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For the Love of Art
This sale of gently loved art will be held Saturday, Feb. 17, from 9:00 – 2:00 in the atrium of Peterborough Square. All proceeds will go to Artisans Centre Peterborough. Donations of framed art and empty frames can be dropped off at the Artisans Centre, Mon. to Sat. 10 am to 4 pm.
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Peterborough Weavers and Spinners Newsletter November 2023
November Guild Meeting – Monday, November 20
We look forward to seeing you all at this meeting! Ixchel Suarez, from the Canadian Tapestry and Textile Centre, has been invited back to do some guided tapestry weaving with all of us. Looms will be provided, or you can bring your own. Yarns are available (or bring your own). Please also bring a darning or tapestry needle – something with a large eye. No matter what your skill level, Ixchel will provide some suggestions about colour and design. We are aiming to make a 4X4 piece. If you don’t finish that evening, you will be able to take home the loom for one month to finish. After that, there will be a small loom rental fee.
Christmas Social – Monday, December 11 (note date change)
Once again, we will enjoy a delicious meal catered by The Cheese Shop. Please mark this date on your calendars! Bring your own plate, cup and cutlery. As well we will have a gift exchange (for those who wish to participate). Search your stash for a small item of fleece, fibre, yarn, a tool, etc. that you’d be willing to part with. Alternatively, you may purchase something appropriate. Wrap it in an environmentally friendly manner. No tags needed. What you open will be what you keep, unless you want to ‘do tradesies’ with someone else! More details about time, etc., later.
As well, be sure to attend this social in order to find out about the May challenge. Darlene and her elves have a fun surprise in store for everyone!
ACP News
Pop Up Sales: Casual sales opportunities will be available for those who wish to sell their wares. Darlene will provide more information, but basically, come on a Saturday (dates to be decided) between 8 or 9 in the morning and stay until 2ish, set up a folding table (we have quite a few in the ACP), and you’re ready! No charge for the table, but a 25% commission on all sales is payable to the ACP.
ACP Classes: Check the ACP website as a few Guild members are teaching a variety of classes this fall. Feel free to register in any of them. Remember that Guild members get a 10% discount.
Trillium Capital Grant: A grant was received to enable the Artisans Centre to purchase equipment for all the groups, to make the centre more accessible. PWSG requested a table-top 8 shaft loom and an E-spinner, which have been ordered. These items will enable us to teach a more diverse group of learners.
Guild News
Membership: Thanks to all who have renewed their memberships. We have a strong and sizeable group, and we appreciate your involvement. At present, there are 33 members. Lois will send out an updated list in November.Show and Share
The always busy Molly showed off a scarf she made on her rigid heddle loom.
She also made a rag rug table runner from old sheets.
Joyce used some leftover warps and scarves that didn’t sell to make beautiful journal covers.
Anne G shared some felted friends she started in an ACP class last year.
Douglas showed some homemade tablet weaving cards made from playing cards, then shared a strap made using them. Finally, he brought a felted gnome he made in a class with Darlene.
Gillian has been busy knitting tiny sweaters to donate to the Five Counties Children’s Centre Christmas tree. She also showed off a small rigid heddle sample loom she bought. She will use it to make rag rugs for doll houses …
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Peterborough Weavers and Spinners Newsletter October 2023
Artisans Centre News and Information
ACP Classes
If you have an interest in trying any of the Artisans Centre classes, remember that you get 10% off course fees with your PWSG membership. All classes are listed on the ACP website: www.artisanscentre.ca . As well, we welcome new instructors any time. If you have a fibre related idea that you’d like to teach, talk to Darlene and we will help make sure you have the space, equipment and materials needed. Instructors are paid by the hour (if they wish). Fees from classes help to keep the Artisans Centre open to the Guilds and the public. Specifically, Darlene has had requests for classes in quilting, macrame, rigid heddle weaving. Let her know if you’d like to teach any of those!
Artisanity Show and Sale
The Artisanity Show and Sale will be held on the weekend of November 3 and 4 in the Atrium of Peterborough Square, right outside the Artisans Centre. All Guild members are eligible to participate. An application form is attached to this letter. Please note the fee increase after October 10th. Come and join the other Guilds in selling your wares!
Artisans Centre Gift Catalogue
The Artisans Centre is interested in creating a gift catalogue. If you would like to have your spinning, weaving, felting or other creations displayed there for sale, please let Darlene or Douglas know about that. They will be able to give more information.
Artisans Centre Yard Sale Fundraiser – October 14 – see attachment to this newsletterFall Fibre Festivals and Events
Woolstock 2023
Sat, Oct. 14 – 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Paris Fairgrounds, 139 Silver St.
Paris, ONWorld of Threads
Tues., Oct. 10 – Sun, Oct 15
Queen Elizabeth Park Community & Cultural Centre,
2302 Bridge Rd
Oakville, ON
“Fables in Yarn” Guelph Exhibition by Alisa McRonald
Sep. 26 – Oct. 15
Guelph Civic Museum, 52 Norfolk St
Guelph, ONDon’t forget to renew your membership (now $55 per year) and send your fee to Julia. There is now a fillable membership application form on the PWSG website. Thanks Lynn! Contact Gillian, Julia or Lois if you need assistance renewing.
Please join us October 16, when we will be making ornaments to sell to raise funds for Five Counties Children’s Centre. Guild members are welcome to donate new, handmade ornaments of their own to this cause.
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Peterborough Weavers and Spinners Newsletter September 2023
County Fair Winners
Guild members were invited to submit items to the County Fair exhibition, held at Lang Village from Aug. 26-28. Molly and Anda took them up on the invitation and their submissions (and ribbons!) are shown here. As Anda says, “It’d be nice to have even more Guild members participate next year.” The fair project booklet was circulated last spring to members. It is doubtful that there will be many changes for next year, so go ahead and create some beautiful fibre items to exhibit! There were several classes with no entries at all.
PWSG Board positions to be filled:
Vice President – this role is mainly to step in for the President if they are unavailable to hold the meeting. It is not required that the VP become the next President.
Artisans Centre Board Rep. – this role is to attend ACP meetings monthly (1st Thursday of the month starting at 1 p.m.) and report back to the Guild with ACP news. Darlene has been handling this very well so far. Most importantly, this role ensures that the Guild has 2 votes on the ACP Board. We have been operating with only one vote and that is not ideal.
Please consider whether you would be able to take on one of these roles for a 2 year term. Thanks!
Dr. Wool Presentation
Helen Knibb, aka ‘Dr. Wool’ gave a fascinating slide presentation and talk about “terroir” which is the effect of place on the character of wool. She told about soil, plant life, water (salt marshes), weather, altitude and the food sheep are fed, and how all these factors create differences in the wool that is produced. We learned about the history of the Ontario fibre shed and the methods that producers use to create the type of wool that buyers want.
Lynn videotaped the presentation and I hope to send out a time-limited link for Guild members to watch. Julia is working on getting that going, so stay tuned!
Show and Share
Darlene is taking the OHS Level 2 course and brought a woven piece made from singles that she sun on her Canadian Production Wheel. She also brought the ‘booklet’ which is required to be completed for each project that is handed in for grading.
Lois showed two examples of her tapestry weaving. One began as an abstract and ended up looking like fantastical birds. The other is rainbow clasped weft weaving with black soumac in between the coloured sections.
Lynn made these inkle bands after learning from Douglas in his class. The piece with the orange edging is an example of tablet weaving.
This is half of a longer woven piece given to Marie by a friend who visited Sierra Leone. It is called country weaving and is done on a 2 shaft loom using local cotton that has been hand dyed.
Molly made these scarves for the County Homecraft Fair.
And Douglas! Oh, Douglas! How did I miss getting photos of all the lovely things you brought. Douglas also did some tapestry exploration and made an abstract wall hanging. He’s also done some backstrap weaving in the airport and made some bookmarks. Finally, he shared his May Challenge project, tea towels made on his 6 harness loom.
Fall Fibre Festivals and Events
Warkworth Spinners and Weavers Woolstock 2023
Spin-In at St. John’s United Church Sat, Oct. 14 – 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Tues., Oct. 3 – 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Paris Fairgrounds, 139 Silver St.
Campbellford, ON Paris, ON
World of Threads
Tues., Oct. 10 – Sun, Oct 15
Queen Elizabeth Park Community & Cultural Centre,
2302 Bridge Rd
Oakville, ON
“Fables in Yarn” Guelph Exhibition by Alisa McRonald
Sep. 26 – Oct. 15
Guelph Civic Museum, 52 Norfolk St
Guelph, ON
And finally, don’t forget to renew your membership (slight fee increase this year) and send your fee to Julia. Lois has sent out a couple of emails about this, but if you need information or help, contact Gillian, Julia or Lois. I look forward to seeing you in October when we will be making ornaments to sell in order to raise funds for Five Counties Children’s Centre. Here’s a sneak peek at what’s in store. Please save up small bits of ‘toothy’ yarn, and any wool fabric (like that suitable for rug hooking) to be cut into 1” squares.
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September 18, first meeting – Program
Hello Everyone – Welcome back to the Guild and the Artisans Centre! We have been working on a program plan and will be kicking off the year with a special presentation by a fleece producer, Helen Knibb. Please see the attached poster for more information.
Gillian Holden
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Peterborough Weavers and Spinners Newsletter
Summer 2023
Opportunities for Involvement at Lang Pioneer Village Museum
Corn Roast – Sunday, August 27th, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Join us for a good old-fashioned corn roast! Come celebrate the start of the harvest season with threshing demonstrations, live music, plenty of fire-cooked corn and more. The Guild has been invited to demonstrate spinning, weaving and felting under a shelter (Woodturners will also be there); your fibre items may be sold at this event. Click here to see all the events for the day: https://www.langpioneervillage.ca/plan-your-visit/events/corn-roast/
AppleFest – Sunday, October 1st, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m; Tempt your taste buds with the sweetest event of the year! Come out to Lang for a colourful fall celebration of apples and the harvest. See the Cider Mill in full operation, enjoy historic demonstrations, apple treats, games and so much more! The Guild has been invited to demonstrate spinning, weaving and felting under a shelter (Woodturners will also be there); your fibre items may be sold at this event. Click here to see all the events for the day: https://www.langpioneervillage.ca/plan-your-visit/events/applefest/
Lang Christmas Bazaar – An indoor/outdoor Christmas market offering a fine selection of local and handmade gifts and festive decorations to satisfy all your holiday shopping needs. Would any guild members like to get together and rent a table to sell their wares? Click here for more information: https://www.langpioneervillage.ca/plan-your-visit/events/christmas-bazaar/
Guild Meeting Dates for 2023-24
Meetings are usually the third Monday of the month, in the Artisans Centre Peterborough (Unit 3 of Peterborough Square mall) with occasional exceptions. Please mark your calendars!! We will begin at 5:30 p.m. with study groups in spinning and weaving. A short business meeting will be held at 6:30 p.m., followed by a short social break, and then and a program.
September 18, October 16, November 20, December 18, January 15, February 26, March 18, April 15,
May 27 and June 17
Guild Board for 2023-24
Guild Executive (2 year term)
Past President: Darlene Fallis President: Gillian Holden
Vice-President: VACANT Secretary: Krista Delahunt
Treasurer: Julia Szabo
Standing Committees (2 year term)
Communications: Lynn Shaw Library: Lois Watson
Program (2 members): Shannon McKinley & Anne Gallant
ACP Board Reps (2 members): Darlene Fallis & VACANT
Class Coordinator: Darlene Fallis
Equipment Coordinators: Weaving – Merrilyn Lindsay, Spinning – Patti Briggs
Special Committees (1 year term)
Membership: Lois Watson Sunshine: Diane Passmore
FAFS: VACANT Social: Shannon and Molly McKinley
Nominating Committee: a duty of the Past President
Some Fibre Events and Festivals In Ontario 2023
Fibre Spirit Festival 2023 Sat, Aug 26 – 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Barrie Curling Club, 175 Essa Rd Barrie, ON
Almonte’s 28th Annual FIBREFEST 2023 & Soup For Thought
Wed. Sep 6 – Sun. Sep 10
Mississippi Valley Textile Museum, 3 Rosamond St E
Almonte, ON
Scugog Fibre Festival Sat. Sep 23 – 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Nestleton Community Centre, Nestleton, ON
Warkworth Spinners & Weavers Tues. Oct 3 – 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
St. John’s United Church, Campbellford, ON
Woolstock 2023 Sat, Oct. 14 – 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Paris Fairgrounds, Paris, ON
SHOW AND SHARE – This was mistakenly attached (by Gillian) to the June AGM Minutes. What was I thinking??
Tapestry Weaving Learn-In – Over the summer, several Guild members have participated in a tapestry weaving learn-In. This is ongoing and you may participate at any time, even if you haven’t been to previous sessions. Below are some shots of the participants in action.
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Peterborough Weavers and Spinners Newsletter June 2023
Please join us . . .
Annual General Meeting & Potluck 2023
Location: Isabel Morris Park, 20 Concession St., Lakefield
Date: June 19, 2023, beginning at 5:30 p.m.
(new washrooms located very close by – no running water in the pavilion)
A short walk from the parking lot
Please Bring –
a chair, a food item that would serve a few people, with serving utensils
plate, cutlery and a cup or mug
any items to show and share
Door Prizes!
Hello All! We are looking forward to the AGM – and it will go ahead, rain or shine. The pavilion is large, but dress according to the weather. Please bring – a plate, cutlery, cup or mug. This will cut down on the costs of buying disposable stuff and the waste that it creates. Thanks for your assistance with this.
And don’t forget the need to fill some Board spots for next year.
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Peterborough Weavers and Spinners Newsletter
May 2023
Shepherd’s Hill Farm Field Trip by Ann Sinclair
Several members enjoyed a sunny afternoon at Shepherd’s Hill Farm near Campbellford. Grace introduced us to approximately sixty sheep. Thirty-eight were lambs born just this spring. The adults had been shorn three weeks before lambing. In the infirmary, we met tiny twins, some as young as two weeks old. Two breeds at Shepherd’s Hill are Blue Face and Border Leicester. Blue Face have nice dispositions.
Did you know….. a) Ewes can be bred when they are one year old or weigh 100 lbs. b) A ewe will sometimes reject one of her twins, requiring extra hours of TLC, tube-feeding etc. c) One little black lamb, Galileo, born to a firsttime mom, is still struggling to gain strength. d) Lambs are weaned after twelve weeks. e) The flock is fed mainly grain. f) An electronet system of fencing has been installed to control movement of the flock. j) It takes two hours each day to clean the yard and barns. h) The flock is brought in every night because of predators such as coyotes. i) Grace hires Jacob Heffernan to do the shearing. j) It is awesome to feel the fleece and see all the crimping. k) Rams are sold for their meat. (sorry, Galileo) l) Rough parts of fleece, known as the britches, can be used for making dryer balls, or used as mulch and can even be used to insulate beehives.
We lingered in the farmhouse enjoying home-made cookies, tea, and lots of conversation. Grace showed some excellent pieces of hooking and felting. She also was helpful answering our many questions. Present were the collie dogs, one of whom is the ‘barn manager.’ It was delightful to see this truly content flock of babies and moms snuggling together on fresh straw soaking up the glorious sun.
Recipe for Shepherd’s Hill Farm cookies!!
LPVM Samuel Lowry Weaving Shop Open House by Merrilyn Lindsay
In the late afternoon of Wednesday April 5, Lang Pioneer Village Museum hosted an open house for the Peterborough Weavers and Spinners Guild. The objective of the event was to offer guild members a firsthand look at weaving taking place in the weaving shop, specifically with jacquard loom operation. Guild members Marie McGee offered commentary on the weaving offered in the front of the weaving shop where table looms from the 1800s operate while Merrilyn Lindsay covered jacquard loom operation in the back room of the weaving shop.
At present, the jacquard loom is operated by a small team of weavers, three from the Peterborough guild and two from elsewhere. The weaver on the jacquard that afternoon was Lis Baston, a weaver from the Port Hope area. The engineer and loom trouble shooter, John Hunter, was on hand to explain how the punched cards mounted in the loom head determine the fabric design. Woven pieces from the jacquard loom were laid out so attendees could see what has been produced in the past.
The LPVM jacquard team needs more members to allow the loom to operate over the summer months for display to the general public visiting the village. It was made clear to observers that potential team members would cover both a discussion of the loom history and local background as well as operate the loom in hands-on mode. New team recruits will be offered in-depth training on loom operation and trouble shooting and will be supported by a hands-on coach/mentor.
Attendance at the open house was good with two attendees having since contacted Lang Pioneer Village Museum to indicate interest. We continue to seek additional experienced weavers to join the team.
Guild Leadership Positions for 2023-2025:
At the meeting in May, we will announce the Leadership positions that will be available for the next two years. If you have an interest in any one of these, please ask someone on the Board about it, and get a copy of the Duty Sheet which outlines the duties and responsibilities that go with the positions. Elections or acclamations will be announced at the June pot luck/year end meeting.
Annual Guild Challenge:
Be sure to attend the Fibre Arts Festival this coming Saturday, to see the entries for the annual Guild challenge: Anything and Everything May. We had a great variety of creative and colourful items shown.
See you Saturday with bells on!!
And Monday night for our monthly meeting.
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Fibre Arts Festival & Sale 2023 Vendor List
Here is a list of our vendors for 2023.
A River of Yarn https://ariverofyarn.ca/
Artisan Centre https://www.artisanscentre.ca/
AS THE WHEEL TURNS – Quality used spinning wheels – Patricia Cooper
Eakoworks fashions Instagram: @eakoworks
Earth & Vines https://earthandvines.com
Embroiderers’ Guild www.egpstitch.ca
Fabric Art – CHRISTINE BARKER http://www.freehandimpressions.com/
Happenstance Books & Yarn http://www.happenstancebooksandyarns.ca/
Hutt on Morganston https://www.facebook.com/thehuttonmorganston/
Indigo Dragonfly https://indigodragonfly.ca/
Irish Hill Shop https://www.irishhillsfarmapsley.ca/
Kimat Designs www.kimatdesigns.com
Lanes End Farm https://www.facebook.com/lanesendfarmandfiber/
Lang Village https://www.langpioneervillage.ca/
Pine and Purl https://www.pineandpurl.ca/
Rovings & Wraps Instagram: @123knitland
Sanctuary Innewear Instagram: @sanctuaryinnerwear
Santosha https://www.santoshafibres.com/ https://www.facebook.com/santoshafibres
Shepherd’s Hill Farm https://www.facebook.com/Shepherds-Hill-Farm-1006229602801668/.
Stony Lake Yarns https://stonylakeyarns.ca/
The Night Weaver https://www.facebook.com/thenightweaver/
Turned not Burned
Twin Pines Alpacas www.twinpinesalpacas.ca
Whitty By Design
Wild Violet Designs
Wool4Ewe www.wool4ewe.ca
Peterborough Weavers and Spinners Guild Booth and Display
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Spring Artisanity
Show and Sale
April 28, 12 pm – 3 pm
April 29, 9 am – 3 pm
