An Idea For Your Summer Holiday!

If your summer travel plans include driving through or near Grand Forks B.C. , here's something you shouldn't miss. In honour of the International Year of Natural Fibre, the Boundary Spinners and Weavers Guild, Joybilee Farm and the Courthouse Museum have put their efforts together and created a textile show called The Thread of Our Heritage, Toil and a Peaceful Life, which reflects the local area's Doukhobor textile history since 1899 when they first immigrated to Canada from Russia to escape religious persecution.
These are textiles that have never been displayed before. I'm sure they have been lovingly preserved and protected in people's homes all these years. And guess what? You are actually allowed to touch them. The show includes spinning and weaving of all types of textiles, clothing, rugs, etc., using wool and flax and hemp (which they grew themselves).
Christine Dalziel of Greenwood B.C. has written a wonderful article in the The Bulletin (the newsletter for the Guild of Canadian Weavers), Volume 52 No.2, explaining this show, its content and historical significance. Check it out! Here's a quote from Christine's article:
"The show at the courthouse museum includes a natural fiber learning centre, a hemp display, as well as Doukhobor textiles and tools for fiber preparation, spinning, and finishing. A floor loom is set up in the area with a warp for a 'rag rug' style peace banner. The public is invited to help us weave a Peace Banner which will become part of the Grand Forks Art Gallery's permanent collection. The Peace Banner will be unfurled from the loom on International Peace Day, September 21st and will be displayed in local public buildings."
The public can view this show from March 7th to Labour Day, 2009.
Hours are:Tuesday to Friday - 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.Saturday - 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Admission is by donation
Grand Forks Art Gallery and Heritage Centre
524 Central Ave
Grand Forks B.C. Phone: (250) 442-2211

It might be an idea for us to get together, set aside a day sometime this summer, and see the show. We could carpool, leave super early in the morning, drive to Grand Forks (I think it probably takes around three hours from my house), have a wonderful lunch, see the show, and drive home!!
Sounds like fun, eh? Anybody game?
jg

NEW GUILD ROOM INFORMATION!

We'd like to inform you that as of this week, the Rec Centre has changed the locks on all the rooms in the building. Presumably, this is for security reasons. If you are one of the people who has a key (that they keep on their person) you will find that that key no longer works. If you wish to visit the guild room, please go to the main office upstairs and sign in to get the new key. Return the key to the front desk when you are finished your visit.
We have also been informed that we will be charged $3 a key for the permanent keys that we keep on our person. We will discuss this at a later time with the executive/membership and decide how to handle this.

Also we have had reports of a odd smell in the guild room on occasion. It seems to be one of those elusive things that come and go. We are trying to track this down to determine what it is. We want to make sure that the furnace/heating system is not backwashing and coming into our guild room. If you visit the guild room and notice this, please make a note of it, date, time, how long it lasted, et cetera, and let me know. You can phone or email me.

That's it for housekeeping today!
jg

Pioneer Days at Haney Park

A note from Ann. July 12 we are invited to attend Pioneer Days at Haney Park and spin on the porch of the museum. There is a pancake breakfast that starts at 9 am and we are to be set up by 10 am. Lucy asked me to let her know how many are coming so chairs can be set out. Please phone or email me if you are planning to attend

Knit in Public Day

Catherine and I counted approx 16 knitters at the Ross Street Park Plaza, downtown Salmon Arm on Saturday 13th June. Thank you Gudie for arranging the event. Eight guild members were joined by other knitters from a knitting club, who meet in Tim Hortons Monday nights.
( To those of you that were there: Please look in your knitting bags for a pair of scissors in a red leather case. They belong to Gudie. Thank you)

Knitting videos!

Take a look at these videos. The first is of a knitted village that took 23 years to knit! Second, 'Knitted lives' and third a sailboat covered in knitting! COOL Enjoy.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/8017012.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/8021534.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/8098244.stm

Calendar update

JUNE
11, Leno Weaving Workshop.
13 Saturday ‘Knit in Public Day’ 10AM at the Ross Street Plaza ( if it is raining at Piccadilly Mall)
Every 2nd & 4th Thursday ‘Spin in’ at the O’Keefe Ranch.
25 Thursday, 7pm at Judith’s, washing Fleece, everyone welcome.
JULY
Tuesday 14th, ‘Spin in’ at Darlene’s 10 - 2.
Friday 31st,spin/knit/weave/crochet at Piccadilly Mall to honour the towns of BC. (Watch for more details)
AUGUST
13, Meeting at Mona’s about the Fairs. 10 AM bring spinning wheel or whatever!
19 - 23 Gibsons
SEPTEMBER
2 - 6 IPE
11-13 Salmon Arm Fall Fair.

' Knit in Public Day'

Saturday June 13th is "Knit in Public Day" .
For this occasion, the Shuswap Spinners & Weavers are coming out to "strutt their needles". Crochet hooks are welcome too. We will be "doing our thing" at the downtown Ross Street Park. Knitting begins as of 10 am and will go till "we drop" all our stitches ..... "Cross your needles" that the weather cooperates, otherwise we will knit at the Piccadilly Mall . Bring a chair in case there are not enough benches. Anyone and everyone is welcome to join in ! ! !

Minutes of the June potluck meeting

June 8, 2009

The meeting was called to order by Judith Glibbery with 27 in attendance:
A welcome was extended to new member Lis Borthwick.
Minutes of May Meeting – Sheep to Shawl contest, Melissa should be amended to Catherine. Moved by Anne Nikmo that the Minutes be adopted as amended. Seconded by Noelle Cox. Carried.

Treasurer’s Report: Noelle Cox. Annual fees are due this month. Noelle moved that the Treasurer’s report be adopted. Seconded by Gudrun. Carried.

Library Report Darlene Thornbury
The new books in are not yet catalogued and carded. Please return overdue books, so the library can be inventoried.

Newsletter and Blog Clare
Nothing to report

Historian Wendy
Nothing to report

Old Business:
Fibres Unlimited: Gloria??
Gudrun’s runner is warped up. There is room for one more weaver to sign up. The fish have been warped, and the 4 harness loom will be used for the sheep to shawl contest.

Gudrun’s Leno workshop on Thursday. Gudrun would prefer an earlier start, so participants should arrive prepared at 9:30 AM at Picadilly Mall. Meet at Jane’s place if you are uncertain where people are. Participants should bring a 3 ring binder for notes.

Judith read an email from Denice at Burton requesting that workshops should be scheduled on the weekends. Usually this is done.

Christmas Sale: Think snowflakes for your theme. The sale date is November 21.

Sheep to Shawl: One spinning session has been held already, and a second session will be help on the 16th. Judith will be holding a demonstration on how to scour sheep’s wool. This will be held at Judith’s place on Thursday, June 25th @ 7:00 PM. The 25 was chosen because some people will be spinning at the Okeefe Ranch during the day, from 10:00 AM to approximately 3:00 PM.

Knit in Public Day Join the Knit-In on June 13th on the Ross Street Plaza from 10:00 AM onwards. Anne is to put a notice in Friday AM, and also in the market? Gudie to make a sign advertising the event. In the event of bad weather, the event will move to Picadilly Mall.

IPE/Fall Fair/Fair Meeting.
IPE location the same as last year. -The Educational component should be handled by Fibres Unlimited.

- Mona Ball will host the planning meeting on August 13, at 10:00 AM. Bring your lunch, and your spinning.
Gloria – convenor for spinning
Judith to judge for skeins.

Rather than shut down for the summer, meetings and events will take place over the summer. Watch for emails and blogs.

New Business:

There will be spin ins at the Okeefe Ranch on the 2nd and 4th Thursday of each month.

Donkey Days will begin at Shirley’s on Saturday, June 20. Come and set up a table, for $10 (if successful), or come and spin. Directions will be blogged or emailed.

Clare and Rob gave a small honorarium to the guild in appreciation for their help at Harmonious Homestead.

There will be no meeting in September.

Gudrun offered to conduct programs on flax spinning and Inkle weaving for the October and November meetings.

There was a call from Hugo (Elena’s husband?) who says he has raw wool. Call him at 250-832-9498 if you would like to check it out. The type of wool is unknown.

Spin-in on Tuesday, the 14th of July at Darlene Thornbury’s lakeside home. Bring your lunch at a bathing suit.

Sue brought a brochure from Granville Market Maiwa Spinning store, who have just put out 4 dvd’s on colour/dyes/weaving. See Sue for the brochure if you are interested.

Show and Tell:

The Meeting was adjourned before 9:00 PM

Fibre for sale/free

From Sharon
I just had a phone call from someone in Enderby who has just had her alpacas shorn and is willing to give away the fibre to anyone willing to pick it up. Her name is Helen Sundin - phone 838-7739. She has 2 garbage bags of white and 2 of black, but warns there is a "lot of hay" in it because they loved to roll in their feed.
As mentioned at the meeting
Hugo has fleece for sale 832-9498. Breed and condition unknown!