March Newsletter National AssN

WHAT’S ON

Details of these and other events are listed on the AGWSD website: http://www.wsd.org.uk

National Exhibition 2010: Kaleidoscope

Mansfield Museum 17 April-29 May 2010

For further information please contact Steve Kennett: exhibition@wsd.org.uk

Association AGM 2010: Mansfield Civic Centre - 1 May 2010

National week of spinning weaving & dyeing: 1-7 May 2010

Let us know what your Guild is doing to celebrate this week.

Shows (GPC Contact: Stuart Groom: Events@wsd.org.uk)

Wonderwool Wales 2010 – 24th & 25th April

Woolfest 2010 - 25th & 26th June

Knitting & Stitching shows:

7-10 October 2010 London, Alexandra Palace

25-28 November 2010, Harrogate International Centre, Yorkshire

New Spinning title - Call for submissions

I am the former editor of Yarn Forward magazine, and have been asked by KAL Media to assemble a special preview booklet of their forthcoming spinning title (to be launched later this year). We're pulling together features/articles and patterns both, and the preview booklet will be distributed at all the major fibre festivals this spring and summer.

For further details contact Shannon Okey, Knitgrrl Studio, knitgrrlstudio.com/shop, Alt Fiber: http://tinyurl.com/6byj8p

The Textile Society’s London Antique Textile Fair

Sunday 26 September 2010 at Kensington Town Hall

The Textile Society launches its’ first London Antique Textile Fair to complement the highly successful Manchester Fair, now in its 18th year. Good quality worldwide antique costumes and textiles from the 17^th century to the 1970’s will be available. Rugs pre 1950’s and good vintage dress and accessories will also be sold. There will be conservators and dealers in secondhand and new books.

For further information please visit the website: www.textilesociety.org.uk or email Kay Bryant at atf@textilesociety.org.uk or tel 01491 5721.

Masham Sheep Fair 25th & 26th September 2010

For further details contact Mrs. S. Cunliffe-Lister, High House, Swinton, Ripon HG4 4JH, email susan@burtonagnes.com

If you have any queries concerning anything in this newsletter please contact:

Trudi Thompson, 2 Mount Rule Cottages, West Baldwin Road, Braddan, Isle of Man IM4 4HS. Email: newsletter@wsd.org.uk

THE ASSOCIATION OF GUILDS OF WEAVERS, SPINNERS AND DYERS NEWSLETTER NO 51 March 2010

From the Chairman

I am sure you are all looking forward to attending the Exhibition in Mansfield either as a special visit or as part of the attendance at the AGM. I am sure you will be inspired as ever by the work on show.

Do not forget to buy your raffle tickets - the stubs and money can be brought to the AGM to save postage etc. You can of course purchase even more tickets if your Guild has run out by then. Related to this - a number of Guilds have already returned their tickets with not one purchased. Could you please let me know the reasons for this. I do understand many have principles about buying such items but you may have other reasons. It would help if the GPC knew what these might be. It may mean that in future raffle books are not sent to some Guilds as a result of information you provide now.

The draw will take place mid afternoon on the final Saturday 29 May.

There have been many comments made about 'not knowing' Association information. Most of the time all these details are readily(?) available from the Guild secretary off the Association CD provided to all Guilds. The introduction page on the CD states "It is hoped that the information contained on the CD will be printed off by each Guild into a hard copy which can then be made available to all Guild members at their meetings." I often receive remarks about the Association 'needing to provide information to members' that is already available. Each Guild is autonomous and the Association cannot be blamed for the Guilds not providing information provided for dissemination. I shall be bringing a full printed copy of the CD information to the AGM to show delegates what each Guild should be providing for their members. Longer term members will remember an item termed the 'Brown Book' - this is today’s modern counterpart.

It is not too long now before publication of next year's Summer School details - keep your eye open for full information in the Autumn edition of The Journal.

Happy fruitful summer weaving, spinning and dyeing - in the open air.

Peter Penneck

GPC Matters

2010 AGM

The Association AGM will be held on 1^st May, 2010 at Mansfield Civic Centre. This will be during the National Exhibition which will be on display at Mansfield Museum. The AGM is timed to allow Guild Delegates and Observers to visit the Exhibition as well. If you have not yet received your AGM papers, please contact Matty Smith as soon as possible - secretary@wsd.org.uk.

Kaleidoscope Exhibition

Guilds will have received invitations for 2 members to attend the preview of the exhibition. If you have not yet responded, and will be attending, please respond as directed on the invitations. In view of the numbers involved, a non-response will be assumed to mean a non-attendance.

Prince Charles Woollen Initiative

The Times reports that Prince Charles hopes to establish a new green label for woollen products, and hopes that high street shops will commit to promote wool each season. The initiative would also back a Wool Week, set to take place before London Fashion Week in September – just as shoppers begin to acquire their winter wardrobe.

National Handweaving & Hand Spinning Week 2011

For National Handweaving and Hand Spinning Week in 2011, the Association is hoping to establish a working partnership with the National Trust, and other similar organisations, to enable historic venues to be available to Guilds as a focus for their activities. In addition we are planning to work with a national initiative called The Big Weave (see the article on page 12 of the Spring 2010 Journal), enabling those Guilds who are interested to set up a community weaving project. More details will be released soon, including details of regional centres where Guild members can gain the necessary training to run a community weaving project.

Journal Editorial Committee

There are a number of vacancies on the JEC. At present there is a need for someone to help with advertising and someone to look at new ways of promoting the Journal, but there will be other vacancies from April 2011. Working with the committee is rewarding and very interesting. Please consider volunteering your skills! If you would like to find out more about the work of the JEC, please contact Hilary Miller (or any other member of the JEC) (sec@thejournalforwsd.org.uk).

Speakers List

Irene Taylder has very kindly agreed to take over the Speakers List and invites feedback from Guilds on recent speakers used both off and from the list. Please channel feedback through Guild secretaries to Irene, who can be contacted at speakers@wsd.org.uk. Please do let us have any feedback, so we can keep the list up to date and relevant.

Calendar 2011: Call for photos

Please send good quality, attractive images in landscape format to Brenda Gibson to be considered for inclusion in the 2011 calendar. The deadline is 10 May 2010. Full details are given in the AGM papers, but, in brief:

· Email full resolution images to calendar@wsd.org.uk or

· send prints/ slides by post to: AGWSD Calendars, c/o Brenda Gibson, 20 Airedale Road, London SW12 8SF.

Each selected item qualifies for a complimentary copy of the final calendar.

Shows 2010

Knitting and Stitching Shows

Volunteers to organise the London show and the Harrogate show this year (assuming we’re invited!) would be welcome, and anyone wishing to help at either of these shows should contact Stuart Groom at Events@wsd.org.uk.

The new size association badges will be on sale price £3.00 at the AGM and all shows at which we have the stand or they can be purchased direct from Stuart Groom – Events@wsd.org.uk.

Woolfest

Can any Guilds exhibiting at Woolfest this year please let Stuart know your stand number so that a list can be displayed on the Association stand.

Communications to Guilds (via email and post)

Below is a list of communications you should have received from the GPC, and the dates on which they were circulated.

Please contact Matty Smith in the first instance if you have not received any of these items. (secretary@wsd.org.uk)

19th November 2009 2010 AGM initial letter plus nominations forms for GPC and JEC

6th January 2010 Kaleidoscope National Exhibition final version documents

17th January 2010 Revised Insurance Document

25th February 2010 Association 2010 AGM documents (nine attachments)