Welcome!

WSSA welcomes all fiber enthusiasts, be they weavers, spinners, felters, dyers, or basketmakers.

We meet the first and fourth Thursday each month at 7 PM.

The first Thursday is our Program meeting and takes place at the Northwest Recreation Center 2913 Northland Drive in Austin.  This is meeting usually has a speaker, but sometimes it is a hands-on program. We also have a short business meeting, and show and tell.

The fourth Thursday is a Project meeting and takes place at the Austin Recreation Center 1301 Shoal Creek Blvd.  Members gather to weave, spin, knit, or work on other fiber-related projects. It is a perfect venue for beginners to gather tips and techniques

There are no meetings in August, and no Project Nights in November and December.

WSSA

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May 16, Austin Fiber Artists Meeting

AFA invites all WSSA members to discuss our Fall Runway

The May program of Austin Fiber Artists will be all about the WSSA and AFA style show and sale! Members of  Weavers and Spinners Society of Austin will be coming to speak as part of the committee with AFA to share their thoughts and ideas on the show that will be taking place on September 29th at the Balcones Country Club in Austin.

The specifications and inspirations for the entries will be discussed and explored thoroughly during this program. We are thoroughly encouraging all of our members and potential members to accurately represent our group by entering a piece. During this time we will be seeing clips of a video from AFA’s  sister organization, the Fiber Artists of San Antonio, chronicling their experience over the years with their highly successful style show. Afterwards, there will be a conversation about the direction envisioned for our show, including potential collaborations and design/media categories.

The sale is not exclusively limited to garments and will include accessories such as hats, bags, purses, scarves etc., so invite anyone that might be interested in being involved in this opportunity. The meeting will be significant for everyone interested in participating, and ought to be engaging evening to confer on the potential of our 1st annual style show and sale.

AFA meets the third Wednesday of each month at Holy Cross Lutheran Church, 4622 South Lamar. Show & Tell begins at 6:45 pm, followed by the business meeting at 7:00 pm with a program following.  Visitors are welcome.

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Austin Mini-Maker Faire, May 12, 2012

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Come participate in our giant collaborative tapestry

We will be bringing a giant upright loom, and everyone at the Faire can drop by and try their hand at weaving. The communal tapestry that is created will be auctioned off by WSSA to help support our community scholarship fund!

Check out the story about our loom on the Austin Mini-Maker Faire website

WSSA was an Editor’s Choice Blue Ribbon
winner in both the 2007 and 2008 Austin Maker Faires.
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May 3, 2012 Program Night

Weaving and Spinning with Beads

Evening bag by Eileen Thompson

Mickey Stam

This Thursday, May 3, 7:00 pm, at Northwest Rec Center, we will be talking about Spinning and Weaving with Beads. We will also have a small project, probably a technique for creating a beaded fringe.

Please bring any of your beaded knitted or weaving projects or beaded yarns you have spun (or bought) to share!  And of course bring any other recently completed projects for show and tell.

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Backstrap Weaving with Laverne Waddington, April 26, 28-29, 2012

April 26 Project Night
Backstrap Weaving Overview

April  28-29 Workshop
Backstrap Basics Workshop

 

 

 

Backstrap Basics Workshop

 Laverne Waddington is coming to Austin to teach us some of the  backstrap techniques used by indigenous weavers in South America.  Backstrap looms depend upon the weight of the body to provide tension and despite their relative simplicity have produced works of great complexity and detail.  Laverne will explain the loom and how to manage it, as well as show us some of the patterning techniques.  We will be warping the loom for different kinds of weaving widths and styles and producing very short and narrow sample bands.

Learn more about Laverne at her website.

Dates:  Saturday and Sunday, April 28 – 29
Time:  9 am- 4:30 pm both days
Place:  Eileen Thompson’s home in West Lake Hills, Austin
Tuition: $133 for members, $142 for nonmemberss
This Workshop is now full!
Material Fee:  $10 payable in class
Skill Level:  Beginning weaving to advanced

Laverne’s book Andean Pebble Weave will be available.

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