Midwest Weavers Conference:
In the HEARTland

June 25-27, 2009
Grinnell, Iowa

This conference is a gathering of weavers and spinners from the midwest region that takes place every other year. Dozens of workshops, seminars, and lectures are offered. Conference participants belong to local weaving and spinning Guilds throughout the Midwest and other parts of the country.

Heart to Heart Challenge

WGM has accepted Midwest’s challenge “to interpret the guild exhibit theme—Heart to Heart: Fiber Arts We Share with Others—in terms of a community outreach or service project.” Since “Home Is Where the Heart Is,” we will be creating textiles for the home that will be exhibited at Midwest, and then donated to the non-profit organization Bridging, Inc that helps families in transition.

Our goals for this project are not modest. We would like to donate 500 items made by Guild members, and we would like to win the HEARTland Award. This goal is a few more than one item per member, but since we know that not everyone on the rolls of the WGM is currently weaving, we ask that everyone plan to contribute two items.

Suggested items include:

You can weave, knit, quilt, sew, crochet, felt, or use any other textile craft to make these items.

Click Care Labels and Donation Labels (you need both) to download printable labels, or pick them up in the Guild office.

The deadline for items is June 10. To support this effort, we are offering free rental of available Guild looms to those weaving items for this project. Check with the Guild office for availability.

See the Heart to Heart Challenge progress charted on the WGM Weekly Email.

Weave a Towel for Heart to Heart

A loom at the Guild is warped for dish towels so that you can weave your donations without warping. Lou French, our Terrific Towels instructor, designed the warp and will provide weaving suggestions.

If you are interested in weaving for the Towel Project on the pre-warped loom, please sign up at the Guild. A supply of weft yarns are available to use. Cash donation of $5 for materials can be accepted. Towels can be made in one sitting, 2-3 hours of weaving.

Vendor Booth Volunteers Needed

WGM will be the only guild to have a booth in the vendors section, which is the perfect opportunity to show off our facilities and offerings. Volunteers are already working on designing an eye-catching booth, but keeping the booth open during the conference will require the help of our members. If you are interested in helping with the booth or have a crew that wants to work together in the booth, please contact the WGM.