Glamorgan Guild of Weavers Spinners & Dyers

Our next meeting and the last one of the year, will be on Thursday 14th December 2017.  We have had some amazing speakers and workshops over the year and are pleased to say that we have another full programme of events planned for next year too!  Details will be posted shortly. ... a few photos below from our Christmas meeting! Our Christmas evening is always a chance for everyone to catch up with each other, enjoy a lovely buffet and make something Christmassy!  This year Jane Nicholls came up with the great idea to  make paper Christmas Trees! They were amazing and so simple to make. Paper brochures folded into Trees ..and some more A great way to up cycle old magazines and booklets.

Saturday 11th November 2017 - Workshop.   Back in November we enjoyed a lovely day making beautiful Polymer buttons, beads and jewellery with Joan Hughes.  We were so inspired by Joan's knowledge,enthusiasm and things that she had made, that it didn't take long for us all to get hooked and want to have a go at creating something in polymer!   By rolling and stacking layers of clay  in the most gorgeous colours,   we soon learnt the basics and throughout the day developed  some interesting techniques  and tips to make amazing jelly roll canes.   Thanks Joan!    Polymer Clay Canes             Slices of Polymer Clay    Colourful buttons   Rolling canes of polymer together to make a patterned layer of clay.   ...little bits of inspiration                           ...

Don't forget this Saturday 14th October 2017 is our open workshop at the Scout Hall, Dinas Powys from 10am-4pm. Bring along any spinning or weaving that you fancy working on. Also there will be a sales table at the workshop where you buy and sell any of your stash or equipment.

Many thanks to Dunja for giving us such a fascinating talk about living and working on a hill farm in The Black Mountains of Wales and for taking us on a journey through a year in the life of a shepherd. Amazing!   It made us all totally appreciate all the effort and dedication that goes in to producing this fabulous fibre...wool! Dunja and her husband raise native breeds of sheep mainly Clun Forest , Lincoln Longwool and Zwartles and supply wonderful fibre and yarn.   www.allinaspin.co.uk

Our next event will be on Thursday 14th September 2017 Dunja Roberts will be giving an evening talk about sheep farming in The Black Mountains of Wales.   Starts at 7:30pm in The Kynance Hall, Dinas Powys, Vale of Glamorgan CF64 4DT.   Visitors welcome.

Our next workshop is an introduction to Ply-Split Braiding with Julie Hedges on Saturday 8th July starting at 10am in the Scout Hall, Dinas Powys. Ply-split braiding is a technique where one twisted cord ("splitter") passes through another twisted cord or cords splitting the plies of the latter cords ("splittee" cords). This is unlike weaving or many forms of braiding where cloth is formed by threads interlacing in an over-under sequence.  Pattern is formed by cord colour, and splitting order. Click here for more up and coming events at the Guild.

  On Thursday 8th June we have an evening meeting at Kynance Hall and our speaker this month is Elza Tantcheva who will be going to talk to us about a Treasure Chest of Bulgarian Textiles.

Our workshop 'Art Yarns' with Katie Weston was a tremendous success. Katie is an enthusiastic tutor who explained  everything so well it made it really easy to follow her instructions. We had an amazing  day, leaning new and interesting techniques to create some gorgeous art yarns. It took spinning to a whole new level! The skills needed for Art Yarn Spinning definitely helps you to become a better all-round spinner; as you need to be doing so many things all at the same time, whilst maintaining good wheel and drafting control. Ha! At times we were all concentrating so hard that there wasn't a sound in the room...but oh were we pleased when it all came together and we saw that we were actually making a beehive! Very many thanks to Katie for all her patience and expert tuition. Katie brought a selection of her beautiful hand dyed fibres and other goodies! For more in...

We are getting closer to the date of our Spinning Art Yarn workshop on  Saturday 13th May with   Katie Weston , of " Hilltop Cloud ".   Places are still available!  Learn how to create gorgeous hand spun yarns with an arty twist. Katie specialises  in using unique fibres and one-of-a kind colours to produce beautiful art yarns.  Art yarn spinning skills also help you to become a better all-round spinner, as they  teach excellent wheel and drafting control. The workshop will be from 10am - 4pm in the Scouts Hall, Dinas Powys,  Vale of Glamorgan CF64 4AG Please contact the guild for  full details:  glamorganguildwsd@gmail.com                      

https://allwalesevent.wordpress.com The All Wales Event for Weavers, Spinners and Dyers is a bieninal gathering of members of the Welsh Guilds of Weavers, Spinners and Dyers. Every 2 years we meet in the Minerva Centre, Llanidloes.

After the Annual General Meeting on the 9th March, we will be having a "Show and tell"  ...so remember to bring along something to chat about, something that is  special to you,  whether you bought it, made it or found it! Bring it along  and share it with us.

Our next meeting is on Thursday 9th February 2017 at 7.30pm in the Kynance Hall Dinas Powys.   Doreen will be showing us how to make a paper basket and then giving everyone the opportunity to have a go and finish a basket by the end of the evening.   Visitors are always welcome to come along, just email the guild for further information glamorganguildwsd@gmail.com     .