Attention CNCH 2012 spinners, it’s time to start thinking about your gorgeous Return to Sender fiber and the yarn it will make! Entries are already being submitted for the competition, so dust off that spinning wheel, let your imagination run wild and watch the fiber fly onto the bobbin. The deadline for entries for Return to Sender is April 30, 2012.  Email r2scnch with any questions.

Return of Return to Sender Guidelines Now Available

For folks entering the Return of Return to Sender Challenge with projects created using yarn from the last conference, the submission date is April 15, 2012.  Guidelines for submitting the projects are now available by emailing r2scnch.  In general, make something where the yarn from the CNCH 2010 Return to Sender Competition is clearly visible and send it in!

Wishing you lovely holidays with family and friends,

Wishing you time to sip a hot beverage by the fireplace

and think about all the good things that have happened this year,

Wishing you a New Year filled with weaving, spinning, dyeing,

basketry, felting, braiding, needlework, knitting and more,

Take a moment to make a promise to yourself to allow time for the things you love in 2012.

From the entire CNCH 2012 committee.

Workshop Description: Whether you have only been spinning a short time or 20 years, you will have fun, learn lots, and come away with customized yarns that YOU want. Learn how to calculate how much fiber you need, what fibers work best for what YOU want to do, and to draft, spin, and ply for your particular intended project. Want to learn about blends, self-stripping yarns and fibers, and spinning from the fold? Whether it’s fast and skinny, or consistently big yarns, or by wheel or spindle, Abby will customize this workshop so that each participant learns what they need to know to produce the yarn they desire. Abby will contact each participant prior to the workshop in order to customize the experience.

The workshop flyer with further information and registration form can be downloaded here. There are still openings. You must register with your non-refundable deposit by 12/29/2011 to participate.

The entry deadlines are March 31 for the Fashion Show and April 1 for the Galleries, so now is the time to do the planning, order your yarns and other materials and be ready to warp up the loom right after the holidays!

The Fashion Show accepts woven, felted, knitted or manipulated fabric wearables. The Show theme is that same as the conference:  Tradition/Innovation.  How do you plan to interpret that idea through fashion?  You may enter up to three items in the show (ensembles are considered one entry).  Entry forms are downloadable from this website.

Fashions will be modeled at the Friday evening Fashion show and then hung in the Fashion Show Gallery Saturday and Sunday.

The Galleries in 2012 are varied and exciting.  You may enter up to three items in the galleries.  Choose from:

• Tradition/Innovation Gallery – the general gallery of home décor, functional and decorative fiber arts including towels, rugs, blankets, wall hangings,  table fashions, curtains, and etc.  Handspun items may be woven, knitted or felted.
• Baskets, Vessels and Sculpture Gallery – a three dimensional shape – utilitarian or decorative from traditional or innovative materials
• Yardage Gallery – Handwoven yardage
• Fashion Gallery –  a gallery for neckware, accessories and garments that will not be modeled in the Fashion Show.

Entry forms are downloadable from this website.

And the Return to Sender Gallery – a rainbow gallery of handspun yarns made from the luxury fibers dyed in the Conference colors and sent out to participants in the fall. If you received a batt – now is the time to start your spinning!

Anyone who is a member of a CNCH member guild or anyone registered for CNCH 2012 is eligible to enter these shows. More details under CNCH 2012 conference info at this site.

And last, but not least there will be a Teacher’s Gallery showcasing the skills and talents of the instructors in the classes at the conference.

Here is a list of the beginner classes at the conference:  Full class details and registration info is available on this site at 2012 Oakland.

Beginning Spinning with Stephenie Gaustad

Cedar Pockets Basketry with Kay Harradine

Rigid Heddle Weaving Basics with Syne Mitchell

Tablet Weaving Basics with John Mullarkey

Needlefelted Flowers and Other Embellishments with Carin Engen

Passementerie – Tassels with Robyn Spady

REMEMBER:  We also have a Facebook page – CNCH 2012 OAKLAND – which will help you spread the word to friends and fiber artisans outside of the CNCH family.

Joy Hilden will give a presentation on Bedouin Spinning and Weaving
at the Spindles & Flyers meeting November 20, 11:00 AM in El Cerrito.

Her slide and lecture program will include:

• Her travels to visit nomads in Saudi Arabia and neighboring countries.

• Bedouin weaving – what it is and how it is made.

• Complete information about spinning, dyeing, and weaving techniques and tools.

• Saudi Arabian Bedouin spinning demonstration.

Her book will be available for sale. For details, see
http://spindlesandflyers.org

Due to the success of the 2010 Return to Sender challenge and the beautiful batts provided this year, we have had a surge in participation.  In response people purchased their fiber early for next Mays conference and we have officially sold out of batts for Return to sender 2012!

Mary Finley and Roger Salter dyed and prepared the fiber this year.  They will have a booth at CNCH if members missed out on this year’s competition but still want to purchase naturally dyed batts in similar but not identical colors.

Let the spinning portion of Return to Sender begin……

Wendy

All these batts will become wonderful yarns on display in the Return to Sender Gallery at CNCH 2012 Oakland, May 18 – 20, 2012.