Founded 1938
2025-2026 Membership Dues - $40
Partial payment of $20 is only from January to May.
San Antonio Handweavers Guild
Founded in 1938
The San Antonio Handweavers Guild consists of individuals who exhibit a wide range of interest and expertise in the fiber arts, weaving, spinners, basket makers, dyers, and other artists. With minor exceptions, we meet the second Thursday September - May at the Colonial Hills United Methodist Church in the Life Building (entrance is behind the building). We try to have equal day and night meetings. Mornings meetings start at 9:30 and evenings at 6:30. We have a social time 30 minutes prior to live meetings.
The Guild publishes a monthly newsletter between September and May via e-mail which contains a calendar of events classifieds, meeting minutes and other information of importance to our members.
Meetings are open and visitors are welcome. Upon your second visit, membership is encouraged. Dues are $40 per year. Please contact us for more information.
Annual Garage Sale & Potluck Lunch
Zoom opens at 9:50
Church doors open at 9:30
Meeting starts at 10:00
We wil also install our newly elected officers:
Ann Bunn - President
Julie Crownover - Programs
Jean Lewis - Workshops
Cindy Balentine - Membership
Kevin Bauman - Treasurer
Nancy Summers - Record Secretary
Anne Ryan - Corresponding Secretary
Kristin Girod - Parlimentarian
Nancy Chronister - Member at Large
Madison Trimble - Member at Large
-- Julie Crownover, Program Chair 2024 - 2025
2024-2025
Meeting Information
September 12th
AM - In Person
"Inside the Weaving Guild" with Trish Ashton
October 10th
Hannah Margolis & Cindy Balentine
PM - In Person
November 14th
Susan Fricks
PM - Via Zoom
This month we would like to introduce you to our very own Trish Ashton . Trish is a long time member of our guild and this is your opportunity to get to know her a little better.
December 12th
Luncheon at the Church
Guild Luncheon at the Church. There will be a gift exchange. More details to come.
March 13th
Gail Pilgrim
AM - Zoom
Zoom presentation based on her article in Heddlecraft, 'Talking Towels'
Hannah Margolis Presentation on the Anni Albers exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art - New York, NY
Cindy Balentine Presentation on the Anni Albers exhibit at the Blanton Museum of Art - Austin, TX
January 9th
Susan Tapliss
AM - Via Zoom
Susan Tapliss, Mill Director, Whitchurch Silk Mill in Whitchurch, England - Zoom presentation on the operations of the mill and their efforts to revive interest in the endangered craft of silk weaving.
April 10th
Deb Harrison
Am - In Person
Fancy Twill Runners
on 4 Shafts
Deborah's favorite weft material is fabric strips, and she usually uses them to weave rugs. She will show her own rugs and some she has collected over the years, and she will talk about how she chooses and uses fabric in her rugs. She finds ideas everywhere and enjoyment in the process. While she's not on a mission to get everyone to try it, she is available for mentoring.
Zoom presentation on her trip to Peru for a tapestry workshop with the internationally recognized textile artist, Maximo Laura.
February 13
Beth Ross Johnson
PM - In Person
Presentation on Sashiko-Ori woven structures in conjunction with her workshop presentation on this structure.
May 8th
Annual Meeting
AM - In Person
Our annual year end garage sale, potluck & officer installation.
Meeting Information
Each meeting includes our “Hands Are the Exit of the Spirit” (Show-and-Tell) time. Bring and share your projects and interests. Seeing work that others have done sparks or renews inspiration. Hearing and seeing other members provide wonderful learning experiences for all.
Time & Format
AM / LIVE: Social begins at 9:30 am, Meeting begins at 10; Speaker is present at CHUMC.
AM / ZOOM: ZOOM Room opens at 9:50; Meeting begins at 10:00; Speaker joins us by ZOOM Meeting
PM / LIVE: Doors open 6 pm; Meeting begins at 6:30 pm; Speaker is present at CHUMC
PM / ZOOM: ZOOM Room opens at 6:20 pm; Meeting begins at 6:30 pm; Speaker joins us by ZOOM Meeting
Important Information
IN PERSON meeting attendance does not require registration.
To attend by ZOOM, you must register IN ADVANCE using the info provided in the monthly newsletter.
Guests are always welcome but should contact SAHG prior to the event date for current meeting info.
General Information & Location
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Live Meetings - Light refreshments served during the gathering time. Meeting is called to order (10:00 am or 6:30 pm) by the President. The Guest Speaker’s presentation begins at shortly thereafter (10:00 am or 6:30 pm), followed by SAHG business meeting and our “Hands are the Exit of the Spirit” sharing time. ZOOM option info is published in the newsletter at the beginning of the month.
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Zoom Meetings -ZOOM rooms open 10 minutes prior to start. Meeting is called to order (9:50 am or 6:30 pm) by the President. The Guest Speaker’s presentation at begins at shortly thereafter (9:50 am or 6:30 pm), followed by SAHG business meeting and our “Hands are the Exit of the Spirit” sharing time.
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ZOOM Meeting info is provided in the monthly newsletter prior to the meeting.
Can I join a LIVE meeting by ZOOM? Will ZOOM presentations be broadcast into the CHUMC meeting room?
This is a work in progress. We are entering the third year of COVID-19 disruptions and adjustments. This year we return to meeting “Live” more often versus the last 2 years of “ZOOM Only”.
Our current best advice - Check your email and newsletter for updates regarding the most current info regarding virtual access to meetings. Each meeting will have its own requirements and we are learning about this technology as we encounter new situations.
SAHG will strive to make content available to its members while crossing our fingers that we have minimal Technical Difficulties. Your patience is appreciated.
Workshops
2024-2025
Deborah Harrison, Workshop Chair
SAHG members may sign up at any time. Open seats will be available to members of other guilds one month before the class starts. To sign up, email Deborah Harrison, deboraharrison03@gmail.com.
All live workshops will be at Colonial Hills United Methodist Church. Enter at rear of campus, through Child Development Center.
Click here for our Workshop Policy.
Sew Deb's Wrap
October 4-5, 2024
10:00 am to 5:00 pm
CHUMC
Minimum 5, Maximum 12
In the gift exchange at the last holiday party, Deb Harrison was fortunate enough to get a universally-admired jacket Rasa made. Rasa has very graciously offered to teach members how to make a jacket like the one she gifted. In case you want to take the class and use handwoven fabric, you may want to start weaving that fabric soon.
This is a loose-fitting wrap that looks good regardless of length and width (within reason).
You will need either:
A) handwoven fabric about 15” to 24” wide and 3-1/2 to 4 yards long OR
B) commercial fabric (45” or 60” wide x 1-1/2 to 2 yards long)
The width should be at least 1/4 of the widest part of your body, whichever part that is, plus an inch or two for ease. For example, if your hips measure 50” and are bigger than your bust and you want the wrap to cover them, you need a width of 50 / 4 = 12-1/2”, plus at least an extra inch for ease per panel, so a minimum width of 13-1/2”. More width makes a more cocoon-like fit: Deb’s wrap is constructed of panels that measure about 23” wide, and the wrap fits her with a loose, blousy grace. But you don’t need to go any wider than the distance from the center of your neck to your wrist.
The length of required fabric should be four times the length of a favorite sweater, plus another yard or more
for bindings and pockets, though commercial fabrics are wide enough that you will have enough for bindings in the width after cutting the body panels. I suggest fleece for purchased fabric because it’s warm for a wrap and cut edges don’t unravel, but any fabric* is okay — a sheer drapey wrap would be dressy and elegant. Tip: If you plan to use handwoven for the workshop, get started on it soon.
*A few ideas for commercial fabric:
· Warm — fleece, wool suiting, corduroy, velour, denim, two-sided quilt yardage (batiks)
· Summery — linen, chambray; toweling or French terry for swimsuit coverups
· Dressy — velvet, silk, lace, scarf-weight polyester. For sheer fabrics, get interfacing that won’t glare through, or buy an extra yard of fabric so you can use a double thickness on the bindings.
You will also need about a yard of light fusible interfacing. The fusible tricot interfacing Lynne Lovett showed us is terrific, and you may want to buy several yards to have it on hand for other projects:
Fleece would be okay without interfacing, but in this class, we will put it in.
Contact Rasa if you have any questions: fiber@silenas.net
Annie Albers' Washer Necklace
Trish Ashton
&
Jeannertte Wilson
November 14, 2024
2:00 - 4:00 pm
CHUMC
Maximum 15
Make your own version of the washer necklace designed and made by Anni Albers and Alex Reed in 1940.
You will need to bring two yards of ribbon 1/2” to 1” wide, depending on its flexibility; scissors; sewing needles; and a tape measure. All washers will be supplied.
Sashiko Ori
Beth Ross Johnson
February 13 to 15, 2025
10:00 to 5:00 pm
CHUMC
Maximum 16
Sashiko ori is a woven structure based on Japanese sashiko stitching. This workshop is based on the hitomezashi style where warp and weft design threads intersect at right angles. The structure is basically a supplementary warp and weft, and basic possibilities have been explored in weaving traditions from Peru, Japan, and Europe. Sashiko ori challenges weavers to think about structure in a different way. Learn about the history and structure of this weave and how to take design work a step further after the workshop.
With warps supplied by the instructor, students will learn to design patterns using a free online design program, thread their looms to enable design exploration, and weave, exploring color and design, threading changes, and use of negative space. A discussion of warping with multiple threads will be part of the workshop. Additional stitching can be added after weaving to add diagonal lines.
Experience Level: Intermediate to advanced
Prerequisite Skills: Must be able to read a weaving draft and warp a loom.
An 8-shaft floor loom (only six shafts needed for patterns). You can use a good quality table loom you are familiar with, but it seems they take longer to thread and weave.
Maximum Class Size: 16
Teacher Biography: Beth studied with Norman Kennedy and has had two extensive stays in Japan to study kasuri (ikat) and sakiori-ori (rag weaving). She received an MFA in textiles from Georgia State University and has taught weaving at colleges, craft schools, and workshops while working arts-related jobs such as cultural and environmental preservation for the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. Recent explorations have been Sashiko ori and researching the ikat traditions of France and Mallorca. Beth maintains a studio in Black Mountain, NC, where she weaves, writes, and teaches.
Last day to cancel with full refund is January 12, 2025. Please refer to out workshop policy below.
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Trish Ashton
March 13, 2025
1:00 to 5:00 pm
CHUMC
Maximum 12
This is a fun and easy bag featured in the November/December 2023 issue of Handwoven. In this class, we will make yours together. This bag requires only straight seams to sew casings for 1) the top and bottom handles and 2) the sides that gather with shoelaces. You can make it with either handwoven or commercial or fabric. The size of the fabric rectangle Kathrin uses in the project in the magazine is 20” x 40”, but she explained that she has made them both larger and smaller than that. Do you have a dishtowel that ended up a little long? Fabric with an error or selvedges you don’t love? These pieces of handwoven fabric can make great bags!
Here’s what you’ll need to make this bag:
A piece of fabric – commercial or handwoven, about 20”x40”. Bag on right made by our own Nancy Summers cloth measured 10.5" x 22" and is a 16/2 cotton twill.
One package of 1” wide single fold bias tape in a color that goes with your fabric
Two 40” shoelaces for the side gathering ties
Two yards cotton webbing for bag handles
Shoelaces and cotton webbing can be found on Amazon.
Sewing machine
Machines can be shared.
Basic sewing supplies (pins, fabric scissors, thread, etc.)
This does not require advanced sewing skills!
Fancy Twill Runners on Only Four Shafts
Deb Harrison
April 10 - 12, 2025
1:00 to 5:00 pm Thursday
10:00 - 5:00 Friday & Saturday
CHUMC
Maximum 15
This clever technique appeared in a 1987 issue of Vävmagasinet (number 2) and in Swedish Rag Rugs: 35 New Designs (Forlags AB Vavhasten, Glimakra, 2004). The technique produces a fancy plaited twill on only four shafts that would normally require many more.
This on-loom workshop requires students to thread their 4- or 8-shaft looms with carpet warp according to a draft supplied by the instructor prior to the class. Floor looms are much better for this class than table looms, but we can adapt if a table loom is all you have available. In the workshop, you will use fabric strips or twill tape to weave a table runner or placemats according to a design you choose.
Meeting Location
Our live meetings are held at the Colonial Hills United Methodist Church in their Life Building at 5247 Vance Jackson outside Loop 410. The entrance is located on the opposite side of the entrance. We have greeters at the doors until business meeting begins.
Spinning Group
Spinners meet the third Saturday. They meet at Yarnivore which is located at 2357 NW Military Highway, San Antonio. The group does not teach spinning, but if you are having difficulty, they will be glad to help problem solve. If you want to just come and visit or knit or work on projects, all are welcome.
Not available on a smart phone.