February 15, 2018: Dancing Threads: Indonesian Textiles with Margaret & Curtis Clarkson

While schoolteachers in Indonesia, Margaret and Curtis Clemson fell in love with Indonesian textiles.  They began learning about, and collecting, the textiles, traveling to different islands to acquire pieces employing specific textile techniques. Now they are prominent collectors and vendors of Indonesian textiles, with their own company called, “Dancing Threads.“ Each year, they travel from their New Mexico home to San Francisco for the Tribal and Textile Arts Show, where they exhibit and sell pieces from their collection.  The Clemsons have agreed to stay on for a few days after the show to bring a part of their collection to Black Sheep and to tell us about it. You will be amazed!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y4Ge5V3JP90

January 18, 2018: Stephenie Gaustad: Sett


Please join us in welcoming spinner and author, Stephenie Gaustad of Dragonfly Farms for a talk on sett – a much overlooked but critical part of weaving.

For more than 40 years Stephenie  has taught classes in textile arts: spinning, weaving, dyeing. Her articles have appeared in the pages of Handwoven, Shuttle, Spindle and Dyepot, Spin.Off, Jane Austen Knits, Knitwear and Ply magazines. Her replicate textiles hang in Pueblo Grande Museum, in Phoenix, Arizona. She illustrated “The Alden Amos Big Book of Hand Spinning”. Her most recent book, ”The Practical Spinners Guide to Cotton, Flax and Hemp” was released in the spring of 2014.

Rep Weave with Rosalie Nielson May 18 – 19, 2018

 

 

This is your chance to explore block weaving through rep weaving, a warp-faced technique also known as ripsmatta, which is characterized by an alternation of a thick and thin weft.  Join renowned craftsperson Rosalie Nielson to make a 4 or 8 harness rep weave runner.  Class is limited to 15, and will be held at Mercy Center in Burlingame.

https://www.rosalieneilson.com/

December 21, 2017: Winter Solstice Holiday Party

Christmas Presents Stock PhotoCome one, Come ALL! to our annual potluck Holiday Dinner on December 21st. Please bring a favorite potluck dish (with an ingredients label for those with food allergies) and/or beverage to share, and join us early as we will begin setting up our potluck dinner at 6:00 p.m.

We’ll dig into the bounty beginning about 6:30 p.m. Plates, eating utensils, napkins, and glasses will be provided, but members are encouraged to provide their own mugs.

Expect a charming evening filled with joyous fun, delicious food and delightful entertainment – the suspenseful and hilarious gift exchange during which we’ve gotten many giggles and squeals! Please bring a wrapped, untagged gift (fiber-related gifts are always nice) with a suggested value in the $15 – $20 range.

If you have any holiday tablecloths or table-top decorations you might be able to loan for this even please contact Melanie.

Nov 16, 2017 – “Sustainability in Textiles: The Case of San Francisco”

As Bay Area residents, we are all aware of the environment, and we work hard as individuals to do our part to walk gently on the earth. But we are all textile creators and users. What do we do with textile waste?

Dr. Connie Ulasewicz, the Chair of the Department of Family Interiors Nutrition and Appparel at San Francisco State University, pursued that question in a uniquely San Francisco way. She sought to find out what happens to the many textiles – sheets, towels, tablecloths and other items – used by the tourist and conference industry in the Bay Area, when they have worn out and must be discarded.

She and her colleague, Dr. Hamid Khani, Professor in the Broadcast & Electronic Communication Arts Department, produced a video that explores this issue.

At our November 16th meeting, Dr. Ulasewicz will be with us for the screening of the video and to discuss with us the issue of sustainability in textiles.