Study & Interest Groups
Most study groups are also open to non-Guild members. Please send inquires through our on-line form on the Home page and it will be directed to the appropriate person.
Bands, Braids, Beads & Beyond (BBBB)
Meets: 1:00 pm; usually on the second Wednesday of the month in Anacortes
Contact: Sally Starnes for more information.
Dye Study
Explores dye classifications and techniques. Generally, participants bring fiber and dyes, or use communal dye pots for sharing. It is a wonderful and fun time where folks share information on dye recipes and techniques.
Meets: Two informal dye days during the year: winter & summer. This group is currently 'resting'
Contact: Nancy Baggott
Firehouse Spinners welcomes new and experienced spinners.
Meets: 2nd, 3rd, 4th. 5th Thursdays – 10 am - 2 pm
NOTE: The location for the Firehouse Spinners study group has changed to the Day Road Firehouse in Greenbank.
Here are the directions:
Coming from the north, just after the Greenbank Store, turn right on Bakken Road, left on Day Road and the firehouse will be on your left about 1/2 mile down the road.
From the south, a bit south of Greenbank, turn left on Christenson Road, right on Day Road and the firehouse will be on your right about 1/2 a mile up the road.
Contact Ann Smith for information
Foursomes welcomes new weavers, those wishing to review basics, enhance technique and study weaving. Foursomes is using Pattie Graver's book 'Next Steps in Weaving' as a reference text to direct the study of structures and inspire projects.
Meets: 2 -4 pm Third Thursdays every other month from Sept.
Contact: Dianne Bolton, Kathy Stetz for meeting location
Muslin Monday
Muslin Monday—A chance for folks sewing with handwoven fabric to gather and help each other with pattern fitting, layout, sewing, companionship, or whatever help we need to cut into our fabric, sew it, and wear the finished garment with pride. Meeting at the Burlington Library, third Monday of every month, unless it is a National holiday, then held on Tuesday from 10 a.m. to noon. Contact Molly Gerhard for information.
Rep Weave welcomes those interested in the rep weave structure. The group primarily uses Kelly Marshall’s book as a focus for discussions and study.
Meets: Second Fridays following Samplers ~ 1:30 pm every other month September - June, Dewey Beach School
Contact: Kathy Stetz
Samplers This year members will work in subgroups on up to 4 areas of interest.
Meets: 10 am ~ 1:30 pm Second Fridays, September - June, Dewey Beach School
Contact: Paula Willstatter
Sarasponda West Spinners welcomes all spinners, new and experienced. We are involved in all forms of fiber arts: Spinning, Knitting, Crochet, needle felting and fiber dyeing. Everyone is welcome.
Meets: Wednesday knitting in Oak Harbor; call Bettie Glassey for time
Also once a month usually on a Sunday from 10 am - 4 pm we meet at a members home on a date as determined by the Hostess or for a planned field trip.
Contact: Bettie Glassey to be added to the email list
South Whidbey Spinners welcomes spinners and drop-spindlers of all levels, as well as knitters, crocheters, and any portable fiber art.
Meets: 11 am ~ 1 pm every Friday
Maple Ridge Assisted Living, Freeland, main floor in the "bingo parlor"
Contact Emily Shin to be added to the email list for notifications
Style Fusion is a study group within the Whidbey Weavers Guild. We are united by a passion for beautiful textiles combined with a commitment to reducing waste. Our focus is on transforming and up-cycling old hand woven and commercial garments into something new and exciting. We are motivated by a desire for creative repurposing and building new skills while enjoying the company of kindred spirits.
Six of us spent the last year creating new garments from leftover scraps and old garments we took apart. We overdyed portions of the pieces of fabric in three different colors. Each participant used the dyed materials to assemble the required yardage for her own new garment using an unconventional patchwork technique.
The technique consists of joining patches without conventional seams by fusing them onto strips of fusible interfacing (on the wrong side). Finally, to finish the new fabric, the patchwork joins are covered and permanently secured to the fusible interfacing strips by sewing grosgrain ribbon or bias fabric strips over the butted edges on the right side of the patchwork creating a grid work.
The stipulated common size of the patches facilitated sharing the task of cutting all the overdyed, recycled fabrics to size, making piles of squares from which all participants could choose for their individual needs. The joining technique we employed demands a challenging degree of sewing skills and craftsmanship which led to camaraderie and appreciation of the variety of talents within the group.
We left the design of the garment to each individual but pushed each other beyond our comfort zone with suggestions and advice. The collaboration continued as we helped each other with technical input and design ideas along the way. In fact, our evaluation at the completion of the project found that the support and learning we experienced during the project was at least as important as our pleasure with our finished garments.
It turned out that to be safe we had ripped apart and overdyed much more material than we actually needed for our projects. To gild the lily, we turned the leftovers of the leftovers into a patchwork afghan. For half of the squares we used a method we named “Modern Magic” which involves soluble stabilizer to make new fabric from tiny scraps. This afghan will be donated to the Whidbey Weavers Guild to benefit the group’s outreach program.
Meets: 9:30 am ~ noon Third Thursdays of each month at a member’s home
Contact: Fine Gelfand
Ebey's Tapestry is a group whose members are committed to helping each other learn and weave tapestry.
Meets: 10 am - 1 pm Third Tuesday each month except July & August at the Coupeville Library.
Contact: Emily Shinn, Candy Hagen or Cheryl Silverblatt
Bands, Braids, Beads & Beyond (BBBB)
Meets: 1:00 pm; usually on the second Wednesday of the month in Anacortes
Contact: Sally Starnes for more information.
Dye Study
Explores dye classifications and techniques. Generally, participants bring fiber and dyes, or use communal dye pots for sharing. It is a wonderful and fun time where folks share information on dye recipes and techniques.
Meets: Two informal dye days during the year: winter & summer. This group is currently 'resting'
Contact: Nancy Baggott
Firehouse Spinners welcomes new and experienced spinners.
Meets: 2nd, 3rd, 4th. 5th Thursdays – 10 am - 2 pm
NOTE: The location for the Firehouse Spinners study group has changed to the Day Road Firehouse in Greenbank.
Here are the directions:
Coming from the north, just after the Greenbank Store, turn right on Bakken Road, left on Day Road and the firehouse will be on your left about 1/2 mile down the road.
From the south, a bit south of Greenbank, turn left on Christenson Road, right on Day Road and the firehouse will be on your right about 1/2 a mile up the road.
Contact Ann Smith for information
Foursomes welcomes new weavers, those wishing to review basics, enhance technique and study weaving. Foursomes is using Pattie Graver's book 'Next Steps in Weaving' as a reference text to direct the study of structures and inspire projects.
Meets: 2 -4 pm Third Thursdays every other month from Sept.
Contact: Dianne Bolton, Kathy Stetz for meeting location
Muslin Monday
Muslin Monday—A chance for folks sewing with handwoven fabric to gather and help each other with pattern fitting, layout, sewing, companionship, or whatever help we need to cut into our fabric, sew it, and wear the finished garment with pride. Meeting at the Burlington Library, third Monday of every month, unless it is a National holiday, then held on Tuesday from 10 a.m. to noon. Contact Molly Gerhard for information.
Rep Weave welcomes those interested in the rep weave structure. The group primarily uses Kelly Marshall’s book as a focus for discussions and study.
Meets: Second Fridays following Samplers ~ 1:30 pm every other month September - June, Dewey Beach School
Contact: Kathy Stetz
Samplers This year members will work in subgroups on up to 4 areas of interest.
Meets: 10 am ~ 1:30 pm Second Fridays, September - June, Dewey Beach School
Contact: Paula Willstatter
Sarasponda West Spinners welcomes all spinners, new and experienced. We are involved in all forms of fiber arts: Spinning, Knitting, Crochet, needle felting and fiber dyeing. Everyone is welcome.
Meets: Wednesday knitting in Oak Harbor; call Bettie Glassey for time
Also once a month usually on a Sunday from 10 am - 4 pm we meet at a members home on a date as determined by the Hostess or for a planned field trip.
Contact: Bettie Glassey to be added to the email list
South Whidbey Spinners welcomes spinners and drop-spindlers of all levels, as well as knitters, crocheters, and any portable fiber art.
Meets: 11 am ~ 1 pm every Friday
Maple Ridge Assisted Living, Freeland, main floor in the "bingo parlor"
Contact Emily Shin to be added to the email list for notifications
Style Fusion is a study group within the Whidbey Weavers Guild. We are united by a passion for beautiful textiles combined with a commitment to reducing waste. Our focus is on transforming and up-cycling old hand woven and commercial garments into something new and exciting. We are motivated by a desire for creative repurposing and building new skills while enjoying the company of kindred spirits.
Six of us spent the last year creating new garments from leftover scraps and old garments we took apart. We overdyed portions of the pieces of fabric in three different colors. Each participant used the dyed materials to assemble the required yardage for her own new garment using an unconventional patchwork technique.
The technique consists of joining patches without conventional seams by fusing them onto strips of fusible interfacing (on the wrong side). Finally, to finish the new fabric, the patchwork joins are covered and permanently secured to the fusible interfacing strips by sewing grosgrain ribbon or bias fabric strips over the butted edges on the right side of the patchwork creating a grid work.
The stipulated common size of the patches facilitated sharing the task of cutting all the overdyed, recycled fabrics to size, making piles of squares from which all participants could choose for their individual needs. The joining technique we employed demands a challenging degree of sewing skills and craftsmanship which led to camaraderie and appreciation of the variety of talents within the group.
We left the design of the garment to each individual but pushed each other beyond our comfort zone with suggestions and advice. The collaboration continued as we helped each other with technical input and design ideas along the way. In fact, our evaluation at the completion of the project found that the support and learning we experienced during the project was at least as important as our pleasure with our finished garments.
It turned out that to be safe we had ripped apart and overdyed much more material than we actually needed for our projects. To gild the lily, we turned the leftovers of the leftovers into a patchwork afghan. For half of the squares we used a method we named “Modern Magic” which involves soluble stabilizer to make new fabric from tiny scraps. This afghan will be donated to the Whidbey Weavers Guild to benefit the group’s outreach program.
Meets: 9:30 am ~ noon Third Thursdays of each month at a member’s home
Contact: Fine Gelfand
Ebey's Tapestry is a group whose members are committed to helping each other learn and weave tapestry.
Meets: 10 am - 1 pm Third Tuesday each month except July & August at the Coupeville Library.
Contact: Emily Shinn, Candy Hagen or Cheryl Silverblatt