaving Study Group – Nancy Pryor
Nancy Pryor mentioned we will get together for a few minutes after the meeting to discuss materials we should gather to be prepared. She said not to worry if you cannot make a meeting. This month’s meeting is at Heidi Ericson’s. Cost is $20.00.

Meeting Locations: Jan- Sky Peak; Feb. & March – South Valley Library; April, June, August, Oct. & Dec –Bartley Ranch; May-Doris Woloszyn; July- Mim Bullard, and November - to be determined.

New Business

Storage – Toni: Toni can no longer store Guild materials. We need to find another location in the next few weeks for 3 tubs that are approximately 2 1/2ft. wide by 3-4ft. long, plus a bag of tarps. Wherever they are stored they need to be available to access during the Fair.

Linda Loken was storing the triangle loom, but would like to give it to someone else. Mary B. agreed to store this loom.

4-H Days in Carson City will be April 23rd and 24th at Fuji Park. Annabelle will be there. They are looking for demonstrators. You are usually done by around 1:30P.M.

Reno Farm Days: Mim mention the Reno Farms Days are at the end of March. More demonstrators are welcome. More details will be at the yahoo site.

Farmer’s Day at Plumas Eureka State Park on July 18th and 19th. It is their 50th anniversary. Looking for weavers that would wear period clothes. Doris will send information to Amy to send out. You could contact Anna Harvey 916-217-8220 for more information.

Botanical Society – Marilynn Clarke: Meetings are at San Rafael Ranch House. March 21st meeting is on pruning. April 18th the meeting is called Pumpkin and Pansies.

CSSW Website – Amy Shannon
The Web site must now be off the University of Reno’s server. Our information we want “open to the world” will now be put on a blogger site. This will have our newsletter, guild library and other information. It can be set up to link to e-mails. We don’t want everyone in the public to be able to post to it. Amy is listed as the official owner.

The new Guild site: www.carsonsierraspinnerandweavers.blogspot.com The Yahoo group is still our guild communication.

If you didn’t get an e-mail from Amy this past week, check your junk mail site. Add this new address cssw@lists.unr.edu.

Today’s donation items collected $49.00.

Show ‘n Tell

Sharon – showed her business card from www.vistaprint.com and mini-moo cards from www.moo.com Barbara – showed socks she has knit from yarn she colored with fabric markers. Nancy Pryor – showed silk woven scarves. Linda Lindsay – a woven blue scarf that was alpaca-wool blend. The warp was wool and the weft was alpaca-wool blend.

The meeting was adjourned. It was followed by a brown bag lunch and Learning Tree Program.

APRIL 11th, 2009 MINUTES

Welcome and Introductions: Mary B. co-president, called the meeting to order and welcomed the members. Introductions were done. Fourteen people were in attendance.

Treasurer’s Report – Doris
We have two more members for a current total of 40 paid members. Last month we received $49.00 for donated items, plus $5.00 for a stick weaving kit. Our current balance is $1250.34.

Membership runs from January through December. Send dues to: Doris Woloszyn,
P. O. Box 229 Chilcoot, CA 96105 and make checks payable to: Carson Sierra Spinners & Weavers.

Committee Reports

Old Business

State Fair – Jen
Work is currently being done on the fair book.

Learning Tree - Barbara
May – We will put together drop spindles for the fair. We will also learn how to skirt a fleece. The May will be held at Doris Woloszyn’s home. Mary thanked Barbara for picking up the fleece from Sharon for our fleece sale for today’s meeting.

Weaving Study Group – Nancy Pryor
The April meeting will be at Connie Vance’s home on April 25th from 10AM-2PM. Cost is $20.00. Nancy asked for feedback from the last meeting. People should tell her what they liked and what they think could be improved.

Inkle Workshop – Mary B.
The new date is scheduled for May 2, 2009. It will be held at Sky Peaks from 10AM – 4PM. Tying your heddles ahead of time would be helpful. Amy will supply the cotton yarn. Judy’s husband has made some belt shuttles that are useful to use on the inkle loom. Should anyone be interested in getting one let Judy know. Contact Amy if you have any questions about the workshop

Keep the Fleece World’s Largest Scarf Project – Heidi
Heidi has the journal for people to write in when they add to the scarf. She also has coupons to share with people to describe this project. Funds are raised by donations of $10.00 per inch of scarf that has been either knit, crochet, woven or felted from natural fibers. It was discussed and decided that Doris will handle the money donated for this project.

Meeting Site for November
Linda Lindsay will contact the Carson City National Guard Armory in the next month to see if the space is available. Mary B. has reserved Sky Peaks for November just in case the Armory is not available.

Meeting Locations: Jan- Sky Peak; Feb. & March – South Valley Library; April, June, August, Oct. & Dec –Bartley Ranch; May-Doris Woloszyn; July- Mim Bullard, and November - to be determined.

Fiber Sale
Doris mentioned we had sold approximately $185.00 worth of fiber prior to the meeting and more fiber was still available to be purchased.

Storage of Guild Items
Toni and her husband are still looking for someone to store the tubs containing guild materials for the fair, plus the tarps. They would like to give these items another “home” as soon as possible. If you would be interested in storing them, please contact Toni.

New Business

Learning Tree – Barbara
She is looking for ideas for the Learning Tree for upcoming meetings. Some suggestions that were mentioned: 1) Needle felting – Amy; 2) Demonstration of charka spinning - Heidi, and 3) Wheel maintenance. Heidi mentioned that Spin-Off has printed Alden Amos’ booklet on wheel maintenance and it is available for $8.00. She would be willing to order several booklets in people wanted to purchase them. Jen mentioned that at the wheel maintenance meeting if people could brings names of individuals that could service spinning wheels or provide spinning materials like bobbins.

Other Business

Mary has a question about whether anyone had see the spinning wheel Evolution Mac One. Heidi has seen one and said it was amazing. She has a friend that sells them. She will contact her friend about possibly coming to a meeting to give a demonstration.

Show ‘n Tell
Doris – brought an 11-day-old lamb that will be raised by Annabelle for fiber
Connie – showed a book entitled Shibori Knitted Felt which she said is a good resource
Marilynn – recently received an excellent book on dying and how it evolved through the years. It is expensive at around $250.00 and can be purchased online through Earthues.
David – showed mitten he was knitting called thrummed mittens that use roving, knitted into the mittens to form a lining. He also mentioned he owns 3 llamas.
Heidi – mentioned books that had been donated to the guild from Jimmy Bean’s wool. We could use these for fundraisers each month as donated items.
Jen – showed fiber she has just bought from the fiber sale
Mary – showed a skein of yarn she had spun which is finer than most spinning she had done.

Heidi motioned the meeting be adjourned. Connie seconded. Motion passed. The meeting was followed by a pot luck lunch.

Update from Texas Hill Country - Polly Holmes

I took fiber over to Paint Rock, Texas to have rugs made. I had the moorit Merino from my ram and some other white wool of unknown origin. Anyway, the only thing that saved us was that we brought older coarser mohair fleeces to blend with the wool. The wool was too fine but the rug company felt that the adult mohair would save the day. The rug folks had also never seen naturally colored mohair and so this was new to them...the reds, black and grey tones. On the way back Tracy Ross and I were smiling about the too fine wool and the tough mohair.

We have both been working with the fine, white mohair from the Texas goats and have really gotten spoiled. I never thought I would say that, but when each fine white fleece is just like the next, variations really stand out. However, it was old goat that saved the day in Paint Rock. The rug Company has a neat web site and they are really nice folks. They gave us the grand tour. The Company is Ingrid's Custom Hand Woven, Inc., Reinhard Schoffhaler is the Owner.

He weaves saddle blankets at Paint Rock also. They were doing some as we did our tour. Paint Rock is not a large place and they actually loom the rugs BY HAND on premise. It was really neat to see the looms. They had one real big loom but the others were about small rug size. We have lots of old goat so I hope the rug program works out.

The Owner advised me that mohair was soooo expensive to use. I advised him that getting the mohair would probably not be a problem. Lisa Minter's Mom had some lovely llama rugs in her booth at BSG last year and that is where I found about Paint Rock. Small World.

I went to Guild meeting down here today. I hope to attend a warping class they are having next month. Guild down here very informal and much smaller than up north. That’s it from the Texas Hill Country

Question: What would be your ultimate fiber-themed dream vacation?

Mary B. – I’m packing my bags right now. My favorite fiber vacation would be in Montana/Wyoming. I (and others) could look at sheep one day and pick out a fleece on the hoof. The next day the washed fluffy fleece would be delivered to my little cabin in the woods (the one with the personal hot tub, down feather bed and comforter, front porch with a wonderful view down the valley to the lake where I could sit in my custom fitted rocking chair with the little table next to it to put my cup of tea with the book I was reading. I was always interested to see what the flowers in the little vase would be each day.
That afternoon Debbie Mum and I would dye up portions of the fleece in a wide variety of colors. The next morning we would all meet up and use our personal pickers and super carders well into the night and the next day end up with the most delightful results. At the closing of the workshop, I found that I had won the drawing and was able to stay in my little cabin for another week and do the workshop again Free. Ahhhhhhhh. I returned home and spun and knit for the next year without my wheel or my feet and needles never touching the floor.

Lu Weaver: I'd love to go to Australia or New Zealand and learn about wool, sheep, and spinning there. Or go to Scotland and learn more history of tartans which is very fascinating. The problem is I have a bum leg at the moment, and most tours require a lot of walking.

Connie Vann: My favorite fiber-related dream vacation? Hmmm...there are perhaps too many to choose from. I wouldn't mind starting in New Zealand, because I love their wool, and I wouldn't be surprised if the country wasn't pretty magical as well. But, there are others...so-o-o-o many others...there is fiber all over the world.

Judy Wells: One of the theme fiber vacations I have thought about is a trip to New Zealand. Actually Rex and I have thought about going there and finding a place where I could take maybe a spinning or weaving workshop for a few days and then traveling on to another location where he could take some kind of a woodworking workshop. This way we could both enhance our hobbies while enjoying a vacation, seeing new sites and meeting new people in the process.

Allison Judge: When I reviewed Shear Spirit for Spin Off magazine I read about the farms and people depicted in the book. I would love to travel to each one (I can already check one of the farms off - visited there some years ago on a sunny fall New England day). Meeting those people and their animals, strolling around the farms and fields with them - ah....bliss!

Sharon Campbell: I struggle to picture one location because I’ve been fortunate to experience several and that leaves me confused so I won’t try to address a setting. The qualities I would desire – okay I lied. I think I want it to be on the Pacific coast because I want ocean air, walks on the beach and ocean sunsets. I just listened to Syne Mitchell on www.weavecast.com interview Cameron Taylor-Brown, a weaver who believes in collaborative learning, so I want someone to collaboratively learn with and from. My fantasy would be a vacation with other fiber artists and studios, looms, wheels and lots and lots of time – and prepared meals.

Nancy Pryor: I think I am living my fantasy fiber vacation. I am home all of the time, except for trips to town for mail and groceries, and of course, guild meetings and the weaving study group, as well as walks with the dogs. And no neighbors!!! I have my looms, spinning wheel, fiber, yarn, knitting machines, all right here in the house and I can do as I please whenever I please, within reason that is. I have access to materials at anytime of the day on the Internet. What more could I ask for?

Musings from Sage Creek: Sharon Campbell

I took my book and sat out in the yard today. We are in between snow storms again. The temperature reached 70 degrees and I was in the company of my dogs and a gaggle of songbirds. I know all about why you’re not supposed to feed songbirds, but I’m selfish like that. I like to listen to them, and if they’re fed, they will come – kinda like Field of Dreams. I couldn’t help thinking of when we first became property owners. It was late July and a spate of wildfires filled the valley with smoke. We would drive out after work, pull out our folding chairs and sit on our property, facing the sun which was setting through the smoky pallor. I don’t know about Ian, but I was wondering what we had gotten ourselves in to.

After we moved, the first trees we planted were from the State nursery and didn’t require excavation - dig a little hole, add compost and stick the starter tree in the ground. Subsequent trees have been more substantial and also have required more planning. I recently fell under the spell of Costco’s offering of trees and brought home a couple of gorgeous Austrian pines. I thought I’d replace the two that seem to be languishing. But first I needed to dig up the grass around the base of the trees. Have you ever noticed that where you want grass to grow it won’t, and where you don’t want it to grow you can’t get rid of it?

The only thing not crossed off from my honey-do list today (I’m honey) is “plant trees.” I wish I had put “dig up grass” on the list because at least I could have crossed that off. I’m not sure at what stage my task rests, other than to say that I have two little puddles of water that could attract free-range mosquitoes. I did however refresh the basins on other trees, though at some point it stopped being fun.

Another thing on my honey-do list was to find a shearer for our little wethers. They are few and not of much substance, but their bleating hearts are my little spinning flock and their fleece matters to me. Their fleece is my oil – my watercolor paint. Their fleece is the basis of my spinning and weaving. I seemed to have missed all the shearers moving through our area. One was now in Idaho, another in Portland – the miracle and immediate discouragement of cell technology. My last call, and my only call left, has garnered my little boys a respite from their heavy winter coats, but not for another two weeks. They look ready to explode and they say bah-ram-you.

I’m also looking at my Walls of Water. I got it in my head that warm weather and gorgeous tomato plants meant stick them in Walls of Water – never mind that there is still snow on Peavine, as well as on Peterson. I believed in the power of the walls – they’d insulate those plants and I’d be bragging about their fruit in a matter of months. The day after I planted them it snowed, and then the temperatures dropped so that I didn’t have walls of water, I had walls of ice, as in popsicles. I still have hairy sheep, Walls of Water, and little muddy ponds. Until next weekend~

GOLD DISCOVERY DAYS: Spinning, weaving, fiber arts demo opportunity at the 50th Anniversary celebration in Plumas Eureka State Park near Johnsville/Graeagle, CA on July 18 & 19, 2009. Period costume is encouraged. Call 530-836-1182 or 530-836-0783 for information. You can also contact Anna Harvey at 916-217-8220.

CLASSIFIED ADS:
(A free service to our guild members. Ads run four months unless otherwise requested)

Instructions: Learn to spin! Private and semi-private lessons available in Reno and can be arranged at a convenient time for you. Lessons are 2 hours long and include fiber. Spinning wheel rental is also offered for those students completing a lesson. Contact Allison Judge, fiberist@sbcglobal.net

Shetland Sheep: Small primitive breed. Wool, breeders or meat custom cut and wrapped at Wiggins in Chilcoot or do it yourself. Ever tasted Shetland meat? I have samples if you'd like to give it a try!
Mimi Bullard 969-3249

Loom for Sale: I have a well traveled and seldom used 4 harness Leclerc - Nilus loom for sale. I was wondering if the information could be passed on to your Spinners and Weavers group. I would love to find the loom a good home. My name is Paula Pennington phone (530) 694-2380. I live in Woodfords. Paula Pennington merganser@gbis.com

Yarn for Sale: I have a large quantity of lamb’s wool and lambs wool/mohair in skeins. The yarn is medium gauge 2-ply and is ready to be dyed. Skeins range in size and cost is $15 - $20 per lb. The wool was raised in an organic environment on my friend’s farm in Southern Alberta Canada. Contact: Tricia Boyko at triciaboyko@hotmail.com

Spinning Wheel: Ashford Traditional spinning wheel for sale. Spins perfectly. Single treadle, single drive, scotch tension. $250. Contact Allison Judge, fiberist@sbcglobal.net

Carson Sierra Spinners & Weavers
Our guild was formed in 1976 in an effort to create a resource for practicing and aspiring fiber artists in and near Carson City, Nevada.
Our goal is to: Promote appreciation and knowledge of the fiber arts in our community through demonstrations, fairs, and other activities; provide a support network for fiber artists and enthusiasts in our area; Keep the fiber arts alive by encouraging others to take up spinning, weaving, knitting and other related arts; Support local and global fiber-related causes.
Meetings are normally held the 2nd Saturday of the month. Plan to arrive after 10 a.m.; meetings are called to order at 11 am, with lunch and socializing afterwards. Bring your spinning wheel, knitting or other handwork, and items for sharing. We welcome members and their guests at all levels of expertise.

Newsletter Submissions: must be received no later than the last Wednesday of the month for inclusion in the next newsletter. Submissions must be made in writing and sent by e-mail or snail mail by the deadline to Sharon Campbell, institches@rtci.net

Dues: Membership dues are $25.00 and membership runs from January to December. Please provide your current email address when paying dues. Send dues to: Doris Woloszyn at P.O. Box 229 Chilcoot, CA 96105, and make checks payable to Carson Sierra Spinners & Weavers.
Please Send Guild Correspondence to:

Amy Shannon
2120 Ives Ave
Reno, NV 89503
ashannon@unr.edu