Saori weaving, often called “No Rules” weaving, began in Japan over 40 years ago.  Its emphasis on creativity and total immersion in fiber and color make it a meditative process that allows for the emergence of new concepts and weaves.

Jill Sanders’ knowledge of saori weaving goes back about 10 years, and 2 years ago, she completed saori training.  Shortly thereafter, she opened her studio in the Santa Cruz Mountains, where she teaches weaving, clothing construction, spinning and dyeing to children as well as adults.

Jill’s presentation will include photos of saori weaving, illustrating its integration and popularity among all age groups in Japanese society, examples of textiles woven by Jill and her students and 3 saori looms for hands-on experimentation.

Date/Time: January 11, 2012; 9:30 AM until 12:00 PM

Place: Aptos Village Park, 100 Aptos Creek Road, Aptos, CA

Volunteers make this sale a continued great success.  Just weave 5 to 10 identical samples roughly 4” x 5” ” in size.  Obvious exceptions are braids and inkle or card woven bands.  Putting on a little extra warp is the perfect way to participate with practically no extra effort.  Remnants from a project are fine.  Enclose a sheet of clearly written instructions including weave draft, materials, sett, finishing, proposed use and your name.  The Sample Service Committee will make enough photocopies to accompany each sample.  They will even cut the samples for you and reimburse you for materials if you ask them.  Please send your samples and instructions by April 1, 2012 to Sue Fandel, 67 Harper Street, San Francisco 94131.  You may contact Sue at (415) 641-9239 or at seesuerun2004 at yahoo dot com.

At the booth in the vendor area at CNCH 2012 you may choose and buy samples from other weavers – one or many for a small fee.  Samples from previous years will also be for sale!

A set of samples from each year’s booth is available for loan from the Library for no more than the cost of return shipping. The Sample Service has been re-done, all new binders and archival plastic sheet protectors. These sample notebooks circulate nationwide and are the most requested books in the entire textile library.  Individuals or guilds can arrange for the loan of these books by contacting Sue at the above addresses.

The success of the Sample Service depends on individuals donating samples of their weaving – this year’s or items from previous years, just send your extra bits off to Sue with draft and other data!  Then be sure to stop by the Sample Service Booth in Oakland in May!

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.

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.

She will be sharing her passion for textiles with us at CNCH 2012.  She will be teaching a class in beginning rigid heddle weaving all day Saturday, May 19.  This is a wonderful chance to get your knitting friends to learn how to weave – or that friend who always admires your scarves, but doesn’t believe that they, too, could weave.  Syne’s class is perfect for that person (or for you if you are primarily a spinner or basket maker!) This will be a fun and inspiring introduction to weaving.

And for those more experienced with the loom – Syne is teaching a class on Sunday, May 20 about e-Textiles which will show you how to bring your weaving or knitting into the 21^st century! In her class students will be given an overview of eTextiles: how to add lights, temperature sensors, motion sensors, buzzers, and more to their garments. The class will look at and discuss the Lilypad Arduino circuit board, and then students will apply these principals to create  their own eTextile garment, either a knitted hat or a woven scarf. Students should bring: A project in progress, either a knit in the round piece, or a plain weave project.

See the conference information on this site for full class descriptions and registration details.

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