MEXT MEETING: APRIL 26, 2017, 7 PM

PROGRAM
The Nomads of Northern India: At the Foot of the Himalayas

Photo from Wild Fibers Magazine website

Our very own, Will and Kate Taylor, took a trip of a lifetime with editor of Wild Fibers, Linda Cortright. While there, they met and stayed with a nomad family that raises goats for cashmere fiber,  and were able to explore areas of India that are truly off the grid.

Will will talk about their adventures on driving over the highest navigable road as well as Linda's current drive to sustain and encourage viable cashmere production in the area. If you are not familiar with the magazine:  wildfibersmagazine.com
Within the pages of the website, is also Linda's blog, which is always interesting.

MINUTES: Treadles to Threads Guild Meeting

submitted by Linda B.

Wednesday, March 22, 2017     7:00 p.m.

Thurman Casey Library, Walnut Creek, CA

President Reba began the meeting at 7:00 p.m. with 25 attending. She called on Joan who is arranging the work assignment paperwork for Spinning at the Winery Day on June 3, 2017, from 10 to 4. Sign ups are arranged by duties with multiple slots under each heading to fill in. There are multiple opportunities from set up to clean up and all things in between for members to help make this our 20^th Anniversary year memorable and pleasant for all. This sign up sheet will be passed at several Monday spinning days and again next Guild meeting, April 26. Will had bookmark sized advertisements for us to take and share. We only advertise by word of mouth now for this event. Laura H. asked Will and Kate to consider a massage therapy vendor who would do a chair massage and charge by the minute. Members were reminded that the raffle at the winery is our major money maker for the guild. Please consider bringing multiple items as donations. They can be brought directly to the winery.

CNCH liaison, Joan, also asked for donations to raffle at the silent auction in Asilomar. This is the way monies are raised for the scholarships for an individual member to attend the annual meeting. Our member, Doris, won this year, making three years we have benefitted from the scholarship recently. CNCH asks that pictures of donation items be submitted by April 15, whether completely finished or not. Joan has volunteered to take items to Asilomar, for those not attending.

Vilija gave an update on T2T’s annual dye day. Negotiations with Linda Hartshorn have ceased and the plans for a two day Organic Indigo dye class will be scrapped. We will still have our dye day on the Saturday of the Memorial Day holiday weekend, May 27, at Carol Causey’s home. There will be a pre-reduced indigo dye pot available as well as other dyes, provided by the guild. There is no charge as each person attending will be providing their own fiber/fabric prepared to dye. Vilija asked Reba for a leader for this program. Carol’s son will be preparing a pork lunch for purchase.

Vilija displayed the T-shirts ordered for the winery sales. They are available at the back of the room for members. The price is $8 for members and $10 at the winery. There is a special T-shirt based contest being considered as a 20^th anniversary special event.

Announcements:

Kathy D. passed flyers detailing the April 1 estate sale of the yarns she has been selling for her friend. These luxury fibers are a deal at 50% discount.

Lisa announced “Meet the Sheep Day” at Meridian Jacobs in Vacaville will be April 1. There are lots of lambs to see. All information will be on the website.

Wendy is looking for spinners for the April 22 Forrest Hills Farms day in San Ramon. She will be there doing a children’s game to keep kids out of the spinning wheels.

Doris brought combing waste of Jacob’s fiber for any felter’s to take home for free.

Reba thanked Lisa W. for the great name tags. We have not had tags for a number of years! They need a home as Lisa cannot always make the meetings. We had a new member, Vickie, attending.

Rejune brought her first Show and Tell, and several others shared projects. Our next meeting is at the Library on April 26, our usual Wednesday evening at 7:00 p.m. Will and Kate will share their adventures in Nepal and India with fiber people.

The meeting concluded with a Movie and Popcorn night, provided by the Guild. The DVD was “Spinning Batts”, done by Jillian Moreno.

We were heading home at 8:45 p.m.

DATES FOR YOUR CALENDAR
2017

• April 22, Sheep Shearing Day at Forest Home Farm in San Ramon.  11 am to 3 pm. Celebrate spring and see the sheep get their annual haircuts. Watch demonstrations of blacksmithing, lace making, wood carving and quilting as well as sheep dog demonstrations Children will be entertained by 4-H animals, crafts, games and tractor rides. Enjoy live music and shop for unique items in the Gift Shoppe. Food available for purchase. Visit srhf.org for admission fees and to purchase tickets via PayPal. Tickets also available at the gate. Wendy has asked T2T members to come and demonstrate spinning or weaving. Arrive before 11 am if you plan to do so. 
• April 26, Treadles Meeting, On our usual Wednesday. "The Nomadic People of Northern India" A slide presentation by T2T members Will and Kate Taylor on their very unusual trip to the Himalayas of India.
• May 4 - 7, CNCH Conference at Asilomar (link on the right) Check last month's blog for making an object for the raffle at the Conference.                     Volunteers Needed:
  If you or anyone in your guild would like to be a part of the team making CNCH 2017 a success – please volunteer to help.  Volunteers are needed to help the facilities person get all the equipment to the right rooms, to help with the silent auction and other small tasks.  If you want to sign up to be a class angel, it is not too late!  Contact T2T member Carol Gray to volunteer.             
  Instructor Delivery:
  And if you would like an hour or so alone with one of the instructors – volunteer to pick someone up at the airport and drive them to Asilomar or back to the airport from Asilomar.  Instructors will be flying into and out of Oakland, San Francisco and San Jose.  Contact Penny Peters to volunteer. [contact Vilija for her email]
  Our guild is one of the sponsors of this conference. Please consider some job if you are going to be there.
• May 13, Heritage Day at Borges Ranch in Walnut Creek. 11am - 4pm. Open to the public. We have had nine members interested in demoing spinning and maybe weaving on that day.  Spinners can drive up to the ranch to drop off their supplies on the morning of the event  (hopefully before 10 am).  They can then park their vehicles at the Hanna Grove/Bob Pond Parking lot.  Car-pooling would be greatly appreciate so we can make our limited parking spots go a long way.
• May 28, Treadles' Dye Day  A day to bring your own fiber or yarns for hands on dyeing. There will be a couple indigo pots. Other details still in the planning stages.
• May 28, Hageman Ranch Days in Livermore. Info below
• June 3, Spinning at the Winery. This is our 20th Anniversary! How can we make it even more special? Think of some great suggestions. T-shirts in white with a special 20th anniversary logo, in two colors, have been ordered. The white will allow us to over dye, or shibori, or tie-dye the shirts. It could be part of the fun at Dye Day. More info at the meeting.

OTHER EVENTS AROUND THE AREA

HAGEMAN RANCH EVENT IN LIVERMORE

Down the street from the Retzlaff Winery in Livermore is a Group Organization called Livermore Heritage Guild. They are having a Wool demonstration at the end of May. 

Their demo is called “Sheep to Sweater”. They will have a sheep coming, a lady doing spinning and carding and 2 knitters. It will be a nice presentation of everything associated with wool. Spindles & Flyers members will also be there participating. 

The event will be on Sunday, May 28th from 1-4 in the afternoon. The Location of the Hagemann Ranch is at 455 Olivina Avenue in Livermore (Down the Street From the Retzlaff Winery).  If you are interested in participating by bringing your wheel, please talk to T2T member, Lisa W.

Celebration of the 50th Anniversary 

of the Berkeley- Sakai Sister City Organization

botanical garden.berkeley.edu

Beginning this month, the Berkeley Botanical Garden will have several special events associated with its sister city, and Japan in general. Below are two in July that may be of interest to our guild. Find more info and how to register at the link above. Go to the Seasonal programs and workshops page, then look at the calendar to find the event.

Folk Textiles of Japan: Plant Fibers & Dyes with Yoshiko Wada July 8 | 10 am - 12 pm Join renowned textile scholar Yoshiko Wada for a presentation on folk textiles of Japan looking at the use of plant fibers and dyes. This illustrated talk will discuss history, culture and preparation of textiles throughout Japan. $25, $20 Garden members

Film Screening -  BLUE ALCHEMY: Stories of Indigo July 9 | 6 - 8 pm BLUE ALCHEMY: Stories of Indigo is a feature-length documentary about indigo, a blue dye that has captured the human imagination for millenia.  It is also about people who are reviving indigo in projects that are intended to improve life in their communities, preserve cultural integrity, improve the environment, and bring beauty to the world. BLUE ALCHEMY was filmed in India, Japan, Bangladesh, Mexico, El Salvador, Nigeria, and the USA. We will be joined by the filmmaker Mary Lance who will introduce the film and stay for a Q & A and reception following the film. $25, $20 Garden members END NOTE