Blue Ridge Spinners and Weavers Guild

WELCOME - Please join us at our next meeting!

August 26, 2009

We are on our summer break but hope you will join us at our next meeting in August. Have a great summer!

Sykes Hall - Loudoun County 4H Fairgounds
17558 Dry Mill Road
Leesburg, VA
Click for directions.

Note: Inclement weather policy - if Loudoun County Public Schools are canceled our meeting will be canceled. If the schools are on a delayed start, the BRSWG meeting will take place for those that wish to attend.

View topics from past guild meetings.

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Guild Challenge/Donation Opportunity

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Guild members present at the April meeting agreed to set a goal for each member of the Blue Ridge Spinners & Weavers, to complete at least one project for a cancer patient in time for the meeting in November. This year our November meeting will be on the 18th. Brenda Silva, representative from the American Cancer Society, has assured us that all donations are welcome. She will be present in November to accept our donations. If anyone prefers to make a chemo cap or turban, there are many choices of patterns for projects available.

At the guild meeting Sandy Lund passed cable hats around and had handouts of the pattern. This free pattern can be downloaded from BERNAT but requires you to create a log in first. Do a pattern search for satin cable hat. Visit this website for some fiber and pattern suggestions if you are knitting chemo hats.

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2009 Holiday Napkin Exchange

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Rebecca ( FoxyDr@gmail.com ) Fox is coordinating the first weaver's napkin exchange for BRSWG. Guidelines were sent out in February and can be downloaded here.

Membership dues ($25) for the 2009-2010 year are due by August 31th. Dues received from returning members after August 31, 2009 carry a $5.00 late fee.

Please make all checks payable directly to BRSWG LLC and bring, along with a completed membership form, to meeting or mail to:
BRSWG LLC
P.O. Box 2382
Purcellville, VA 20134

2009-2010 Officers
President - Beth Wilson
Vice President - Rebecca Fox
Secretary - Dail Jones
Treasurer - Moira Ramsey
Membership - Lois Benson

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We are dedicated to enhancing the standards for excellence in fiber arts, educating its members and the public through presentations at meetings, seminars, and technical demonstrations and assisting members in marketing their work.

Our group meets on the last Wednesday of every month at the Sykes Hall - Loudoun County Fairgrounds from 10:00am until 12noon unless otherwise noted.

A membership form can be downloaded here.

Workshops and Classes

I hear, and I forget.
I see, and I remember.
I do, and I understand.

--Chinese Proverb

Please download the 2008-2009 Workshop Registration Form here and include a $10.00 deposit for each class you wish to register for. In an effort to give all members an equal opportunity to participate, the registration for these workshops will begin on September 1, 2008. If you would like to be added to the wait list, please do so via the registration form.

Nantucket Lightship Basket
July 31-August 2, 2009 -or- August 7-9, 2009

Instructor: Terri Sackett

The class will be held in Terri's MD workshop and the price will include instruction and supplies. She will provide all tools to be used during class. There is no experience necessary. Consider bringing your spouse, significant other, family or friends. What a lovely way to spend some time with a loved one - and what a nice gift - a weekend of basketmaking. There are two dates to choose from.

You will make a 10" open round basket with,

cherry base
oak handle
reed or cane staves
reed rims
ivory knobs

Terri makes the wooden bases, steam bends the oak handles, and forms the reed rims in her workshop. She orders the cane/reed and ivory knobs. A $75.00 materials fee will be due at sign-up with the remainder due at time of class.

Workshop Fee: $325.00 (includes materials)

Maximum Participants: 6 (per session)

Location: Clarksburg, MD

For questions or to sign up please contact the instructor ( terri_sackett@verizonmail.com ). You can view a picture of the sample basket you will be making here.

Before signing up for a workshop please read the BRSWG workshop policies here. Unless otherwise noted, workshops will be held in Sykes Hall at the Loudoun County Fairgrounds in Leesburg.

News !!!

On January 27, 2007, Waterford's historic Old School was extensively damaged by fire. The Waterford Foundation has established the Rebuild the Old School fund. Donations can be sent to the Waterford Foundation at P.O. Box 142, Waterford, VA 20197 or can be made through their secure web site.

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Please Note: VSA Workshops have been postponed. They will be rescheduled for a later date. Stay tuned!!!

VSA workshops are outreach programs put forth by the Blue Ridge Spinners & Weavers. We have affiliated with the Very Special Arts (VSA) organization in Loudoun County to promote fiber arts. These workshops speak to our mission and all members are encouraged to give some of their time and talents to these workshops. The premiere workshop was a huge success. Please contact Lauri Sisney ( laurisisney@aol.com ) for further information and to volunteer to help for the scheduled VSA workshops.

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Interest Groups are now forming for guild members.

Interest Groups:

Weaving: Overshot - Beth Wilson ( bareftwevr@cottolin.com or 540-338-7742)
The woven overshot study group meets the first Wednesday of the month at the Purcellville Library.

Color - Rebecca Fox ( FoxyDr@gmail.com or 703-771-9066)
The color study group meets every third Wednesday at the Purcellville Library.

Knitting - Melissa Weaver-Dunning ( weaverdun@aol.com or 540-955-3616)
The knitting study group meets @ 10:00am until noon at the Purcellville train station on the second Wednesday of the month.
May's topic: Mitered Corners

Other: ??

Kindly contact individual group leader for information.

Fiber Festivals

If you know of any local upcoming Fiber Festivals please let us know.

Loudoun County Fair - July 26 - August 1, 2009
Loudoun County Fairgrounds, Leesburg, Virginia
Admission Free

Bluemont Fair - September 19-20, 2009
Historic Village of Bluemont, in the foothills of Virginia's Blue Ridge Mountains in Loudoun County, Virginia
Admission $

Waterford Homes Tour and Crafts Exhibit - October 2-4, 2009
Village of Waterford, Virginia
Admission $
10am to 5pm

The Fall Fiber Festival of Virginia - October 3-4, 2009
Montpelier Estate in Orange County, Virginia
Admission $
Sat. 10am to 5pm, Sun. 10am to 4pm

13th Annual Hot Air Balloon, Wine and Music Festival - October 16-18, 2009
LONG BRANCH Historic House & Farm, in Clarke County, Virginia
Admission $
11am to 4pm

Court & Market Days of Leesburg - October 17, 2009
Historic Town of Leesburg, in Loudoun County, Virginia
Admission Free
10am to 4pm

Shenandoah Valley Fiber Festival - October 24-25, 2009
Ruritan Fairgrounds, Berryville, in Clarke County, Virginia
Admission $

Wondering how you will survive all the fall fiber festivals? Read this article for tips.

THE WEAVER

The weaver sat by her burden
Waiting the work to begin,
Dreamily throwing the shuttle
Backward and forward between;
Questioning much of the pattern,
Watching for it to be seen.

The shuttle was filled with colors,
Of every shade and glow,
thoughtless, she scattered the radiance
Falling above and below.
The pulse of the loom was beating
Solemnly to and fro.

The throb of the loom grew stronger,
The shuttle flew faster between;
One thread seemed a line of shadow,
Another a ray serene,
But the solemn loom wove together,
Equally, shade and sheen.

--unknown

Created on 09/04/2006 10:08 PM by admin
Updated on 06/25/2009 09:05 AM by sackett