Rep Rug techniques with Myla Horrocks

Our January Guild meeting was well attended. Myla presented a very informative program on Rep Rug techniques and shared her beautiful Rep woven items. Myla uses 8/4 cotton rug warp for her Rep weaving and shared with us a vendor who has many colors of rug warp at a very reasonable price: Great Northern in Kalamazoo, MI  http://greatnorthernweaving.com/index.asp , they also sell fabric rolls that can be used for Weft. Myla cuts her weft fabric to 1.25 inches with a rolling rag cutter and folds and irons the strips so the fabric looks its best. Another source for cotton warp yarn is http://oldmillyarn.webs.com/yarn which is a outlet mill in Eaton Rapids MI
Myla showed us a a trick for keeping her fabric weft edges even. She turns the shuttle 1/2 turn over on each pass using the same direction on each salvage.
I am so sorry I forgot to take pictures at the meeting - Myla's table runners and place mats were absolutely beautiful. 

Leslie announced that Ruth Manning will be teaching a class on Handspun Tapestry Techniques at the Porkies Folk School this summer on July 12, Check out the class specifics on the Porcupine mountain Website http://porkies.org/folk-school/workshops/

Ruth Manning 'Handspun Landscape' Tapestry

Ruth is interested in teaching a workshop for us on July 13th on design if our guild is interested in setting this up. Leslie sent an email to our guild members about Ruth's Creative Design Class.

"Do you want to develop new ideas that will give your weaving, quilting, garment making, or felted pieces more personal meaning? This class will help any fiber artist look at ideas in a new way. The class will explore the use of metaphor to investigate a theme and connect those ideas to our own work. We will use existing images and drawing materials to create designs as a group and individually. The elements of art will help guide you as you link these ideas to your chosen media. Understanding your materials and refining your technique is important; now learn how to expand your knowledge and create new possibilities. Instructor will provide student supply list prior to class". This is the explanation Ruth sent for her Creative Design class.

We will discuss this at our February meeting as well as our May workshop at the Marsin Center. If you are at all interested in either or these workshops, make sure you let Eve or Leslie know your interest at the February meeting. .

Debra Goldman is setting up a Weave, Cut, and Sew workshop for May with Mary Sue Fenner. Cost will be similar as the may workshop last year and will be held at Finlandia's Fiber Room. Tentative dates are May 19, 20 and 21. Let Debra know if you are interested.

William Bonifas Art Center Escanaba MI

Leslie and I attended the Artist Reception at the Bonifas Art Center in Escanaba last Thrusday and really enjoyed the collection of Quilts in the Quilt invitational and the Fiber Art in the' Fabrications IV' U.P. Fiber Art exhibit.
I am proud to announce that Leslie received the honorable mention award for her tapestry 'Calling of the Crane'

'Calling of the Crane' by Leslie Toombs

Pasqua announcing winners.

The first place award went to a quilter Amber Lippold for 'Measuring the Wind'. Check out the web page for the other winners http://www.bonifasarts.org/calendar.cfm?eventtype=exhibit&list=0&bpx 
and a slide show of the winning pieces

3rd place winner 'Manipulation into Submission'  by Diane Mayes 

the top hooked rug is the second place winner

 

These are the other pieces entered and accepted by our guild members.

'Fab Beanie for a Hip Scarecrow' Mary Brownell

'Ontonagon Summer' Leslie Toombs

 'Krokbragd Wall Art'  Eve Lindsey and 'Fall Vest' Mary Brownell

various techniques

Some other entries at the Fabrications IV show.

embroidery one of 3 pieces.

3-D quilting

Carol Irving shaft switching rug

Carol Irving Shaft Switching Rug

It is a nice show and if you get to Escanaba stop in at the Bonifas Art Center and check out the U.P. Fiber Art Show.