CNCHnet Fall 2020

CNCNnet November 2020:  Winter is Coming

Cathy M Koos, Editor

 

Fiber Arts Heritage Fund

Did you know that CNCH has a Fiber Arts Heritage Fund?  This fund has been in existence for many years.  Donors can designate where their funds go:  CNCH General Fund, Conference Grant Fund, Conference General Budget, or Conference Awards.

The Mother Lode Handweavers Guild of Modesto has made a memorial contribution honoring the memory of longtime member Helen Shelton.

 

Coping with Covid

As I write this, the autumnal equinox has passed, days are perceptibly shorter on our race to Halloween and Thanksgiving, and daily reminders of Covid 19 are ever present.

Eight months ago, as we started our Covid journey hunkered down at home, I certainly did not ever anticipate it would still be affecting our lives as we approach autumn holidays.  My guild, Del Oro Spinners and Weavers, is still finding our way to keeping inspired and in touch with Zoom, occasional socially distanced meetups at the local park or on member decks.  As cold weather approaches, however, we will need rethink the outdoor venues.  Rural internet keeps many of us off Zoom.

As with many guilds, we missed our county fair participation, as it was sadly cancelled.  The Humboldt Handweavers Guild generally hosts a natural fiber fair in Arcata, but this year they bravely went virtual.   Spindles and Flyers Guild in Berkeley hosted a meeting and educational program in September on Zoom with Will Taylor spinning flax with a distaff.  Both were successes.

Redwood Guild has a program coming up very soon.  From Karen May we hear: “It is a very challenging time for all our guilds.  Our meetings have changed and we are trying to find new ways to connect.  In the spirit of “all being in this together” Redwood Guild Of Fiber Arts would like to reach out and invite members of your guild to share our upcoming program lecture with Robin Spady, Gizmos & Gadgets for Better Weaving, on November 4 from 11:00am to 12:00pm.

The event will be held on Zoom and guests must be familiar with using the Zoom program for meetings.  There will be a limited number of spots available (~30) based on our zoom license so it will be offered on a first come, first serve basis.  Interested individuals should send an email request to our Membership Chair -Ellen LaBruce (elabruce@sonic.net) to receive an invitation to the event.”

Please share your successes (and flops) and lessons with us.  Contact me at cmkoos0001@gmail.com

In my never-ending search for inspiration as I continue to home isolate, here are some sources I have found:

Library Thing

https://www.librarything.com/   With more than 2.5 million members, this is a great, free service for cataloging your own personal library as well as your guild’s library.  While the inputting of titles takes a bit of time, once it is online, your task is completed.  You can make your library open to the public or closed to just yourself or your guild, review books, chat with other bibliophiles, and catalog videos and music.  You can also browse other collections on the site for inspiration and, depending on the library, borrowing.

Lithuanian Textiles

This searchable archive of Lithuanian research offers full text for a lot of things that are otherwise hard to find and obtain, including loads of textile and weaving information. All items have an English-language abstract, so you don’t need to search with Lithuanian keywords.
https://www.lituanistika.lt/en

 

Warp and Weave Along with Tien Chu and Janet Dawson

While this virtual class started last week, you may still be able to sign in.  Message them on their Facebook page Weave-Along with Tien and Janet

 

Women Do Archaeology

There is a “Women Do Archaeology series!’ Click on the link below.  The recording of Dr. Michèle Hayeur Smith’s talk, “Women, Cloth, Looms, and Power in the Viking Age & Medieval North Atlantic,” is now available.

 

And speaking of Facebook, there are quite a few textile oriented FB pages: (Search by the name listed below)

 

  • Weaving Arts Resource Pages WARP (see article in this edition)
  • SpiralTextile
  • Weaving MacGyvers
  • Ethnic Textiles Community
  • Mushroom and Lichen Dyers Unlimited
  • Eco Dyeing with Friends
  • Primitive Weaving and Ancient Textiles
  • Many Shuttles Handwoven Bags
  • Weaving for Clothes
  • Color in Weaving
  • Natural Dyeing
  • Nettles for Textiles
  • 4-Shaft Weaving

 

Wishing you and your families the best and safest holidays.  Now go forth and MAKE!

Cathy

 

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