Alpaca Time, a fibre mill near Harriston, ON, is hosting a weekend for crafting, quilting, spinning, knitting and weaving guilds to come check out the mill and store. Yarn, roving and raw fibre will be available to purchase at 10% off, and there will be the opportunity to see the machinery that makes the yarn – and their Star Trekker socks – at work on a tour of the mill.
The event is running on Saturday 1st April and Sunday 2nd April – 10am – 3pm each day.
Presented by The Burr House Spinners and Weavers Guild, this free event at Richmond Hill Public Library will explore the history of Canadian weaving in a seminar by Jette Vandermeiden. Jetta is experienced in the theory, practice and history of weaving, teaches extensively, and in the past has served as Weaving Education Chair for the Ontario Handweavers and Spinners and as a columnist for Fibre Focus.
Canada, such a unique country, has weaving traditions dating back hundreds of years. Influenced by First Nations, immigrants from all over and traditional Canadian skills, the mosaic of Canadian Weaving is rich and varied. Searching from coast to coast, styles such as Salish, Acadian and French-Canadian emerge. Names like Mary Black and Dorothy Burnham, and techniques of Chilkat blankets, catalognes, Jacquard coverlets and 21st century “smart fabrics” are now part of the multi-faceted Canadian textile tradition. Let’s explore the Canadian textile world!
The Gathering is an annual fibre festival in Port Hope, Ontario, where many farmers and fibre vendors come to sell their wares, and fibre enthusiasts gather to knit and spin together in a communal space.
A small entry fee is required (includes complimentary refreshments)
This month we welcome Thea Haines, a textile designer, artist and educator living in Hamilton, Ontario. Thea’s research and practice is focussed on the use of natural colourants in surface design, printing and small-scale production, including the cultivation and harvest of colour producing plants. Current projects include a study of colours produced from food waste, and a regional survey of dye plants in Hamilton.
For more information, do take a look at her website.
Organised annually by the Toronto Knitters Guild, the Toronto Knitters Frolic is a chance to gather and enjoy workshops, a fibre marketplace, and social time with fellow fibre fans.
MONTHLY GUILD MEETINGS
If you are interested in spinning or weaving, you are welcome to join us at one of our monthly meetings! We do a variety of things together When: 2nd Wednesday of the month, 7.30pm – 9.30pm Where: The Meeting House at Riverdale Farm (201 Winchester Street, Toronto, M4X 1B8)
SPINNING AND KNITTING DROP IN
An open session for spinners and knitters to socialise and work on their own projects. Feel free to join us anytime – it’s totally free to come along! When: Thursdays, 1pm – 3pm (please check the calendar for current dates) Where: The Meeting House at Riverdale Farm
IN THE COMMUNITY
The Guild generally participates in the following events each year where we demonstrate fibre processing, spinning and weaving to the public. These are subject to confirmation.
FALL FESTIVALS See the Guild in action on the second weekend in September at the Riverdale Farm Fall Festival, and at the Cabbagetown Festival too!
FAMILY DAY
Riverdale Farm is a great place to spend Family Day, with lots of fun activities taking place, including weaving and spinning that the whole family can enjoy.
SHEEP CELEBRATION
Riverdale Farm opens its doors with the farm’s popular spring festival where Guild members use the fleece shorn from the farm sheep to demonstrate the old skills needed to make yarn, dye it and weave it into cloth. Come and see sheep shearing, basic wool preparation, spinning and weaving in action!
