Fiber & Guild Events in and around Texas

Heart of Texas Spinners & Weavers Guild meets on the 3rd Monday from 7-9PM at a member's home. We meet on the 1st Thursday from 7-9PM at the RB Hoover Library just across the street from HEB on Wooded Acres in Waco. We usually meet for dinner at 6PM on the 1st Thursday, too. Contact BJ Heeke for more information.

The Fort Worth Weaver's Guild meets at the Ft. Worth Community Arts Center, 1306 Montogomery St., at the corner of Montgomery & Lancaster avenues. Meetings are held on the fourth Saturday of the month during September, October and January through April. Meetings begin at 10AM for coffee, followed by a 10:30 AM business meeting and program. The November/December meeting is a Christmas party held at a member's home on the second Saturday of December. The May meeting is a potluck, at which new officers are installed, is also in a member's home.

Palo Duro Handweaver's Guild meetings take place on the last Thursday evening every month September thru May. Meetings for November & December are combined on the first Thursday of December. There is also a picnic in the summer. You may contact John Robinson at 806-355-7889 for more information.

Sam Houston Spinners and Weavers Guild meets on the fourth Saturday of each month at 10 am. Our new meeting place is: Huntsville Fire Station No. 2 2109 Sam Houston Avenue Huntsville, Texas 77340. You may contact Glenna Chumbley for more information on programs planned for the year.

Weavers and Spinners Society of Austin meetings take place on the second and fourth Thursday of each month at 7 pm. See WSSA for details.

The Master Spinner program offers students an intensive program of study to perfect their skills, knowledge and ability in the field of hand spinning. It is designed to take a student who has never spun before and over a six year period, teach them everything they need to know to become a master spinner.

There are six levels to the program with several levels taught each year. Classroom instructions are given for 5 to 7 days, with the higher levels running longer. After the classes the students are sent home with workbook requirements which must be completed in 9 months. The workbook consists of samples and projects using the techniques taught during that level.

For each level the instructor provides enough fiber to complete all the required samples, while you supply the basic equipment of carders, combs, wheel, spindle and dyeing pots. Specialty equipment that students may not intend to use outside of the program, such as charka's, are usually supplied by the teacher for in-class usage. The program forces a person to really expand on their knowledge and spinning skills. Even advanced spinners can come away from the program learning a great deal. Besides spinning, the program requires samples and a basic knowledge of how to do dyeing (both natural and acid dyes, protein and cellulose fibers), knitting, weaving, needlework and braiding. Throughout the entire program you will have worked with every fiber that is readily available to hand spinners and covered every spinning technique commonly used. Registrations are now being accepted for the following off-campus Master Spinner Program courses. Since class size is limited, you are encouraged to register early to avoid disappointment. A $100 deposit will hold your registration until one month prior to the course starting date, at which time full payment is due.

Note: All registrations are processed through Olds College. Call 1-800-661-6537, extension 4677.

Davis, Oklahoma
Level 1: October 16-20, 2006
Level 2: October 16-20, 2006
Contact Sherry Healey [sherry.healey@doc.state.ok.us] for location details.

Fee: $350 US

Registrations are now being accepted for the following off-campus Master Spinner Program courses. Since class size is limited, you are encouraged to register early to avoid disappointment. A $100 deposit will hold your registration until one month prior to the course starting date, at which time full payment is due.

Master Spinner Program

Otto Pahl
Program Coordinator, Extension Services
Olds College, Olds, AB
1-800-661-6537, ext. 7986
or 403-507-7986
email: opahl@oldscollege.ca