ALPINE WEAVERS AND SPINNERS
March 2012 Newsletter
President
Vice President
Secretary
Treasurer
MAWS liaison
ANWG Representative
Historian
Librarian
Newsletter Editor
Julienne Valentine
Shelley Motes
Carole Baginski
Vicki Faulkner, back-up
Mary Warner
Julienne Valentine
Vicki Faulkner
Donna Carlson
Mary Warner
Teresa Knutson
Glenda Smith, back-up
Theme for the year:
Newsletter Distributor
Guild Program Book &
Membership Chairman
Publicity
Outreach committee
Workshop committee
Fair committee
Life is Good committee
Joyce Keeling
Sarah Safford
Donna Carlson
Sylvia Smith
Joyce Keeling
Teresa Knutson
Shelley Motes
Sylvia Smith
Judie Overbeek
Horse of a Different Color
March 7: Spinners meet at 10:30 at Bethlehem Lutheran Church.
Hostess: Sherry Wood
March 14: Weavers meets at Carole Baginski’s home at 1492 Glacier Hills
Drive in Martin City. Take Hwy 2 north to the Martin City turnoff. Bear right into
Martin City on Central Ave. Take Central to 5th. Turn right onto 5th and go about
1/4 mile to a big rock that says "Glacier Hills". Turn left at the rock and proceed to
the gate. The gate will be open from 10:15 - 10:45, if you’re earlier or later, you'll
need to call Carole from the gate--there are instructions on the key pad. Make an
immediate right turn after going thru the gate. Take the 2nd left (Glacier Hills Dr.)
and we're the second house on the left (across from the log cabin). Call 890-0199.
We will discuss this year’s overshot project. Please bring examples, if you have
any. Carole hopes to warp her loom with an overshot project for the meeting.
March 21: Guild meets at Bethlehem Lutheran Church at 10:30 am.
Hostesses: Carole Baginski and Sherry Wood
Program: Lap Loom Weaving Project. Everyone is encouraged to make their own
project to share with everyone and several members brought projects to the
February meeting using lap looms, potholder looms, and knitting looms. If you’d
like to learn more about lap looms please visit: www.lapweaving.info/. Don't miss
out on the fun in March. The time to get those projects going is now!
Please Note: For those who like to prepare in advance, Judy has provided the
following supply list for the April Mawata Silk Knitting project: #10 straight knitting
needles (either bamboo or metal, not too slippery), one #13 needle for cast on,
hand lotion or slices of fresh lemon to smooth your hands as the silk is very sticky.
NEW MEMBERS: Cathleen Graham’s e-mail address was left off the members
list. It is: grahamcathleen@yahoo.com.
Service Project from Wendy Tolley:
In cooperation with FVCC and their programs to benefit our community we have
been provided the yarn to knit hats and mittens for the Head Start Children of
Kalispell. The college asked me to find willing knitters and crocheters to help with
this project. Lately most of their donations have been from dedicated seniors in the
valley, but they are not able to meet the demands. We need to find more willing
participants. I have done some research to find patterns that would make it
possible for even a beginner to be able to help out. These patterns are not only
great for beginners but are very quick to make for the experienced knitter or
crocheter so we can increase the number of donations. Please understand that any
hat or mitten pattern can be used if it will fit a 6-8 year old. I have realized that
the best use of my time would be to teach those willing to learn to knit or crochet
so they can donate to this cause as well. The more participants we can get the
easier we can make sure that no child in need will go without. It is impossible for a
few to meet the needs in our community. The college has arranged for me to go to
different places throughout our community and teach those willing to help. The
members of the Flathead Knit Wits Guild and our crocheting friends are busy
working towards a goal of 200 hats and mittens for this next December 2012. We
need willing helpers! If you or anybody is willing to help, please call me at 7559399. We are also collecting lap-sized blankets for veterans and baby blankets (for
members of our community) if you would rather choose that as a project.
An Invitation from Diana Blair:
I think I am moving to another place in April. I am excited as it has a nice back
deck for spinning and I will have a place for my farm store and larger building for
my mill.
When I get moved I would like to host a spinners and weavers group out there as I
will also have my Newcomb loom up and going plus a large field where anyone can
lead a llama. I will also set up a dyeing area for all to use for both natural dyeing
and steam and dip dyeing. Let me know if you think this would be a good thing or
not.
ACTIVITIES
SPINNERS had 13 people in attendance. Joyce showed how she puts her mohair
in batts with tissue for ease of spinning. Shelley demonstrated how to blend fiber
by laying 4 colored batts on top of each other and slowly drawing them out and
blending them into roving. Heidi Medland from Big Arm came to our meeting as a
visitor. Diana brought in some of her beautiful bison mixed yarns and had a
drawing for her colorful dread lock yarn. Pam won the donation. Thank you Diana!
WEAVERS met at Teresa Knutson’s home and there were a total of 7 people in
attendance. We got to see two client jobs that she is working on. One is a
christening gown that she is mounting and the other is an 1840 campaign scarf for
William H. Harrison that she is cleaned and has mounted for display purposes. We
discussed overshot.
Guild Program:
 Everyone participated in putting the inkle loom ribbons on cards for the MAWS
conference.
 Judie Overbeek led a demonstration on Mawata Silk dyeing. She uses Dharma
dyes with a small amount of vinegar to help set the dye. Dyes are applied to
the wet hankies with a squeeze bottle and pressed by hand into the silk. She
suggested wearing gloves, as the dyes will stain your hands for days. The dyed
silk is wrapped in plastic wrap and steamed either in a turkey roaster for about
20 minutes or in a microwave until it steams. The silk can then be knit into a
scarf using a #10 needle which is the April guild program. The dyed colors are
very bright, but the knitted scarf is has very muted, soft colors.
BUSINESS MEETING:
ANWG: There still isn’t an ANWG representative, if anyone is interested.
MAWS:
 Sarah Safford has sent the sett tools to MAWS and they were received.
 Judie Overbeek will take the inkle loom ribbons to the next MAWS meeting.
Extra fiber from the ribbon project will be sold during the April Guild meeting
garage sale.
 Judie said the MAWS organizers are looking for door prizes so if you have
anything you’d like to donate get it to Judie by April and she will take with her to
the meeting. Donations could include anything useful to a weaver or spinner
such as stash fiber, dyed fiber, etc.
 MAWS registration has opened, so get your money in soon to sign up for
classes. More information in the Events section below.
 Also, if MAWS members are not receiving the Newsletter, please let Judie know
so she can look into it.
Old Business: The Guild Inkle Loom bag and supplies are still missing. Please
check your home for the missing items. Contact Sarah Safford if you find them.
New Business:
 E-mailing the newsletter to non-members was discussed. Some thought that
non-members (those that had dropped their membership) should still be getting
a newsletter without paying dues as it’s emailed and doesn’t cost the Guild
anything and is a good way to keep enticing people to rejoin. Judie Overbeek
moved that we retain people that have dropped in order to keep them in the
loop for three months and then discontinue sending the newsletter. Karen
seconded the motion. Motion was defeated. Linda Christensen motioned that
old members receive the email newsletter in perpetuity to avoid the hassle of
adding and removing addresses to the list. Rhonda seconded this motion.
Teresa Knutson was asked her opinion and she stated that it would be difficult to
keep two lists for this purpose. One list would need to be maintained for current
members and another list would need to be kept that was all-inclusive. This
second list would only be used for newsletter mailing purposes. This motion was
defeated.
 Mary Warner brought to everyone’s attention that the new list of members for
2012 has changed a lot from the 2011 list. Please use the updated list for your
records.
 Linda Christiansen mentioned that our local Library system has weaving books
available to order online via the inter-library system. If you see something
you’d like, just order online and pick up at your local branch. It appears the
Libraries have been ordering many new books. If you see a book or DVD that
spinners or weavers might like while you’re surfing the web or in a bookstore,
give the information to your library and they may purchase it. Take advantage
of this opportunity. Our library space at the Guild is very limited so this is an
opportunity to expand our resources.
 Joyce needs someone to mail the March Newsletter. Mary agreed to take over
for Joyce while she’s away.
 We discussed having the yearly garage sale at the April meeting.
Show and Tell:
 Linda Christensen brought in a rug hook project. It’s a scene with two sheep
and flowers. Very cute.
 Carole Baginski brought in 2 scarves. One is a silk scarf made from 30/2 silk
fibers and the other was made from fiber purchased from Montana Expressions
with a beading accent on the fringe.
 Joyce brought in a lap loom project and two rugs she wove from bison and
alpaca fiber. She wove them for Diana’s mill (Going To The Sun Fiber Mill) using
a cotton/poly rug warp. They each measure about 2’ X 6’. Beautiful!
UPCOMING EVENTS
March 5, 2012 deadline to apply for scholarships for October 21-27, 2012
SOAR 2012 at Granlibakken in Tahoe City, California. Submit your application via
e-mail as PDF or MS Word documents to aclarkemoore@interweave.com. You will
be notified of the decision by April 23, 2012 and will be updated you on pertinent
SOAR information, including registration and lodging. For more information,
contact: Amy Clarke Moore, SOAR Scholarship Administrator at
aclarkemoore@interweave.com.
March 16-17, 2012 Fibres West 2012 at the AgRec Building, 32470 Haida
Drive, Abbotsford Exhibition Park in Abbotsford, BC. Vendors, Classes, Speakers,
Demos and more. For more information, visit: www.fibreswest.com
March 19, 2012 Log Cabin Spinners Annual Spin-In from 9:00 am to 5:00
pm at the Red Lion Templin’s Hotel on the River in Post Falls, Idaho. Free
admission.
May 19-20
Snake River Fiber Fest in Idaho Falls, Idaho.
March 31, 2012 High Desert Wool Growers 15th Annual Fiber Market Day
from 9 am to 4:30 pm at the Crook County Fairgrounds in Prineville, Oregon. Fiber
vendors, demos, fiber sales, and free admission and free parking. For more
information, visit: www.hdwoolgrowers.com
April 28-29, 2012 NW Alpaca Showcase & Fiber Arts Festival at the TRAC
Facility in Pasco , WA. Hand-spun skein and fiber arts competition, including all
types of natural animal fibers and fiber arts classes. For more information, visit:
www.nwpacashowcase.com.
May 25-27, 2012 Handweavers Spinners & Dyers of Alberta : “Colour
Conspiracy" annual conference in High River, Alberta. For more information,
visit: http://www.hwsda.org/conferences/2012.
May 31-June 3, 2012 Northwest Regional Spinners Association (NWRSA)
Conference at the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma, Washington. For more
information, visit: www.nwregionalspinners.org.
June 1-3, 2012 Northwest Basket Weavers Willow Basketry weekend in
north central Washington featuring three renowned willow weavers: Jo CampbellAmsler, Katherine Lewis and Judy Zugish. There will be a presentation to the public
on Friday evening and workshops on Saturday and Sunday. For more information,
contact: http://www.nwbasketweavers.org/
June 8–10, 2012 Carousel of Color the 2012 MAWS (Montana Association of
Weavers & Spinners) Conference at the University of Montana Campus in Missoula,
Montana. The activities include weaving, spinning, knitting and more; postconference workshops, and a social event at the Missoula Carousel. The conference
booklet will be available on the website at http://www.mawsonline.org/conference
in January. The Facebook address is https://www.facebook.com/pages/MAWS2012_Conference/264975556848696?sk+info. Contact Vanetta Burton at
battenbird@yahoo.com if you have trouble with the website.
June 22-24, 2012 Black Sheep Gathering at the Lane County Fairgrounds in
Eugene, Oregon. For more information, visit: www.blacksheepgathering.org.
July 15-21, 2012 Convergence® 2012 at Long Beach, California. HGA’s
Convergence® features special lectures, work-shops and seminars, exhibits, tours,
special events, and a commercial vendor hall full of fibers, fiber-related equipment
and an artist market. Instructors, teachers, and workshop leaders are encouraged
to submit proposals for workshops, studio classes, hands-on seminars, and short
lectures. For more information visit: http://weavespindye.org.
August 4-5, 2012 2012 Eureka Fiber Festival at the Lincoln County Fair
Grounds. Persons desiring to be vendors and/or instructors should contact Valerie
Hogan at 406-889-3730 or e-mail: vhogan@interbel.net.
August 15-19, 2012
Northwest Montana Fair in Kalispell.
August 25-26, 2012 Great Basin Fiber Art Festival at the Salt Lake County
Equestrian Park at 2200 West 11400 South in South Jordan, Utah.
September 7, 2012
Trailing Of the Sheep in Ketchum Idaho.
Sept. 8-9, 2012 Fall Wool Gathering, Formerly Shaniko Wool Gathering with
new name and location at the Jefferson County Fairgrounds in Madras, Oregon.
September 22, 2012 Tapestry Bag Workshop with Joan Contraman sponsored
by the Alpine Weavers and Spinners Guild in Kalispell.
September 21-23, 2012 Oregon Flock & Fiber Festival in Canby Oregon. For
more information, visit: www.flockandfiberfestival.com.
June 17-23, 2013 2013 Association of Northwest Weavers Guild Regional
Conference "Crossing Borders, Crossing Threads" in Bellingham, Washington.
For more information, visit: .http://www.anwg-conference-2013.com/
CLASSIFIED ADS
For Sale

Bitterroot Fiber Arts Studio carries the following products: Ashford and Majacraft
spinning equipment, a nice selection of Hatshapers hat forms, and needle felting
supplies. Private and group felting classes. Also BFL breeding stock. Call Judy
Colvin, 406-644-3042 or email judithcolvin@me.com

White oak inkle looms handmade by Rhonda McDowell-Rowen’s husband.
$75.00 each. For any questions, call Rhonda 261-1713.
(Guild Policy for ads: one business-card size ad for free per issue for members. Additional
ads $10 each. Please contact the newsletter editor about your ad:
tknutson@aboutmontana.net)