Going forward.. let's energize!

After reading Renay's post, and her suggestion that we might want to have a workshop or something, I have been thinking about what I would like to see and do in a guild. Cindy used the word "energize". What simple, inexpensive thing can we do as a group, to generate some interest in our spinning and in our guild? Here's a thought.

Several of our members have fiber animals... sheep, llamas, alpacas, anyone have rabbits? Why don't we buy a pound or two of roving or fiber (raw or processed) from them, one at a time. Every member of the guild would be given an ounce or two of the same fiber with the instructions to spin it anyway they wished and produce a small product. We can give ourselves a time frame, a month or two. Then, we do it allover again with another type of fiber. Just a thought. We might even make a photo gallery of our finished products, online at the blog, so that we can all see them and use them for inspiration on a future project.


There is a wonderful new site called the Yarn Museum. Anyone can submit entries. It's a great place to go online to get spinning ideas. There are lots of "fun" yarns in the "Anything Goes" show, presently on display. Check it out.
Cindy, David, Renay and I have posted on the blog. If anyone is interested in writing something, please email me so that I can send you an authorship invitation. If you want me to post it for you, just write it in an email to me (ballandskein@yahoo.comt)and I will cut and paste it into the blog. Also, don't forget that you can always "comment" at the end of any post by simply clicking on the comment link. You will have to fill out a short form creating an identity the first time you use Blogger. It's easy.

Join R I Spinning Guild Discussion List at Yahoo

Greetings Spin Sisters and Brothers!!!

In an attempt to energize the guild Judy has created this blog for us. Thank you so much, Judy! She has attempted to notify many present and former members about this blog. Please share this blog address with members who may not yet be aware of it. Keep in mind that you can read past postings by scrolling down the page or clicking on the archives for much earlier postings.

You can comment on this posting or others by clicking on the comments link at the end of this posting. You will have to fill in some information ( certainly not your whole name or other personal info.) In short the comments link can provide us with a dialogue about guild issues.

I am attempting to energize the guild by encouraging members to join the Yahoo RISG online discussion list or listserv. I have sent out many invitations via email to enable members to join the list, but I have not received responses. If you wish to join you can go to http://groups.yahoo.com/group/RISpinningGuild/ now and click on Join This Group! You need to fill in some information. Don't feel you have to fill in any personal information.

I will be posting parking directions for the URI for the textile collection visit scheduled for March 10th 1-4pm as soon as I get them from Margaret Ordonez's secretary.

Message from Sharon:

Anyone interested in going to RISD this Sat. January 24th? They have an exhibit on textiles from Uzbekistan It should have nice ethnic designs. This is the FREE Saturday to view the collection. I will be at Jean's at 10:30 am then on to the Museum at 11. Let us know if you are going......Sharon

It's 2007 and time to send in dues! $15.00 per year. Please make the check payable to "Rhode Island Spinners Guild" and send it to Renay McLeish, 1026 Hill Rd., Pascoag, RI 02859. If you're not sure if you're paid up for 2007, drop me an email and I'd be happy to let you know.

We've built up some funds over the past couple of years - would anyone like to plan a workshop for the Guild?

1st Annual Coggeshall Wool Gathering Day

Just a thought for anyone interested in going to the meeting; the line up for the spring Sheep & Wool shows is pretty hectic in May.  Every weekend, beginning the last one in April (28th) until Memorial Day weekend, has a show if RI plans to take May 19th.  In the fall, the schedule is lighter.  VT has September 8-9, NY (Rhinebeck) Oct. 20-21st.  RI might have a better turnout, particularly vendors and exhibitors, if a show was planned for the fall.
                                                   Judy

Harriet sent this via email:

Sent: Monday, January 15, 2007 2:32:21 PM
Subject: Informational Meeting for 1st Annual Coggeshall Farm "Wool
Gathering" Day- We need you!


What- Meeting to Discuss the plans for our Wool Gathering and Sheep Shearing
Day to be held May 19th at Coggeshall Farm Museum.

Why- RI is the only state in New England that does not hold some type of
Wool event.. We will be having our annual sheep shearing event on this same
day- 

When- Meeting to be held Monday January 29th at 6 pm at Coggeshall Farm
Museum, Bristol RI.. 

Agenda
1. How do we reach all the RI "fiber farms"?  
        RI sheep co-operative
        Individual farms (have several alpaca farms expressing interest as
well as a goat)
2. What type of vendor would be appropriate?
            a. sheep
            b. camelids
            c. Goats
            d. Yarn/fiber
            e. Weaving/Spinning (wheels, looms, tools and toys)
            f.  quilting
            g. basket weaving
            h.  food vendor
            i. other appropriate crafts--- what am i missing
            j. music
3. Sheep to Shawl contest
            ? appropriate teams
            ? qualified judges
4. other contests
            Spinning
            Hand spindles
            knitty noddy winding. 
5. demonstrations
            Felting
            dying
            ??? what other
6. VOLUNTEERS
   Resource pool--- 
            membership
            previous event volunteers
            new blood
            guilds
What we need them for
            set up
            runners
            gate/parking
            contests
            judges
            take down
            ad hoc. 
            volunteer co ordinator

I realize that not everyone can make a meeting during the week (on a
winter's nite in january.). but if you can make it and are interested-
please let us know.. If you are interested and CAN NOT make it- or if you
have information that will assist us on any of the line items noted above-
also please let me know.. I am in the process of putting together a formal
"outreach sheet" that can be posted and shared - i will include you in on
the distribution.. I am really excited about this opportunity... I hope you
are too.. 

Contact info.. 

Linda Rhynard
cell phone- 401-258-7577
Farm phone- 401-253-9062  - Joe is the farm manager... 

   

Well, gang, this is my first post ever. As I just emailed to Judy, isn't ironic that something as old as handspinning has led me to learn something so 21st century as blogging! Looking forward to the experience. Renay

January Meeting at Jean's

This is my first post - a sort of test into the new world of blogging! Thanks to Judy for introducing us into the world of 21st Century Communication.
The January meeting was held at Jean LaVoie's home. Those present were Beth, Marva, Marie, Richard, myself and, of course, Jean. (I think I "got" everybody). We were surprised by the attendance of a past guild member, Stan, and his friend Ernie. We should look forward to seeing them at future guild functions. Lively conversation, some spinning, some knitting and the required food moments occurred. Beth has volunteered to contact Harriet Eiter about learning the newsletter formats. The not-too-often-used guild library will eventually migrate to Richard's and my house in the next few months. Jean has offered to host the next (February) meeting. So, I am hoping to see you there!

March meeting: URI Textile Collection & RISD Museum show

Hello Spin sisters and brothers....

....This week I was finally able to
get a date for our guild visit to the URI Textile collection. We will be
able to visit on Saturday,March 10th, from 1-4 pm. Mark your calendars accordingly.

For those of you interested in the exhibit at the RISD museum, it is a small exhibit of very beautiful contemporary ikats and embroidered cloths from Uzbekistan. You could easily see it on any Sunday during the "free" hours before 1pm. It doesn't take long. Sundays are a great time to get a parking space, too.
This is the blurb from the Museum's site describing the exhibit.

TURN LEFT AT THE CAMEL
A Curator’s Tale of Uzbekistan

October 13-February 11, 2006

Curator of Costume + Textiles Madelyn Shaw and five others visited Uzbekistan in Spring 2006, a trip sponsored by the Institute for Trade and Development (Amherst, MA) and funded by the US State Department’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. The group spent a week in the historic city of Khiva — where two workshops are being developed as sustainable craft businesses — and passed another week in Bukhara, Samarkand and Tashkent. This exhibition presents contemporary textiles acquired by Shaw for RISD’s collection, including examples executed in traditional embroidery and ikat (tie-dye) techniques and a very modern evening gown designed by Nodira Subkhanova that uses a new but traditional silk ikat fabric. Also on display are photographs of their experiences taken by group members.