Our meetings are held on the third Friday of each month .
- Meeting Time: 10:00 am to 2:00pm
- Location: New Berlin Library, 15105 Library Lane, New Berlin, Wisconsin 57151 , in the Heritage room
- Membership: 20
- Members will receive a monthly minutes
-A business meeting is held each month along with an educational activity at some of the meetings.
-Some months we go on field trips.
-Members are encouraged to bring their finished projects or fiber art related items for a
Show and Tell.
-Members can bring their spinning wheels or other hand work during each meeting.
-There is always time for spinning at each meeting.
- Members bring a snack to pass and their own plates and utensils to each meeting.
We enjoy eating at each meeting and sharing recipes.
- Member's will have time to browse the Guild's extensive library of fiber art related books,
DVD and magazines. As a member you are welcome to check out any of these books,
videos or magazines to review at home each month.
- Some months we hold a Market day. Guild members can bring in any fiber art related items to sell.
One person's unwanted stash is an others treasure.
Months marked in this color font are held on the second Friday of the month. The rest are the Third Friday of the month
January 13 2023 Program planning meeting, Demonstration on the Baltic style Inkle weaving by Betty
February 10 Carding Leftover stash for a gradient Batts. Drum carding Maintenance. Carding for fun
Blending board- How to use, making punies and batts
March 17 Plying your yarn, 2 ply , 3 ply , 4 ply, chain plying ( Donna T)
April 14 Circular knitting machine using the Addi machine
May 19 Weaving on a box ( Joan G ) and Market Day #1
June 16 Wheel Round -Robin , You get 10 minutes to spin on others wheels then you move to your right for the next persons wheel. This is an opportunity to get the feel for different wheels, Castel, Traditional, E- spinners Penguin wheels, Etc.....
July 21 Tunisian crochet ( Kathi P )
August 18 Camelid and goat Study ( Donna )
September 15 Dye day, felted slippers to start ( Donna T hobby farm )
October 13 Making a coiled basket from hand spun yarn
November 17 Market Day , Officer Elections
February - 18, Paper Bag Challenge. Below are the directions. Demo on the weave -It, by Joan G
Paper Bag Challenge Project
This is a project that will bring out your creative juices by challenging you to use some different fibers and colors you might not be used to working with.
1. Fill your bag with 8 oz. of fiber from your stash. Multiple kinds, colors, fiber or species can be placed in the bag, so long as all the fibers could be used together.
2. Place your name on a slip of paper inside of the bag.
3. Staple the bag closed.
4. Bring the bag back to the February meeting.
5. The bags will then be placed on a table and numbered.
6. Each person that brought a bag will then draw a number from a bowl to determine the order of picking.
7. Take the bag home and spin a skein out to the fiber for the person who's name is in the bag. The skein could be made using any size. Lace weight , Fingerling, worsted, bulky, novelty art yarn. Plying is your choice also. The recipient isn't required to use all the fiber from the bag, leftovers should be returned to donor. You may add some of your own fiber or embellishments but only as an art element .
8.. Shhhhhhhhhh . Keep the name inside a secret. Don't show anyone the fiber inside at the meeting. Bring your item back to the 2022 meeting in July where we will then present our stash challenge
March 18- Coil and beehive ( thick and thin ) spinning , Art yarn ideas , Kathy P and Donna T
April 15 - Speed Dating - We will have tables set up through out the library, one with Combs, one with carders , one with drop spindles and one with blending board. You will then go a table you would like. You will have 15 minutes to learn and trying each item when the timer goes off you will move to the next table to your right . Last round will be to what ever table you want to continue to learn more. Instructors at each Table will be Kathy P with hand carders and combs, Donna T with drop spindles, Deb M. with the blending board.
May 20- Picture batts, We will bring our drum carders and some fiber to share along with a picture. We will then card fiber to match the colors of the picture. Percentage of color, placement on the pictures and of course matching the colors.
June17- 2 D Felting, We will take the picture batts we made in May and use them as a back ground for our 2D fiber picture we will create.
July 15- Sprang Knitting with Darlene, Presenting our Paper bag challenge
Sprang is created when warp threads are systematically twisted around one another, and as a result looks a bit like netting, except it’s not looped or knotted. It predates knitting by many centuries, and since there is no weft it is not weaving either.
August 19- demonstration on Machine knitting - You can knit your own sock blank for dye day if you would like to dye one at Dye day in September.
September 16- Dye Day Ice dying and a natural dye study with cochineal and Logwood
Oct 21 - Zipper pins with Joan G.
November 18- Market day and elections.
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2020
February 21 - Spindle round robin and wrist distaffs by Julia Everyone will bring spindles and wool to spin.
March 20 - Shawl pins, Orphus hooks, wool wrapped beads by Kathi
April 17 - Tools (Flick, carder, hackle, diz, comb, blending board)
May 15 - Chain plying, Navaho plyng, coil & beehive, combo drafting (Julia)
June 19 - Machine knitting (Donna), an ornament (Helene)
July 17 - Nalebinding (Julia), Sprang (Darlene), Twined knitting
August 21 - Spinning with beads (Julia and Kathi)
September 18 - Dye Day at Donnas (Darlene mud and rust dying), sock blanks
October 16 - Deconstructing sweaters for yarn (Jolie)
November 20 - Market Day, elections
2019
January- Celebrating St Distaff day , brainstorming and planning our year's programs
February 15th - Wheel Ratios and different wheel drives. Along with tips and tricks for spinning
March 15- Combo drafting and Lock spinning
April 19- Learning to use a yarn balance and Fractal spinning
May 17- Wheel round robin. We sit in a circle with our wheel and every 5 minutes we move to a different wheel using our same fiber. Results you get to experience different wheels and you get a multi colored and textured skein of yarn on your own wheel when finished.
June- Exploring the Inkle Loom
July 19 - Carding and color blending
August 16- Learning to use the Weave -It and making a fiber pin
Sept 20 - Eco printing , felted vessels and flowers
October 18- Critter Felting- needle felting
November 15 Market day and elections
Programs
2018February 17 : February we will do coreless spinning taught by Kathi and thick yarn taught by Julia
Bring a wheel and wool roving or batts.
March 16 : Julia will show us Card Weaving.
April 20: Needle Felted hummingbirds. Kathi will demonstrate
May 18: How to use Etsy, Ravelry, and YouTube (Kelli)
June 15: working with the Blending Board. Handed out Fiber and a pattern to work on for a blanket donation.
July 20: Darlene tough us techniques on variegated spinning
August 17: Wheel- round -robin W bring our wheel and everyone gets to sample spin on all the different wheels
September 21: Dye day at Donna's indigo and natural dying
October 19: Silk and Flax Demonstration by Julia and Joan
November 16: Market day
Programs
2017February 17: Darlene will be showing us how to crochet buttons.
March 17 :Pot luck
batts. Everyone will bring is some fiber to share. We will then card
them on drum carders at the meeting. This will be the beginning of our
creative Batt to finished project contest.
April 21: We will be making our own drop spindles. Donna T will head up this project.
May 19: Learning and practicing how to make yarn with beads, art yarn and Navajo ply. Julia B will head up this project. Also the first showing of our yarn spun from our art batts for the competition.
June 16: Learn
about different goat fibers. Try spinning some samples. Donna T will
head up this project. Also the finial presentation and judging of our
finished project from the Pot luck Batt competition.
July 21: We will learn all about cotton and how to spin it. Joan G will be heading up this project .
August 18: We will be learning how to weave on a triangle loom
This project will be headed up by Julia B.
September 15: Dying day at Donna's. We will be cake dying, Lock dying and Shibori Dying. Project leaders TBA
October 20: Learning about the Ridged Heddle loom
November 17: Market day and Elections
Programs
2016February: Machine Knitting. Donna T. Crystal, and Juanita will demonstrate how a straight bed and circular knitting machine works.
March : Donna W. will show us the techniques for spinning silk hankies.
April: Cristal will instruct us in making a Tunisian crocheted pot holder. Also the
Spindle and Dyepot guild will host a Wool Potluck. We will bring any kind of wool or fiber in any amount, the guild dumps it all in a large "batch" and we will have it sent to the mill to be blended and carded into roving. Each member that participated will receive the same amount that they threw in. We will enjoy a one of a kind roving.
May : Core spinning and Long draw spinning. Demonstration and instruction will be done by Julia.
June: Blending board and combs. Now that the guild owns their own board and combs it is time we all enjoy them. Donna T will demonstrate.
July : Felting Vessels. Bowls, vases, bird houses are fun to make out fiber. Darleen will walk us through the technique for wet felting items like these.
August: Field Trip. This month is reserved for a trip away from our meeting place. Destination to be determined at a later date.
September: Dying sock blanks at Donna's. Commercial or natural dyes
October: Knitting socks X2. Joan will show us how to knit our dyed sock yarn on the circular needles both at the same time.
November: Market day and Elections
2015
February: Making name tags
March : Spinning paper, Instructed by Darlene Hagopian
April: Drop Spindle
May : Kumihimo Braiding , Instructed by Darlene Hagopain
June: Field trip to Fiber on the Farm festival
July : Natural Dying and hand painting fiber, Donna's farm
August: Breed Study
September: Drum Carting -Picture Batts
October: Navajo Plying, Instructed by Joan Gaska and Donna Towell
November: Market day and Elections
2014
March 21 meeting at the New Berlin Library in the upper room will be on thrums and left over yarns and what to do with them. Bring your ideas and samples. Also bring your wheel or project to work on
April 18: Silk Study
May 16: Needle Felting Uses
June 20: Wet Felting (project to be decided)
July 18: Rug Hooking, Locker Hooking
Aug 15: Small looms, Sock Machine, Other Fiber gadgets
Sept 19: Possible trip to a carding mill Blackberry Ridge (Mt. Horeb) or Argyle Fiber Mill (Argyle WI * near New Glarus)
Oct 17: Angora RabbitStudy
Nov 21: Officers nomination and elections, Market day
2012/2013
November
Officers nomination and elections, Market day
December
No Meeting
January
"Day of the Rock" A spinning day along with planning our program for 2013
February
Learn to spin on a drop spindle
March
Learn to Navaho Ply
Spinning wheel study, different types of wheels offered on the market and their differences
April
"Fiber Tasting"-Spin up samples of different fibers, experience different breeds of sheep, llama, alpaca, mohair, Angora rabbit, etc..... along with some synthetic fibers
We will also be demonstrating at the Wisconsin Spin- In April 19-21 at the Waukesha County Expo Center
May
Plant Talk- discussion on planting a dyers garden
June
We will be making felted slippers
July
We will be demonstrating at the Waukesha County Fair, July 19 in the 4-H forum building
Meet at 10:00 am and demonstrate till 4:30 or when your legs run out of gas.
August
Exploring the drum carder, hand carders and combs
September
Dye project- we will be hand dying different fiber as a group
October
Solving our problems when knitting or crocheting
November
Officer nominations and elections, Market day
Bring your items you would like to sell. One person's unwanted stash is another's treasure.
Programs
2011/ 2012
November
Officer nominations and elections.
December
No meeting
January
We'll be discussing the fiber, Ramie and also planning the programs for the coming year. Please come with ideas and suggestions. What would you like to learn?
February
Let*s see and hear about the RAMIE fiber spinning everyone!
We are going to try out a *make and take* item for the SPIN IN display. Carol is going to have us try making a little wool sheep.
March
This is our planning the display for Spin In meeting.
Please bring any item you have that you think could be used in the display * skeins, finished projects, dye samples, display aids, etc. We are still looking for a possible *Make and Take* item. If you have any ideas for this * bring them, too.
April
May
We will discuss different methods of dyeing and decide on a process that we will do at a meeting later in the year.
Please bring ideas, samples if you have them.
June
Wheel Maintenance
We will be going over the common and not so common problems that can happen to your wheel
Bring you working and non- working wheels for a check up and tune up.
July
Meeting held at the Waukesha County Fair
We will be holding our July meeting at the Waukesha County fair grounds in the 4-H forum building. Meet at 10:00 am and demonstrate till 4:30 or when your legs run out of gas.
August
We will be painting roving with commercial dyes at Donna's farm.
September
Wrapping silk scarves on wine bottles to dye into beautiful colored patterns
October
Nuno felting at Carols House
November
Market Day
Bring your items you would like to sell. One person's unwanted stash is another's treasure.
2010 / 2011
November
What Do You Do With Your Handspun?
If you have examples of things you have made from your handspun, please bring them for a mini show-and-tell. If you only are in the planning stages, maybe we can help.
December
No meeting
January
Eat & Spin " Day Of The Rock Celebration"
This month we will be meeting with a dish to pass and stories to tell. Bring your wheels or anything you will want to work on while enjoying a tasty treat from each member. We can talk about some of the projects we have planned for 2011 and motivate others with new and exciting things we have learned this past year.
February
Teeswater Challenge
Remember way back many many months ago we were given a sample of fiber from the Teeswater sheep breed. We were going to spin it up and then make something. A discussion was to follow.
WELL
This is the month, it is finally here.
Please bring your samples of the Teeswater, your opinions on how you liked working with this fiber and what you learned for a lively discussion.
March
Thick and Thin and Coils
Learn to spin thick and thin yarn . This yarn can then be turned into a novelty coiled yarn for an extreme textured look.
Instructed by Donna Towell
April
Increasing Our Skills On The Drop Spindle
Bring Fiber and any other tool that is needed for Spindle spinning.
If anyone has a supported drop spindle bring that too.
Instructed by Joan Gaska
May
Control the Diameter Of Your Spinning
Instructed by Joan Gaska
Supplies to bring: Your wheel, Empty bobbin, and some roving to play with.
June
In June, we will be looking at handspun and making decisions: What do I want to make? Do I have enough? What size needles do I need? How do I determine gauge? And whatever anyone wants to ask--I can't promise the correct answer, but I'll have one, nonetheless!!
Instructed by Karen Kuckenbecher
July
Meeting held at the Waukesha County Fair
We will be holding our July meeting at the Waukesha County fair grounds in the 4-H forum building. Meet at 10:00 am and demonstrate till 4:30 or when your legs run out of gas.
August
WEAVING ON A BOX
Karen will be teaching us the technique" Waving on a box" by Sarah Swett Spin-Off Winter 1997.
You will need to prepare your box according to the instructions printed on the next pages. A supply list is also included.
Instructed by Karen Kuckenbecher
September
Flax Facts
Naomi Holthaus will be taking us step by step through the process of working with flax and making linen yarn.
October
Market Day
Bring your items you would like to sell. One person's unwanted stash is anothers treasure.