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.

Show and Tell to start the year

 Here are some pics of what people have been working on over the holidays.

Two scarves from Rose who was on a "use up the oddments" mission. Amazing things can happen when you use seriously mis-matched yarns

Anne's Honeycomb placemats turned out exceptionally well. The hemstitching adds a beautiful finishing touch

Jan's fabulous fish tapestry. Each fish is a sample of a technique learned at the Maximo Laura workshop she attended

Wendy is launching out into floor rugs with considerable success in both weaving and design.

Just enough red to make it zing!

Chris had numerous scarves on display. She will be ready for the next scarf expo. Her current work, and Joan's is under wraps for now. You may see it at Festival.

In the "other techniques" department we had some expert knitting. This "Willow Cowl" was a gift to Rose. It was even knitted for her otherwise it would never have got finished.

And our own expert Knitter Nancy was working on the pattern you see in the lower left of the photo. She was combining two slightly different reds to give it a lively appearance.

A length of multicoloured bobbin lace was Rose's craft of choice over the holidays. Just as well she didn't have Wendy's "I am Dandy" book or it would have been a reading fest instead. It is sub-titled "The Return of the Elegant Gentleman"

Still more pics to come in a little while.

P.S. More people Pics

Thanks to Chris, we have some more "people photos" from our meeting. Thank you Chris.

Such excitement - silk handkerchiefs in glorious colours. These will soon be available for sale to not only our members but spinners and felters as well.

Jan with her fish tapestry. Which way up does it go? There was a bit of a debate about that but Jan knows how she wants it.

Rose is usually behind the camera but here she is with a "three oddment" scarf which delighted with seredipity scrunching.

Show and tell pics soon.

Welcome to 2019

We met for lunch at Chris and Ross Beech's lovely home overlooking vineyards and farmland with mountain ranges not too far distant. What a lovely, calm, soul-restoring environment.

This is only a small part of the view. I'm unsure if I would find it inspirational and a prompt to creativity, or a distraction, beckoning me away from the loom.

Anne has been working on a set of table mats in honeycomb weave, See a close-up in the next post. In the meantime Chris, Betsy and Nancy are admiring her effort.

Yes, It is just as neat on the back.

Our special friend Fern was able to come because it is school holidays. Here she is with her very own braiding work.

And here Fern is having a chat with our hostess, Chris.

Oh, and by the way, Fern's mother, Wendy, was there too. She brings not only weaving to show but also interesting books. See more from her in the next post.

Chris's weavery is like Aladdin's cave for weavers with two big floor looms and multiple pieces of equipment, books, stash . . . . We all envy her space.

Always taking note of the details, Betsy checks out the weaving on the 8 shaft loom.

Jan looks a bit intimidated by the mechanics. It's only four shafts Jan . . . you could do it.

Chris and Joan in contemplative mode.

Wendy and Fern look as though they are having an OMG moment.

That's all about us for now. Thank you Chris, for your hospitality. Next post will have photos of our Show and Tell.

Farewell to 2018 and Best Wishes forChristmas

A good attendance for our last meeting for the year. Best Wishes to all for the Festive Season and lots of inspiration for a weaverly 2019.