Stratford-upon-Avon Guild of Weavers Spinners and Dyers

On Saturday 21st March, our meeting focused on Spinning. As one of our 'Lets Learn Together' sessions, its a chance to share our knowledge within the group and learn as we go.  Spindles a plenty. Basic spinning techniques on the  wheel and the spindle, novelty yarns, English long draw, and any other techniques that we  can share. Spinning tools from e-spinners, wheels and spindles were available to try brought by members and provided from the Guilds equipment. Ruth's Ashford wheel was sold!

Next guild meeting will be the 2025 Open Day! This is a day where anybody can come in for free to try out our guild and crafts, and we're excited! With the exhibition this August and our 50th year anniversary, we have been working to fulfil our core mission: Stimulate the interests in the crafts of Spinning, Weaving, and Dyeing! So join us to welcome visitors and potential new members on Saturday 18th October! This is an occasion to show off our skills, our finished products and teach our tools. We will be in the Foyer of the Methodist Hall, so finding us should be more straightforward than usual.  Visitors are welcome from 11am to 3pm, you can stay for a long or as little as you'd like. Beginners and experts alike. All ages can come but any child under 16 years old must stay accompanied. Service dogs (and service dogs in training) are accepted. The Methodist Hall is wheelchair accessible, with a ramp leading to the front door. Tea, coffee and cakes will be available thanks to ...

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 ...

Just a quick reminder for our February meeting on Saturday 20th. Plying with Purpose with Chris Pegler  Don't forget to bring Singles which are spun up and taking up space on a bobbin (if a spinner), a ball of tightly plyed yarn if not. Not a full bobbin/ball's worth (could take too long), around 10-30g would be good. Any thickness or material. (This is for practicing Andean/Bracelet plying). Further details in the February Newsletter.

PLYING WITH A PURPOSE with Chris Pegler Plying is the last activity that Chris has excavated from her 'Certificate of Achievement in Spinning' learning journey. It seemed appropriate to leave plying till last as it is almost the last process in spinning yarn. She will try to share what she knows without being an expert tutor and mindful of not all guild members being spinners! (GBA stands for: Getting Better At and recognises that we each have a different starting point). This GBA is a (very deferred) companion to her Taming Twist session in 2019.  Unlike that one we are not together in a room comparing what we do with ease and so she has changed some of her plans from her in-person session due last year. So on our zoom call she wants to get you all (spinners and non-spinners alike) to do some measuring and reflecting on ply before the session. She is asking that you find 1-3 yarn(s) you like to use or spin and do some measuring, so that we can all make comparisons. Further det...

  TEAM OVER THE R A I N B O W BRITSPIN 2020 This year's team from the Guild are preparing to enter this competition next Wednesday at 9 pm.  The challenge is to combine spinning as great a length of fibre in the 4 days of the competition, with other challenges, such as the great number of different breed fleeces and Britspin Bingo! (more to follow next week on that one).   Generously sponsored again this year by the WOOL WAREHOUSE in leamington, the team will be spinning from 9 pm on 14th - 9 pm on 18th October, with donated fibre and all the fibre dug out from their stash!  Visit their site by clicking on the logo above. With current COVID lockdown guidelines the members will be spinning from home but one member has managed to grab a secure space at the Market Hall Museum in Warwick.  V isitors can book your FREE tickets to see our live demonstration and to visit the museum by going on  www.warwickshire.gov.uk/heritageboxoffice . You can also find booking ...

OUR    WOOLLY    MARQUEE   FOR THE SHIPSTON WOOL FAIR   WEEKEND    VIRTUAL EVENT    In the  normal course of events this bank holiday Monday 25th May 2020, we would have been joining all the demonstrators and traders at the Shipston Wool Fair.  For obvious reasons this is not taking place this year. However, we didn't think that was a reason not to encourage you all to be 'having a go' with everything that is WOOLLY!  So, we have put some links here to instructions for some of the activities we would usually be deonstrating and getting you to try your hand at. One of our annual activities, and greatly enjoyed by the children in particular, is our braiding card .  Simple to cut our from a nice piece of sturdy card and then with any fibre/threads that you have available - it can be any remaining wool you have around, string or embroidery threads.  Find the pattern and instructions here. ...