Anita Luvera Mayer coming to the UP of Michigan

Anita Mayer a weaving and fiber legend is coming to the UP June 20-25 for Northern Wefts 2011, the Midwest Weavers Conference to be held in Hancock Michigan at Finlandia University.

Anita will be teaching a Pre conference workshop PC103 ‘Double Weave Tapestry Pillows’, this workshop you will learn to weave a tubular double weave that creates a woven frame for the tapestry in the top layer, with the bottom layer being the pillow back. She will focus on transforming a photo/picture into a color study in tapestry weaving.

Anita has traveled all over the world and has taught at many conferences and has produced 5 books. She believes that there should be something magical and unique about what is worn each day and shares her concept of clothing with others in her workshops. Her mini session MN 804 ‘Wear that Handwoven with Style’ will address how to accessorize and wear clothing in order to present oneself in the best possible manner. She will show how to look taller, shorter or slimmer by how you dress not changing your body. She will be showing the style of garments that work best with various body shapes.

In Her one day workshop MX503 ‘Kimono Kaper’ Anita will size a basic kimono to fit you and explore the ways to design a variety of wearable garments from one basic shape. You will design your own pattern and actually be able to try on the instructor’s kimono wardrobe. Anita won first place in the 2010 Convergence in New Mexico with her garment 'Winter Snow'.

We are working her hard at this conference as she is also offering a class in beading MN906 ‘Beaded Heart Pin’. Participants will complete a fabric heart shaped pin featuring a beaded edge and beaded fringe. Anita has also agreed to judge our guild exhibit. We are looking forward to welcoming Anita to our beautiful area for Northern Wefts 2011.

Join Anita for one of her classes and experience learning something new from one of the best.

Audrey Chamberlain our Vendor Chair and Spinner WOW look at her yarns!

Our Vendor Chair for Northern Wefts 2011, Audrey Chamberlain is a full time mother and student in Finlandia’s Fiber program. She is also an accomplished Spinner. She has been spinning a couple of years and has mastered the Craft. Still eager to learn she takes spinning classes whenever they are available.

We are proud to say Audrey is a member of our Buellwood Fiber and Weavers Guild, and has volunteered to be our Vendor Chair. This is a big job and Audrey is a very busy mother and student. She has secured a number of vendors and the list will soon be updated on the Midwest Weavers website. We could still use about 8 more vendors so if you know any one that would be interested in Vending at Northern Wefts 2011 please contact Audrey – check the Midwest web site for vendor information.

Audrey attacks spinning very similar to Laurie Boyer who will be teaching 3 half day workshops at Northern Wefts 2011 MN 904 ‘Wild Felting’, MN801 ‘Laurie’s Lock Yarn’ and MN601 ‘Spinning Slub Yarn’ check out my earlier Blog about Laurie. Audrey and Laurie both have a passion for spinning and spend a great deal of time perfecting their craft.

Audrey is fascinated by Core spinning and has developed a way of using wire and wool to create a yarn that can be used to create art. She is busy spinning this yarn to use for her senior project this spring.

Core Spun yarn over Wire

Skeins made of Core Spun

YarnVessels made of Core spun yarn

Audrey is also teaching a Core Spinning Workshop at Copper Country Community Arts Center this spring on May 7^th 2011 from 10am - 4pm. This is advance notice of her class as it is not on the calendar right now. I look forward to learning this new and innovative spinning technique from Audrey in May.

Cameron Taylor Brown - PC107 Natural Inspiration Ideas from Nature

Cameron Taylor Brown is an Artist from California who will be teaching a 3 day pre conference workshop PC 107 ‘Natural Inspirations Design Ideas from Nature’ Her work is beautiful, we are lucky to have such a talented weaver and artist willing to make the trip to the UP for our conference. Those of us who are color challenged, or want to improve your color use to make your weaving, knitting or crochet a real work of art will gain from this workshop. As well as those who would like to improve your yarn selection choices for better results. A loom is not required for this workshop, but welcome if you are a weaver and want to explore weaving with colors from nature. Bring your knitting needles, Crochet hooks or other fiber tools to explore designing from nature with Cameron.Visit Cameran's website to learn more about her art.

In her one day workshop MX506 ‘Spice it Up’ will be offered on Friday. For this class you will need to have a pre warped loom, warped for 8 inch tabby weave with a solid or closely blended color (1 and 1/2 yard warp length). Cameron will supply the weft yarns. This sounds like an interesting class. Cameron will show you how to add accent yarns to a warp using a tie-in board, yarn twisting and wrapping techniques and yarn blending. Again weft yarns will be provided for accent colors and textures. The only requirement is you must be able to read a draft. Does that sound more interesting? It does to me. Visit her color play workshop online, to see a sample or her classes or listen to an interview with her on weavecast.com.

Cameron’s Saturday workshop MX 513 ‘Ready Sett, Go’ will teach you to determine sett simply and accurately using the Ashenhurst Formula. This is a mathematical calculation used by the textile industry to account for fiber, yarn type, weave and end use. She will be focusing on the simple calculations that are of immediate use to the hand weaver. You will learn to design your own fabric. For this class she suggests a calculator with a square root button, thank goodness for that!

Come experience a class with Cameron at Midwest Weavers 2011 conference Northern Wefts at Finlandia College in Hancock Michigan June 20-25.

Nadine Sanders -The Singing Weaver

Nadine Sanders the ‘Singing Weaver’ will be teaching 3 workshops for us at Northern Wefts 2011 in June. Nadine is originally a Minnesota girl, who is a gifted musician and singer. She fell in love with weaving when she interviewed a weaver in Minnesota for a class project at St Olaf’s College. Nadine has been weaving and singing ever since. She has taught many weaving workshops over the years on the West Coast and all over the country she has recently moved back to Minnesota, so we are lucky to have her at our conference.

She also has been leading tour groups to U.K. for over 12 years. She is taking two sections of 26 travelers to Scotland this spring, April 26 - May 9, 2011. She will update her blog as they travel so check out her blog at www.singingweaver/blogspot.com right now you can see pictures from the 2009 trip and you will be delighted. There are still a few seats available on the second coach, so it is not too late to sign up. The exchange rate is excellent between the U.S. dollar and the GBP right now, the best it has been since she started traveling in the U.K. in 1997. This is her 4^th year leading a tour to Scotland. Oh how I wish I could fill those seats, it is definitely on my ‘Bucket List’ hopefully in 2012.

Locharron loom

Donna weaving a blue tartan on the Locharron loom

Nadine is teaching a one day workshop MX512 ‘Warping w/paddle, Shoestrings and the Kitchen Sink’ on Friday June 24^th. Besides learning what to do with that Paddle in your collection of weaving equipment, she will teach you how to make warping your loom fun! You will learn how to reduce the amount of waste yarn and improve the tension of your warped loom with shoestrings. You can even bring along your loom if you would like to learn how to modify it. I could really use this class.

Her mini session MN605 ‘Beyond Plaids, Waulking and the Music of Scotland’ will take you on a half day trip to Scotland. Nadine will share a montage of music and images and cloth to introduce you to the artists of Scotland. This session builds up to a waulking event where waulkers (you) fueled by shortbread and music will felt a piece of cloth as a group. You will also share any Scottish inspired weaving or fiber art you want to bring to class.

The final half day session is MN705 ‘Promotion 24/7’ this workshop explores High-tech, low-tech and no- tech ways to develop your business , market or show your work, secure teaching contracts, and promote yourself as an artist or teacher. This class is designed for the new fiber business person who is determined to make a life doing what they love.

We are excited to announce that Nadine has volunteered to perform a short concert for us sometime during the conference. She will bring her fiddle, autoharp and voice and donate her performance to Northern Wefts 2011, Midwest weaver’s conference. I am imaging something like the Robert Hillestad’s Installation project at Roots in 2007. As we have an Archeology class from MTU making us a replica of an ancient upright loom, thanks to Carl Blair Professor of Archeology at MTU, to be installed on campus for our conference attendees to weave on as they desire.

Thank you, Nadine and Carl for your generous offers. We will announce the locations of both these events in the Northern Wefts’ conference schedule you will receive in your registration bag.