January Video Meeting 2021

In January we met again via Zoom for some show and tell and conversation. Since it can be hard to eat lunch and video chat at the same time, we will be changing the time of our next meeting to 11am (Monday February 15th). 

Although Melissa has been nursing a rotator cuff injury, she embarked on a project that has allowed her to learn how to read weaving drafts. She has been working on cotton and linen samples from Davison's Handweaver's Pattern Book. 

Karen had been working on stitching her gorgeous submission for the Animals of the Kalevala exhibit at the Copper Country Community Arts Center. The show is currently online and in-person at the CCCAC gallery in Hancock. She also showed us an ornament of family dog Runa. 

Kathie finished up her mug rugs and bookmarks and talked about how color combinations worked differently in different combinations. 

Denise has continued with her days of the week embroidery and also showed off her new handwoven towels. 

Mary finished a lovely collection of knit advent balls designed by Arne and Carlos . She also finished knitting a replacement fish hat for a young friend and weaving a Sword and Fern Horsetail table runner. The draft came from Handwoven magazine May/April 2020. She'd like to make more of these runners but with a heavier weight yarn like 5/2 pearl cotton or two strands of 10/2 pearl cotton used together. The weavers in the meeting agreed that this approach would probably work. She suggested a lesson on translating different weaving drafts into different yarns could be a good program in the future. 

Phyllis has been working on concentric circles, first needle felting and then using some wet felting. She also discovered a helpful tip from the book Weaving Tricks by Susan Gilmurray that she plans to use in an attempt to finish the rug she's discussed in previous meetings. 

Dawn showed us a cowl (dicky?) that she knit at the request of her daughter. It is similar to the Huntress Cowl, but she had to change the pattern to work with the yarn she had. 

Stay warm and safe everyone, and we'll see you again soon! 

Mary Sue Fenner PC101 One of a Kind Jacket to Fit You

One of Mary Sue's many beautiful and creative garments.

A couple of weeks ago I was in Green Bay to take a weaving/sewing class at Kele Alpacas with Mary Sue Fenner. Mary Sue teaches at NWTC in Green Bay in their Marketing and Graphic Communications programs. She also teaches classes on the weekends and during the summer at Sievers School of Fiber Arts on Washington Island WI and has been for over 30 years. In fact she was the very first teacher at Sievers.

Once a month Mary Sue has a class at Kele Alpaca in Kewaunee Wisconsin where she teaches the basics of weaving and sewing. I have been a regular at this class until I moved to Ontonagon Michigan 3 years ago.

Mauree Childress and Mary Sue at Kele Alpaca

Mary Sue and Maria discussing what to weave with Maria's beautiful hand painted warp which is a class offered a couple of times a year at Kele Alpaca. The next dye day will be on May 7, 2011

Mary Sue helping Gail Mandli - host for our Chassell Tour - cut out her garment she will be entering in the Northern Wefts style show.

Leanna is busy sewing her garment for the fashion show, a challenge for some of us. Leanna will be the host for the Copper Harbor tour.

Kathy is finishing some of the hand sewing on her garment for Northern Wefts Style show on Friday June 24th.







At Northern Wefts 2011 Mary Sue will be teaching a 3 day workshop very similar to her classes in at Kele Alpaca, PC 101 'One of Kind Jackets to Fit You'. There is still room in the class but only a few openings left. For this workshop she will review sample jackets, discuss pattern choices and make pattern alterations for your project. The workshop will be for handwoven fabrics or commercial fabrics you bring to class. You will lay out your pattern cut it out and start sewing on it on day two, if you are afraid to cut your beautiful hand wovens this is the first step. On day three you will check the fit of your garment and make final alterations, add button holes an closures, embellish and complete your jacket. Let Mary Sue guide you through these steps and give you ideas and encouragement on embellishing your jacket to make it a one of kind garment you will be proud to wear.

This is a top made by Barb for her daughter in Mary Sue's class at Sievers in 2009 - this is actually handwoven fabric. Barb Butler own and weaves at Shutherland Handweaving studio in Ashville North Carolina.

Mary Sue will also be showing off her Handmade jackets at her half day class on Saturday MN901 'One of a Kind Jacket Trunk Show'. In this session you will be able to touch and try on Mary Sue's enormous collection of jackets that she will bring along to share with you.




She will be our MC for the Friday night fashion show at Northern Wefts 2011. Which will be a real treat as she has done many fashion shows over the years. You can find her garments for sale at the Gift Itself in Green Bay, in Door Country Wisconsin and at various events throughout Wisconsin. She has written articles for Handwoven, Shuttle, Spindle and Dyepot, Belle Armoire, Altered Couture, Sew Somerset and Haute Handbags Magazines. Mary Sue spins, weaves, dyes, sews and embellishes with a passion.

Join Mary Sue in one of her workshops at Northern Wefts 2011, June 20-25 2011 or on the runway Friday June 24, and have some fun learning to loosen up and create.