The Last Blog of 2011

Hello again. Great news! Our new schedule is out for the New Year. We have added a few classes that have not previously been taught here. One of those classes is Needle Felting. Along with this we have a few new products and new books. Books are one of my favorite things to buy.
The Holiday Store in our Gallery seems to be a success with many of you coming and finding unique gifts to give to friends, family or yourself. We plan on hosting this again next year, so mark it on your calendars.
Most of all we want to thank you for your continued support of the business. We are here for you and want to make Eugene Textile Center the place for all of your creative fiber needs. Have a very happy holiday season, along with a peaceful and healthy New Year.
Susie, Janis, Vicki & Leslie

Give a Mouse a Cookie

I bet you have been wondering where I have been and why there have been no new postings. Well I have no good excuse. I went to post photographs from a rug weaving workshop and the spinners guild and became overly frustrated. But that is no excuse. It seems I start writing the blog and then I have to help a customer, or do some other job. I am sort of like the mouse in the childrens book, If You Give a Mouse a Cookie.
So to fill you in on what has happened here lately. Susie taught an introduction to Rug Weaving which has led to a request for a full rug weaving course. We will have Jason Collingwood come teach in March on rug weaving and shaft switching method. This is a popular class since he comes here from the United Kingdom. Besides the fact that Jason is so handsome and charming and a mighty good teacher to boot.
Our spinning circle continues on each Thursday from 2-4pm. Sometimes we are a large group and other days, (most recently because of the holidays) we are small. But whatever our size we always seem to have a nice time.
This is the first year we have our gallery changed into a Holiday Store. It is packed full of handmade items from various artists in out Eugene area. If you haven't been by yet and still need a gift for someone this is a wonderful opportunity.
I also want to encourage you to read the Jan/Feb issue of Handwoven. Susie has another wonderful project in there. Maggie, Susie's granddaughter is also featured in the magazine.
I want to wish everyone Happy Holiday and a Healthy New Year full of love and peace.

Spinner's Spooktacular Tea Fotos

Our second Spinner's Tea was a nice success. We had a room full of wonderful spinners and lots of good food. We had deviled eggs and mud pie, pumpkin cheesecase, chocoale mice and cheese fingers to name only a few of the delicious items. The gallery show added a lot of color, but the Halloween theme came through with the tablecloths and decorations all around the room. A few people wore costumes, but most wore a mask. The masks came off as the spinning began as it hampered the spinners vision. Our next tea will be in the spring. I am planning some new events and bigger and better raffle prizes.

Janice chose to bring her beautiful Navaho Spindle.

Rachael came all the way from Grants Pass to participate in this fun event. Her spindle of myrtlewood was hand made by her grandfather.

Guests lining up to get some of the

tasty treats.

Maggie in her beautiful costume. She found her dress at a thrift store and made the mask herself. We thought she was a flapper girl, but she said she was a black cat. She did purr all day.

Someone looks happy with her plate of goodies.

Moving Along

There is a lot of moving going on here at ETC. After over three and a half years we have moved ours shelves around and made the store more user friendly. When you walk in the door you will notice the nice open space and a plethera of color that will stimulate your senses. We have expanded the spinning corner and put down a nice carpet. All of our books are once again in one area so you don't need to go from one area to the next to pick up books on different subjects. Our wonderful resource library has been moved back to a quieter area so you can read undisturbed. Alas the resource library is near the sale corner so there is that distraction of low prices on needed or wanted tools and yarn. BEST of all we are now carrying all of DYELOTS products here.
To add to all of this excitement, we also have the most wonderful felt show by Tylar Merrill. I personally have never seen any felt so artistically done. She has wall hangings as well as clothing on display. Above is a tiny portion from a larger piece. I hope you come and see it.
Our Spinning Spectacular Tea is this Saturday. I have planned some great food and fun surprises for the attendees. It should be another fun affair.
Hopefully one of these three changes will bring you in to see us soon.

Weaver's Spirit Power

Last night I had the wonderful opportunity to attend the Opening Reception for a weaving exhibit at the Museum of Natural and Cultural History here in Eugene. The weaver Susan Pavel had an exhibit of woven blankets and clothing that she has done, all of which will be gifted to people in her life next February. Susan learned to weave 15 years ago from "Uncle". She spent three months of her summer preparing the fiber from the sheep to the finishing of a blanket. That first blanket was gifted to"Uncle". The following year she spent the next summer doing the same task and gifting that blanket. The third summer of her apprenticeship she actually finished two blankets. Each piece that Susan works on is inspired by the Spirit talking to her and instructing her in her work.
One thing that is different in her work is that the weaving is either twined of done in twill. The yarn used is quite thick as is traditional in Salish weavings, since they area a tribe that lives in the cooler Pacific Northwest.
One of the fibers that she uses is Mountain Goat Wool. This wool must be collected from bushes that have bits of fiber on them from the wild goats brushing against them. This goat wool is extremely soft, quite like quiviet fiber. There is a part of the exhibit that you can actually touch a sample of this lucious fiber. Along with this you can try your hand at twining and a bit of twill weaving. She also dyes her fibers and uses natural dyes that have been used traditionally by the Salish people.
The exhibit will be on display until January29th 2012. I do encourage you to go see it. If you are able to go on a Monday, at certain times, you can actually weave a bit of fiber into a blanket in the Longhouse on the museum grounds.

Weaving & Spinning Week

Here we are in the middle of Weaving and Spinning Week and I have not had a moment to let you in on all the fun around here. We are rearranging the layout of the store to make it more user friendly. All of our books are arranged in one lilbrary area. The resource library is still separate from the sale books. Our spinning corner is larger, getting cozier with a new rug and is a work in progress. I think you will like the finished look. We have also put out our new schedule of classes. We have printed copies here at the store or you may check them out online.
Meanwhile, Suzie is once again up at Whidbey teaching. She will return on October 17th. Vicki is going up to join her next week, and Marilyn is away in Vancouver B.C, so Leslie will be here minding the store.
In the weaving studio here, Joanne is putting on a warp for a Rep Weave rug. Our friend Tom, who is also in the spinning group here is learning and helping her. Last week Tom fixed our Serger sewing machines for us. He is a "jack of all trades".
Our spinning group is still meeting here from 2-4pm on Thursdays. Please come on by and join us. Last week we were treated to fresh baked zucchinni bread.
Have a wonderful week of weaving and spinning. Let us know how you celebrated this fun time.

We're Back

I am so happy to tell you that OFFF was a great success. I worked with Sara (Suzies daughter) on Saturday, and we were so busy I only got to take a bathroom break. I know, TMI. We have many happy people who bought their first drumcarder or first spinning wheel. One girl who bought a wheel is coming in for her first spinning lesson next month. A great buy went to Suzy from Idaho who purchased a well loved Norwood loom. She just had to have it to go with her other Norwood. I must admit it was the deal of the entire show. We all work hard to make our booth nice for you. We try to think of all the items that you would want and need. This year the only item I am still kicking myself for forgeting is the Yarn Gauges with the Diz. I don't know where my brain was on that one. As exhausting as all the work is, I must say it is so much fun. Put me in a building full of fiber and fiber people and I think I am in heaven.