NPSWG: The Hub

June Meeting

This will be a dual event. Those wishing to participate in demonstrations at Duran’s Down Home Days can go to Waterford (Event will take place
on the ball field side of the park in Waterford). For those who prefer not to go to Waterford there will be a meeting at our usual time and location the Christ Episcopal Church, 870 Diamond Park Square, Meadville PA 16335. Phyllis Lord will lead a macrame project at the church meeting. Otherwise, bring a project of your chose to either location.

We will be forming a nominating committee to develop a ballot for the election of officers upcoming in June 2026.

Future programs:
June 27-28 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM Demonstration at Pymatuning Pioneer Arts Festival.

August 1, 2026 – Guild Meeting. 10:00 AM until 2:00 PM. DYE DAY and summer picnic!

August 22 – 29, 2026 – Crawford County Fair Week, Meadville, Pa – We have been asked to do
demonstrations in the home show building as we have done in the past. This usually is done Tuesday
of Fair Week. This year that date is August 25.

Minutes of the May 2026 Meeting

Ann Growley called the meeting to order and Chris Cornell gave the treasurer’s report The minutes from April were approved.

Old Business: Ann Growley was unable to make contact with the Waterford Heritage Days organizers after two attempts. Our current demonstration plans for the summer include Duran’s Down Home Days in June, the Crawford County Fair in August, and Highland Games in September. It was noted that Highland Games is on the second weekend of September and it was generally agreed that we will still have our regular meeting on the first weekend.

New Business: It was suggested and generally agreed that those signed up to bring refreshments to a given meeting should also set up coffee at the beginning of the meeting and put the coffee machine and refreshments away at the end. We also discussed the possibility of putting show and tell items on a table for display at the beginning of the meeting and gathering around the table to present them after the business part of the meeting.

Show and Tell: Judy Hanninen reminded us we are invited to the Mercer Guild’s mini-wool pool next weekend, and she displayed a seven step pink-to-blue gradient of merino and mohair blended on a drum carder. Maddie Mumford finished her assigned pooling shawl with darker orange bobbles on a lighter background, giving a ‘pumpkin patch’ feel. She also brought a pair of pink socks from commercial yarn, a pair of cabled socks with stripes in Easter egg dye colors, a set of red, white and black towels in two texture patterns, and a skein of evenly spun heathery purple yarn. Meghan Beichner passed photos of her new baby bunnies and a sample skein of art yarn made from bumpy, slightly matted angora. She finished a pair of fuzzy white cabled gloves and is now working on a ‘creativity shawl’ including a Stranger Things-themed colorway. April Cox brought two fun Ugly Monster pillows featuring wet felted alpaca, button and glass eyes, and needle felted details. Elizabeth Tomcho modeled a wool cap, originally from J.Crew, heavily refurbished with brightly colored chain stitching. Marje Koehlert passed two books, Mend and Patch by Kerstin Neumuller and Wild Basketry by Ruby Taylor, along with several indigo seedlings. Roz Macken, having grown indigo before, gave a helpful summary of options for growing and using them. Cate Johns brought three sizes of crocheted “nesting bags;” she also displayed her finished pin loom blanket, 6 squares wide by 9 squares long. She got the yarn for the entire full-sized blanket for $9 at a thrift store. Phyllis Lord showed us an adorable 4-inch square, mint green, fully functional 2-harness table loom from 1969, as well as several books on eco-dying, including a conservation district publication focusing on Pennsylvania native plants. She finished the purple and orange scarf she was weaving and is now knitting a striped shawl with yarn from Tybout House. Karen Fry brought a pillow she sewed featuring her felted project from April Cox’s program framed by coordinating fabrics. Elaine Fertig passed her mittens from last month’s program, worked in the flat pattern. Ann O’Boyle has been spinning purple Shropshire wool from Meadville on her drop spindle, and she passed a dark blue, extremely soft yak “Sophie Hood” her daughter knit for her. Meghan Vorisek has been using brick stitch to bead weave earrings, typically in the triangle or trapezoidal shapes that work naturally with that technique. Chris Cornell is working on a summer sweater with a natural white background and pastel highlights. Ann Growley reports that her husband “stole” the mittens she made last time. She brought a pair of socks knit in muted greens, and she is excited to finally be able to knit again post hand surgery.

Respectfully submitted,
Marje Koehlert, Secretary

Sonshine Acres Registered Hampshire, Tunis and Romney sheep. Club and freezer lambs, breeding sheep and fleece. Ryan Rd., Meadville. 814-333-9251; email: [email protected].

Old Path Farm David Gamber & family, Guys Mills PA. Finn, Icelandic, & Shetland. Grass fed lamb, wool, pelts. Email: [email protected]

Alpaca Animals & Fiber for sale. Raw Alpaca Fiber –Prime blankets that have been skirted, ready for washing and spinning. $45. Alpaca Roving –Hand washed and dyed in various colors. Great for hand spinning and felting. $16.00 for 4 oz.
Pet and fiber quality alpacas for the hobby spinner and fiber enthusiast. Alpacas come in a wide range of colors; all are halter
trained and are just plain interesting. They are easy to care for and come with free guidance and fiber consultations. Alpaca is super warm, ultra soft, and a pleasure to work with. April Cox, Tupelo Acres Alpacas & More, LLC, 814-827-2125, [email protected]

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