Sunday, December 21, 2014

January 2015 Newsletter

Mesa Fiber Arts Guild Newsletter PO BOX 4945, Grand Junction, CO 81501

JANUARY 2015

Website: www.mesafiberartsguild.org Blog: http://mesafiberarts.blogspot.com/


CALENDAR OF EVENTS
Wednesday, January 7th, Noon
first Wednesday of month.
First Presbyterian Church, 3940 27 1⁄2 Rd Grand Junction, CO
Program: GLENDA M.
BRAIDED RUGS
Refreshments: Kay G, Shiloh H, and Pat McV.
Evening Guild Meeting
Thursday, January 8th, 6:00 PM
first Thursday of the month.
Center for Independence 740 Gunnison Ave. Grand Junction, CO
Program: CAROLYN D.
NAVAJO WEAVING

UPCOMING GROUP MEETINGS JANUARY 2015

ROC DAY – Wed. January 7th 9:00 AM – 11:30 AM at Dean M's.For spinners or those interested in learning to spin. Roc Day or St. Distaff's Day is traditionally the day women get back to spinning, the day after the twelve days of Christmas in the Christian holidays.

Weavers - Sat. January 10th, 9:30 a.m. at Main Street Bagels.Pat McV. hostess and Carolyn D will provide the program on Navajo Weaving.

DYERS – Introductory Group Meeting – SATURDAY, JANUARY 10th, 10:00 AM COLOR CREEK FIBER ART STUDIO, 1150 N 25th St. Grand Junction. Cost: 5.00 for supplies (dyes and utilities) You are encouraged to bring your own fiber, yarn, roving, or fabric OR for an additional 5.00 Mary H. will provide fiber materials if you have none of your own.

Knitters – Wed, January 14th at 9:30 a.m. Meet at TBD co-hosting by TBD. Spinners – Wed, January 21st at 9:30 a.m.
First Congregational Church, 1425 N 5th St. Grand Junction.

Rug Hookers - Wed, January 28th at 9:30 a.m. at Monument Cafe, located on Broadway, in the Safeway shopping center, next door to Garfield's in the Redlands, Grand Junction.

Thrums
by Judy Br.
It’s that time again; a new year is on the horizon. May 2015 find you and yours hale and hearty! As long as we’re still breathing, we can continue to create, work with, and build our stashes.
My hope is to learn something new, maybe even wild and crazy, every year. What will your new fiber challenge be this year? In 2014, I had the opportunity to learn to dye silk. Who knew how much fun that would be? And we have a new dye group forming with plans for beginning their dye studies in January. Since September, we have had programs on wool appliqué, felting, ways to use recycled plastic & plarn, and working with alpaca among others. And I know all of you will enjoy Glenda M.’s incredible rug braiding at the January 7th meeting. If there are other topics and presenters you would like to see, the board welcomes your ideas. A vital involved membership is the secret to our viable, healthy, and expanding Guild.
As each of you shares your fiber adventures, and perhaps, misadventures through show & tell, you inspire your fellow fiber enthusiasts to stretch their minds and hands to even more creative activities. See photos in these newsletters and on our blog for some examples. Thanks to all members who impart your talents and enthusiasm for the fiber arts with fellow Guild members and with others through demonstrations, shows, and teaching in the community.
There are two upcoming opportunities to share your creative fiber pieces with the community at large. Contact Mary W. if you have pieces you would like to exhibit January and February at the Presbyterian Church. And the Guild has also been invited to display our members’ work March through May at the United Way meeting gallery in US Bank. You may submit two pieces for this show. The pieces must be able to be hung, and labeled with the title, the artist’s name, price or NFS (not for sale), and artist’s email or phone number. Contact Judy B. for more information.
Food for Thought: I’ve been pondering the age old debate of what is “Art” or “Fine Art” as opposed to “Craft”. Does it have to do with experience, originality, skill, design, use or functionality, quality of materials? Here is a quote I found online: “A maker of chairs makes 6 chairs. They all look alike, the first one and the last one. Each is identical. That’s a craftsman. The artist doesn’t know exactly what his finished piece will look like. He
may have an idea, but doesn’t know exactly because he may change his mind during the construction. That’s art.” Quote from jewelry artist Harold O’Connor on the website - http://lexiericksondesigns.wordpress.com/2011/06/09/is-it-art-or-is-it-craft/ So what is your take on the question? What do YOU think constitutes fiber art, or does the definition even matter as long as we are being creative and enjoying the experience? And what about “quality.” Is there some criteria that assures quality? During the Renaissance, Guilds were established to provide internship and assure consistency and quality of handmade pieces. Is that a role our guild plays?

Guild Mission Statement

Mesa Fiber Arts Guild is a non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation of fiber arts: weaving, spinning, knitting, surface design, fiber dyeing and related fiber arts. The Guild seeks to advance fiber arts through shows, workshops, study groups, community involvement and a monthly newsletter.

FOR SALE
Rarely Used, Model 1120. Only $69 Singer Mechanical Sewing Machine Contact Lynn H at lynnhamann@gmail.com

Treasurer's Report
December 13, 2014
CheckingAccount Balance11-15-14 Expenses    0.0
Income    54.50
Ending balance 12-13-14
December 3, 2014
3195.13
3249.63

MINUTES FOR GUILD MEETING

The meeting was called to order by Judy B, who chaired the meeting.
No guests were present.
Approval of minutes: Trulie O motioned, seconded by Ellen H to approve the minutes as printed in the November newsletter. Motion carried.
Approval of treasurer’s report: Dean M motioned, seconded by Nancy B to approve the treasurer’s report as printed in the November newsletter. Motion carried.
The sunshine and clouds raffle basket was passed around.
Announcements:
The Weavers will be meeting the second Saturday in January, instead of their usual time.
Deborah R announced that there was a need for socks for children ages 5-10 years old in the Grand Junction school district. Anyone interested in donating socks either knitted or purchased should bring them to the January meeting.
Judy B will be sending an email soon to everyone regarding signing up for the United Way fiber arts display during the months of March through May.
Mary W will be contacting everyone who signed up for the First Presbyterian Gallery Show.
Ellen H announced that she and her husband sold their house and are moving to Santa Fe NM in January. We are sad to see her go but wish them well in their new adventure.
Several members participated in the show and tell.
The monthly raffle was held and a lovely bracelet was won by Penny C.
Meeting adjourned
After the meeting the group enjoyed the holiday potluck and fun “white elephant” gift exchange.
Nancy B, Secretary

EVENING MEETING MINUTES

Our meeting this month was a holiday potluck which we really enjoyed. We had fun with the White Elephant gift exchange.

Next month’s meeting will be Carolyn D teaching us about the Navajo Weaving process. She will bring some of her looms that can be transported and other materials needed for Navajo weaving. Please bring any questions or your own loom. I will bring my little sample Navajo loom that you can play on, too.

Meeting starts at 6PM at the Center for Independence on Jan 8th, 2015.

Group News
Rug Hookers - Seven rug hookers, needle punchers, and proddy aficionados met Wednesday, December 10th at Monument Cafe in the Redlands. We welcomed a new member to the group, enjoyed pastries and coffee and shared resources. Thanks to Kathy P. from San Juan Weavers Guild, and to Judy Bu. from our guild for delivering the boxes. We had wool for hooking from Kathy's mother to add to our stashes! Judy Br. announced she will be teaching beginner rug hooking and needle punch in January at Tangle.

The next meeting of the Rug Hooking/Needle Punch Group will be Wednesday, January 28th at 9:30 AM at Monument Cafe. Anyone interested in rug hooking, needle punching, or proddy is welcome! Call Judy Br. for more information or directions.

Weavers – The Weavers group met at the home of Connie Solomon on December 6th. During Show and Tell Judy Brock showed us a tote bag she made using plastic bags from City Market, a very unique and ecology-friendly project. For the program, Brenda W told us What's in our Weaving Library and also some of the equipment that we have for weavers.

The next meeting will be at Main Street Bagels on January 10. Pat M. will be the hostess. All weavers are welcome.

Knitters – Knitters met at MaryJo's house on December 10th and had a potluck in celebration of the holiday season. Dean brought her lace tablecloth that she's knitted over the past 5 years. It was stunning and all the knitters gathered around to hold up the ten foot long tablecloth for photos. Rickie H. shared a poem and the other knitters showed their projects. Jude S. was in attendance and it was good to see her and hear about her work at the local university, CMU.

The next meeting of the knitters is at TBD with hostesses TBD.

Spinners -    On December 17th, eight spinners spun at the First Congregational Church and shared mint chocolate chip cookies baked by Mary W. We discussed our upcoming Roc Day


Wool preparation makes a big difference in the finished hand spun yarn.

Nancy Bl. brought fiber she spun for a great visual on the effects of different types of preparation of the wool before spinning. Ellen H. brought us roving, gave out her new address and we said our good-byes as she is moving to Santa Fe and leaves the first week in January. We will miss her but look forward to visiting her. The Taos Wool Festival is the first week in October. There is a plan in the making for caravan to the new casa de H.

January 21st at 9:30 AM is the next meeting of the Spin group at the church again.

Dyers – ON JANUARY 10TH, Mary H. will host an introductory session for the Mesa Fiber Arts Guild DYERS GROUP. This is the Guild's newest specialty group so plan on talking about who wants to keep coming, when we want to meet, and what we'd like to do when we meet.

Mary H, Proprietress of Color Creek Fiber Art Studio, is the coordinator of the new Dyers Group. Please feel free to bring friends who want to join Mesa Fiber Arts Guild on Saturday. We'll play, pick up some tips and techniques on whatever is in front of us and dye fiber.
Cost: 5.00 for supplies (dyes and utilities) You are encouraged to bring your own fiber, yarn, roving, or fabric. If you choose not to bring your own fiber to dye, for an additional 5.00 you can get materials from Mary H. Color Creek Fiber Art Studio is located at 1150 North Ave, Unit B. colorcreek49@gmail.com Phone: 970 778-5985



 
Our Mary Hertert at the KAFM Studios on the third Wednesday of the month for Art Talk at 12:30 PM. - JOIN US

Letters from readers

Hi Paula,
I wanted to say thanks for your webpage, http://www.mesafiberartsguild.org/Links.aspx. My name is Julie, and my family and I are planning some fiber arts projects for Christmas gifts. Your page has some great information and resources we'll be able to reference. Thanks a ton for compiling them!

I also wanted to share a useful spinning resource that my daughter Aubrey found while helping me, http://mjjsales.com/spinning-wool-and-other-textiles.html. Can you add this to your resources webpage? She's very into fiber arts, but her friends don't share her enthusiasm, so I thought this would give her some extra encouragement. :-) And I thought your other visitors would find it useful.

If you have any good project ideas for us, let me know! Happy Holidays!

Best, Julie L

Knitting. Crochet. Spinning. Weaving. April 16-19 in Loveland 

Immerse yourself in the world of specialty fiber and expand your technical abilities at Interweave Yarn Fest—a celebration of the fiber arts. You’ll enjoy dozens of expert-taught workshops, a bustling marketplace, and the company of other yarn enthusiasts, all surrounded by the beauty of the Rocky Mountains.

REGISTER NOW AT:
https://www.etouches.com/ereg/newreg.php?eventid=100674&

The Fine Print... Newsletter:The Mesa Fiber Arts Guild Newsletter is published monthly from September through June. Deadline to submit material is the third Monday of the month prior. Publication of articles and advertisements does not constitute endorsement or recommendation by the Guild. Business ads: must be computer ready. Monthly rates are $5 for up to 5 lines; $10 for 6 lines up to 1/4 page; $10 for a half page; and $25 for a full page. Payment must be received before ad will be printed. Send payment to: Mesa Fiber Arts Guild Treasurer PO Box 4945 GJ, CO 81501 Please indicate that the payment is for a business ad. Personal ads: are free to members. Cost to non- members for non-business ads is $5/month. Membership Dues: Payable in November-$25 for individuals, $35 per household. Send dues to: Mesa Fiber Arts Guild Treasurer PO Box 4945 GJ, CO 81501

From the Newsletter Staff:
MANY thanks to all who submitted news and photos for the newsletter! Individual group reports are in the newsletter so we can focus on programs and new business at our meetings.

Please designate specific members of your group to gather reports and take photos for submission to the newsletter editor - lynnhamann@gmail.com The deadline for inclusion in the newsletter is the 3rd Monday of the month prior. We appreciate you emailing the group reports by the monthly deadline. THANK YOU in advance for all your contributions.