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Beyond Wool and Cotton

If you work with fibers, knit, weave, etc., come to explore all the options you can use. At the Weavers Guild South meeting on May 18th at noon at the Matteson Public Library, Betty Burian Kirk will introduce you to an abundance of fibers. Learn about animal fibers like yak and musk ox, plant fibers like ramie and lotus as well as regenerated manufactured fibers like rose, pearl and mint. Find out what the most expensive legal fiber is.

Receiving a bachelor’s and master’s degree from Northern Illinois University, Kirk is a former art teacher. Some of Betty’s talents include weaving, spinning, felting, ribbon flowers, tassels, Japanese bookbinding and Kumihimo. Betty frequently teaches at regional and national conferences. This summer she will be teaching Japanese bookbinding at Convergence 2024 in Wichita KS.


March program:

Where: Matteson Public Library

When: March 18th Noon

We will be doing a needle felted painting inspired by Monet’s water lilies. Please see the attached images for examples.

Kits will be provided for $15. The kits will include canvas, paint, painting supplies, wool, felting needles, and needle felting pad.

If you have your own small felting pad (8”x6” or smaller) and your own felting needles, you can get a kit with just the painting supplies and wool for $10.

To ensure you get a kit please email theweaversguildsouth@gmail.com by March 11th if you plan on attending, and/or have any questions. Please specify if you will need the full kit, or just the wool and paint kit.



Weavers Guild South                       Noon-4pm

Saturday, November 12, 2022          Matteson Public Library

                       Fiber and Bamboo Reed Basket


Debby Pebworth will lead a Fiber and Reed Basket workshop. Create a 

Basket using reeds as warp and assorted fibers of different textures.

Materials fee is $10 for the hoops and bamboo reeds. Please bring your own

yarns and fibers. Some yarns will be provided. Thick, chunky, soft yarns and

roving work well. This is a great way to use your stash and share with others.

Some of the ruffle type fibers can also be used in the weft. Mixture of fibers 

looks great,


Please bring scissors. If you can bring a bucket to soak the reeds please do.

We can share the buckets.


Guild meeting begins at noon followed by workshop.



Weaving Diagonally on a Zoom Loom - February 19, 2022, noon  at Matteson Public Library

The Zoom Loom is a great little loom but let’s shake it up by weaving diagonally on it! Using a continuous yarn, you will learn how to weave a square diagonally.

Beginner level

Student supplies

Zoom Loom (can bring a pin loom but NOT a potholder loom)

Yarn, preferably variegated, in worsted or sports weight

Crochet hook, size D or E

Scissors

Fork or comb to beat the weaving in place


Weavers Guild South                                  Noon - 4pm

                    March 19, 2022                                            Matteson Public Library

                        

                         Constructing a Navajo Loom


Diane Du Bois will be leading a workshop on how to construct a Navajo Loom. In April she will continue to lead us in weaving on a 

Navajo Loom. Diane suggests supplies can be found at a Hardware store.



Here is the supply list for making the loom.


4    20"-24" stretcher strips 4    1/2 " dowel rods

2    1/4"  dowel rods 1/8- 1/4 inch cord to secure rods

2     metal brackets to secure one dowel rod to frame.z 

(optional - 2 C clamps to secure loom to table while warping )


Bring what tools you have. We will share tools.

screwdriver scissors hammer

small coping saw to cut dowel rods ruler Elmer's glue

bucket or box to hold cord while warping warp to be set at 8-12 epi (ends per inch)


There will be a Guild meeting at noon followed by the workshop.

 

January Shamballa bracelet workshop

Thanks to Diane DuBois for hosting and providing a dyeing workshop.  Diane possesses numerous professional dyes and Tie Dye kits which she generously let participants use.  During the workshop, we learned the art of Japanese Shibori - (from Google - The verb shiboru means  "to wring, squeeze and press" in Japanese. While the word shibori is often associated with the famous style of fabric dying particular to Japan, it in fact encompasses a wide gamut of fabric manipulation and dying found worldwide. ... This technique is called shibori.)

 

Shibori is the Japanese word for a variety of manual resist dyeing techniques that involves shaping and securing the fabric before dyeing to create patterns.

 

Diane's workshop focused specifically on 2 Shibori methods:

 

Arashi shibori is also known as pole-wrapping  shibori. The cloth is wrapped around a pole, tightly bound by wrapping thread up and down the pole, then the cloth is scrunched on the pole. The clothed pole is then immersed in dye and the result is a pleated cloth with dye in the outer areas and original colors in the scrunched areas.  " Arashi" is the Japanese word for storm. The patterns can be on a diagonal if the fabric is wrapped that way in arashi shibori which suggest the driving rain of a heavy storm.

 

Kumo shibori is a pleated and bound resist. This technique involves pleating sections of the cloth very finely and evenly. Then the cloth is bound in very close sections. The result produces an unpredictable design that is very beautiful. 

 

Those at the workshop will have Show & Tells during the September meeting.

 

Weavers Guild South                   noon-4

Saturday October 16, 2021          Matteson Public Library


Macra  Weaving


Beverly Coleman and Doris Sweeney will show us how to combine macrame and weaving techniques to create a

stunning project.  


Kits including Macrame cord, some yarn and dowel will be supplied. Feel free to bring your own yarn, roving, etc. Please bring a clipboard. Let Beverly or Doris know if you plan to attend. They need to know how many kits to bring.


If you have not paid your membership of $20 for the 2021-2022 Guild year please bring it to the meeting or send to treasurer Diane Du Bois .


Looking forward to seeing everyone at the Library!!!! Meeting will start at noon with the program to follow.




Weavers Guild South                     noon- 4 pm

Saturday November 13, 2021       Matteson Public Library

                    

 Bento Bags

 Ginny Kurowski will show us how to make two small rustic bags made out of fabric. You will need 2 fat quarters (18"x21") 

or one yard of cotton fabric. Bring sewing thread and needles,  straight pins, scissors to cut your fabric and a tape measure.


No lining or finished edges- The only ability you need is to be able to thread a needle and to straight stitch a seam. 


Matteson Public Library protocol does not allow food brought into the building but you can bring one drink with you.


We will begin with our Guild meeting at noon followed by the workshop. If you have not paid your membership dues of $20 for 

the 2021-2022 Guild year please bring to the meeting or send to treasurer Diane Du Bois


Come Join Our Guild!

The Weavers Guild South Organization is proud to announce its program schedule for the next year.  We are delighted to be part of the programming offered to the community through the partnership with the Matteson Area Public Library.   Our regular meetings are on the third Saturday of the month at 12pm.

Due to the pandemic, we are following the guidelines set by the library and will host our meetings virtually until further notice.  However, for most of our projects, we will provide materials, instructions, videos, and in addition, personal assistance via phone at the ready when needed.


Weavers Guild South              January and February Crochet Workshop

Saturday January 21, 2023      Matteson Public Library    noon-4 pm

                             

                              True North Crochet Workshop


Ginny Kurowski will be leading us in making the TRUE NORTH crochet square by JEN TYLER. This is a 10x10 inch square in the style Floral Crochet-very textured, front, back, over, around. Every round is a different color and stitch pattern. 


This is not a LEARN TO CROCHET PROJECT! You need to know the basic crochet stitches. You must purchase your own copy of the pattern, which is available at http://www.ravelry.com for $2. If you are not already  a member of Ravelry, it only takes a moment to sign up. The pattern is filled with step-by-step photos and a link to a full video tutorial.


The supplies are listed in the pattern. I'm using left over DK-light worsted weight leftovers and a size G hook. You can use any yarn you like, 6-7 colors of the same weight yarn, and the appropriate size hook.