Subject: NOBO Meeting 28th July 2011

New Faces

  Sue Cohan
  New weaver, on a Harrisville now weaving a baby blanket

  Germaine
  Friend of Kathie

Old Business

  A sincere thank-you from Margaret for all the support and  donation to the
Animal Care and Adoption Center and  Nevins Farm, Metheun, re her mother.

  Judith R, called, this has been a day that caught up with her. Misses
  the meeting, Judith "will return"

  There was a plan to post the agenda a week ahead of time.

  Kathie: Kirstin suggested putting together a book on rare
        breeds. This will be left in the library for anyone to view
        and add to.

Lady Nobo Textile Tales

  Visited the American Textile Museum, the spinning wheel display is
  no longer there and it feels empty without them. The whole building
  no longer is dedicated to the textile museum. The humidity control
  needs to be fixed and then, according to Diane H., the spinning wheels
will be restored to
  their position.

  The displays work through all the era's of weaving. There was a
  photograph that captured Margarets attention. She has found it in the book
"A
  Study of Labour in Textiles" from the 1931. The mills are so close
  to us.

  "Julia a 71year old in New Bedford typifies the people who worked in
  the mills. She started at age of 7." This is a quote from the book
  from 1931.

  "Economic strain is for pregnant women to work within 2 to 3 weeks
  of birth and return after a few weeks. Lunch is 30 to 45
  minutes. The day shift is 10 to 12 hours. It is no surprise that
  women have played a big role in the strikes"
Strong encouragement on Margaret's part to read of the history of the local
textile mills, especially -
http://ia600309.us.archive.org/18/items/laborandtextiles00dunnrich/laborandtextiles00dunnrich.pdf
  <Margaret will send a link>

New Business

  Looms available

    Portland Fiber and Weaving Gallery, 36", 2 shaft available for free.
There are condition
    problems but it is a loom worth rescuing!  See Margaret for more info.

    Betsy and Margaret have 3 floor looms looking for a fourth.
    Loom for sale.
    It’s a LeClerc Medico 4 shaft table looms with conversion to 6 treadles.
It has a
    stand and can be used with levers or treddles. Any reasonable
    offer, the reed really should be replaced. There is an issue with
    the brake. Any proceeds will go to the Essex Arts Center.

  Gallery Show, September 9th through October 14th, at the Essex Arts Center
in Lawrence. There
  is a remaining textile mill that weaves fake fur fabric. This will
  be in collaboration with a theater group.  More info provided during a
future meeting.

  Betsy: There are pictures and copies of two Macomber looms, both are
        8 harness looms. Information is in the shop. This is a Baby
        Mac. The harnesses are metal, which upon removal will reduce the
weight.

    5 looms on Craig's list "Danville NH" includes a 48" 8 harness
    Macomber, offered for sale by Diane H.

  Betsy: Shop News Letter, extend to the guild an early sale to NOBO
        for Friday.

  Reminder about Parker River Alpaca Farm for next meeting. Don't
  forget shoes or boots, bug spray and chairs. Date will be the
  25th. Directions will be posted. Margaret will check if there may
  a changing in the time (before 7:00 pm). Show and share will held,
  try to bring Alpaca themed pieces

Schedule

  September: Shaker Textiles will include examples

  October: Backstrap weaving

  November  and December: Holiday Season Party/Discussion on loom
   types and peoples experiences.

  January: Embellishing plain weave

  February: Button Lady

  March: Rare Breed Sheep presentation

  April: Fancy Double Weave

Fiber Revival

  At Spencer Pierce Little Farm. All info on www.fiberrevival.com.
  Kathy James working on a warp weighted loom. Build a ground loom and
  demonstrate it. There will be a vintage baseball game on the same
  day. "Men love machines".

  Looking for volunteers to help with local textile history.

  Anyone with access to old looms or equipment.

  Possibility of an exhibit. Contributions welcome... Nobo tent and
  display. Betsy will bring a rigid heddle loom(s) and Margaret a table
loom.
  Span of weaving from "cut out cereal boxes", tape looms, back strap,
  band weaving. August 13th 9am to 4pm.

Announcement

  Lowell: American Textile Museum part of free Fridays 7/29

NEWS

  Margaret: The best thing about NEWS was the NOBO table.
  Kathie: It was impressive because of what the topic was.
  Betsy: All the other tables were full of colors, the NOBO table was
        all natural colors. The book marks were displayed as "real
        bookmarks in real books".
  Big deal about the wool sack. Professor of Economics "went nuts" and
  wanted to buy items.

  A big thanks to Kathie for all the hard work.

  Classes

  Resist Dyeing - many samples using everything from gutter screen,
  maple leaves to bubble wrap.
  Button Making with Fimo Clay - Diane H.

  Yarn Characteristics - main topic was silk. Samples from the
  class - Melissa H.

  Made by a weaver for a weaver pick up stick - "realize the loom before
buying the pickup stick" - Eileen F.

  Kathie K's class with Fran Curran - round robin with pre warped loom.
Excellent as an
  instructor. Fran is willing to come for a workshop. Highly recommended.
 Kathie circulated her workshop sample book from her NEWS class.

NEWS Gallery Show

  Eileen F. submitted Slippers: top is hand spun, hand woven bias binding.
The
  slippers were displayed on a rug.

  Sue Jones won a red ribbon for her "purse" in the Gallery Show
 Diane H. and Kathie K. submitted pieces to the Gallery Show.
Judging

  Kathie described being a jury secretary.

  - Quality of Workmanship
  - Finishing and Presentation
  - Texture and Pattern
  - Color and Design

  Pay attention to details!

  Not expected to design your own draft, do need to state the
  source.

Fashion Show

  "Patricia was something else"
  Hot mama!

  Two models would come from each side. Narration.
  Would have been better if the models switched sides.

Q&A

  Provision for NEWS suggestions?
  Please send them to Kathie

Impressions

  - Great
  - Informal fashion show was cancelled
  - Optical fibres "elegant dress with an ugly battery pack"
  - All volunteer, never a bad moment
  - It was hot....
  - Well run show
  - Next will be in two years
  - There were 30 items for the fashion shows
  - 103 for the Gallery Show

Show and Share

  Joke gift for Margaret - the sand from the Florida Cracker fleece courtesy
of Leah R.

  Florida Cracker Table Runner, Rigid Heddle reproduction box loom using a
beater sword to open the
  shed. Set up for Medieval re-enactment - Leah R.

  Natural dying on Harrisville Tweed - Terry A.
    - Logwood with iron
    - From the yard broom using both the leaves and the flowers
    - Natural dyes from the Woolery
    4 ounce hanks

    Griffin Dye Works in California - source suggestion by Leah R.

    Indigo Dye Vat experiments, Benjamin's creature bean bags - Melissa H.

    Table Runner, Overshot bag and bolster - Ellen K.
    Dye samples, clay beads - from Diane H. NEWS classes

    Towels, samples - unmercerised cottons, Overshot Table Runner  - Phyllis
S.