New Year - New Members

It was a well attended meeting in February and great to have two new members and a visitor to swell the ranks. Welcome, Kathryn and Betty, and welcome also to Corrie who visits Blenheim regularly from the Netherlands. 

First, let's look at some of the show and tell that emerged from holiday activities.

New member Kathryn brought along this pretty pink tufted cushion.

Jan's "celebration" tapestry has done the rounds of the Australian and NZ tapestry exhibitions.

Not one to waste any of her luxury yarns, Wendy uses the short ends from weaving to add embroidery to this multicolour felt. The more techniques the merrier.

Beautiful handle and lovely texture enhance this lightweight throw from Rosemary

This generous sized blanket from Judy set up a discussion on self-striping yarns. For some they add an extra "zing" but others feel they just "don't work". 

With different yarns there is a possibility of differing tension and shrinkage so we will be watching with interest what happens when this is washed.

Another throw from Rosemary showing her skill with strong colours and stylish design.

This one is crackle weave from Joan. All this woolly weaving must surely have been done before the really hot weather arrived.

Keep watching for more show and tell in a few days.

Heritage Day at the Park

Waitangi Day at Brayshaw Park is known as Heritage Day and displays and activities are put on by the Marborough Museum, the Historical Society and, of course, all the organisations who call the Park home. As part of Creative Fibre, Marlborough Weavers are there to demonstrate, talk with the public and keep an eye open for possible new members.

Officially Beavertown Hall. our meeting place is always known to Creative Fibre members as Bobbin Cottage which is what we called it from the beginning - long, long ago.

Chris brought along a 4 shaft loom with pedals, threaded up and ready to go. It proved very popular, especially with a couple of children who soon had the treadling sequence sussed and produced some excellent weaving/

Inside the floor loom was being warped up for its next project. Chris and Joan soon co-opted Betty to help and managed to enthuse her about the orderliness of the process. She looks like being our next new weaver.

Joan had wound a colourful warp of high twist wool which will be ideal for weaving with rag wefts or roving to make hot plate mats.

This lightweight folding rigid heddle loom with its bright weft shuttles attracted attention from children and adults alike. 

Displays of weaving covered tapestry, floor rug techniques . . .

. . . scarves in a multitude of fibres, and table ware in linen and cotton

For light relief . . . bumper stickers for the attention seekers!

Odds and Ends to finish our January gathering

So many extra attractions added to the enjoyment of our get-together at Chris's home.

Wendy brought along some handwoven fabric she has inherited from the family of an earlier member, the late Laura Reynders

A close-up had those of us who knew Laura nodding and agreeing this was typical of Laura's lovely work.

"Diamond painting" was a holiday occupation for Wendy and her family. Not stitched, although it looks it, it is made up of thousands of little "gems," some of them really sparkling.

How could anyone resist this cuddlesome creature?

Nothing to do with weaving but everyone wanted to delve into this fascinating coffee table book on men's fashion

This one is a new weaving book, written (we thought) by a new weaver who still has much to learn. If it encourages new weavers, and new members for our group, good on her.

Browsing in Chris's studio I couldn't help but notice the trusty hand made book Chris uses for weavery notes - covered with handwoven fabric of course.

Reluctantly we left Chris to her vista and floated home, full of inspiration and ideas for a great year to come. We will meet again on Waitangi Day, 6 February which is also Heritage Day at Brayshaw Park where we meet. Let's put on a show for one of the few days the public get to be aware of us.