Artisans Centre News and Information
ACP Classes
If you have an interest in trying any of the Artisans Centre classes, remember that you get 10% off course fees with your PWSG membership. All classes are listed on the ACP website: www.artisanscentre.ca . As well, we welcome new instructors any time. If you have a fibre related idea that you’d like to teach, talk to Darlene and we will help make sure you have the space, equipment and materials needed. Instructors are paid by the hour (if they wish). Fees from classes help to keep the Artisans Centre open to the Guilds and the public. Specifically, Darlene has had requests for classes in quilting, macrame, rigid heddle weaving. Let her know if you’d like to teach any of those!
Artisanity Show and Sale
The Artisanity Show and Sale will be held on the weekend of November 3 and 4 in the Atrium of Peterborough Square, right outside the Artisans Centre. All Guild members are eligible to participate. An application form is attached to this letter. Please note the fee increase after October 10th. Come and join the other Guilds in selling your wares!
Artisans Centre Gift Catalogue
The Artisans Centre is interested in creating a gift catalogue. If you would like to have your spinning, weaving, felting or other creations displayed there for sale, please let Darlene or Douglas know about that. They will be able to give more information.
Artisans Centre Yard Sale Fundraiser – October 14 – see attachment to this newsletter

Fall Fibre Festivals and Events
Woolstock 2023
Sat, Oct. 14 – 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Paris Fairgrounds, 139 Silver St.
Paris, ON

World of Threads
Tues., Oct. 10 – Sun, Oct 15
Queen Elizabeth Park Community & Cultural Centre,
2302 Bridge Rd
Oakville, ON

“Fables in Yarn” Guelph Exhibition by Alisa McRonald
Sep. 26 – Oct. 15
Guelph Civic Museum, 52 Norfolk St
Guelph, ON

Don’t forget to renew your membership (now $55 per year) and send your fee to Julia. There is now a fillable membership application form on the PWSG website. Thanks Lynn! Contact Gillian, Julia or Lois if you need assistance renewing.

Please join us October 16, when we will be making ornaments to sell to raise funds for Five Counties Children’s Centre. Guild members are welcome to donate new, handmade ornaments of their own to this cause.

          

County Fair Winners

Guild members were invited to submit items to the County Fair exhibition, held at Lang Village from Aug. 26-28. Molly and Anda took them up on the invitation and their submissions (and ribbons!) are shown here. As Anda says, “It’d be nice to have even more Guild members participate next year.” The fair project booklet was circulated last spring to members. It is doubtful that there will be many changes for next year, so go ahead and create some beautiful fibre items to exhibit! There were several classes with no entries at all.

PWSG Board positions to be filled:

Vice President – this role is mainly to step in for the President if they are unavailable to hold the meeting. It is not required that the VP become the next President.

Artisans Centre Board Rep. – this role is to attend ACP meetings monthly (1^st Thursday of the month starting at 1 p.m.) and report back to the Guild with ACP news. Darlene has been handling this very well so far. Most importantly, this role ensures that the Guild has 2 votes on the ACP Board. We have been operating with only one vote and that is not ideal.

Please consider whether you would be able to take on one of these roles for a 2 year term. Thanks!

Dr. Wool Presentation

Helen Knibb, aka ‘Dr. Wool’ gave a fascinating slide presentation and talk about “terroir” which is the effect of place on the character of wool. She told about soil, plant life, water (salt marshes), weather, altitude and the food sheep are fed, and how all these factors create differences in the wool that is produced. We learned about the history of the Ontario fibre shed and the methods that producers use to create the type of wool that buyers want.

Lynn videotaped the presentation and I hope to send out a time-limited link for Guild members to watch. Julia is working on getting that going, so stay tuned!

Show and Share

Darlene is taking the OHS Level 2 course and brought a woven piece made from singles that she sun on her Canadian Production Wheel. She also brought the ‘booklet’ which is required to be completed for each project that is handed in for grading.

Lois showed two examples of her tapestry weaving. One began as an abstract and ended up looking like fantastical birds. The other is rainbow clasped weft weaving with black soumac in between the coloured sections.

Lynn made these inkle bands after learning from Douglas in his class. The piece with the orange edging is an example of tablet weaving.

This is half of a longer woven piece given to Marie by a friend who visited Sierra Leone. It is called country weaving and is done on a 2 shaft loom using local cotton that has been hand dyed.

Molly made these scarves for the County Homecraft Fair.

And Douglas! Oh, Douglas! How did I miss getting photos of all the lovely things you brought. Douglas also did some tapestry exploration and made an abstract wall hanging. He’s also done some backstrap weaving in the airport and made some bookmarks. Finally, he shared his May Challenge project, tea towels made on his 6 harness loom.

Fall Fibre Festivals and Events

Warkworth Spinners and Weavers             Woolstock 2023

Spin-In at St. John’s United Church                     Sat, Oct. 14 – 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Tues., Oct. 3 – 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.                            Paris Fairgrounds, 139 Silver St.

Campbellford, ON                                                    Paris, ON

World of Threads

Tues., Oct. 10 – Sun, Oct 15

Queen Elizabeth Park Community & Cultural Centre,

2302 Bridge Rd

Oakville, ON

“Fables in Yarn” Guelph Exhibition by Alisa McRonald

Sep. 26 – Oct. 15

Guelph Civic Museum, 52 Norfolk St

Guelph, ON

And finally, don’t forget to renew your membership (slight fee increase this year) and send your fee to Julia. Lois has sent out a couple of emails about this, but if you need information or help, contact Gillian, Julia or Lois. I look forward to seeing you in October when we will be making ornaments to sell in order to raise funds for Five Counties Children’s Centre. Here’s a sneak peek at what’s in store. Please save up small bits of ‘toothy’ yarn, and any wool fabric (like that suitable for rug hooking) to be cut into 1” squares.

Hello Everyone – Welcome back to the Guild and the Artisans Centre! We have been working on a program plan and will be kicking off the year with a special presentation by a fleece producer, Helen Knibb. Please see the attached poster for more information. 

Gillian Holden