TWG President Message

October 2025

Hello Weavers!

Fall is such a busy time for us all. Home life, work life, weaving life – each aspect of our days is filled. This is the time of beginnings — weavers guilds meetings— and, with sadness, the lazy (?) days of summer are gone. September saw us begin again with the FAIR activities and Fiber Fling at the Job Carr Museum Park. Showing the visitors what we do and how we do it!

October brings another opportunity to share our love of fiber craft as we open the Studio (our meeting place at Saint Andrews) to the public for the Open Arts Studio Tour, on Saturday October 11th as we participate in Tacoma Arts Month. You can find out more hereour members will dress up our meeting room, bringing table looms, spinning wheels, and many examples of what we make. We will not be selling, but rather promoting our SALE coming up in November during Arts at the Armory. Be sure to check that out here

For weaving inspirations, I’m feeling lured by more thoughts of Optical Hues, and by October colors – turning leaves, pumpkins everywhere, rain, fir needles, and by October scents – pumpkin spice lattes and all goodies with that wonderful smell. It feels warm.

I hope you will be able to join us in October for “Much from Little” – utilizing your handwoven leftovers.

Reminder, if you have ideas for Study Groups, contact Kitty to connect with others who also want to focus on a technique or study.

See you soon –

Weave away!

Mimi

Mimi Anderson, President

Tacoma Weavers Guild

Hello Weavers!

I am filled with anticipation of another great guild year for Tacoma weavers.  This year, our theme is “Optical Hues” specifically, of course, color options in weaving.  

AI says, optical color mixing is a perceptual phenomenon where two or more colors placed close together are seen by the brain as a single, new color.  Our brains and our eyes do have a symbiotic relationship and function, but when the brain is encouraged to think what the eye is seeing, that double curved line in the middle of a blue background becomes a seagull flying in the blue sky.  When the brain sees little blue dots and little yellow dots close together, it sees green. 

I remember back in a high school art class, our teacher was teaching about pointillism, and we were required to choose two colors, opposite on the color wheel, and use only those two in small dots, to create a portrait.  Perhaps it was of a specific famous artist, because I remember mine was Van Gogh.  I chose blue-violet and orange, and I can almost remember the painting.  It was amazing to see how just the use of dots could make shapes and shadows, and definitely a portrait of Van Gogh.

A similar concept is simultaneous contrast:  Two colors, side by side, interact with one another and change our perception accordingly. The effect of this interaction is called simultaneous contrast. Since we rarely see colors in isolation, simultaneous contrast affects our sense of the color that we see. For example, red and blue flowerbeds in a garden are modified where they border each other: the blue appears green and the red, orange.

Our weaving is like little pixels or dots, one up one down, so it’s the perfect medium for optical mixing.  In weaving, we can achieve totally different colors from what color each yarn color is, by using yarns in combination.  I was just looking at my sampler from our workshop with Jennifer Moore, Double Rainbow.  The places where two yarns are used form another color.

At our first meeting, we’ll have an activity.  If you choose, you can select some colorful paint chips to get you started thinking about how colors might interact and combine to create optical mixes.  We’ll proceed through the year, and as our May Challenge see results that we all have created using this concept.

I hope you all have had an amazing summer break, filled with weaving and ice dyeing, and you are back at the loom, or the wheel, or your favorite textile techniques.  We hope you are creating items to offer for sale at our Arts at the Armory event in mid November, and that many of you will participate in the Open Studio Day, October 11th.  

Weave away!

Mimi

Mimi Anderson, President

June

And now it is JUNE!  Two weeks to ANWG 2025 Conference in Yakima!

We look forward to our end-of-the-guild-year Potluck Picnic, again generously hosted by Janet S, at her lovely home.  We will do the “installation” of our Officers who were elected last month, and will be appointing a member who volunteered to fill the Secretary position.  Thank you Kay!

We will have a Dog Daze Sale, but hold off on the Shawl Raffle because the Shawl will go to our guild booth at ANWG.  Our booth will reflect our tagline “Friends Making Fabulous Fabrics”, showing how we work together each year at the Sheep To Shawl activity at the Fair.

I am so excited about our Ice Dyeing activity at the picnic.  The colorful projects will be dyed, but must go home with the dyers to batch, so we won’t see what you did until later.  We will have a big show and tell in September, and if you send images, we can post them on the FB page.  Send those to Donna, or post them yourself.

Many of us from TWG are going to the ANWG Conference, and will have lots to share when we begin our year again in September.

We plan to participate in the Tacoma Arts Studio Days in October, by having an open house of weaving demos and activities at our meeting location at Saint Andrews.  We also plan to again have a sales booth at Arts At The Armory this fall.  Remember to weave items to sell there!

I have only one weaving project in process; my Family Reunion towels to give out in July.  My family has a historical connection to bar codes; my dad’s company pioneered some of the reading devices for them, so I was determined to create a readable code with our family name, using white and black cotton.  Another weaver had done this a few years ago, so I knew it was possible, but it was challenging to design the color order.  After making the code, I had to determine the smallest line to equal one thread wide, so that the rest of the code was in proportion.  I didn’t want to thread the loom and have the towels not be read-able. With a geeky engineering family like mine, most everyone will have a tiny scanner app on their phone!  I’m still in that “fingers crossed” mode, but will soon know if it works!  

Happy Summer Weaving!

Mimi

Mimi Anderson, TWG President 2024-2026

May

Four months of 2025 gone.  Only 1 month to ANWG in Yakima!

I admit to being distracted.  My new AVL K Loom finally arrived, and with help, we got the frame assembled.  The heddles/harnesses process is pretty slow, and, there are forty shafts!  It will be awhile until I get to weave something, but one day in the future!

We are finishing up our guild year, and I very much look forward to our member showcase by Bobbie Bronson.  I think Bobbie and I have been guild members for about the same number of years and I love to hear about her weavings and garments made.

We will have our election this month as it is our Annual Meeting, and be sadly saying farewell to Carol Thompson who has helped keep TWG together over these past years.  Carol isn’t leaving us, but is moving across country to Illinois.  We’ll get to see her on Zoom, and appreciate the continued service for TWG she will do as our webmaster!

I’m working on the ICE Dyeing project for our June Picnic at Janet Stanley’s home.  More details at the May Meeting, and via email.

I am be busy with Fashion Show entries, and sewing a piece for a display.  And hanging harness frames….. :o)

Enjoy the ever warming days, now it’s garden time!

But also keep on weaving.  Arts At the Armory will be here before you know it!

Mimi

Mimi Anderson, TWG President 2024-2025

April

Three months of 2025 gone.  Only 2 months to ANWG in Yakima!

My Tacoma loom is finishing up a scarf to be entered in the Juried Show at the conference.

My Megado loom is now weaving a warp for the collaborative effort that Pam and I are doing for the SWG booth.  We are going to put together a couple of hand woven textiles with some of Pam’s beautiful dyed cotton fabric.  It will be a tabard garment, a pattern by Sandra Betzina.  And the clock is ticking….

I’m looking forward to seeing all the samples that were woven at the recent workshop.  TWG members had the pleasure of learning from Nadine, as well as listening to her lovely voice.

Nadine Sanders, the Singing Weaver, has agreed to sing and play for conference attendees at The Webs We Wear fashion show opening night.  We still need more entries, and I’m sure they will come in soon — I know how long things take!

Enjoy the warming days, now it’s  garden time!

But also keep on weaving.  Arts At the Armory will be here before you know it!

Mimi

Mimi Anderson, TWG President 2024-2025

March

Two months of 2025 gone.  Only 3 months to ANWG in Yakima!

I was able to spend a week on vacation where it is warm/hot, and while I loved that get-away, I am happy to be back at the loom.

My Megado loom is weaving a narrow warp for the Complex Weavers Award streamers. It was an honor to be invited to weave these, only past winners are asked.  However, I found that a narrow warp can be a challenge.  Sett is a bit different than for a scarf or wider yardage.  Learning new things, as always.  I’m nearly finished, and will get that loom ready for the next project. 

TWG is fortunate to be having Nadine Sanders, the Singing Weaver, this month, talking to us at the meeting, and following with a two-day workshop on Saturday & Sunday.  Nadine is an excellent teacher – I know everyone will benefit from this class.

Enjoy the warming days, soon it will be garden time!

But for now, keep on weaving!

Mimi

Mimi Anderson, TWG President 2024-2025

February

Cold and clear, or blustery, windy, and maybe snowy!

And one month of 2025 gone. Only 4 months to ANWG in Yakima!

I hope you are enjoying these days of mostly indoor activities, and that the loom or the wheel, is a place to be, often.

Today I am finishing a warp on one loom. It’s been a challenge, and I have learned a lot. I accidently put on a warp (12 yards – what was I thinking?) with twice the density I needed. This was a new structure for me, picked up last summer at Complex Weavers of using a plaited twill as tie downs and another plaited twill used to create a Fractal design. (I may be making this up….!). I will not be putting the 12 yards piled on the floor behind the loom onto the loom any time soon! This warp has caused me to be creative, but I’ll be happy to move on. Next up a narrow warp for the CW Award ribbons. My other loom will soon be warped to weave a scarf in ANWG colors. Each loom has another project or two slated to be woven before mid-May, so I keep busy!

Love you all!

Happy weaving.

Mimi

Mimi Anderson, TWG President 2024-2025

A New Year

Another year gone by. We’ve had highlights, low moments, welcomed new weavers, said sad goodbyes to weaving friends. There is only one direction from here – one thread at a time. I looked for inspiration on the web and liked many of the gazillion quotes. I like this one particularly.

“May your coming year be filled with magic and dreams and good madness. I hope you read some fine books and kiss someone who thinks you’re wonderful, and don’t forget to make some art — write or draw or build or sing or live as only you can. And I hope, somewhere in the next year, you surprise yourself.” – Neil Gaiman

As for me, I will keep weaving, keep trying to make art, hopefully help keep our guild moving forward. Tacoma Weavers Guild is my home guild and I treasure each member and friend.

I want to express thanks to the members who helped us get into the Arts at the Armory event, it proved a positive experience and a fund raiser for the guild. Let’s grow that – we make some awesome stuff!

ANWG 2025 is up next – Yakima in June is not far away! There are many opportunities to experience the conference – note that Registration opens in a few short weeks. Volunteers are needed for several areas (our own members Linda S and Kathy M are the coordinators) and the Fashion Show is hoping for your garments! (I’m co-chair….) Let’s make it a good event. All classes are listed on the website, and you can view them by weaving level as well as title.

Looking forward to seeing all of you soon, and hearing Robyn Spady talk to us about Color & Texture!

–Mimi

Mimi Anderson, President

I love this time of year in the Northwest. I’m sitting in my studio, alternating weaving with working at the computer, listening to my favorite holiday music. Familiar traditional songs, and oddball songs I’ve just come across. – Like John Pardi’s Marry Christmas from the Keys. Not the place I’d want to be for the holidays – I’ll take grey days and rain — ( and maybe snow?) I love all the beautiful holiday lights, brightening our evenings and nights!

I’m so happy that TWG members will participate in the Arts at the Armory next week – hope the reception to handwoven and hand created textiles is well received! It is great exposure.

Don’t forget to bring donations for the warm clothing drive.

I’ve been side-tracked from my “donut shaped double weave” project (still working on it) and ended up excited about weaving a tied weave, where the initial plaited twill block becomes the ties, and the result is a double design – essentially a fractal. The drawback is that this is a two shuttle weave, so slow. I think it has taken about 5 solid hours to weave one towel. But they are so cool!

I will be on Zoom for our December gathering. Will miss you all and hope you enjoy the Holiday Potluck Lunch sharing, and the card exchange.

Warmest wishes for the Holiday Season!

~Mimi

Mimi Anderson, TWG President 24-25

Last year, as a community service, members were invited to knit or weave warm clothing to donate to charity.   Members enjoyed having a project to do in their leisure time.   It just so happened that our host church was preparing for their holiday events and could make good use of our donation to help those in need locally.  Hats, scarves, mittens, headbands, cowls, all are welcome. 

Bring your donations to the December Holiday Party.