Doors Open in Richmond Hill's oldest house on it's original foundation!

Surprisingly good weather graced us last Saturday when the Guild was a busy and energized place with no less than eight members showing off their skills in weaving, spinning, basketry and knitting. We were visited by more people  than in previous years and had three helpful volunteers who deftly learned new knitting skills or demonstrated their existing prowess. We were very thankful for their help and enjoyed their company. They even dressed our tree with more knitting and then helped the visiting children to decorate some of outside trees with much delight and laughter.
Susan brought in a very large bag of newly shorn wool -fleece fresh off the sheep and complete with the noticeable sheep aroma.It ended up outdoors as it was a little too strong for out 2013 sensibilities!

One mother sheep and one lamb's fleece. All sorts of glorious colours.

Airing outdoors!

So now it is available for washing, spinning and then...Olga suggests a Yurt...

A proud new knitter getting a piece ready for our yarn bombing.

Tree trimming yarn style with our younger visitors.

Two pieces made thanks to the Mayor's Endowment Fund for the Arts. Our quilt and a fabric, felt and yarn hanging made by a senior's group.

Doors Open and Meeting invitation

As you know it is Doors Open this weekend Ontario wide and we are open on Saturday 11th May for visits by you and your family. Something for everyone...yarn bombing for those young and old who want to decorate our tree a little more..trying a weaving loom or doing some knitting and spinning.Plus looking at out Heritage site.

The start of our Yarn Bombing,. Now add your piece!

Then for our May meeting next Wednesday 15th we have a presentation from the highly acclaimed "Button Lady, June Chambers, who writes ..."I would be pleased to share my passion- "The Wonderful World of Buttons" with the Spinners & Weavers of Burr House. 

I would give a history of buttons illustrated with cards from my collection, followed by a fun quiz. Please encourage your group to bring any old (er) buttons they have, especially if they have a story.. i.e. when and where they were worn.

I have interesting and inexpensive buttons for sale too."

We will have space for visitors too so bring your friends to find out about something we use everyday!

Burr House Spinners & Weavers host four of our members in the Gallery

Well what a surprise! In time for the Potters' sale and Doors Open, we have a well stocked fibre show in our newly decorated gallery. Definitely a must visit stop for us all to admire. The photos don't show the whole picture so you'll have to visit.

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And here is another surprise. Musicians playing on Sunday gave us a new atmosphere!

Saturday 20th April's Learn to spin class and some good news

Last Saturday we had another in our three part series of Learn to....spin, weave and make Nuno felt.
Alena led her students through the finer points of using a hand spindle made out of the very modern CD! When I popped in they were engrossed as the picture and video shows,



Alena demonstrates, the students watch and learn...

In addition we were very fortunate to have the President of the Arts Society, Dr Abara, visit and present us with an unexpected donation of $200 for our long time support of the organisation. We hope to use the money to enhance our information materials for the Doors Open on May 11th from 10:00 - 4 pm  as well as during the day long Heritage Village Festival on Yonge street in the middle of Richmond Hill on Saturday June 8th. We look forward to seeing you there.


April meeting with our Cree and Chilcotin neighbours

Tracey and Sheena Jobin, Cree and Chilcotin, were the guest speakers at the monthly meeting.While originally from B.C. they now live close by. and Tracey runs the shop at the Native Canadian Centre of Toronto at 16 Spadina Road.  They showed us their crafts of beading, leather work on moccasins and drums amid gales of laughter. Finally,Pam and Sheena closed the presentation with a drum ritual song, Grandmother Mother Moon.

Before our speakers we had an extended meeting which covered an announcement about the upcoming Fibre and Fire exhibit where we will combine with the Potters for a display in the Gallery. This will be for November/December.We are encouraged to collaborate with a friendly potter so, for example, that a potter may make a tea pot and the weaver a table runner using complimentary colours of yarn and glaze...you get the idea! So this is a challenge for us! You may submit up to three pieces of work which are new pieces to the store.

We will be participating in the Doors Open initiative on May 11th and would like more people to sign up to come and weave, spin and generally use yarn in the ways we do.There is a sign up sheet on the board.

Heritage Village Day is an opportunity for us to reach a wider community as it is a street festival on Yonge street June 8th. We will have some creative signage and now need people to volunteer to demonstrate and talk about what we do and how they could learn from us too.

Shiva will be teaching a Nuno Felting course at the Guild on June 1st and if other people would like to run courses in the fall and or winter talk to Michelle as soon as possible.

Our tea room is freshly painted and now it is the turn of the gallery. We are looking for volunteers for early next week as many hands make light work! Give Michelle or Val an email if you'd like to help. Besides it is only the walls as the trim will remain untouched.

And now to what you were waiting for... the meeting in picture form! Followed by Show and Tell.

Spring is in the parking lot!

The Guild is all about talking and sharing

Assembling...

O.K its starting! And we were happy to have a previous member visiting.

Tracey the maker of the drum  in motion!

Susan and Jo-Ann examine how two different types of moccasin are constructed.

Guess who with the drum?

Two types of moccasin.

A soft and supple beaded bag.

Pam leads the ritual song to Mother Moon.

Sophie's pink soft blanket and her son's blue one await a child in the family.

Gail with beautifully felted hat with an embellishing braid.

Elina's textured and soft but strong felted bag.

Elina's merino felted vest.

Nuno felting with this delicate scarf.

More of Elina'sNuno felting. So fine but so strong in this wrap

Closeup of felting on another style of fine wrap.

Now Elina is into colour and texture!

Elina never fails to surprise. Silk painted scarf.

The back of Val's knitted shawl and below a picture taken in a different light!

The right side of the Dreambird knitted shawl

A smocked new born romper in a very soft cotton

Learning to Weave Class

Yesterday we had the first of our Spring and Summer Fibre arts classes. A successful and hard working group made their first hand woven coasters. A perfect one day experience. Now on to bigger things. Thanks Alena for this opportunity.
Later this spring we have an Introduction to Spinning class on Saturday 20th April and then Nuno felting on Saturday 1st June. Everyone is welcome to join us. Give us a call, an email or look in The Richmond Hill Community Guide . More details on the page above called...Classes

Alena demonstrates tieing on a warp

Threading through the heddels

Our bright, sunny studio blurs this photo but doesn't take away from the concentration of the students.

Plain weave with Susi Reinink

Last weekend we had an illuminating and busy two day workshop on Plain Weave. Susi sent us instructions for setting up our 15 looms each in a different way so when she came we could start the weaving. We learnt the vagaries of each design and then how much pressure to beat, which order to move the treadles and how the linking of those treadles affected the result. We ranged from experts to beginners and we all had some thing - or a lot- to learn. We rotated through the different looms making our own samples which on the last afternoon we cut off the loom ( carefully saving the the threading for later use) , displayed them as groups, and Susi commented on the variations and differences. We even managed to make a couple of variations that Susi hadn't seen! Finally Susi gave us an awe inspiring fashion show of her garments, home items and rugs all achieved with plain weave.We have many photos of the event and so as a picture speaks a thousand words I lead off with a very useful video . An imperfect video but you probably get the idea and appreciate the fun atmosphere.
Susi's quick warp repair

Weavers, instructor and samples

Ribbed Plain weave

8-Shaft Double Weave

Diversified Plain Weave

Thick and Thin

Colour and Weave

Warp Faced Rug Weave

Semi Diversified Plain Weave

4 Shaft Double Weave

Cord Weave

Basket Weave

Warp-Faced Blocks in Two colours

6-Block Diversified Plain weave

Time of reckoning

Sample display

Double faced cape woven to shape including a border

The other side of this reversible garment

Bag woven with straps and lifted lace effect.

Easter double faced with motifs, splits and embellishment

The other side

Sampler from one warp

Beautifully finished and colour designed rug

Thinner weight rugs

Thicker weight rug

Final rug

Wool scarf in Hounds tooth

Scarf worn over a felted cloth made from the same weave as the scarf. Beautifully light and flexible and worn for several years and looks like new. A final highlight to inspire us.