NEXT MEETING:  July 3, 2024 - 6:30pm

Our Guild meets in the Art Studio room in the basement.  Please remember to arrive between 6:15 and 6:30 p.m., as TAF building doors will be watched to open for you during this time, and after that time, the doors are locked

One way to beat the heat!

. 

Business Agenda

• Thank you to Kendall R. for last month's overview of the Finnsheep breed.  And an even bigger thank you to Kendall (and Brandon) for allowing several of us to visit your farm ... and pet the lambs!
• Fiber Festivals
• Did anyone attend the Hoosier Hills Fiber Festival?  Experiences?  Purchases?  Comments?
• A very big thank you to Shelly, Mark, Elise, Carolyn, and Becky for representing Tippewa Spinners for demonstrating spinning at The Farm at Prophetstown State Park at their Family Day event.
• The Feast Application was (finally) sent in and our check was cashed (confirming receipt of our application).
• Show & Tell ... handspun yarns, finished items (knitted, crocheted, woven), other.

Hands-On Agenda Item -- Indigo Dye Demonstration (if it works!) / Open Spin

• There will be an EXTREMELY limited amount of dyestuff (if it works this far from the garden -- we'll see!).  You might be able to dye a SMALL skein of yarn or small amount of fiber (depending on how many people want to try the limited dye pot).  If you plan to participate:
• bring a small skein of yarn (~6 yards?) (It can be either protein or cellulose fiber)
• make sure you can identify your skein,
• bring your skein having been pre-soaked in water,
• bring a plastic bag (or something) to bring your pre-soaked skein / take your wet, dyed skein home.

 

NEXT MEETING:  May 29, 2024 - 6:30pm

Lots of rain this month.
These sheep are keeping dry

Our next meeting will be at the West Lafayette Fresh Thyme Community Room, 6:30 - 9 pm. 

2410 N. Salisbury St. #110, West Lafayette, 

This meeting will take the place of our usual June meeting. 

The TAF room is unavailable for our meeting date in June because of TAF's annual fundraiser. July we'll be back at TAF.

Program this month: 

Kendall with be telling us about the 

sheep she raises: Finn sheep.

Meeting attendees will receive  sample packets of washed Finnsheep wool - 2 - 3 oz.

Kendall may have additional raw fiber/fleeces available for purchase.

If you plan to participate, you may want to bring:

Your wheel or drop spindle

Flick carders, handcards, and/or combs (Finnsheep fibers provided are washed but still in lock formation)

SUMMER FIBERS FESTS

Keep an eye on the fiber festivals listed under "Blog Pages" on the right side of this blog. You certainly would not want to miss an opportunity to get more fiber!

 

NEXT MEETING:  May 1, 2024 - 6:30pm

Our Guild meets in the Art Studio room in the basement.  Please remember to arrive between 6:15 and 6:30 p.m., as TAF building doors will be watched to open for you during this time, and after that time, the doors are locked. 

Happy Mother's Day to all
the Moms out there.

Open Spin and Show & Tell

Don't forget to keep working on your project with the Shetland Sheep wool distributed at April's meeting. Show and Tell of that will be one of the Fall months.

 

NEXT MEETING:  April 3, 2024 - 7pm

April Showers bring May Flowers!

Our Guild meets in the Art Studio room in the basement.  Please remember to arrive between 6:15 and 6:30 p.m., as TAF building doors will be watched to open for you during this time, and after that time, the doors are locked. 

NOTE:  This is one of the "short" meetings because of the children's art class in our meeting room. So we will begin at 7pm. No need to come early.

PLEASE NOTE: 

 May will have 2 meeting dates, then an early June field trip to Kendall's farm to see her growing flock of Finn Sheep.

Wednesday, May 1st, as usual at TAF

Wednesday, May 29th at the West Lafayette Fresh Thyme Community Room, 6:30 - 9 pm. This meeting will take the place of our usual June meeting. 

The TAF room is unavailable for our meeting date in June because of TAF's annual fundraiser. 

PROGRAM:  

BREED STUDY - SHETLAND SHEEP

Breed information provided by Lexi Lamar.

Those who responded to Shetland breed study e-mail will receive 2 packets of Shetland wool from Lamar Springs Farm.  Packets contain portions of 5 fleeces, representing 4 colors, about 7.5+ oz total.

Would those receiving fiber packets like to do a project specifically highlighting use of the multiple natural colors of Shetland fiber to be shown later in the year?  (Knitting, Crochet, Weaving)

Additional patterning ideas:  There will be information on knitting winter hats from the Shetland Wool Week Hats, published for the annual wool fiber festival in Shetland, Scotland. These patterns call for Shetland wool, mostly in fingering weight, or what they refer to as "2-ply Jumper Weight". 

Additional Shetland fiber will be available for those who did not request fiber packets.

If you plan to participate, you may want to bring:

• Your wheel or drop spindle
• Flick carders, handcards, and/or combs (Shetland fibers provided are washed but still in lock formation)

AND, OF COURSE - Bring your latest Show & Tell

 

NEXT MEETING:  March 6, 2024 - 7:00pm

I found the pot of gold!

Our Guild meets in the Art Studio room in the basement.  Please remember to arrive between 6:15 and 6:30 p.m., as TAF building doors will be watched to open for you during this time, and after that time, the doors are locked. 

NOTE:  This is one of the "short" meetings because of the children's art class in our meeting room. So we will begin at 7pm. No need to come early.

Hands-on Program:

Bring your wheel for open spin, and/or

Supported Spindles - TBD.

And, of course, bring your Show & Tell

 

NEXT MEETING:  February 7, 2024 - 6:30pm

Our Guild meets in the Art Studio room in the basement.  Please remember to arrive between 6:15 and 6:30 p.m., as TAF building doors will be watched to open for you during this time, and after that time, the doors are locked. 

NOTE:  This is one of the "short" meetings because of the children's art class in our meeting room. So we will begin at 7pm. No need to come early.

PROGRAM: Inspiration

There is no formal program tonight so let's make it all about our members' handspuns. Bring 2 or 3 of your handspun items for inspiration for the rest of us. From years past, fairly recent, or whatever. Something you thought worked well with handspun, or just really love. It truly is inspirational to see in-person what others have made. And, of course, bring whatever you are working on now or just finished!

Spinning Lessons 

Small group spinning lessons -- will restart in March.  Watch for email or text updates.

Guild Demos

Where we have been requested to / are invited to / or plan to demonstrate spinning in 2024. No formal plans have been made so far.

• The Farm at Prophetstown State Park, Family Day, Jun 8 (11 am - 3 pm)
• Canal Days, Wabash & Erie Canal, Delphi, IN, Sat, May 25 through Sat, Sep 14 (1 pm - 4 pm).  Spinners are invited to come spin any Saturday afternoon during "Canal Days" season.  See Linda C.r or Vilija D. for more information. 
• Tippecanoe County Fair, Mon, Jul 22 through Thurs, Jul 25
• The Farm at Prophetstown State Park, Country Fair, Sep 21 (11 am - 3 pm)
• Feast of the Hunter's Moon, Sat, Oct 5 (9 am - 5 pm) & Sun, Oct 6 (9 am - 4 pm)

Fiber Festivals for Spinners

Dates have been set for 2024, click on the Demonstration and Fiber Fests page to the right.

 

NEXT MEETING:  January 3, 2024 - 6:30pm

Our Guild meets in the Art Studio room in the basement.  Please remember to arrive between 6:15 and 6:30 p.m., as TAF building doors will be watched to open for you during this time, and after that time, the doors are locked. 

MEETING AGENDA

• Dues are due -- $10
• 
  
• Our room schedule for the year:  5 meetings will be 6:30 - 9 pm; 6 meetings will be 7 - 9 pm because of the children's art classes. Check back here for the monthly info on times. The month of June we have no room because of the TAF fundraiser that month.  
  
  
• R.H. Lindsay Order 
• Separate e-mail sent to those who responded before Dec 30th
• Money for order due AT THIS MEETING (or sooner, thank you to some of you), or your order doesn't go in!!!
  
  
• Small group spinning lessons
• January is IT before Diana is gone again in February (and maybe part of March) ... get on the schedule!
  
  
• Acid Dye Workshop
• 10 people have stated an interest
• Amount of fiber purchased for this is based on those who stated an interest; if you haven't stated your interest by Dec 30th, 2023, you won't be included "at the last minute" because there won't be any fiber for you to dye.  
  
  
• Show and Tell -- show off your latest skein of yarn, finished item, learning item, etc, etc.!!
  

Hands-On Agenda Items

• Sheep Breed Studies -- General Info
• Breed Info
• Flicking washed wool
• Worsted and woolen spinning
• Swatching (Knitted, Crocheted, Woven)
  
  
• Sheep Breed Study -- Tunis (Carmen Colon on behalf of Carolyn Ferraro)
  Some Tunis fiber will be provided as part of this study.  If you wish to participate, please bring:
  
• Flicker and lap cloth or leather
• Old towel to collect VM from flicking
• Handcards
• Spinning wheel or drop spindle
• (Maybe) knitting needles or crochet hook ...