October, 2024

The fall weather is sliding into place, cooler days and nights.  I’m looking forward to getting a project on my loom.  Deciding what it is to be is always the hardest part. 

I’m thinking of trying a amalgamation draft, using the Amagalmation tool on handweaving.net.  I belong to a Complex Weavers study group, requiring a sample exchange for more than 17 shafts.  I want to weave this draft, #36383, which is on 18 shafts.  I might try it in conference colors.   

If you have not tried this tool, it is really fun.  There is a video tutorial on handweaving.net that helps you through the process.  And YES – this can be done on 8 shafts.  Check it out. 

I recently heard an interesting historical tidbit.  Did any of you have older brothers – or maybe even younger brothers who played with the construction building toy – the Erector Set?  I loved it when my older brothers would let me join them and screw something together on whatever they were making.  I just learned that this toy – for boys – was first made by Structo.  The company was persuaded to design a toy for girls also.  Guess what that was — the Structo Loom! 

I am looking forward to our fall programs and for what we come up with as collaborations.  It might be as simple as working with another member to add embellishment onto a weaving.  It could be sharing a yarn source with another member and each coming up with a unique but related weaving.  It would be fun to use the conference colors.  Let’s collaborate! 

—Mimi 

Mimi Anderson, 2024/2025 President

September 2024

Hello fellow members of Tacoma Weavers Guild. I hope you have enjoyed your summer activities and are looking forward to the new guild year as much as I am.

We are entering the 89th year of our guild’s existence! Margaret Bergman founded TWG in 1935, and we’ve been going strong ever since.

Last spring, at our final meeting of the year – a wonderful picnic at the home of Janet Stanley, we approved some by-laws changes to be compliant with Washington State guidelines.

Our fall line-up includes Yvonne Ellsworth speaking about use of color, and teaching a class on two-heddle rigid heddle weaving. We will also have Mary Lane, a tapestry weaver from Olympia, Robyn Spady, and lots of other great speakers and classes.

We also have a team in place to demonstrate at the Fair, both the Sheep to Shawl day (we’re on the 9th) and a 4 x 4 demo day on the 20th. Thank you to the volunteers who are participating in this important outreach activity. We will savor the shawl all year, and hold our raffle in June. The C.A.M.E.L. will be available at the September meeting. Remember, that means Creative Approach to Mobile Experience Learning!

We have a few positions open for guild participation, the jobs for Study Groups and Ways and Means are OPEN. We are looking for someone who will train with our treasurer to take over when Carol moves away next year () and, many thanks to Amy Brand for agreeing to continue as Secretary.

The guild Theme for this year is: COLLABORATE! Let’s Weave a Web! We encourage you to pair with another guild member and weave something wonderful for our booth at ANWG. More details to come.

Looking forward to June, the ANWG 2025 Conference will be in Yakima. The theme is “Weaving Webs” and should inspire us to create a great guild booth display. Our own Pam Cox is leading the Guild Booths department for the Steering Committee, so we need a TWG member to start planning our booth participation. https://anwgconference.org/

We’re ever working on improving our TWG website so that it will be your go-to place for guild information. Stay tuned. tacomaweaversguild.org

As most of you know, I’m not always in town, and I will very much appreciate all the help I’ll have to serve as your President.

Mimi Anderson,

President 2024/2025

As many of you know, I volunteer as a weaving teacher once a week at the Southeast Seattle Senior Center, teaching people of all ages how to warp a loom, read a pattern, and launch down the rabbit hole of the pleasures of weaving.  For that studio, I was filling out a wall calendar of future events to enjoy around the area, and was struck with what a wealth of opportunities we have around the metro area. 

February – Red Alder

February – Ikat at the Seattle Art Museum

March – RAGS

April – Spring Fair

May –  I am sure there is something I have not heard of yet. 

June – Fiber Fusion

June – ANWG

Plus our monthly Guild meetings, end of year picnic, etc. 

I also noted that there have been several posts requesting help learning how to use their looms.  I am happy to see some of TWG members responding to those quests for help.  The kindness of passing on our tips and tricks, teaching the mechanics and successes of our weaving – that is what is going to keep our Guild relevant and engaged, and perhaps bring a few newcomers into the fold.  

Keep supporting local events, share them with each other, and keep learning and teaching into this new year. 

Linda Stryker, President