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.

It is time for the ANNUAL  HOLIDAY CARD EXCHANGE!   For many years our Guild has had the tradition of a holiday card exchange.  This is one card  sent to one person.   The cards are usually hand made, whether woven, painted, embroidered, or computer art.   This is an optional activity but you are encouraged to participate.  

Usually we sign up at the November meeting, and I draw names to assign who you send a card to.  With Thanksgiving being later in the month than usual, I will promise to notify each participant of their person to send a card to by Thanksgiving eve.    

If you do not attend the November meeting in person, you call or email Linda Stryker by November 26th to get on the exchange list. 

Cards should be in the mail by December 1st, in order for them to reach their destination in time for the December TWG meeting.  Bring the cards to the meeting and we will enjoy them during show and tell.    Call Linda Stryker if you have any questions. 

Examples of some of last year’s cards are on the Gallery Page.

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