Winghams Sampling Day

Yes this is a huge plug, but it is a really good day out for fibre addicts. Bring a wheel, carders, packed lunch and plenty of cash because I challenge you to resist the array of fibres that is on offer at these days

Venue 1
Llantrisant, The Old School
Sat 6th & Sun 7th October 10.30 - 4.30 both days
Entrance: £3.50
Phone: The Model House 01443 237758

Venue 2
Llanelltyd Village Hall, near Dolgellau
Thursday 11th October 10-4
Entrance: £2.00
Phone: Meirionnydd Guild of Weavers Spinner and Dyers, Meira Pierce 01341 241 557
e mail: meiragwlne@totalise.co.uk

Venue 3
Llangathen Village Hall, near Aberglasney, Carmarthenshire.
Saturday 13th October 10-4
Entrance: £3.5o
Phone: Sue Hoyland 01834 812544

A selection of books, fibres, yarns, books and equipment will be available for inspection and sale throughout the day. ( Credit and debit cards can be used). Advice on use of fibres is given if required. Wheels and plenty of time are essential to make full use of the day.

That is the blurb that is given out. What it is is a group of fibre nuts in a big room with all the fibre you can possibly dream of. Silk, wool, alpaca, cahmere, cotton, tencel...I picked up milk protien fibre and recycled milk cartons in previous days. These guys come to this area once a year and although they do an excellent mail order service, postage is not cheap. And it is a treat to see everything that is on offer. Can you tell I love this service? Am I giving you a clue here?
Well...when something is good, it is good.
Go if you can, it is worth it.

check out the site here at Wingham Wool

October Newsletter

Hello again, and welcome to another year of creativity!

We’ve had a good summer with lots of events, and look forward to getting back into a routine of classes and workshops. The first event in October is the All Wales Event in Llanidloes on Saturday 6th. We will be taking part as usual, putting up display boards, and running the raffle. If you have an item for display, or a raffle prize could you please let me have it ASAP, (I’ll be in our room at the Cross Community Centre on Thursday, October 4th, preparing things for displays etc). I hope many of our members will attend as it is a good day out! Lots to see, trade stands to buy from, raffle prizes to win, (usually about 20+ prizes) and if you are in the first 150 tickets bought, a talk by Jenny Balfour-Paul on Indigo dyeing. Ticket cost £4 for the first 150, and a reduction for any sold after that. Bring a packed lunch, or eat at one of the cafés/restaurants/pubs in the town.

Winghams (a fibre trading company) will be in Llantrisant on October 6th & 7th.
10.30am - 4.30pm
Further details The Model House tel 01443 237758

Our AGM will be in the Gallery, at the Cross on October 27th, please come if you can, we need as many members as possible to come and voice your opinions, so that we know what you want your committee to do for you. We also need to vote for some new members on the committee, and a new secretary.

Our AGM is followed in the afternoon by a sale of wooden items relating to our crafts, made by Clive & Joan Jones, from Abergavenny, and a Bring and buy table to try to boost our funds, please bring books, plants, fibres or equipment no longer needed, any craft items, etc.

Annual subs for 2008 are due in October, £10 per person, please pay Gill, our treasurer by the end of the month, as a proportion is sent to HQ, and this covers us for insurance at any of our “outreach” events.

Regular events for the next three months will be—
a) A table at Penderyn Farmers market, the last Sunday of each month, 10 till 2.
b) A weekly class at Parkmill, spinning & weaving for beginners .
c) A monthly workshop at  Craig y Nos Country Park.
These will help to increase funds, and keep our class costs as low as
possible,
If you want any further information, please phone me on 01685-814217.

Our November workshop has been changed, Monksbelt and Rosepath techniques have been moved to next year, and we will have the felt workshop which was advertised for July, but postponed. The list will be posted on the wall in our room in the Cross as usual, along with the materials to bring with you. Materials will be available for those who do not have their own.

December 4th. We have been asked to help out at a carers day, at the Princess Royal Theatre, Port Talbot, a sort of taster day, if you are free on that day, any help would be appreciated.

December also brings our Christmas dinner, planned for Saturday 8th, 12.30. At the time of writing there are no menus available, I am unable to give information now, but it will be available at our AGM, and from me by phone later on.

At the Christmas dinner Isabel will be collecting names (and payment ) for the Journal for 2008. This is a quarterly magazine for Weavers, Spinners & Dyers, full of articles, information, features, technique instruction, diary of events and reviews of books and videos as well as advertisements for equipment and fibres, and well worth the £19.80 subscription.

Live long and Prosper!!  
Eirian

Visit to the Grampian Guild

I have recently returned from a trip "up north" to see the folks. I could not resist a wee trip out to see the Grampian Guild's exhibition. Well worth it too! I was made very welcome by fellow yarnaholics Dora Osbourne and Pam Wheatley, and enjoyed a coffee and a chin wag.

Their banner was beautifully felted and their items on display were stunning. Enjoy! They even had a great wheel which had been handcrafted by a local chap.

Pam (on the left)is coming down to Pontardawe (incredible coincidence!!) in November and I have invited her to join the class if she can to meet the gang.

Taster sessions!

Drop in for a chat and find out how to join!!

On the 11th and 25th September between noon and 8pm, at The Cross Commuity Centre, Pontardawe, where members of the Tawe Guild will welcome you to our home in basement studio.

Spinning need not be expensive! A simple spindle can be for had for little money and you can try different types when you visit.

Come and talk to us if you are thinking of buying a wheel or a loom or want to learn to spin or weave with your own equipment.

Our Guild members have between them many years of experience to draw on, in fact, the Tawe Guild has been running for more than 25 years and would love to share their knowledge.

The Guild offers well attended day-time and evening classes, monthly specialist courses, we even ‘spin in public’ to spread the word. We have lots of opportunities to exhibit or to sell our work, to meet new and interesting people and to enjoy these traditional crafts, keeping them alive for future generations.

Come and see what it’s all about.

Call Eirian 01685 814217 or debb.sillymoo@googlemail.com

Ps All wonderful stuff done by the Guild has been Photographed if you send stuff to me or Eirian may be we can add it to PC disc for all Wales display!! Having DVD of pics went down well at exhibition!

A Letter From America

Hello chaps!
You blog coordinator has bunked off to Alabama for the month so unless you leave a comment here I will not know if you are trying to get in contact with me as I can't figure out how to access my e mails.
Have a great fest, remember to take lots of pics and I am sure Deb or Nell can show you how to post up the pics.
See you at the Glyndwr festival in September!

Ponty festival update

Well done that someone finally got some joy from the Ponty festival people, I've been trying for weeks!

The details of what we are doing at the festival have changed though.
Tea and coffee is off due to "health and safety" and Sunday is closed. Please check with Eirian as other detail changes might have occurred.
Also parties of guild bods will be at the National waterfront Museum Trading skills weekend. 11 & 12 Aug 2007 12 – 4.30pm dropping spindles while watching men in fire-engines I think!!

Can you link this for me please Debb.

Pontardawe Festival

We are going to be on the official festival website - don't ask what I had to do....
www.pontardawefestival.com