Stratford-upon-Avon Guild of Weavers Spinners and Dyers

Spring is here, and it’s time to get the dye garden going (if you're feeling ambitious). Over the past few months, we’ve had a great mix of new visitors and familiar faces returning. It’s been good to reconnect and share our skills again with an audience. In March, our Learn Together session was all about braiding. We explored Kumihimo, inkle loom braiding, knitting dolls, lucets, etc. Everyone had a chance to try each technique, with experienced members helping guide others. It was a lovely hands-on, relaxed session with lots of skill-sharing. April’s focus was spinning. There was plenty of equipment and knowledge being shared — including a strange wheel that had many of us scratching our heads. Visitors from Shakespeare’s Schoolroom & Guildhall joined us, and Sally helped new spinners get started with the drop spindle using our guild equipment. In May, we’ll have our regular Birthday Meeting. Please bring mess-free snacks and a food allergen list if you’re bringing something ...

In January, we kicked off the year with our Annual General Meeting, marking the start of an exciting new chapter for the Guild. With the appointment of our new chairman, Topsy, and several new committee members, we’re already feeling the energy of fresh ideas and enthusiasm that will guide us into 2025 and beyond. In February, we were fortunate to have Fr. Andrew Johnson give a fascinating talk on Ecclesiastical Textiles. His insights into the use of fabric, tapestries, and cloth in churches were truly enlightening, shedding light on the cultural impact of textiles throughout history. Fr. Johnson also shared some valuable tips on taking commissions and the important considerations when designing for others—ideas that are sure to inspire and inform our members' creative processes. More information can be found on the March newsletter. Apologies for missing February. We're working on getting a consistent schedule for the Newsletter, but we now need a new volunteer to collate arti...

Happy New Year! Many wishes and beautiful surprises to all! Here's the 2025 Guild Programme for the year to come. Don't hesitate to print it off and share it. Next session will be next Saturday 18th January online on Google Meet. There will be a talk from Sue Hiley Harris on String & String Bags . See more information about her expertise and her work on her portfolio . Then we'll follow with the Annual General Meeting which will include the committee election.

 As the years draws to a close, the committee extends their warmest wishes to all our members. We've had a fantastic year, filled with wonderful speakers and creative workshops. In our final session of the year, Anna walked us through some nice Christmas ornaments - instructions for which are featured in the latest newsletter. Be sure to check it out if your tree feels a little bare! The Methodist Hall was also filled with good food in great company, thanks to the incredible spread made by our talented members. Wool Tinsel by Sally. Thank you for being part of our guild this year. We look forward to seeing you in 2025.

  Our next meeting is this Saturday, the 14th. Please note, it is the Victorian Christmas Market this Saturday, so travelling to the hall may take longer than normal. Food As is traditional for our December meeting, we will be doing a shared lunch for those that want to take part. Any food contributions should be labelled and ready to prepare and serve with minimal handling (i.e. pre-portioned). If your item contains a potential allergen (nuts, gluten etc), please ensure the label states such. Follow all sensible food handling procedures, but if you are at all concerned about sharing, please feel free to just bring your own lunch. Christmas Ornament Session Example of a 'wool tinsel' from Anna. During the morning session we will be running a session making some different types of Christmas ornaments for those that want to take part. We will be bringing along the main items needed (except for the 'wool tinsel') and instructions. There will also be some non-seasonal optio...

  Analiza Jones joined us 2 weeks ago to talk about how Philippine woven bags materials are harvested and processed, then woven into beautiful creations. Some of us even went home with a few! It was lovely having her, despite the technical difficulties, we persevered. We're already November! Have you thought about what we should focus on for next year? Did you enjoy the balance of member-led sessions and guest speakers this year? Remember as a member of the guild, your opinion matters. Send us your thoughts through email to wsdstratford@gmail.com.

  TERESINHA ROBERTS will be joining us on Saturday 19th October for a talk on Sustainability in Textiles.  In an age of fast fashion and the ensuing vast amounts of waste this is a timely talk for us all. Doors will open as usual at 10.15 am with the meeting commencing at 10.30 am with a few notes and introductions. Drinks and refreshments will be available but don't forget to bring along your own lunch. The usual guest fee of £5 for non-members and all are welcome. Plenty of time after the talk for social crafting so bring along your projects and any questions the members can hopefully help you with.