Community Guild Studios at Slater Mill

Upcoming Events and Various Goings-On

We have so many things to discuss!  Where to start?  Well, first of all, if you haven't had a chance to go see it, the Rowan 30th Anniversary Exhibit is going away on June 25th, so you'd better go asap! 

Don't forget there are 2 fabulous classes going on this Saturday on Workshop Day!  Embroidery with Brenda Devine will be from 11-2.  I've got a couple project pics from this class to share with you all.  Here's the beginning of the project -

And here's where it will end up -

I'm told this is a completely addictive process. 

Also this Saturday is Journal Quilting with Pat St. Germain, offered from 2-5.  No quilting experience required!  Here's an excuse for those non-quilters to play with some cloth!    

Weavers - as always, feel free to come in and work on your projects from 10-5. 

And Hey!  Calling all Knitting Guild Members!  Margery Winter, Editor-in-Chief of Verena Knitting Magazine will be our special guest for our Wednesday, June 30th meeting, so please come and bring a friend!

Want even more up-to-date info about Slater Mill?  You can see the Mill's new twitter page at http://twitter.com/TheSlaterMill, or, if you have a twitter account, you can simply follow TheSlaterMill.   

Harrisville Designs Trip

Harrisville Designs is a name that weavers, knitters, spinners, and other fiber folks associate with quality woolen yarns and fleece.  Since 1971, Harrisville Designs was created with "a goal of preserving the textile heritage and economic vitality that had sustained the village [of Harrisville] for almost two hundred years. 

And now's your chance to see it for yourself!  Sign up for the Harrisville Designs Tour, leaving from Slater Mill in September!  See the email from Bernadette below - and if you're not already on the mailing list, email her Bernadette@slatermill.org to be added asap!

September 9,  2010: Harrisville Bus trip from Slater Mill

Join us as we travel to historic Harrisville, NH to visit Harrisville Designs. Harrisville, nestled in the scenic Monadnock Highlands of southwestern New Hampshire, is a village whose tradition in textiles dates back more than 200 years. Harrisville Designs is a small family owned and operated business continuing that tradition by producing high quality yarn, looms and accessories. Harrisville Designs also offers a custom wool spinning service. For the past 30 years, The Knitting and Weaving Center at Harrisville has been providing fiber arts students with workshops instructed by acclaimed textile artists.

· Bus departs Slater Mill at 8 AM, returns 5 PM

· Trip includes roundtrip transportation from Slater Mill to Harrisville Designs, tour of Harrisville Designs, weaving demonstration and driver tip. Harrisville Designs is kindly offering our group 10% off in their shop for the day!

· Trip fee: $50 members/$80 non-members (join Slater Mill now and you are immediately eligible for member price)

· Register before July 1^st and receive 5% off

Please contact me with any questions and I hope to see some of you attending our workshops and  trip .

Best,

Bernadette     

April/May Classes and Workshops

I'm very excited today, because there are so many great things to do at Slater Mill this spring, and I want to be at all of them! 

First of all, there's Free for All Sunday, sponsored by Amica Insurance - read more about that here. Folks at the mill are looking for volunteers to come knit at the Brown House (next to the big yellow building!) from 11am-3pm.  I know some folks are planning on coming - you can talk about it here on Ravelry.

I will be adding the updated class schedule to the Classes/Events page, but it's going to take me a little bit (this whole job thing is really cramping my style today!) so I'm going to give you the brochure to download in the meantime, until I can get everything all tidy and in the correct place.

Download Cgs_class schedule brochure_aprilmay content 2010_page1

Download Cgs_class schedule brochure_aprilmay2010_page2

If you open those files, you will see that April's Workshop Day includes a Beaded Bracelet class (more info to follow!) and and Indigo Dyeing Workshop!  Unfortunately, Brenda Devine will not be teaching an embroidery class in April, but she will be back for the May Workshop Day, so don't worry! 

Also new for Spring are some more of our popular Quilting classes.  Please check the Quilting page to see some photos and descriptions. 

As always, contact Bernadette Vaughn at bernadette@slatermill.org with any questions, or leave a comment here. 

Coming up soon - some information on a couple Gallery Exhibits - one I know all the knitters out there are going to be VERY excited about!

Workshop Day for March

If you missed the last Workshop Day, never fear!  Here's the official Slater Mill press release on the new workshop offerings for March 27th.  I will also update the Classes/Events page with the new class descriptions and new paypal buttons, within the next few minutes (hopefully, by the time you read this). 

MARCH: In Like a Lion, out with a Day of Creativity!

The Community Guild Studios (CGS) at Slater Mill is excited to announce the class line up for its Workshop Day, Saturday, March 27^th. Workshop Days offer an opportunity to sample traditional crafts in a warm and welcoming atmosphere and are held the last Saturday of the month from 10 to 5. Check out our blog to see the fun that was had at our last Workshop Day.  

RI fiber artist Jan Doyle will teach “Intro to Weaving Drafts.” Students will start at the very beginning-learning how to read weaving drafts, create drafts from profiles and add color to their drawdowns.  (Class time 12-3, Fee $25)

RI Spinning Guild member Beth Fitzpatrick will instruct students in “Drop Spindle Plying,” an excellent follow up for beginner spinners interested in taking their craft to the next level.

(Class time 12-2, Fee $25)

Industrial Revolution Quilt Guild member Brenda Devine offers the second in her continuing Embroidery Series, introducing beginners to the next round of stitch techniques. Those who missed the first embroidery workshop can still jump in!

(Class time 11-2, fee $25)

CGS Membership is open to all, and is $20 annually.

For class supply lists and more information, please contact Bernadette Vaughan at 401.725.8638 x105 or email her at Bernadette@slatermill.org

 

Workshop Day Round-up

Before I tell you about the first Workshop Day at the Community Guild Studios, take a look at these shots of the river - all the rain has led to high water levels and rough water. 

 

I think the water looks even higher here!
 

 

Anyway, I'm really sad I missed the first Workshop Day, because it really looks like it was a lot of fun. Happily, a lot of folks were able to make it, and I heard that the classes were great from many attendees.  

Luckily for those of us that weren't there, this is going to be a regular event, so we haven't missed out for good.  

Some of my fellow weaving class people were there to hear Jan Doyle's Tips for Weavers, which apparently included turning a rigid heddle into a multi-heddle loom.  

 

Yes, that makes my head hurt, too, because it is that awesome.  Non-weavers - don't worry.  Come take a class, and it will all make sense.  

There were drop spindles - here you can see Dave Westcott demonstrating a technique to his students.

 

You can see that they were using drop spindles made of CDs and wooden dowels - how clever!  Especially considering people will spend HUNDREDS on certain spindles! 

 

Brenda Devine can be seen here showing some of her work, and the different applications for embroidery. 

 

And just look at THIS.

 

Some students in the class, learning some new techniques. 

 

  

   
Cirilia Rose was there to teach her very popular Finishing Techniques class

 

I wasn't going to include this photo of the finishing class students, because it's over exposed, but we always like to blame that sort of thing on the Slater Mill ghost, so I'll leave it in for the ghost fans.  

 

As you can see, there was a lot going on.  There's no way I'm going to miss the next one, for sure!  I hope you won't be, either.  

Let us know what sort of workshops you would like to see offered in the future! 

 
  

Another Great Reason to Go to Workshop Day

Jan Doyle, who is currently teaching a motley crew how to weave on Tuesday nights at the mill (myself included) will be offering a workshop called Tips for Weavers.  Jan showed us some of the material she will cover, and I can tell you, based on that, and her MacGuyver-esque problem solving in class, you will learn A LOT of useful info in this workshop.  It's like Jan says, she's been weaving for so long, she's made every mistake there is, so now she can tell us how to fix them.  

Remember, even if you're not taking a workshop, feel free to come in and work on your weaving project, your knitting or spinning, your quilting or whatever fiber projects your have going.  I hear there is even a Ravelympics meet-up!  The Jencks Education Center (the big yellow building) will be open from 10-5, and there's plenty of parking available.  Come in for part or all of the day!