Hello fiber artists!  The leaves have fallen where I live, and the trees are very bare.  The wind has been howling and it is great weather to create!

UPCOMING EVENTS: 

Guild Meeting: Our next meeting is November 15 at 1:00 pm EST.  During the winter months, our meetings are on Saturdays.

2025-2026 Schedule

                October 18, 2025:        Show and Tell.  Discuss Emberlight Ideas for Summer of 2026.

                November 15, 2025:    Go to Soup Bowl Fundraiser if you arrive early at 11:00 EST.  

                                                        Program is Drafting a pattern from a garment you love.  

                December 13, 2025:    NOTE DATE CHANGE due to holidays.  

                                                          Show and Tell

                January 17, 2026:        Program is Emberlight Work Bee.  Bring driftwood, copper wire or other 

                                                         materials that can be woven.

                February 21, 2026:       Show and Tell 

                March 21, 2026:            Program is raising Angora Bunnies and using their fur

                                                          ALSO: bring materials for making your name tag if you don't have one.

                April 18, 2026:                Show and Tell 

                May 16, 2026:                Program is Paper Piecing and English Paper Piecing

                June 15m 2026:            NOTE Meeting is on a Monday during the summer.

                                                           Show and Tell

                July 20, 2026:                Name Drafting

                August 17, 2026:            Show and Tell

                September TBD:             RETREAT!!!!! and annual meeting.  

                                                            Tentatively scheduled for September 19 and 20, 2026 at the Marsin Center.

Retreats and Conferences:

    BUELLWOOD RETREAT: This retreat will be tentatively September 19 to 21, 2026 at the Marsin Center in the Hancock/Houghton Michigan area.  We will have classes and camaraderie!  It's a great time in a beautiful setting.

    MICHIGAN LEAGUE OF HANDWEAVERS: The next conference will be in June of 2026.  The conference will be in Marquette Michigan.  This is a great opportunity to go to the conference when it is close (relatively).    

    FIBER FEST in Marquette Michigan: Thank you to Melissa for coordinating our table at Fiber Fest in October in Marquette.  It was a great exhibition of our guild's projects and we all had a great time talking to people, seeing a fashion show and going to demonstrations.   Here are some photos:

MUSINGS AND GROUP QUESTION: I have been taking a lot of classes on design and living a creative life.  One thing is clear to me--I need to start doing instead of thinking of doing--I know DUH!!!!!  But my inner critic is helping me to procrastinate.  It won't be good enough, etc. etc.  Time to tell that inner critic to go get a cup of tea!  

Does your inner critic interfere in your creativity?  One of the articles I read stated that your inner critic is really part of your protective system during childhood so that you can ensure that those who are looking out for you continue to do so.  Unfortunately, your inner critic sticks around even into adulthood when you really don't need to please your caregivers.  I have been reading a book called "Your Inner Critic is a Big Jerk" by Danielle Krysa.  It is a quick read with lots to chew on.  There are loads of great ideas on how to get beyond your inner critic and start creating.  It is amazing that no matter how hard you try to get away from the roots of your inner critic--life comes full circle.    

So, I am working on developing creative habits.  While I do so, I am also working on telling that inner critic to go for a walk.  

OUR AMAZING FRIENDS

This is the section where I share what some of our guild members are up to.  Let me know if you have something to share.

Marci Schneider has a show at the Rosa Center at Michigan Tech in Houghton Michigan.  The exhibit is called Special Occasion or Monkey Planet.   Here are some photos.  WAY TO GO MARCI.

PICTURES FROM SEPTEMBER RETREAT AND OCTOBER MEETING: 

We had a great time learning Singlade Balls.  Here are John Gale, Melissa Mattson and Mary Brownell at work on their balls.

Cynthia Allen is enjoying the retreat and participating in the project.

David is warping his inkle loom for our contribution to the Marquette Conference next year.  Robin is working on her Singlade Ball.

Denise, Elaine, David, Cynthia and her cousin are enjoying the ambiance.

Mary, Melissa Lewis, Nate and 

Elaine (me!) working on my inkle loom

More pictures

Nancy and Melissa working on their projects.

Nancy working on her project.

That is, I think, Cynthia's hands and her project.

A sampling of the projects done at retreat.

OCTOBER"S SHOW AND TELL

Elaine's reversible hat!

Nancy's baby sweater, Polly's sweater and David's tea towel.  David showed his inkle bands and his baby quilt. (no picture).

Clare's ceramic buttons.  She is also working on a knitted mystery (no picture)

Kathy's Krokbragd

Karen's Krokbragd

Karen's tree ornaments

Gretchen's grandmother's darning egg and porcelain doll.  Gretchen made the sweater for the doll

Polly's crocheted wedding dress made by her grandmother.

Nate's rugs

Nancy's krokbragd and baby sweater

Robin's shirts that she dyed and that glow in the dark.

Sean's inkle bands

Sean's krokbragd

Vicki's sweater.

Carol brought in a crocheted circle (no picture)

PLEASE NOTE: I apologize if your project does not have a picture--I do my best and sometimes that happens.  I am happy to include it in the next blog if you email me a photo.  Thanks.

SEE YOU NEXT TIME.

 

Hello Fiber Enthusiasts!  

UPCOMING EVENTS: 

Guild Meeting: This is our schedule for the next year!  We meet on the third Saturday of the month during the winter (except December which is usually earlier to accommodate the holidays.  During the summer months, our meetings are on the third Monday of June, July and August.  September is our retreat and planning meeting for the new year.  We meet at the Finnish Folk School at 1:00 PM EST.  

                2025-2026 Schedule

                October 18, 2025:        Show and Tell.  Discuss Emberlight Ideas for Summer of 2026.

                November 15, 2025:    Go to Soup Bowl Fundraiser if you arrive early at 11:00 EST.  

                                                        Program is Drafting a pattern from a garment you love.  

                December 13, 2025:    NOTE DATE CHANGE.  

                                                          Show and Tell

                January 17, 2026:        Program is Emberlight Work Bee.

                February 21, 2026:       Show and Tell 

                March 21, 2026:            Program is EITHER raising and using Angora Bunnies 

                                                          OR how to do name drafting.  

                                                            ALSO: bring materials for making your name tag if you don't have one.

                April 18, 2026:                Show and Tell 

                May 16, 2026:                Program is Paper Piecing and English Paper Piecing

                June 15m 2026:            NOTE Meeting is on a Monday during the summer.

                                                           Show and Tell

                July 20, 2026:                See March 21 2026.

                August 17, 2026:            Show and Tell

                September TBD:             RETREAT!!!!! and annual meeting.  

                                                            Tentatively scheduled for September 19 and 20, 2026 at the Marsin Center.

MICHIGAN LEAGUE OF HANDWEAVERS: The next conference will be in June of 2026.  The conference will be in Marquette Michigan.  This is a great opportunity to go to the conference when it is close (relatively). 

KUDOS: Karen T had a basket in the Textile Center in Minneapolis.  She was chosen by the National Basketry Organization.  

Lisa also has her work in a show in New York (more details next blog). 

MUSINGS AND GROUP QUESTION: 

No musings till September edition.

MEETING PICTURES:

August's meeting was a show and tell.  

Phyllis showed a crocheted dress that was handmade, a piece from Mexico, A coverlet and a gallery article about coverlets in Shutle, dye and pot.

Nancy showed a pink shirt and a purple/white shirt she had knit, a purple and pink woven piece from silk.

Elaine and Margaret showed the basket they had made at the porkies folk school (Poppy's class)

    No picture available.

Margaret showed her willow basket made at the porkies and dress she had bought using different textiles.

Karen T showed pink and brown slipper she had made, a birch star earring with a teeny tiny eyelet.  

Denise showed a white shawl that she had knit from alpaca and silk, and a woven scarf from her mlh conference class.

Melissa M showed towels she had wove from cotton and halloween punch needle she had made.

Mary B  showed Laura Marquardt's present to Mary which was eco dyed, the new WEFT magazine, and a harrisville shetland blanket she wove in huck lace.

 

John G showed coats from his family that he wanted ideas from the group on to do with them.  

Melissa L showed a loom she had made to do some card weaving.

Gretchen and Melissa showed a red snood.  Both Melissa's and Gretchen's were made from a hoodula pattern on ravelry.

Nate showed a shirt he had done color discharge with , a pillow stuffed with thrums, his first rug woven from socks, a double weaving rug (the top is his mother's weaving and the bottom was his).

Robin showed the hoody she was wearing which was her grandmother's.

Sue showed a textile that was over 60 years' old.  It was overshot in black and red that she wove when she apprenticed.

Gretchen showed a sampler by Renee Thomas.

Debra quilted a quilt for her daughter and has been knitting

                No pictures available.

Anita showed her knitted knockers!

                No picture available

Mary Markham showed her sewed dress and apron

Alice showed her good bear with sweater, and her tapestry with wedge weave.

Annie showed a hat she had made using gretchen's hat pattern and a snow flake she had made on her 16 shaft loom.

Claire showed mittens she made from newfy mittens on raverly.

Jada showed her blue and white weaving.

Polly showed her hand woven designer patterns, mentioned hats for hope and making blankets for foster kids.

                No picture available.

Cynthia showed her sewing project.  She is taking kimonos and redesigning them into jackets.

SEE YOU NEXT TIME.