Stratford-upon-Avon Guild of Weavers Spinners and Dyers

In spite of a weather forecast threatening snow, there was a good attendance in the morning for the business of the AGM, Part of that was electing a new committee which is: Diane Sinclair (Chairman), Ann Howells (Vice Chair), Angela Din as Secretary and Sue Workman as Treasurer (both new to the committee). Other members of the 2018 committee are Abigail Wrycroft , Ros Lobb , Theresa Geraghty , Liz Davies and new committee member Sara Hawkins .  The chairman's and treasurer's reports were accepted and everyone agreed that the all day format was working well, with especial approval of the Getting Better At ..... format sessions. 2017 had also seen our first Open Day for a long time and we all agreed that it had gone very well – especially the Wensleydale lambs. We had gained several new members and covered our costs by providing drinks and cake and a raffle. Over half our members had renewed their subscription at the meeting (this is a gentle reminder to the others ...

The year is now almost done and this picture (emailed before Christmas by a triumphant Ruth McCartney) has a lovely end of year sense of achievement. Ruth completed these following Ruth Hainsworth's GBA session on sock knitting at our December meeting. Nice to see how things end up and these do look lovely.  During 2017 guild members ha ve added to their knowledge across all manner of things, especially dyeing - with food colours for fun play, using 'proper' acid dyes (taught by the talented Katie Weston) and also experimenting with natural dyes. We learned to spin cotton and share Sarah Wroot's love of this fibre, we got better at evaluating fleeces and carding wool). We have been out and about demonstrating and also lured visitors to our Open Day. Many members have acquired looms, wheels and dyed fibre as a result of this past year's activities. You may have received (or treated yourself or succumbed) to other weaving, spinning and dyeing supplies, tools...

We've done a lot, learned a lot, taught each other a lot and made new friends during 2017. Now we are near the end of the year and we can take things a little easier, celebrating this traditional time of year at our 9th December meeting. Ruth Hainsworth will be heading up a Getting Better At Sock Knitting session in the morning (which may help some of us finish off Christmas present knitting or encourage us to tackle heel knitting and second sock syndrome). Sue Byrne will be showing us some 'sock blanks', something new to many of us. These can be dyed to create unique sock yarns. Lunch will be a shared meal (please bring something for the buffet table). This is followed by activity led by Ann and Abby focusing on making decorations - including some for the guild tree, part of an annual display at Stratford United Reformed Church. For those participating in our Secret Santa Stash Swap there will also be something to unwrap or take away and put under your own tree. (Details...

On 18th November we will welcome Katie Weston, of Hilltop Cloud as leader of an all-day dyeing workshop. Ten guild members are keenly anticipating several intensive hours learning about acid dyeing of wool. From what Katie has told us already it will be a really exciting educational experience. All workshop attendees will have had an email from Chris P telling them how to prepare and what is in store. If you have any queries contact Chris please. For those not participating in Katie's workshop the guild meeting starts at 12.30 in the New Room . Ann and Sue W will be helping you get weaving, and available as guides if you are trying new things with weaving (whether using rigid heddle, inkle loom, peg loom or other). On the spinning front Jane Lucas will be helping new spinners to improve and is happy to answer spinning questions. For both activities please bring along what you have done so far if you need any help, advice or an appreciative audience. This is a great opportu...

Mary (seated) is pictured her at our 40th birthday celebrations with two other guild founder members (Chris Suddick, L and Ann Howells, R) Our Honorary President Mary Jeffery died on 20th September. She would have been 98 on 5th November. This guild would not have existed without Mary. In our October newsletter Ann Howells (Chair of the guild) reflected that she first met Mary when enrolled onto her Further Education class in spinning, weaving and dyeing at the College in Stratford. To relieve the pressure on class places this guild was started and membership soon grew to over 90. Mary was always there with ideas for speakers, plans for events, and above all her wide experience and knowledge which she was always ready to share. When the guild was 24 and Mary was 80 we made her Honorary President. She continued to play a leading part in the guild until the last few years when she became less active. We were delighted to see her at our 40th Birthday celebration in 2015. Sever...

The pictured yarns were all dyed in a crock pot using Wilton cake dyes - although we did need a much larger pot for big skeins.   At our meeting on Saturday October 21st at the Methodist Church (our usual venue but on this occasion in the Foyer/Lounge areas), we will be discovering some of the things that members learned at the Association summer school in August. Theresa will talk us through spinning plant fibres (including some unusual ones such as mint). Chris will share some of what she learned about how to prep a range of fleece (from down breeds, to primitives with dual haired fleeces).  In the morning a slightly more formal but definitely experimental session (following the Getting Better At ... format) will explore what you can do with a crock pot/slow cooker and some Wilton food dyes. If you have tried Kool-Aid and microwaves this is a step beyond, but nearly as easy. Think of this as kitchen-friendly low cost dyeing for newbies, with some surprises for the m...

Thank you to everyone who made this event so successful. Our first open day ran smoothly and had a friendly atmosphere with so much to see and do. Lots of compliments and just what we could have hoped for. We now have eight new members including Jayne Dryden of Home Farm Wensleydales who brought along some lambs to show and quickly ended up needle felting with Sally and then learning how to spin Wensleydale with Abby. Thank you to the Stratford Herald , Stratford Observer , Solihull Observer , Arrow Advertiser and lots of local organisations (including the Wensleydale Sheep Breed Association ) for publicising and reporting the event. Here are some pictures to remember the day ... Lovely exhibition of guild work Sally teaching needle felting at a mini-workshop The raffle was amazing (Ann at the Welcome Desk) talks to Diane (nice jacket) with Clare in background Some of the Wensleydale display Jane (right) was teaching spindle spinning Theresa was sp...