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Featured Guild

Blue Ridge Spinners and Weavers Guild

 

Article by Sandra Bennett

 

Beth Wilson officially organized the Blue Ridge Spinners & Weavers Guild in Spring, 2002. Initially, they had about eight members and in May 2006 the BRSWG celebrated their fourth anniversary with fifty members.

 

The guild usually has one or two workshops a year both locally and at the Mannings in Pennsylvania. They have begun participating in local fiber festivals and fairs and were represented at the newly organized Shenandoah Fiber Festival in Berryville, VA in May 2006.

 

Members include those who raise fiber animals and spinners, weavers, felters and knitters. It was decided the guild should be educational, informative and supportive of fiber friends and fiber arts. The Rockin’ Bobbins, the guild's sheep to shawl team, was formed in the third year and they finished in a very respectable third place at the highly esteemed Maryland Sheep & Wool Festival in 2005.

 

The guild has now formed into a cohesive group that promotes fiber education and reaches out to the public by demonstrations and sales. Since they have yet to write formal by-laws and dues, everyone chips in to help defray the cost of a booth at festivals. If a person wants to sell their goods, they help pay the freight. Friends, members and fiber folks are supported by publicity and sales and in May, 2006 officers were officially elected.

 

In order to become a member of The Blue Ridge Spinners and Weavers Guild one has to abide by One Rule Only: “You Have to Be Nice!”  A potential member doesn’t have to know anything about weaving, spinning or, indeed, any of the fiber arts but in order to show up and hang out with a fun group of people…"You Have to Be Nice!”

 

As Beth says, “After all, if it’s not fun, why bother???”

 

She’s right, don’t you agree?

 

Beth adds, “We will become a formal guild this fall.  We have already elected our officers for the coming year so that they can work on bylaws and dues.  I am confident that our bylaws will keep the spirit of "be nice" in their content and scope.  We make no pretense that our little group will have any impact on world peace, therefore we plan to not take ourselves too seriously.

 

“The one thing that we are passionate about is demonstrating and teaching others about fiber arts.  We plan to expand on this public outreach in the coming years. In the meantime, we’re primarily an electronic guild meaning all newsletters, etc. are sent via e-mail as we haven’t any money for postage and printing.”

 

Their spirit of fun and excitement was evident at the Shenandoah Fiber Festival and their laughter could be heard from outside the building. Theirs was a contagious spirit and people were drawn to their group of spinners, weavers and Seriously Fun People.

 

If you’d like more information, visit their website or e-mail info@brswg.org. The Blue Ridge Spinners and Weavers Guild meet the last Wednesday of every month at the Round Hill Center in Round Hill, VA.

 

Do you belong to a fantastic guild?  Or do you know of some wonderful Fiber Femmes that deserve recognition for their guild?  Tell us all about it, who to contact and what makes the guild special!  We're looking for future guilds to feature here!

 

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