May 2010

Newsletter

Fiber Guild of

 Greater Kansas City

“Good ideas are common - what's uncommon are people who'll work hard enough to bring them about”

Ashleigh Brilliant

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Important Membership News:

January 1, 2010 was the deadline to get your membership renewal application and dues in to be able to participate in the 2010 Creative Hand.  However, you can join any time to become a member of the Fiber Guild.  You can download an application for the Fiber Guild at:

http://www.kansascityfiberguild.org/fiber%20guild_member_app.pdf

You can also become a member of our “sister guild”, the Weaver’s Guild. They are a separate organization from us, but we share many things in common, including our lending Library. Their website is www.kcweaversguild.org. You can also join by filling in the appropriate information on the application on the Fiber Guild website.

May Guild Calendar:

Monthly Fiber Guild Meeting

May 12th, 7:00 pm

We are enjoying our new meeting space at Old Mission United Methodist Church , and hope everyone can make it to the May meeting!

The address is 5519 State Park Rd , Fairway , KS 66205 .  The church parking lot is accessible from State Park Road which is 1/2 block east of Mission Road on the south side of Shawnee Mission Parkway .  The north door of the church has parking space and is closest to our meeting room.  Parking overflow can go to the lot on the west side of the church and can use the west door with a portico.  Direction signs will be posted within the building from either entry to the conference room.

The program for the May meeting is the wall hanging in the church sanctuary made by a local tapestry artist with its history and symbolism discussed.  It is done using threads, yarns, and fabric for texture and color.  Also, the KAWS participants will want to share their insights received in Emporia , KS .  This should be inspirational, as well as informational.

See you all there!!

Did you pick up your 2010 Directory at the last meeting?

If not, let Nancy Wagner know. She is at nwagner@mailstation.com.

Recent updates to the directory were emailed to everyone around mid-March. If you have any questions, please contact Nancy .

The Weaver’s Guild meets the second Thursday of each month at 10am at the Waldo Library ( 201 E. 75th Street in Kansas City , Missouri ). Their May program is “Quick Warping for 2-8 Harness Looms” and “Incorporating Designer Yarns for Scarves” with Leslie Carroll-Bartlett and Janet Wray.  In June, the program will be “Overview of Basket Making” by Sandy Martin.

If you’re in the Fiber Guild, you’re welcome to attend Weaver’s Guild meetings!! Be sure to check out their website for news you don’t find in our newsletter, but that just might interest you!

New Felter’s Guild

Fab Felters was formed in February and meetings are on the last Saturday of the month, except in May since the last Saturday falls on the Memorial holiday. May's meeting will be on May 23rd at the home of Judy Santner.

The technique we are working on this month is to incorporate another fabric into felt.  Looking forward, our group has decided to do a show of our work towards the end of the year, more details to follow.  We are also looking into getting a workshop with a master felter.  Come on join the fun, it's not too late! See http://www.kcweaversguild.org for more details.

Dust off those projects

(you know which ones)

and come to the summer retreat!!

It’s Time for the Summer Women’s Fiber Guild Retreat!!

The annual Women’s Fiber Guild Retreat is July 30, 31 and August 1, at the Cohen Retreat Center in Cleveland Missouri (which is about 25 minutes from Overland Park , Kansas ).

This is a weekend to bring out your fiber projects that you want to work on without interruptions from family and pets. Cleveland Retreat Center is located on 200 acres including two small lakes and walking areas. There is an outdoor gazebo area where you can spin or knit outside and look out onto the lake if you want. Or, you can spend the whole time indoors immersed in your projects. Your only responsibility is to help with one meal.

The Cohen Retreat Center has indoor plumbing, showers, toilets, dorm beds. The building is heated and air conditioned and has an industrial kitchen and ice machine.

The retreat begins on Friday at 3 pm and ends on Sunday at 3 pm. We are responsible to leave the place the same or better than we found it so clean up is needed from everyone. Just bring out your own beverage, bedding, projects, snacks, and mess kit (fork, knife, spoon, cup, bowl, and plate). The meals provided (with coffee and tea all weekend) are: Friday night snacks, Saturday breakfast, lunch, dinner, Sunday continental breakfast and leftovers for lunch.

Additional things to bring are flashlights, ear plugs, (some people snore; Hmmm do you know anyone who snores in our group??) Bring your own personal stuff. Stuff not to bring is pets, husbands, or children unless they are over 30. This is open to KC Weavers Guild and Fiber Guild; (and last time we had some Lawrence Guild participants).

This past February’s retreat was a ton of fun and we had a record amount attending…so please RSVP as soon as possible to Debbie Dubinsky at spindeb@aol.com.

Directions will follow in the next newsletter. Phone service is spotty to say the least.  Verizon and possibly Sprint may have coverage out there. AT & T does not work. Calls are long distance from the retreat, so the retreat number is for emergencies only. There is also no wireless coverage out there so just leave your laptops and other techie stuff, and bring out the old fashioned hands-on projects…you can also catch up on your reading in between projects!!

Looking forward to another great retreat!

Debbie Dubinsky (spindeb@aol.com)

Fiber Events and

Fun Stuff to Do!!

Leavenworth Fiber Festival

Matt Nowak has recruited a few vendors for a one-day Fiber Festival in Leavenworth set for Saturday, August 21. Many more vendors are needed!! The show will be 8am – 4pm, with set-up August 20 (from 2-4pm) or beginning at 7am the day of the show. The show will be at the Heritage Center , and there IS air conditioning!!

Directions to the Heritage Center (in case you want to visit and check out the space): it is the last building on Delaware Street , on the south side, across from the parking lot. There is an additional parking lot to the south of the building.  The Center is open from 8am – 4pm every day of the week; call 913-682-2122 to be sure it’s open the day you want to go visit.

Matt is available to answer any of your questions and to give you a tour of the center, so contact him ASAP to express your interest!! Contact Matt at: 913-727-3871 or: Matthew.c.nowak@us.army.mil         or matthewhelen@aol.com.

Woven Circle Weave

With Sandy McCormick

June 12, 2010

At GOT Art Gallery

18 W Third Street in Lee’s Summit

The Woven Circle , a Kansas City area basket weaving guild, hosts various workshops for anyone interested in this form of art. The event in June costs $45 and a sea grass medley basket will be made. For more information about this class and/or about Woven Circle , contact Debby Ross (dsross4@aol.com or 816-507-3603)

The Art2WearKC Group meets the 3rd Thursday of the month at 6:30pm at Hancock’s Fabrics (95th and Metcalf). A group of garment makers, with sewing, design, and creative endeavors in common come for fun, sharing of ideas and expertise, and a variety of creative adventures. For more info, go to http://groups.yahoo.com/group/art2wearkc/.

Once you have attended a meeting you can join the yahoo group. Contact Deb Hillen for more info: stitchindeb@yahoo.com. 

Summer Fiber Class at JCCC

Registration for upcoming classes at Johnson County Community College began April 5th. Deb Hillen will be teaching Apparel Construction 1, 2 and Tailoring, plus Textiles over the summer for those of you who have been asking about clothing construction courses. The textiles class will be online. You must first apply to the college as these are regular, not continuing ed. classes. Full summer classes run from June 7 – July 27, Monday through Thursday, from 8am – 10:45am. Flat pattern and Computer Aided pattern design will be offered in the fall; they require Apparel Construction 1 as a pre-requisite. Contact Deb Hillen with questions!!

HFA Fiber Fair 2010

Everyone is invited to attend this Family-Friendly Fiber Fair on May 15, 2010 at the Webster County Fairgrounds (n. Marshall Street ) in Marshfield , Missouri . Sponsored by the Highland Fiber Artists, the theme of this year’s workshop is, “Spotlight on Spinning”. Mini-workshops and demos will be presented by fiber artists experienced in all phases of spinning, and there will be a spinning contest, a children’s hands-on craft booth, a fashion show and more!! To receive information on participating, including an application for vendor space, Contact Lorena Grimm at fiberartistry@gmail.com (or call Helen Grace Muzzy at 417-859-7840) with questions.

Wellsville celebrating its 140th

Wellsville will celebrate its 140th anniversary this year on Saturday, September 15. An 1800’s frontier town will be created. They are looking for demonstrators and sellers…demonstrators who do blacksmithing, wood carving, wool spinning, bobbin lace, tatting, wheat weaving, basket weaving, caning, broom making, fiddle making, banjo making, apple butter, butter or cheese makers, quilters, rug makers, dry flower/herbs creators, doll makers, antique doll collectors, frontier men, etc. Contact Lil Sanders, Wellsville Days Committee Entertainment Chairperson for details at 785-883-4113 or fsjubilee@hotmail.com.

Fiber Artists of Oklahoma

The DHM Digital Gallery invites designers working in fiber to participate in the Art of Applied Design, an international juried competition.  Deadline: July 15, 2010. all submitted works must be functional objects commonly used within interior spaces, such as furnishings (hard or soft), utensils, fixtures, or containers.  Objects that are purely decorative are not eligible. Evaluation will be based upon uniqueness and creativity, craftsmanship, and quality of the submitted digital image.  The online exhibit (from Sept. 15 to Dec. 1, 2010) will include e-mail address of accepted artist to facilitate independent sales of work. For a prospectus and entry form, visit. http://ches.okstate.edu/dhm/gallery

Their annual exhibit, Fiberworks 2010, is June 19 - July 17 at:

Individual Artists of Oklahoma Gallery

706 W. Sheridan in Oklahoma City /

Mission Statement: The annual Fiberworks exhibition, sponsored by Fiber Artists of Oklahoma, provides an opportunity for Oklahoma fiber artisans to showcase their work, from traditional crafts to innovative art. This eclectic show honors quality workmanship and original designs.  The exhibit also educates the public about the many facets of fiber artistry by presenting a wide range of media, techniques, and traditions.

Media:  Works in weaving, needlework, basketry, quilting, soft sculpture, paper, knitting, crocheting, felt, and all other works primarily constructed of fiber are accepted.

This show sounds like a fun road trip for anyone interested!! For more information, see: http://www.fiberartistsok.org/fiberworks.htm

For Sale , Wanted, Etc.!!

Loom Wanted: I want to buy a jack loom with 8 or more harnesses, weaving width at least 34”, preferably more. My price range is around $500. Please email me at desiree.young@yahoo.com, or phone me at 417-844-4551. I will gladly meet you half way for delivery (I’m in Marshfield , Missouri , Springfield area).  Thanks!

The Weaver’s Guild has several classified listings too…check these out at:

       http://www.kcweaversguild.org/

(be sure to look at the latest newsletter)

BRAG BOOK

Nancy Clark won the Best of Show award at Arts by the River in March. The art show was sponsored by the Arts Council of Southeast Missouri, and was held at Southeast Missouri State University ’s River Campus in Cape Girardeau . The award came with a handsome check for $500!! YEAH NANCY !!

Do you have anything you want to brag about??!! Submit your info to angeldanz@aol.com for the next newsletter!!

Got Vacation Plans? 

Share your travel adventures with your fellow Guild friends! We’d love to hear about your fiber discoveries along your vacation pathway! It’s always fun to learn about other artists, shops, festivals, and just to see some fun photos! Submit your info, including pictures, to Suzette (angeldanz@aol.com).

June Newsletter Deadline

The newsletter is a great way to find out more about upcoming workshops and artist opportunities, to sell things you no longer need, and more. Get your voice heard! Please submit information for the May 2010 newsletter to me (your newsletter editor), Suzette Mack, by May 20 (angeldanz@aol.com or 913-485-7744). I will try to remind everyone around the middle of the month, but since I might forget, mark your calendars now.

Also, if your email changes…please let me know!!  Be sure to give the old address as well as the new one.

Enjoy May…the weather is warming up and all those projects we started when it was too cold to be outside, can now be finished when it’s too hot to be outside J

Your Editor,

Suzette Mack

angeldanz@aol.com