NOBO Handweavers

Yes, the holiday season looms(!) As we look forward to (or dread) that time of year, a little planning never hurts. At the last meeting, those present voted to have the combined November/ December guild meeting on Thursday, December 9th.  Please make a note of the date.

~ October  28th 2010 meeting~ SUSTAINABILITY NIGHT ~ 7pm – 9pm

Just a reminder about the weave-along  due at the October meeting.  The idea is to weave a lap napkin/placemat/utensil-holder. This will allow us to be able to bring our own utensils & napkins to potlucks, parties, & guild meetings, thereby saving money and keeping more items out of landfills. 

To see Melissa’s version check out this link:

http://www.schachtspindle.com/yearning%20to%20weave/lesson_08.php

Tinka Pritchett will be our guest speaker at the September NOBO meeting on Thursday the 23rd to discuss dyeing techniques for all types of fibers, protein fibers, silk/wool, cellulose fibers, and cotton/linen. She will discuss the different dyes, dye companies, and methods to use depending on the space you have available for dyeing. Tinka will bring samples of dyed fabrics and demonstrate a dye method to the group, as well as talk about dyeing in the skein, roving, or a wound warp and what each method looks like upon completion.

As many of you already know, our very own Lady Nobo, Margaret B. Russell, is the author of a column in the subject magazine entitled “Rare Thoughts.” With the aid of Betsy Martin, I have been able to compile a collection of the magazines for our library in which this column appears with the exception of one issue, that being Volume 6, Number One, which was published in 2009.

Unfortunately, I have not been able to obtain a copy of this particular issue from the publishers; and, therefore, am asking if any of our members have a copy they would be willing to donate to our library.

Thank you.

September 19, 2010:

We are fortunate to have a weaving book in our library which is oftentimes referred to as “The Bible.” And justifiably so. The book in question, titled “A Handweaver’s Pattern Book,” was written, copyrighted, and self-printed in May, 1944, by Marguerite Porter Davison.

What makes this book so special? Perhaps a bit of background information concerning Mrs. Davison would be helpful in understanding why. She was born in 1887, near Cincinnati, Ohio, to a manual training school principal and a self-taught landscape painter. After graduating high school, the family moved to Berea, Kentucky, where Marguerite was introduced to weaving. Here she became an assistant to Anna Ernberg, the founder of Fireside Industries, a program which taught mountain women how to weave coverlets in the old tradition. Here also she met and married Waldo Davison.

Waldo and Marguerite volunteered as missionaries in Brazil, where Waldo established a junior college. It has been said that Marguerite took her loom with her, but had neither the time nor space to do much weaving. Thirteen years later, upon moving to Muskogee, Oklahoma, Marguerite took over what was once a chicken house and set up her loom, which allowed her some space to weave. Eventually moving to Swarthmore, Pennsylvania, and with her children grown, she was finally able to weave in earnest.

Her work with Fireside Industries created an interest in preserving and reviving old coverlet designs. She would search them out, analyze the draft, and weave them. This lead to exploring the possibility of weaving other patterns from the same threadings. She began to fill notebooks with pattern swatches, and the more pleasing designs found their way into larger weavings. She recruited friends to help with her “experiments” and soon had several looms going. She compiled her findings, leading to the publication of “A Handweaver’s Pattern Book,” which, having been re-printed numerous times, remains a classic reference for modern weavers.

Along with the vast information pertaining to treadings found in this book, the chapter entitled “A Few Suggestions From Old Weavers” and the narratives at the beginning of each chapter make for enjoyable reading. The pattern names in themselves are reminiscent of earlier times; i.e., Four-Leaf Barley Corn, Elizabeth Jane’s Design, Nappy’s Butterflies, and Weaver Rose’s Coverlet No. 28.

If at all possible, please stop by the Merrimac Library to see the weaving exhibit, which is a two-part display. When entering the building, if you turn to the left, you will note a vertical case containing a portion of the exhibit. Likewise, should you turn to the right upon entering the building, you will see a horizontal display case, which also contains exhibit items. Kudos to Kathie for a job very nicely done!!!

At least my friend Ann does and she’s in charge of the library’s exhibits.

She recently asked if I could put up a weaving exhibit, which I gladly did.

That display will be around until mid-October.

Seems like she has a locked flat case that could use some more weaving, so I thought of NoBo’s finest.

If anyone wants to display woven pieces, tools, books etc.,

please contact me via email. I believe the depth of the case is approximately 12″ and the items can be for sale.

Now, it gets even better.

Ann and I were talking and she came up with the idea of a weaving and spinning demo at the library.

Merrimac Library is a new and beautiful building which would be ideal for demonstrating our craft.

There’s an activity board out front on Rt. 110 and Ann would place an article in the paper, so we’d get publicity.

It sure seems like a good opportunity to me.

Anyone interested?