Rare breed bookmarks

I have been rather silent recently, though for good reason. First the weaving stuff. My super awesome guild, NOBO Handweavers, decided to do a bookmark exchange using only sheep breeds from the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy also cross listed with the Rare Breeds Survival Trust, a UK organization. Eleven of us participated, and each person wove twelve bookmarks, one for each participant and an additional set which we have sent along to Handwoven Magazine. I was thrilled to receive what essentially amounted to wonderful little samples of each breed.
 
My latest article for Schacht Spindle Company was published back at the beginning of February. It's an introduction to twill weaving. I have to say that I'm pretty thrilled about the project I made. It's not that complicated or particularly remarkable, but I'm happy with how it turned out and can't wait to use it in our new home.
 

Honeycomb weave on the Flip

We have been busy, busy, busy and it has been hot, hot, hot. According to our friends at the National Weather Service, it's 85 degrees F, but feels like 94 thanks to the humidity. There isn't a product out there aside from perhaps a coat of lacquer that will keep the frizz out of my hair today. Thankfully, my studio is in the downstairs section of our apartment, and seems to have a fairly even temperature year-round. Aside from running the AC every once in a while just to get my looms to un-swell, it is a lovely little sanctuary.
 

Handmade notebooks from a fellow guild member

 I have mentioned it before, and I am going to say it again today. I love my guild. Every month I look forward to gathering with this group of talented, interesting and genuinely wonderful group of weavers (and spinners, and knitters, and sewers, and more), and last week was no exception. We were given a wonderfully detailed presentation about the bags one member weaves, sews and sells. We were also presented with beautiful notebooks, created and bound by another member. I plan to take mine to NEWS as an idea sketchbook.
 
And what is NEWS?

An original by Kathie

My guild, NOBO (North of Boston) Handweavers, inspires me every single month. Not only are they the loveliest bunch of people ever to assemble in a single room, but they are all so clever and interesting. Susan wrote a great post about our last meeting which you can read here. Our May meeting will take place at an alpaca farm. How much closer to fiber-y inspiration can you get than that?
 
I must say that I was totally blown away by a very special wedding gift given to me (and my sweetheart) by my fellow guild member and friend Kathie. She made this trivet for us, and I just can't stop looking at it. Last month, Kathie and her brother presented an array of fiber-related tools and other miscellaneous cool things they had made and embellished on their own. Kathie's brother is a blacksmith, and there was a bit of a steampunk feel to everything, which I think is so cool. Creativity clearly runs in the family. To have an original "Kathie" makes me pleased as punch.