July Meeting 2021

Although we usually take a summer hiatus, it seems that we've all been craving time together with fiber so we are continuing with meetings in July and August. This month was our first time meeting in the Lily I. Jutila Center fiber studio in Hancock, now part of the Finnish American Folk School at Finlandia University. We had a great turnout and welcomed some new members into the group. Next month we'll meet there again (Monday August 16th at noon) for some hands-on learning about processing flax. 

Visitor Ann showed off a pile of handknits she's been working on, including this wrap based on an afghan square pattern. 

Karen T. has had a table at the Marquette Farmer's Marquette recently and shared some of the jewelry she's been selling there. She also shared some of her latest eco-dyed scarves. 

Mary has been busy preparing for her trip to visit kids and grandkids, and shared several of the things she's been knitting, sewing, and weaving. And check out those lovely earrings she made in Cynthia's beading class at the Copper Country Community Arts Center! 

Laura M. shared a sampler and leaf she made in a class that she took recently. 

See you next month, August 16th at the Jutila fiber studio for a great program on flax! 

June 2021 Meeting

We had our second in-person meeting at the Keweenaw Land Trust's Boston Pond pavilion. Although the sun was out it was a very brisk day, but we all put on our woolens and other layers and enjoyed each other's company. 

Dawn knit a triangle shawl with wool yarn that she modelled and showed us how to tie or tuck around the back. She also had a basket of Karen Mallum’s wool from her own sheep at Round Barn Fibers. It is a mixture or Bluefaced Leicester and Clun mule Sheep

Phyllis is still crocheting, continuing on the single crochet discs using marled and other leftover yarns that she plans to assemble. 

We haven't seen Melissa since last year and she has been busy! She brought a collection of the weaving and other crafts she's been working on during the pandemic winter in California. Her birch bark towels were in the March/April 2020 issue of Handwoven Magazine. It is a 4 shaft tabby pattern using 8/2 cotton and cotton boucle. She also shared Hoosier Huck towels from the May/June 2020 issue using overshot and huck on an 8 shaft loom, July picnic towels from May/June 2021, pink and orange color study scarves, and a brown tencel scarf from the January/February issue of Handwoven "Floral for All" warp using Monk's Belt structure. 

Melissa has also been working on some delightful holiday-themed punch rug ornaments and mini-pillows that she showed everyone and we discussed the possibility of including this as a class at a future guild retreat. 

Clare has been experimenting with bias on a scarf using a yarn gradient from Wonderland Yarns that has been in her stash forever. It remains to be seen if the curl will block out of the finished object or not (probably not!). 

Karen M. showed  her book of felted wool samples from a class she took at the Wisconsin Sheep and Wool Festival. 

Susan B showed her drift wood wall mobile, rocks and birch bark mobiles, woven mug rugs, hot pads woven with t-shirts, table runner, and woven bags that she sells at ‘Open Wings’ Gallery in Munising MI.

Denise brought a beautiful embellished Crazy Quilt that she made including beads and embroidery in the 4 squares.

Mary show us her adorable knit and felted Magnus mouse pattern from Arne and Carlos with sweater and pants knit with size 11 needles and 2 strands of Galway wool then filled with poly and felted in the washing machine. She also modeled her latest Shetland wool week 2021 Kep called the ‘Da Crofter’. The pattern is free online at Shetland Wool Week 2021. Her woven dish towel was made of Habu linen paper yarn and 10/2 cotton yarn (Tabby weave Handwoven M/A 2021 pg18 article by Tom Knisley.)

May 2021 Meeting

Last month we had the joy of seeing each other again smiling under sunny skies at the pavilion at Boston Pond in Hancock. 

With a great turnout, most of us brought new and old objects to show off in-person, like this small vessel by Karen T. Not everything shown is pictured or explained in this post, so if we forgot something important please let us know. 

Dawn showed this shawl she made and brought many woolen goodies to share with the rest of us. In fact, this meeting was full of sharing, from plant starts, to felted sweater material, to homemade niddy-noddys!

Phyllis showed us the carpets that tormented her this winter as well as many of her crochet color studies that she continues to work on. 

Laura showed us books and a needle case that she completed. 

Though she hasn't been knitting or weaving much, Clare recently finished sewing this Woolfork dress for herself. The pattern is from the book Embody by Jacqueline Cieslak. 

Karen L. has been working in different media this winter, painting mandala-style rocks and weaving a deliciously soft and happy blanket. 

Karen M., a new guild member, joined us in-person for the first time. She is a new weaver already completing exquisite pieces like these mug rugs and placemats, her first and second projects ever! She also showed us an example of the Norwegian art of skinfeller. 

Denise showed us the handtowels that she has woven with lovely variations in the pattern. 

Melissa has been busy this winter! Here she is modeling the jacket she completed as part of Mary Sue Fenner's class last year. In addition to handwoven yardage, she made custom piping. She also competed a sweater, two vests (one of which was from a Mary Sue class ~29 years ago), more yardage, and a rug. 

BUELLWOOD'S BEST 2021

Each spring for the last few years we have been holding the Buellwood's Best show at the May meeting. In the winter we agree on a theme and guild members create an object based on that theme. This year the theme was 12 x 12. 

Vessel by John, wool and wire

Mug rug by Karen M.

Handwoven bag by Melissa

Vessel by Phyllis, crochet

Owl by Laura

Eco-printed book by Dawn

Vessel by Karen T.