Textiles to touch

 

Samples by Pinellas Weavers Guild members. Top: weaving sample by Marvin Morgenstern, spinning sample by Juliette Karow. Bottom: weaving sample by Lucy Parks, spinning sample by Judy Saitta. Photo permission: Pinellas Weavers Guild.

One of the many things that textile lovers often have in common is that we need to touch everything around us. I'm fascinated by the many different ways in which individuals gather information about the world around them. For many spinners and weavers, that is through their fingertips. In an effort to support continued learning and sharing, the Pinellas Weavers Guild organizes weaving and spinning samples that are inserted into the bimonthly newsletter. First, guild members are asked to weave or spin extra yardage on one of their projects. When the samples are submitted, members Lucy Parks and Martha Snow cut the samples into pieces and create an information sheet. Newsletter editor Diane Drutowski includes the samples in newsletters going out to members by post and provides samples to members receiving e-newsletters at meetings.

Martha Snow is in charge of preparing the samples to be stapled onto the information sheet. She shared her process: "I try to have a 3-inch square (depending on the pattern). I mark a double line going across and up and down with pins. Next I use Fray Check, let it dry, and then cut between the double lines." Handspun yarns are also included, and the guild currently has many active handspinners. The information sheet provides the weaving pattern, materials, and sometimes notes about trouble-shooting or how the project idea was developed. The handspun yarn sample includes information like drafting style, fiber type, and end use. This process is time-consuming, but it continues to be a great way to build community knowledge.