# Sacramento Weavers & Spinners Saturdays!



## rabbitgeek (Mar 22, 2008)

Sacramento Weavers' and Spinners' Guild
Saturday Group

The Guild is currently developing an alternate, supplemental meeting time for those who are unable to attend the regular, weekday meetups. 

Meetings are located at the Arcade Library, 2443 Marconi Ave, and are from 10am - 12 noon. 

Come with your ideas on how to shape this group, or simply to enjoy the company of fiber folk! 

Upcoming meetings!

April 23, 2011
Looms! - members will bring in a couple of their looms!

May 21, 2011
Topic to be determined


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## rabbitgeek (Mar 22, 2008)

Saturday Guild Jun 18 2011
At the Saturday meeting of the Sacramento Weaving and Spinning Guild on
June 18. From left: Ken and Betsy, Loren, Linda, other Linda, Kathy











From left: Connie, Rita, Stephanie, Janet, Monica










Here is Franco demonstrating a backstrap loom.-










-The piece is being woven with cotton yarn. This will be a small cotton towel. The loom can be rolled up for easy transport.











This is Linda talking about knots and some of the small weaving pieces she
brought to show. Although she looks very serious in the picture, she
smiles a lot when she talks about weaving.










Linda brought a mini-inkle, some weavette looms, some nail looms, a card loom and a FastSam.










This is a FastSam. It's a small frame loom for testing patterns. You warp it
to the sett you want (like 12 ends per inch). Use an elastic band that
fits in the grooves around the FastSam to hold the warp in place. Then
use a tapestry needle to weave the weft.











-Here Susan is showing us how she spins newspaper. She is making a gift for a friend from the library, hence the paper theme.



That's it for this month. Next meeting is July 23, 10 am to 12 pm



For more info visit



http://www.sacweavespin.org/saturday



It was a good day!


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## gone-a-milkin (Mar 4, 2007)

Okay, this is the 3rd reference this week to spinning PAPER into yarn. 
I guess I will need to go do some research now. <muttters to self about tree fibers, etc>

Franco, your fiber group looks like so much fun!
Thanks for the awesome pics.
It is always nice to see YOU, strapped to some confabulation of strings. 

I am still tricking myself into thinking that looms are not exciting. 
Keep trying though, because I might be worn down over time.


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## frazzlehead (Aug 23, 2005)

....newspaper?

Cooooooooooool.


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Wonderful pictures Franco thank you!


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## rabbitgeek (Mar 22, 2008)

My favorite picture is the little FastSam testing loom. I have heard about them before but could not find a picture online. Imagine my surprise when Linda pulled one out of her bag for show and tell!

I like our Saturday group.

Have a good day!


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Do you meet like that every Saturday? Wow and kudos if you do.


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## rabbitgeek (Mar 22, 2008)

Not every Saturday. We meet once a month.

Have a good day!


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## rabbitgeek (Mar 22, 2008)

Long overdue for update. We just had our Sept Sac Weavers and Spinners Saturday meeting.

Our topic was Basket Weaving.

You can see pictures of the meeting at my blog
Francoâs Fiber Adventure

Next month we will get down to Spinning Basics, Oct 22, 10 am to 12 pm at the Arcade Library in Sacramento.

See the website for more details.
http://www.sacweavespin.org/saturday
It was a good day!


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Franco you are a man of many talents!


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## rabbitgeek (Mar 22, 2008)

The Saturday Group of Sacramento Weavers &amp; Spinners Guild met on April 14 at Arcade Library. Our topic was "Spinning."

Above is an Indian box charkha (spinning wheel) that I just received as gift from Bonnie of Alberta Canada. I am showing members how the double wheel (accelerator) delivers a high ratio of twist in a small box.

Go to the blog to see more
Franco's Fiber Adventure: SWSG Sat April 2012

It was a good day!
Franco Rios, Sacramento, Calif.


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Sure beats your original cardboard one. Nice gift! You have such a great group that gets together Franco. Thank you for always sharing with us.


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## gone-a-milkin (Mar 4, 2007)

Oh no, now I am feeling pangs of jealousy.

What a wonderful gift!
You lucky dog.

Have fun.


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## rabbitgeek (Mar 22, 2008)

I don't know, the first thing I thought was that my cardboard spinner holds a lot more yarn.

Have a good day!
Franco Rios


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## gone-a-milkin (Mar 4, 2007)

rabbitgeek said:


> I don't know, the first thing I thought was that my cardboard spinner holds a lot more yarn.
> 
> Have a good day!
> Franco Rios


It isnt up to your rigorous standards of yarn capacity?

Let me know if you need to rehome it.


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## rabbitgeek (Mar 22, 2008)

The plus side is that the charkha is set up for short staple fiber like cotton. My cardboard spinner is better a spinning wool and plying.

That's the difference.

Have a good day!


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## rabbitgeek (Mar 22, 2008)

* SWSG Saturday Dec 2012 *



​ 
Dec 1 2012, meeting of the Saturday Group, Sacramento Weavers & Spinners Guild. The topic of the day is Angora Rabbit with speaker Erin Maclean. Because of the rainy weather, Erin did not bring a rabbit to show off. So above is a picture of some Angora rabbits that I used to have, just so you know what kind of rabbits we are discussing.

​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 
Because of the rainy weather, we had a small turnout. Here is Erin speaking to the group. 

​ 

​ Here is some of the items Erin explained and described. Erin raises German Angora rabbits. The wool is sheared regularly. Above Erin has brought some of the yarn she spins. There are felted hats and mittens, knitted scarves and socks. The angora wool is slick but has a lovely "halo." Blending with other fibers can add stretchiness. 



​ 

Felted fingerless mittens.

​ ​ 
​ 
​ 
This knitted scarf was made with "blue" angora blended with grey leicester sheep wool in blend that Erin calls Silver Blizzard. 


​ 

Erin shows off a felted scribble lace scarf made with angora wool.

It was a nice presentation on a rainy afternoon in Sacramento.

Erin Maclean's website is Bungalow Farm
http://bungalowfarm.com/ 

 The next meeting is* January 12 (Sat)* 1-4 pm at the Arcade Library
Linda York will show us how to read a weaving draft. 


You can follow our schedule at
http://www.sacweavespin.org/saturday

It was a good day!


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## Lythrum (Dec 19, 2005)

That scarf is beautiful! Thanks for sharing the pictures, and now I really, really want an Angora bunny.


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

I miss my bunnies but not the upkeep. You have to have one of the greatest fiber groups Franco. Thanks for sharing.


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## rabbitgeek (Mar 22, 2008)

From Sacramento Weavers & Spinners Guild


Next Saturday, May 18, Saturday Group will be trying Fingerweaving! 

We'll have yarn, but if you have some smooth yarn to share you can bring it. 

All are welcome to the Arcade Library from 10-12.

Arcade Library (not Arden Arcade)
2443 Marconi Ave
Sacramento, CA 95821

Have a good day!


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## rabbitgeek (Mar 22, 2008)

​

On May 18 2013 it was the meeting of the Saturday Group of Sacramento Weavers and Spinners Guild at Arcade Library, Sacramento, CA From left to right Vonnie, Sue, Kathy, Janelle, and new spinner Kelly. 


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From left to right Connie, Linda, Jan, Peggy, Stephanie, Ardith. Not pictured is Jane, our membership chair who was sweet enough to come out to help us with with new memberships and renewals! Thank you Jane! Those kindnesses make us feel like we really are part of the big Guild.


After a few announcements it is time for Show and Tell! What have you been up to?!




 ​

Connie shows off her watermelon socks that she knitted. 


​

Since our topic is fingerweaving Jan brought a wall hanging that she made back in the 70s. Its been hanging on her wall all this time. 


​

Stephanie attended the Guild workshop last month with Bobby Irwin on "Shimmering Colors - The Magic of Iridescence" She brought the sample pieces. These picture do not fully convey the subtle color effects of the piece. 


​

Peggy brought a couple of shawls she made on a rigid heddle loom. 






 ​

Kathy showed off the knitting she has been working on. 




​

Kelly is a new spinner and she is just getting started on the obsession. 


​

Janelle is working on upcycling materials. She is holding a basket she crocheted with medical tubing and plastic. It is sterile material that was stored past its shelf life and would end up in the landfill if she didn't do something with it. She also has a water bottle holder with strap that she made from video tape.






​Our project was finger weaving using pencils and cardboard frames Here is some of our results.


Next meeting is June 29, 1-4 PM Arcade library
Visit our webpage for schedules
http://www.sacweavespin.org/saturday 


It was a good day!


Other items of interest
Kathy said she loved the roving she got back from Morro Fleece Works
http://www.morrofleeceworks.com/Pages/About.htm


Fingerweaving tutorial
http://www.nativetech.org/finger/beltinstr.html


Books


A Manual Of Fingerweaving
by Robert J Austin
Published 2000, Crazy Crow Trading Post
ISBN 1-929572-00-X


Finger Weaving: Indian Braiding
by Alta R Turner
Published 1973 by Sterling Publishing
Reprinted 1989 by Cherokee Publications
ISBN 0-935741-13-5
previous ISB 0-8069-5264-4


The Basic Book Of Fingerweaving
by Esther Warner Dendel
Published 1974 by Simon &amp; Schuster
ISBN 071-21697-X


Fingerweaving Untangled
by Carol James


I love Carol James book. It's the perfect book for 
beginners with enough advanced patterns to keep you 
busy for a long time. You can't beat the color pictures 
and diagrams showing the hand movements.


You can order at this site:
http://www.sashweaver.ca/

​


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## rabbitgeek (Mar 22, 2008)

What I like is that I can copy and paste from my blog to HT Fiber Arts. I just do my blog post first then paste a copy here. So people can read here or read it there.

Have a good day!

My blog is Franco's Fiber Adventure
http://www.francosfiberadventure.blogspot.com


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## Lythrum (Dec 19, 2005)

I enjoyed the recap too.  I did have a question though about the gal doing the upcycling, you mentioned that she made a strap from video tape. I thought I had read that video tape has some toxic chemicals on it? I remember seeing a Youtube video of a woman doing something with it and that was in the comments. I'm all for upcycling but I was kind of leery about that. I appreciate the links too


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## rabbitgeek (Mar 22, 2008)

Lythrum, I don't know about hazards of videotape. I will do some research and get back to you.

Thanks! Have a good day!


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## rabbitgeek (Mar 22, 2008)

​ 
​ Sacramento Weavers & Spinners Guild Saturday Group met on August 10 2013 at Mary L. Stephens Library (aka the Davis Branch of the Yolo County Library.Thanks Linda for finding a meeting place on short notice.


​ 
During our "show & tell" period Jude' showed off this roving and her Trindle spindle. She doesn't weave but uses the yarn in her knitting projects. She also passed around a sample of muskox she has been spinning. If you could just feel the softness.

You can view trindle at
http://www.etsy.com/shop/trindleman


​ 
Vonnie has a frame that she used to test some yarn for compatibility. Then she wove a narrow scarf with the yarn. 


​ 
Linda showed a scarf she nuno felted at a workshop. It is beautiful. The log cabin placemat is a finished project.


​ 
Sara brought in a Weavette square loom. that has been in her family since the 1950s. It belonged to her grandfather who used it to make a blanket from the woven squares. Sara also visited with Cathy who is in physical rehab. Sara tells us Cathy is in good spirits and is making progress. 


​ 
Lisa went to a dye class and brought a card with the dye results. 


​ 


​ Susan brought the bag she wove on a rigid heddle loom with boucle yarn. She described the challenge of the bumpy yarn not going the easily through the heddle so she used a stick to beat the weft. The other piece she say is a fold scarf she created following a free pattern she found on the internet.

​ 


​ 
I couldn't help but notice the baskets people bring to meetings. From left to right: Jude', Linda, Vonnie

Our next Saturday Group meeting will be in Sacramento on Sept 21 2013 from 12-4 p.m.
Topic: Weaving 101, the public is invited as we give basic weaving lesson and show different styles of looms.

For more information see the Guild website
http://www.sacweavespin.org/saturday


It was a good day!* 
If you can't see pictures please visit
http://francosfiberadventure.blogspot.com/2013/08/davis.html*


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