Past Programs

2012

January 28 — Landscape needle felting. Program leader: Julie Guise.
February 25 — Spinning painted rovings. Program leader: Patsy Zawistoski.
March 24 — Inclusion yarns. Program leader: Jeanne DeVore.
April 28 — Jacob breed study. Program leader: Pat Lamesch.
May 18–20 — Annual spring retreat at Camp Emmaus in Mt. Morris, IL.
May 19 — Silk. Program leader: Mickey Anderson.
June 23 — Indigo dyeing. Program leader: Dolores Kettman.
July — No meeting
August — No meeting
September 22 — Spinning history, part three. Program leader: Wendy Shearer.
October 27 — Annual planning meeting/potluck lunch.
November 17 — Spinning cotton. Program leader: Vi Manning.
December — No meeting

2011

January 22 — Using your yarns: a look at the creative process. Program leader: Patsy Zawistoski.
February 26 — Spinning with plastic and more. Program leader: Maggie Kruser.
March 26 — Whole brain spinning/cognitive creativity. Program leader: Sherry Johnson.
April 23 — Full-day wool workshop with Stefania Isaacson.
April 29–May 1 — Annual spring retreat at Camp Emmaus in Mt. Morris, IL.
May 21 — All about socks. Program leader: Mickey Anderson.
June 25 — Heathers and tweeds. Program leader: Janet Calkins.
July — No meeting
August — No meeting
September 24 — From spindle to wheel: more on spinning history. Program leader: Wendy Shearer.
October 22 — Annual planning meeting/potluck lunch/Show & Tell prize drawing.
November 19 — Portuguese knitting. Program leader: Sherry Johnson.
December — No meeting

2010

January 23 — Fiber potpourri: 2009 fiber swap wrap-up; painted wool discussion; additional planning for 2010; open spin. Program leaders: Mary Coen, Julie Guise, Marcie Reid, and Kathy Thomas.
February 27 — Spinning thick yarns. Program leader: Patsy Zawistoski.
March 27 — Blending and carding. Program leader: Sherry Johnson.
April 24 — Bamboo, blends, and beyond. Program leader: Rose Fisk.
May 21-23 — Spring retreat at Reynoldswood Christian Camp and Retreat Center in Dixon, IL.
May 22 — Meeting at the Reynoldswood Christian Camp and Retreat Center in Dixon, IL.
June 26 — Natural dye workshop with Dagmar Klos at the Fine Line Creative Arts Center in St. Charles, IL.
July — No meeting
August — No meeting
September 25 — Spindle spinning and chain plying, with a discussion of the history of spinning. Program leader: Wendy Shearer.
October 23 — Annual planning meeting/potluck lunch/Show & Tell prize drawing.
November 20 — Troubleshooting and fixing mistakes. Program leader: Mary Coen.
December — No meeting

2009

January 31 — Pygora spinning and project kick-off. Program leaders: Rose Fisk, Julie Guise, and Sherry Johnson.
February 28 — Spinner's web. An introduction to spinning and other textile sites on the Internet. Leader: Mickey Anderson.
March 28 — Plying old & new yarns. Program leader: Patsy Zawistoski.
April 25 — Spinning clinic. Coordinator: Jane Plass.
May 1-3 — Retreat at Royer Lodge, Byron Center, Brownsville, Wisconsin.
June 20 — Field trip to Old World Wisconsin, an outdoor museum of rural Wisconsin life in the 19th century. Coordinator: Pat Lamesch.
July — No meeting
August 22 — Spinning and knitting silk hankies. Leader: Mickey Anderson.
September 26 — Spinning your yarn in new directions: playing with the connection between fiber, yarn, and technique. Workshop by Carol H. Rhoades.
October 24 — Project wrap-up.
November 14 — Annual planning meeting/potluck lunch/Show & Tell prize drawing.
December — No meeting

2008

January 26 — Blending long and short fibers. Program leader: Rose Fisk.
February 23 — Spinning for weaving. Program leader: Patsy Zawistoski.
March 29 — Australian locker hooking. Program leaders: Nadia McAndrew and Pat Lamesch.
April 26 — Linen: fiber to fabric. Instructor: Sara von Tresckow.
May 2-4 — Retreat at Royer Lodge, Byron Center, Brownsville, Wisconsin.
May 31 — Spinning to crimp. Program leader: Sherry Johnson.
June 28 — Dye workshop. Program leaders: Cathy Rathke and Mickey Anderson.
July — No meeting
August — No meeting
September 27 — Coiled basket. Program leader: Nadia McAndrew.
October 25 — Spinning off a point: great wheel and charka spinning. Program leader: Pat Lamesch.
November 15 — Annual planning meeting/potluck lunch/Show & Tell prize drawing.
December — No meeting

2007

January 27 — Knit weaving. Program leaders: Julie Guise and Diane Rodenbostel. Carol Cassidy-Fayer also talked to the guild about the Midwest Fiber & Folk Art Fair on July 20-22, 2007.
February 24 — Charcoal bamboo (Black Diamond) and other new fibers. Program leader: Patsy Zawistoski.
March 17 — Silk. Program leader: Nadia McAndrew. Nadia covered historical aspects, types of silk, spinning, dyeing, and blending.
April 14 — "Sit and spin" meeting in Chana, Illinois after Floya Hawkins' annual wool sale.
May 4-6 — Retreat at Royer Lodge, Byron Center, Brownsville, Wisconsin.
June 23 — Dye workshop. Program leader: Cathy Rathke.
July 28 — Stained glass felted sweater vest. Instructor: Mary Sue Fenner.
August 25 — No meeting
September 22 — Combining colors. Program leader: Isis Perez.
October 27 — Fiber blending "sit and spin" meeting.
November 10 — Annual planning meeting, potluck, and Show and Tell prize drawing.
December — No meeting

2006

January 28 — Spinning thick yarns. Program leader: Patsy Zawistoski.
February 25 — Needlefelting an optically blended color wheel flower on a tote bag. Program leader: Sherry Johnson.
March 25 — Felting on silk. Program leader: Laurie Pontarelli.
April 15 — "Sit and spin" meeting in Chana, Illinois after Floya Hawkins' wool sale.
May 5-7 — Retreat at Byron Center in Brownsville, Wisconsin.
June 24 — Dyeing with freeze-dried natural indigo. Program leader: Cathy Rathke.
July — No meeting
August 26 — Beads and bumps (bouclé and knot yarns). Program leader: Jane Plass.
September 23 — Dog down & bunny fluff: basic blending and beyond. Program leader: Rose Fisk.
October 28 — Handspindles. Program leader: Viola Manning.
November 11 — Annual planning meeting, potluck, and Show and Tell prize drawing.
December — No meeting

2005

January 22 — Patsy Zawistoski's video Spinning and Plying Textured Yarns
February 26 — Stephania Isaacson on her HGA Certificate of Excellence in Handspinning
March 26 — New fibers: soy silk, bamboo, Ingeo, Optim
April 23 — Plying novelty yarns
May 13-15 — Retreat at Byron Center in Brownsville, Wisconsin
June 25-26 — Drum carding/combing workshop
July — No meeting
August 27 — Choosing and spinning the right wool for your project
September 24 — Alpaca
October 22 — Fulling
November 12 — Annual planning meeting, potluck, and Show and Tell prize drawing
December — No meeting

2004

January 24 — Soap making and a potluck lunch
February 28 — Cotton spinning
March 27 — Designing for the yarn you've made
April 16-18 — Spinning retreat at Royer Lodge at Byron Center in Wisconsin
May 22 — Flat needle felting
June 26 — Dealing with your "dogs." Weavers talk about "dogs on the loom," meaning projects that just aren't going well. Problem-solving meeting for help from the group
July — No meeting
August 14 — Dyeing variegated mohair roving. A repeat of the 2003 workshop due to its popularity
September 25 — Fiber study with Black Welsh Mountain and Blue-Faced Leicester fleece
October 23 — Rug hooking with handspun yarns
November 14 — Planning meeting, Show and Tell prize drawing, and snacks to share
December — No meeting

2003

January 25 — Spinning to the fiber
February 22 — Handspindle try-out. Instructions and materials for making CD-ROM spindles were also available
March 22 — Spinning and knitting singles
April — No meeting
May 2-4 — Spring spinning retreat at Royer Lodge at Byron Center in Brownsville, Wisconsin
May 31 — Mohair
June — No meeting
July — No meeting
August 23 — Dyeing variegated mohair roving
September 27 — Icelandic wool
October 25 — Program planning and potluck lunch
November 22 — Unusual fibers
December — No meeting