Calendar

2026

All programs will be in the Community Room of the Good Shepherd Lutheran Church with the exception of the October and May meetings. The October meeting is a field trip, and the May luncheon will be held at the home of Nancy Smothergill.

September

September 12th, 10:00am: Guild Challenge Presentation and Twice Woven – Making Chenille and Using It Program

Presenting the Guild Challenge

Presenter: Nancy Gaus

We all know that Nature holds many mysteries. In this year’s challenge your mystery comes in a brown paper bag containing an object from nature and a nature photo from Baltimore Woods in Marcellus. Your challenge is to weave a piece in any style, from any fiber, wearable, decorative or otherwise, that is inspired by your mystery bag contents.  It need not be a literal interpretation, but could be a mood, feeling or question that your items evoke. Have fun with this and perhaps think outside of the bag!

Twice Woven – Making Chenille and Using It

Presenter: Sue Szczotka

 Caterpillars come in all colors and sizes and so does chenille! This program will illustrate techniques in weaving hand-made chenille and then show how this fuzzy weft can be used to weave a final project. Whether colors are planned or random, or bundles are slim or robust, making and using chenille is a new and fun technique to add to your weaving arsenal.

Saturday/Sunday September 12-13th:     Endless Mountains Fiber Festival, New Milford, PA
Saturday/Sunday September 19-20th:  Adirondacks Wool and Arts Festival, Greenwich, NY
Saturday September 26th:  WNY Fiber Arts Festival, East Aurora, NY

October

Saturday October 3rd, 10:00am: Field Trip – Thousand Islands Art Center, Clayton, NY

Facilitator: Elaine BuBois

Please join us Saturday October 3rd in beautiful Clayton NY as we visit the Thousand Island Arts Center – Home of the Handweaving Museum.   Explore the brand new building that houses a textile collection of more than twenty thousand items and a weaving library of over 2,250 titles.    Come learn about this fabulous resource, tour the new building and find out how you can use it for research and inspiration.   

Find information about TIAC here and the new building here.

Saturday/Sunday October 3rd-4th:  Vermont Sheep & Wool Festival, Tunbridge Fairgrounds, VT
Saturday/Sunday October 10-11th: Little York Fall Fiber Arts Festival, Preble, NY
Saturday/Sunday October 17-18th: New York Sheep and Wool Festival at Rhinebeck, NY
Monday-Wednesday October 19th-21st: TIAC Weaving History Conference via Zoom

The Thousand Islands Arts Center is holding a virtual conference filled with fascinating presentations, engaging conversation, and a shared love of all things weaving and fiber! The Weaving History Conference, now in its 30th year, will be held three days over Zoom.

November

Saturday November 7th, 10:00am: Weaving with Linen

Presenter: Rebecca Lennox
Facilitator: Nancy Smothergill

Learn the ins and outs of weaving with linen and see and feel samples of multiple weave structures and thicknesses. You will gain insight and confidence into weaving with this durable and ancient fiber. Hints for ease of dressing your loom and weaving with linen will be discussed. Multiple samples of different linen yarns as well as woven pieces will be available for examination.

Saturday/Sunday November 7-8th: Fiber Festival of New England in West Springfield, MA

December

Saturday December 5th, 10:00am: Reaching for the Stars

 Presenters: Paulette Quinn and Nancy Smothergill

While spinning straw into gold is pure fiction, that paper can be bent, folded and woven into a three-dimensional star is no fairy tale.  Using strips of paper, we’ll be creating a constellation of enchanting stars in this hands-on program.  Bring scissors and nimble fingers.  An assortment of paper strips will be provided.

2027

January

Saturday January 2nd, 10:00am: Throw in the Towel

Presenter: Gail Pilgrim
Facilitator: Nancy Gaus

What makes a great kitchen towel?  Towels are one of the most common and versatile of handwoven projects, great for sampling new ideas and for gifting.  Gail Pilgrim will present everything you ever wanted to know about weaving towels — tips, techniques and inspiration.  She’ll cover fiber choices, absorbency factors, weave structures, design, finishing and more!  Even if you are a pro there is bound to be something new to learn.  Find out what takes your towels from ordinary to a work of art.  Program presented over Zoom

January TBD, 5:30pm, Planning Meeting for 2027/2028 Guild Programs, Location TBD

All guild members are welcome to help plan the monthly programs for the upcoming guild year. Bring your ideas and dinner, dessert will be provided.

February

Saturday February 6th, 10:00am: Film – Textile Travels

Presenters: Donna Connery, Joyce Lock and Judy Fox

Have you ever wondered what it’s like to travel with a small group of weavers and spinners to countries rich in fiber craftsmanship? Join Joyce, Donna, and Judy as they share their recent experiences with Loom Dancer Odysseys https://www.loomdancerodysseys.com/  and Wild Fibers https://www.wildfibersmagazine.com/tours, exploring the contemporary and historic fiber traditions of Iceland, Morocco, and Scotland. No passport required!

March

Saturday March 6th, 10:00am: Stash Busting and Wabi Sabi Weaving

Presenter:  Nancy Gaus, Valerie Kaiser

Join Nancy Gaus and Valerie Kaiser as they share their exploration of Wabi Sabi weaving techniques guided by The Rogue Weaver. Leave inspired to let go of convention and discover the textures, yarn weights, colors, and fiber content in your stash to create unique cloth, scarves, or wraps. The discussion will involve lessons applied and learned, what to expect, and tips and tricks learned along the way on both multi-shaft and rigid heddle looms. Samples will be shared in the hope you might come away with ideas to both stash-bust and meet this year’s challenge. 

April

Saturday April 3rd, 10:00am: Guild Challenge Big Reveal

Presenters: SWG Weavers
Facilitator: Valerie Kaiser

Join us in showcasing your results in interpreting both a photograph and a physical object from nature to create a woven treasure! Explain your thought process and techniques used to weave your piece along with triumphs and pitfalls encountered along the way. Not yet finished? Just bring your in-process piece or send in a photo.

Saturday April TBD: CNY Fiber Frolic, Beaver Lake, Baldwinsville, NY

May

Saturday May 2nd, 12:00pm: Annual Potluck Luncheon and Towel Exchange

Bring your handwoven towel to randomly exchange with another member

June

Saturday/Sunday June 5-6th, CNY Fiber Arts Festival, Herkimer County Fairgrounds, Frankfort, NY

There are a number of weaving events happening at the festival.