Harmony Weavers Guild

November’s Program
Zoom and in-person
November 9 @ 10:00 a.m.

presented by Sue Balascio, Kathleen Remsa, Marcia Weiss

Our presenters are three textile artists who recently exhibited in the Newark Arts Alliance show ABSTRACT HARMONIES.
This group exhibition celebrated the creative dialogue between Susan Balascio, Kathleen Remsa and Marcia Weiss. The artwork incorporates shifting geometries, ethereal textures and tactile expressions in traditional and non-traditional materials.
Inspired and influenced by one another, these artists “strive to expand the boundaries of conventional weaving in subtle and overt manners. This is highlighted through entwined layers of complexity, sculptural layers of tactility and evocative layers of meaning. This new body of work illustrates the creative dialogue—the abstract harmonies—that exist between us.”
The three artists will share a few examples of their work and discuss their creative process and collaboration. Sue and Kathleen are HWG members.
Please see newsletter for more information about Sue, Kathleen and Marcia.

Learning to design while warping an inkle loom — Zoom and in-person
October 12 @ 10:00 a.m. presented by Pat Field

HWG member Pat Field will present the October program on inkle weaving,
followed by a workshop on how to design while warping an inkle loom.
Pat was exposed to inkle weaving by a photography friend who was taking a
workshop. Intrigued with the idea of creating a warp from a single thread, Pat was hooked.
She bought her first inkle loom (followed later by a rigid heddle loom, a 4-shaft treadle loom, and 8-shaft floor and table looms). She joined HWG in 2014 and kept on learning; straight weaves, pick-up, and pick-up and push down. She likes that inkle weaving is quick and the looms are so portable.

Program participants will have hands-on experience, creating inkle designs on paper. Bring your own colored pencils or water-based markers if you have them. Pat will bring a few colored pencils. Workshop will begin after the business meetings and end at 2 p.m.

Workshop

Pat will provide written and hands-on heddle-making and warping instructions at the workshop.

Workshop participants, please bring:

• a bag lunch and beverage
• colored pencils or markers if you have them.
• yarn to create your warp. 8/2 mercerized cotton works well and 8/2 Tencel even nicer. Don’t use any fuzzy yarns.
• Pick a variety of contrasting colors, including a light and a dark thread.
• Your inkle loom(s), heddles, and belt shuttle(s) (6”-9”)
• Small scissors
• Blunt needle for ending the band.
  Register with Pam Sapko at psapko2@gmail.com by October 7 if you would like to attend the workshop and if you have inkle loom(s) that you can bring (so we know how many looms to provide).

Eli Akerfeldt-Howard will present a program/workshop on May 11, 2023.

This presentation will aim to lay the foundations for what sustainability is, who is responsible for it, and how we can contribute as fiber artists. Some of the topics that will be covered include:

• • How to define sustainability as it relates to the fashion and textile industry
  • The emergence of sustainable discourse in North American culture
  • A closer look at corporate social and environmental responsibility
  • Who is responsible for making sustainability “happen”?
  • The Maker Movement and topics of scale and locality in relation to sustainable discourse
  • The intersection of fiber arts and sustainability
  • How sustainability has shaped my practices at Hemma Textiles thus far

March’s Program — Zoom and in-person

March 9 @ 10:00 a.m.
Deflected Double Weave presented by Natalie Drummond

Natalie Drummond is an educator and fiber artisan from Fremont, Indiana.
She learned to weave from a Fort Wayne Weaver’s Guild instructor 2017. Fine Arts instruction in Craftmanship and Design from Purdue (Fort Wayne) University followed in 2015. She expanded her weaving knowledge with classes at the John C Campbell Folk School, The Mannings, Red Stone Glen, Island Fiberwork Retreats, Midwest, MAFA, and Convergence conferences.
She was awarded a MAFA fellowship in 2019 and has been studying and working with Deflected Doubleweave ever since. She was featured in Handwoven magazine in November/December 2021. Her work has been featured in area exhibitions in Indiana.
Her handwovens have been exhibited in the Orchard Gallery of Fine Arts in Fort Wayne as part of the Georgia: Color: Classic to Contemporary Exhibit, as well as at First Gallery, the History Center, and Crestwoods Gallery.
Natalie will be presenting a talk with slides of her work to illustrate her use of color and weave structure. These were developed within her weaving journey; and, may hopefully give us insights into her process for mixing fibers and colors with the Deflected Doubleweave weave structure.
Natalie weaves on an 8-shaft Macomber loom. She has effectively proven that wonderful designs are possible with four or eight shafts by good use of color, fiber, and block arrangements. She also writes a blog with excellent photos and commentary on color pooling – see https://www.nataliewoven.com/blog

February’s Program
February 9 @ 10:00 a.m. — via Zoom

Decades of travel to over 30 countries has given me a deep appreciation for textiles and their history.
I learned to spin in the UK. I’ve sold yarn on Etsy and in marketplaces – I love to spin in public as so few people these days have ever seen a spinning wheel or spindle in action!
These days I teach hand-spinning and very gentle chair yoga. My yarns focus on sustainability, making use of rare breed (endangered) wool and reclaimed & recycled materials.
I am on the Handweavers Guild of America’s Board of Directors in regards to the importance of sustainability in the fiber arts, and I give talks on sustainability and the fiber arts.
I have been published in Ply Magazine (The Prep Issue). I have also written for Shuttle Spindle & Dyepot – the journal of the Handweavers Guild of America – Spring 2021 & Summer 2022.

presented by Mary Jane Svenson
10:00 a.m. — via Zoom & In Person

I went in search of the rebozo. What I found was an amazing rich history of many crafts, including textiles and an abundance of current productive and creative artisans.

In February and March 2020. we traveled through Mexico in our Airstream as part of a caravan, crossing into Mexico at Nogales and traveling as far as Taxco, the silver city, south of Mexico City.

I had plans to spend time visiting weavers in two locations but due to Covid, my plans were cancelled. However, every market, shop and gallery featured the arts and crafts of their town, city, region. Museums and regional art centers provided the abundant textile history and information about specific regional crafts.

Included in the presentation (but not limited to) photos and/or examples I collected:

• Overview of Mexico
• Rebozos, history of and how/where they are oven — including ikat methods
• Embroidery, examples and applications to huipils, runners, etc.
• Beadwork by Huichol
• Basketry of the Raramuri
• Handwovens of Patzcuara – Tablecloths, bedspreads

January Meeting Place:
NEW ARK UNITED CHURCH of CHRIST
300 E. Main St.
Newark, DE 19711

If you are traveling west on East Main, the church is located on the right side of Main St., just past the Newark Emergency Room. If you pass the restaurant, “Grain on Main”, you have gone too far. There is a blue sign with white letters in front. The turn into the church is just before the sign. Please park in the back of the church. There are 3 handicapped parking spots in front of the church. Those parking in back can use the back entrance to the church.