Creative Little Daisy has a great tutorial on how to make super easy key rings

Super Easy Keychain Tutorial — Creative Little Daisy (via Craftzine.com: Blog)

Posted by Red Wolf at 2:59 AM | Permalink

As we approach our 60th anniversary it is not surprising that we should also have arrived at this milestone. Ten or eleven issues a year for 60 years adds up. Copies of all our Guild News' and Journals are stored in the reference cupboard in the Library. They are an incredible source of information and history.

The first issue was named the Quarterly News of the Handweavers' and Spinners' Guild of NSW. Volume 1, Number 1 was published in August 1949. The President was Professor H Priestly and the editor did not include her/his name but included an address in Lane Cove. Prof Priestly wrote:

"Most people probably have, in some measure, the desire to make things, to create something. One of the ways in which this desire may make itself manifest is hand weaving. Weaving is almost the oldest of human arts, so old that there is little difference in fundamentals in all parts of the world. Before the introduction of power weaving, hand looms were necessary for the making of fabrics for all purposes and weaving was essentially a home industry. With the introdution of power weaving, hand loom weaving largely disappeared except in certain peasant communities.

During the past few years in Europe and America and more recently in Australia, there has been a recrudescence of interest in hand weaving and now very large numbers of men and women gain much interest and enjoyment from the making of various fabrics on hand looms. Hand weaving is a fascinating hobby; the combinations of different colours, of different fibres and the production of patterns all play their part in keeping the weaver interested.

This little periodical is intended primarily for the members of the Handweavers' and Spinners' Guild of NSW to keep them in touch with Guild affairs and to bring new ideas to members. No matter how skilled a weaver may be, he or she can always learn something from other weavers and from workers in other fields impinging on certain aspects of weaving. It is intended to publish articles on new methods of weaving, for, in spite of the antiquity of weaving, new ways of getting desired results can still be found. Articles on colour and colour combinations, the source and preparation of fibres suitable for weaving, home spinning and home dyeing are just some of the subjects which will be treated.

As President of the Guild it is my pleasure to launch this little periodical on its way and hope that it and the Guild may have a long, useful and interesting life."

The first issue included the names of foundation members, an artilce about the possiblities of hand weaving, a request for a Guild insignia, a report of a talk about pick up weaves given by Miss G W Barnes on June 5, 1949 and the announcement of an exhibition of members' hand weaving and spinning at the CNEF Memorial Centre, Castlereagh Street in October. There was also half a page of equipment and yarn advertisements at a penny a word for members and double that rate for non members.

By the 100th issue the Journal had been inaugurated and the Guild News was the monthly newsletter of the Guild while more detailed articles were published in the Journal. This year's Journal will be Volume 59. The 100th Guild News came out in May 1969. J. Harrison was President. The Guild met at the YWCA in Liverpool Street and Ross Griffith was to be the next speaker. [His wife, Pamela Griffith gave us a very interesting talk about her print making methods and a design exercise last year.] They were busy planning an exhibition for the James Cook Bicentennial the following year.

Bertha-Ann Bochman was President and Anne Hart was editor when the 200th issue was published in Feb 1979. By then the meetings were held at the Darlinghurst Public School hall, Potts Point. That issue announced the AGM when they had a vote for president as there were two candidates but the committee was to be declared elected because there were fewer nominees than positions! The issue included 5 pages of large advertisements by local yarn shops and equipment suppliers. A Loomcraft School was being organised.

Helen Halpin was the editor of the 300th issue in March 1988. Hazel Meigan was President and the Guild met at St Pauls. Two workshops were announced: a 3-day fleece weaving workshop with Anne Field and a 2-day spinning workshop with Eve Rashleigh to make chains, cables and other fancies.

The 400th issue, April 1997 was a bumper issue because it included 9 pages of the Fibre to Fabric 50th Anniversary exhibition entry forms, instructions and plans plus 5 pages of Loomcraft '97 information and workshop choices. Audrey Miller the President and Peta Andersen was the editor that year.

Posted by Prue Hill at 5:50 PM | Permalink

The Antique Pattern Library is a great resource for inspiration or old patterns/designs. Most of these books are rare and are scanned in to share and celebrate the vast history of craft. Pictured here is a French crochet book from 1868 donated by Judith Combs. Topics are range in the needlecraft family from knitting, crochet, embroidery, needlepoint and more. Books listed in light grey are those that are currently being scanned and will be added to the library.

Antique Pattern Library — (via Craftzine.com: Blog)

Posted by Red Wolf at 2:54 AM | Permalink

Free pdf pattern to print out to make your own pointy kitty soft toy out of fabric scraps.

Pointy Kitty Pattern — Wee Wonderfuls (via Craftzine.com: Blog)

Posted by Red Wolf at 2:44 AM | Permalink

Betz White has a great needle felting tutorial up using one of those cool needlefelting tools from Clover.

Needle Felting - new tool — Betz White (via Craftzine.com: Blog)

Posted by Red Wolf at 2:32 AM | Permalink

The July guest speaker was Barbara Schey.

Barbara spoke about her textile tours and how she started. She lived in Tamworth and taught spinning and weaving at TAFEs in the area. During that time she organised tours to Sydney to buy supplies and tours from Sydney to see the cotton harvest, calling in on spinners and weavers along the way. When she moved back to Sydney from Tamworth she decided to travel and went to China in 1989. She enjoyed the tour but was disappointed not to go to a silk factory or other textile factories.

When she thought about it she remembered her experience organising tours in Australia and decided to try her hand at leading overseas tours. The first one was to Thailand in 1990 and she has been doing it ever since with tours to Chile, Peru, Ecuador, Bolivia, Japan, Laos etc.

One Melbourne couple has been on 7 tours with Barbara. It is not all plain sailing. It is hard to organise a large group of people to be on the bus at the appointed time and to sort out the problems along the way but Barbara enjoys it. The next tour is to India in October.

Barbara also showed a sample of her collection of textile treasures from some of the countries visited: a hemp bag from Chiang Mai, a vegetable dyed silk woven shawl from Vientiane, colourful belts with bells and bags with coins made in a Mong village, one of many indigo bags bought for $2 in Western Thailand, and a bag with dolls, inkle woven braids, a basket of many colours woven from agave which is the plant used to make tequila, a braid beautifully woven in Ecuador, a Japanese T-shirt with gold stencil, purses and shibori fabrics, an origami bag purchased at the World Quilt Festival, old textiles from Kyoto and two stunning, designer jackets in shibori techniques which are just as beautiful inside out.

Posted by Red Wolf at 12:54 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

CraftMemo is a free, flexible, easy-to-use record keeping & management system designed specially to cater for craft enthusiasts.

CraftMemo was a personal project created by me (Jan) a craft addict. Like most of you I have hundreds of craft supplies from many suppliers and used only MS Excel as a means to organize my inventory. It soon became too cumbersome to organize and find things.

I finally decided to write my own inventory system as there wasn't anything out there that was simple yet flexible enough to manage all my craft goodies. I shared this program with a couple of close friends who found the system to be useful and suggested that I share it with other craft enthusiasts. This was how CraftMemo started and I personally hope that many others will enjoy and benefit from it.

Posted by Red Wolf at 2:27 AM | Permalink

Make It is a relatively new blog on the block specialising in information, tips, and more on how to be a craft entrepreneur. There are some great crafter interviews for biz advice as well as for craft inspiration.

Make It — (via MAKE: Blog)

Posted by Red Wolf at 2:19 AM | Permalink

It sank in a violent storm taking its precious cargo of silk, muslin and calico to the bottom of the North Sea. Now, 250 years on, the wreck of the Svecia is providing an unexpected bounty to the islanders of North Ronaldsay.

While the sumptuous textiles may be long gone, a rare dyewood, used to colour the precious fabrics, has been recovered from the wreck and is being used to produce a unique line of designer knitwear.

The red sandalwood has lain on the ocean floor since the East India Company cargo ship bound for Gothenberg was caught in a gale off the island in 1740 and sank with the loss of 24 men.

Historic dye puts island on fashion map — The Times

Posted by Red Wolf at 2:16 AM | Permalink