Our weaving and spinning guild acts as a supportive community for both beginners and those more advanced in the craft. As a group, we can help provide access to equipment, workshops, and educational resources. We share information and learned skills between members and encourage mentorship and socializing with those who share your passion for a particular technique.
Monthly Events
Program Night
Program Night is a monthly invited speaker event. We chat, meet the speaker, listen to a presentation, get a chance to ask questions and interact, and sometimes even have enough time for a little Show-and-Tell at the end.
Held the second Thursday night of every month except August, from 7 p.m. on Zoom, Program Night is currently exclusively online and a benefit of guild membership. The Zoom link is distributed to membership only. For more information on upcoming programs, see our calendar of events.
First Saturday
First Saturday is our monthly in-person meeting. These are sometimes themed and often include hands-on things to learn and do. Themes are announced to the membership via email. Non-members are welcome to come by and get to know us.
Held on the first Saturday of each month at noon at the Northwest Recreation Center (NWRC) at 2913 Northland Dr, Austin, TX 78731.
Meet-Up Night
Meet-up night is a casual gathering to weave, spin, knit or crochet together. Sometimes referred to as “hands-on night”, it’s also a time to meet with the guild Librarian to check out books. Our Equipment manager also often attends.
It is held on the fourth Thursday of every month, at 7 p.m., at the Austin Recreation Center (ARC) at 1301 Shoal Creek Blvd, Austin, TX 78701. These gatherings are in-person only with no virtual component. Non-members are welcome to drop in and get crafty with us.
Groups and Other Gatherings
Field Trips
Occasionally the guild arranges a field trip. These range from visits to a sheep or alpaca farm, a gallery exhibit, a museum, or an artist’s show. Typically, these are free and family members or guests of guild members are welcome to join in.
Study Groups
Study groups are member-led interest groups rather than guild-led and thus come and go as interest rises and wanes – and especially as there are volunteers who step forward to lead a group. Study groups promote community, encourage members to stretch themselves, support the exchange of knowledge, and provide a space to explore details with others who are equally as curious.
Locations vary widely. Some are hybrid (in-person and online), some are online only. Some have monthly programs and presentations; others may be more project-based.
Getting involved in a study group is one of the best ways for new members to get to know other guild members, and to learn new techniques, or just get a better understanding of the topic in general. Study groups have been organized around such topics as, tapestry weaving, complex weaving, swatch studies, the Jane Stafford online weaving school, general weaving mentorship, natural dyes, color in general, and foundational topics in spinning fiber, such as fiber types, blending and spinning for projects.
Members may join any currently running study group or consider leading a study group themselves.
Discussion Groups and Community Spaces
Everyone who joins WSSA is automatically subscribed to our Googlegroup email discussion group. We also have a Discord server as a benefit of membership and new members may request an invite. We also have two membership Facebook groups, though neither is very active.
Annual Events
Potluck and Business Meeting
In lieu of our June Program Night, this meeting occurs on the second Thursday of June and is both an in-person social gathering and when Membership elects Board members. It is required by our Bylaws and if it cannot be held in person, it is held virtually. This is an important way to be involved in the direction of the guild.
Holiday Party
In lieu of our December Program Night, this meeting occurs on the second Thursday of December and is purely a celebration and gathering. This is a welcoming and fun event and a great way to meet many members.
Studio Tour and Garage Sale
Every year, WSSA participates in the Austin Studio Tour. Not officially part of our guild’s Bylaws-driven meeting schedule, this is none-the-less an important annual event for the guild. The city-wide celebration of art is Texas’s largest art event and involves venues, galleries, and studios all over the city – with a guidebook to help you find them all. It’s a way for us to show off what we do, and two weekends of member gathering, fun, competitions, and shopping. For more information, and this year’s event dates, see our Annual Studio Tour page.
