Back to Fall

September is the month marked with the return of things we enjoy.  Children return to school.  We return home from summer vacations.  Migrating birds return from the north.  Local apples return to the farm market.  Artisans and crafters return to their studios with renewed inspiration.  The Qualicum Weavers and Spinners guild returns to regular monthly meetings.

Something about September makes you want to buy squash and wool yarns.  It also inspires a change in colour pallet as the leaves turn and fall mums appear in the garden stores.  Jackie's blanket fits with the blue skies and changing colours that we have experienced in the first half of September.  The inspiration for this blanket came from the yarn sale table at the ANWG conference.  We congratulate Jackie on being the first to use the yarn she purchased at ANWG.  Some of us are still admiring our purchases without having any idea as to what they will turn out to be.

Mary's hapi wrap reminds one of the black berries that were so abundant this year.  It is woven using a mix of colours like the mix of ripe and unripe berries on the canes.  You can see how well the fabric drapes from the photo.



David's point twill scarf has a colour mix that resembles the fall colour of the potted mums that are now appearing in all the garden stores.  The yarn is relatively thick and will be warm.  David has opted to "wrap" the fringe rather than twist it.  The contrasting colour makes the fringe stand out. 

For our September show and tell, Linda brought us an example of tubular braiding with a diamond patterning.  This technique can be used to create a decorative edge on a piece of fabric as well as making beautiful cords.  This is another idea arising out of the ANWG conference and workshops.

  Cooler weather was definitely on the minds of some folks as we had an abundance of scarves to choose from.  Myrtle's scarf is a mixed warp that she worked on as a demonstration at our summer displays.  You can see her working on it in the previous posting.
  Jude also produced a scarf from lovely dyed alpaca.  It was made on a small frame loom.  Jude made the small squares over the summer as part of our demonstrations.  These 2 pieces demonstrate just how useful small looms can be.

The spinners and knitters in the group were also busy over the summer months.  The photo above is a close up of Anita's knitted vest showing the lovely mix of colours in the yarn.  While the photo below is Marie's handspun yarn.


The final piece in this show and tell episode is a table runner done in a tied weave structure named Bergman after the woman who first published it.  The colours are meant to represent the early fall season with dark green of firs and cedars against the changing colours of the under storey shrubs.  It will grace my table for Thanksgiving dinner.

The guild is now in the planning stages for our annual show and sale called Elegant Fibers.  The show will be part of the Qualicum Beach Winter Walk that takes place from November 22nd to 24th.  The "walk" will include a walking tour of the many galleries that dot downtown Qualicum Beach, plus 3 major, once a year, artisan events including the Arrowsmith Quilters annual show and the Village Craft Faire and of course the Qualicum Weavers and Spinners.  For more information check the Parksville Qualicum Beach Tourism site.