Crafting Interest
The Butler Spinners and Weavers Guild is well into its third decade, but membership has remained steady.
The sustained interest may stem from community involvement and outreach, which most recently includes an added monthly meeting. As well as its regular membership meeting, the guild has added a second gathering where members will act as advisers and tutors to those interested in learning.
"I love the people here. I feel in awe of the group," said guild member Dawson Dibbern of Clay Township. "It seems like any of the fiber arts you want to talk about, somebody knows something about it."
Although spinning and weaving are among the most common, specialties can vary.
Weavers, for instance, can specialize in a specific type of basket or loomed item. Of those, the spectrum can range from bulky rag rugs to more delicate items made on a tabletop loom.
The guild of more than 50 also includes artisans who might do knitting, crocheting, felt making or dying wool using items found in nature.
"We embrace other fiber arts," said Wini Labrecque of Jefferson Township.
During the Wednesday meeting in the Sunnyview Complex, Labrecque welcomed newcomer Dixie Reimold of Summit Township.
With a longtime desire to learn how to spin, Reimold said she was happy the guild has launched the new meetings.
As an introduction, Reimold and her daughter Suzi Freeze of Boston chatted casually with the six guild members present, who worked on projects while they talked.
During conversation, Labrecque showed Reimold the types of equipment that can be used to spin wool and other fibers. Those included Labrecque's portable spinning wheel as well as a hand-held drop spindle, which can be purchased for a small price or made at home — as Labrecque's had been — from a dowel rod, miniature CD, rubber gasket and cup hook.
Labrecque also showed how an ordinary pen can be used to learn spinning. As part of the process, Labrecque demonstrated "drafting" the wool, or pulling it out to a desired thickness for spinning.
"The trick is to draft enough, but not too much," advised Marilyn Merbach of Clinton Township, whose outreach also includes hosting a booth at Penn's Colony each year with two other guild members.
As part of her introduction, Labrecque showed Reimold how to control the amount of twist to produce a desirable multi- or single-ply yarn.
"The twist can control the hardness or softness of the end result," Dibbern advised, explaining that twist and wool type are both considerations when planning projects like baby blankets versus hunting sweaters.
Although Dibbern, who raises sheep, taught himself to spin, like many guild members he learned other fiber arts, including weaving, through peers.
Sometimes the pastimes are learned one-on-one, but crafts also are introduced during programming at the membership meetings.
Labrecque said the 12 monthly presentations include four related to spinning, four related to weaving and four left open for other topics.
Labrecque said the public also is welcome at those meetings, held from 10 a.m. to noon the first Wednesday of each month. The informal work and instructional sessions are set for 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. the second Wednesday of each month.
Both are held at the Penn State Cooperative Extension building, 101 Motor Pool Way, in the Sunnyview Complex off Morton Avenue.
For more information, go to www.butlerguild.org.
<B>WHAT: </B>Butler Spinners and Weavers Guild informal instructional meetings<B>WHEN: </B>10 a.m. to 2 p.m. the second Wednesday of each month<B>WHERE:</B> Penn State Cooperative Extension, 101 Motor Pool Way<B>INFO: </B>www.butlerguild.org
