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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 $4
0 per year. Please contact us for more information.

September 14
 

Jeannette Wilson

SAHG Digital & Info Resources

Cindy Ballentine

Ikat: "A World of Compelling Cloth" Review

AM 9:30 - 10 Arrival & Social Time

In Person

10:00 Program Begins

Business Meeting to Follow

Rasa Silenas, President

Jeannette Wilson, Programs

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2023-2024
Programs 

October 12
PM - Zoom

Lynn Smetko

Design Deliberations

November 9
AM - In Person

Laurie Sliz

Weaving with Theo Moorman

December 14th
Location TBD

Holiday Party

Gift Exchange

January 11
AM - Zoom

Stacey Harvey-Brown

February 8
AM - In Person

Liz Kish / E3 Agriculture

Woven Optical Illusions

Growing Hemp in Texas

March 14
PM - In Person

April 11
PM - In Person

May 9
AM - In Person

Malgorzata Oleszkiewicz-Peralba

Myth & Symbolism in Eurasian & Indigenous American Textiles: Manisfestations in Textiles

Kathrin Weber

Personal Weaving - Dyeing Journey (Keynote at NEWS)

Officer Installation

Officer Installation
&
Potluck

2023-2024
Meeting Information

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

  1. 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.

  2. 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.

  • 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
2023-2024

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.

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THEO MOORMAN INLAY TECHNIQUE

Heather Winslow

A Zoom Workshop

Sunday - October 22, 2023 

Wednesday - October 25, 2023

Sunday - October 29, 2023

10:00 AM

Class limited to 20 participants.

For those of you who feel restricted by the structured geometric shapes and the color interactions dictated by traditional woven structures, this technique is for you. It will give you the freedom to introduce inlaid shapes and contrasting colors whenever and wherever you desire on the surface of the ground cloth.

 

Theo Moorman was an English weaver (1907-1990) who was fascinated with expressing an idea via tapestry but was searching for a faster and less labor-intensive way to accomplish the same effect. Her threading and treadling sequence allow the weaver to inlay a design of any size or shape as an isolated motif on the surface of a ground cloth, or as a concept which moves from selvedge to selvedge to create a pictorial image. You will complete 10 exercises which demonstrate the multiple applications of this weave structure. You will be amazed by the flexibility and versatility of this simple four-shaft structure. It can be used for clothing, rugs, wall pieces, table linens and other interior accessories.

 

Warping instructions and a complete supply list will be distributed to all participants upon registration. You will need a loom with a minimum of four shafts.

 

Biography: Heather Winslow is a teacher and textile artist who is known and respected nationally.  Her educational background is in teaching and after 55 years, she still has a passion to share her knowledge with others.  She is chairman of the textile department of The Fine Line Creative Arts Center in St. Charles, Illinois, where she teaches weaving, knitting and spinning.  She teaches weaving, knitting, spinning, dyeing, beading and embellishment at  related magazines such as Handwoven, Spin-Off, and Weaver’s, and her garments have been published in a number of books.  She is the author of the book, MORE ON MOORMAN: Theo Moorman Inlay Adapted to Clothing.

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WARPING BACK TO FRONT

Nancy Chronister

November 9, 2023

1:00 to 3:00

Following the SAHG Meeting

No Class Limit

Fear of warping is one of the main things that holds new weavers back – but don't let it scare you! You can take joy in the methodical process, and the more you do it, the easier it gets. There are two methods for warping a loom: front to back and back to front. Each method has its own set of advantages and disadvantages, and the truth is, there’s no one right way. It's all about what's easiest for you as a weaver, what works best with your particular loom, and what method makes the most sense for the project you're working on. The difference between the two methods is mostly in the order of the steps you take. Back-to-front warping means that you start by beaming the warp. The warp passes through a cross held in place by lease sticks that keep the order of the individual threads and through a raddle that maintains warp width. Then you sit at the front of your loom to thread the heddles and sley the reed. This is a valuable tool in your weaving skill set!

 

Biography: Nancy Chronister started her weaving journey in 2009 with Beginning Weaving at the Southwest School of Art taught by Deborah Harrison. She is inspired by the limitless possibilities that weaving provides with color, fiber, structure, and function. Learning to warp back to front became a necessity with the purchase of a Louet Megado loom in 20

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BEGINNING HAND SPINDLING

Christina Palafox

Saturday, March 16, 20241

11:00am to 12:30pm

This will be held at Christina’s studio in Olmos Park Terrace.

Class is limited to eight participants.

Spindling is a universal and ancient method of making yarn. It can be fun and meditative. Christina hopes to inspire you to share in the joy of making your own yarn. Each participant will:

  • Receive a handout of vocabulary/terminology of fiber prep, and bibliography of spinning books and magazines resources,

  • View several types of prepared fiber, and tools for preparing,

  • View various spindles in her collection

  • Receive one-on-one teaching of how to handle a spindle and spin, which includes:

  • Parts of a spindle

  • Connecting a leader

  • Pre-drafting

  • Staple length of fiber

  • Z and S twist

  • Park and draft method

  • Winding up the shaft

  • Controlling the cop

 

Equipment needed: None, except willingness to try. If you have a spindle, you may bring that but please do not make a spindle purchase for this class if you have no previous experience. We will discuss various spindles and I can suggest some basic ones to purchase after you attend the class. We will be spinning prepared wool roving. The course fee includes a rudimentary handmade spindle and some roving to take home with you for practice. The spinning will be done standing up. Wear comfy shoes.

 

Biography: Christina Palafox is a member of the San Antonio Handweavers Guild and has been spinning fibers since 2014. In 2015, she successfully completed the level one Master Spinner’s Program from Olds College, Alberta, Canada, and attended the level two course from them. She has a wide collection of handle spindles and more fiber than she can spin in a lifetime! She enjoys fiber preparation: taking wool from fleece to garment and has experimented with plant fibers and paper spinning. She also enjoys dyeing, weaving, knitting, and crochet work. She has a passion for expanding her fiber knowledge base and has amassed a large collection of textbooks and magazines dedicated to fiber craft. 

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NOT YOUR GRANDMA’S DYEPOT!

Kathrin Weber

Saturday and Sunday, April 6 and 7, 2024

Location TBD

$200

Materials Fee: 

$35 for dye kit and mordant

Class Size TBD 

The goal for this dyeing workshop is to learn the basics of dyeing cellulose (plant-based) yarn: dyeing safety, traditional and non-traditional dye applications, and the processes needed to set the dyes for color fastness. Students will learn fundamentals for dye application to produce one-of-a-kind, technically sound and color-fast hand-dyed cotton yarn and fabric. We will discuss and explore a wide variety of ways to layout warps to be dyed, each layout giving a different result for what will turn into woven fabric. This is not a “recipe” class. Using 7 hues of Fiber Reactive MX dyes, students will begin to develop insight into the essence of color that allows them to blend, shade, and produce a full spectrum of color. Students will learn techniques for space-dyeing skeins and warps, for resist-dyeing yarn, and for setting up a basic dye kitchen. And beyond that, students will learn to dye with personal fearlessness and intention.

 

A complete supply list will be provided to participants prior to the workshop.

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FOCUS ON THE WARP – CONTROLLING CREATIVE CHAOS

Kathrin Weber

Tuesday - April 9, 2024

Wednesday - April 10, 2024;

Friday - April 12, 2024

Colonial Hills United Methodist Church

Class Size TBD

Students will learn non-traditional techniques that will enable them to work effectively and efficiently with multiple warp chains and diverse warp elements. Students will learn several methods of designing at the loom using hand-painted warp chains either provided by the instructor or dyed in the previous dye workshop. They will learn to cleanly split warp chains which will enable them to use threads in their current project while saving extra warp threads for future projects. Students will work with color and weave effect in plain weave configurations, repp, turned taqueté, and twills on the same warp. Every student’s warp design will be unique so class members learn from their own projects as well as from each other. 

 

In this workshop, we start the designing process by tying on to a dummy warp that students have threaded before class. Tying on can be a time saver, an eye saver, and especially, a method to approach design techniques at the loom as opposed to on a computer or pen and paper. This workshop is not suitable for rigid heddle looms. Table looms and floor looms with a minimum of four shafts can be used. 

 

Biography: Kathrin Weber has been a full-time studio fiber artist since 1980. Her work revolves around dyeing, weaving and teaching. She has a fearless enjoyment in using hand-dyed color in her teaching, shop sales, and weaving. She enthusiastically encourages students to dive into color. No matter what her classes are officially titled, they are ultimately about color, technique and weaving good fabric. Kathrin is a member of Southern Highland Handcraft Guild. She has a strong belief in encouraging technical proficiency and personal design. She served 6 years on the Standards Committee for Southern Highland Guild and as the chair of Standards for Piedmont Crafts Guild. Kathrin is currently serving as a member of PCI Standards Committee. She teaches at Penland, Arrowmont, John C. Campbell Folk School, Peters Valley, Appalachian Crafts School, Fiber Guilds, and Fiber Conferences across the country.

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. 

Click here for a map.

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.

For questions, please feel free to contact us.

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