Manasota Weavers Guild serves all persons interested in weaving, spinning, dyeing, basket making and related fiber arts in Sarasota County and Manatee County, Florida.

Manasota Weavers Guild
P.O. Box 17876
Sarasota, FL 34276

Mission

The Manasota Weavers Guild is dedicated to the preservation and advancement of the fiber arts. Through monthly meetings and special workshops, we offer our members the opportunity to increase their knowledge and skills. We offer community outreach programs which promote awareness and appreciation of the fiber arts. The Guild welcomes and offers instruction to new weavers and spinners. Membership in the Guild is open to anyone interested in the arts of loom weaving, tapestry, spinning, knitting, basketry and related fiber arts.

Our Guild

Meetings

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, all in person meetings are postponed until further notice and will take place via an online format open to current members.

In-person meetings are held on the 2nd Saturday of the month at the Arts & Cultural Alliance of Sarasota County, 1226 N Tamiami Trail, Sarasota (located behind The Designing Women Boutique).

10:30 AM: Spinners, Show & Tell
12:00 noon: Lunch (bring your own) & Business Meeting
1:00-2:00: Program

2020-2021 Programs

September	Reunion after a break for the summer and the corona virus. A chance to share what you did during “stay at home” orders and the summer. Power Point presentation on Zoom.
October 10, 2020	Ellen Turner - Ikle looms (Zoom)
November 14, 2020	Zanshiori - Why Knot? Zanshiori is the Japanese technique of weaving with thrumbs. Berna Lowenstein will present a slide show of traditional fabrics, and the non-traditional weave structures she uses to create new Zanshiori fabrics. She will also demonstrate tying various knots during this Zoom session.
December 12, 2020	Holiday Celebrations, Sharing and Caring: Presentation by Ning Quin from SPARCC Woven Fashions
January 9, 2021	Jan Friedman, from Iowa City, Iowa will be talking to us via Zoom about her Fiber Collage pieces. She uses numerous fiber techniques, such as weaving, sun printing, stenciling, and more recently, embroidery. See more at Jan Friedman's Website
February 13, 2021	Workshop Presenter, Denise Kovant
March 13, 2021	Jackie Bartolini (felter)
April 10, 2021	Guild Challenge redux: Neutrals. Details will available in the January 2020 Newsletter
May 14	Dawne Wimbrow from Lofty Fiber will present Tempoweave, a powerful new weaving design program with a clean modern look. The program currently runs on a Windows PC or under Parallels on a Mac. A fully functional beta version is available for only $1 on the Tempoweave website.. Give it a try!

All Fiber Artists and Guests are Welcome. Come Join Us.

Workshops

Denise Kovnat
One Warp, Many Structures:
An Exploration of Extended Parallel Threading

Virtual Zoom

February 2021

More Information

Registration opens Saturday, September 19 at 1pm Eastern time, first-come, first-served. You must be a member of MWG to sign up. Email was sent to every MWG member earlier this week with details about the workshop and instructions on how to register and pay. Remember registration is available only through the secure MEMBERS part of our website. Click on the tab in the menu above.

Membership

Membership is open to all who are interested in weaving, spinning, dyeing, basketry and other fiber arts. We seek those who want to learn or improve their skills, and who will serve in the promotion of our goals.

Members receive a newsletter via email each month the Guild meets. A single membership is $35, family membership is $50

Contact our Membership Chair for further information.

Demonstrations

Members regularly volunteer to demonstrate weaving and spinning throughout the three communities served. School demonstrations are an important part of our community outreach. Please contact our Outreach Committeeif you would like to schedule a demonstration for your organization.

Exhibitions and Sales

Our members exhibit fiber art at several sites during the year. Sites have included Selby Gardens, Women's Resource Center, the Manatee Art League, Sarasota Art Center, and the Florida Tropical Weavers annual conference.

Library

We have an extensive collection of current and historical books and periodicals on fiber arts and crafts, which is available to all members.

Educational Grants

Manasota Weavers Guild has an education grant program. Anyone who has been a member in good standing may apply for a grant to pay for classes in any location, for instance at FTWG or a local workshop or toward any other workshop or class. Grants are not need based. Application and Rules

The Guild received the Gavel Award from the Sarasota Herald Tribune for its work in public education. Individual members have received awards for their work from state and national associations.

Other Guild Benefits

Once or twice a year we invite nationally known experts to give two or three day workshops. These workshops involve an extra fee to cover the cost.

We have a mentor program in which advanced weavers mentor the continued learning of less experienced weavers and spinners.

Tax-Deductible Contributions

The Manasota Weavers Guild, Inc. is a non-profit organization conforming to IRS regulations as a 501(c)3 qualified organization. As such, the Guild may accept donations of fiber-related items. We are happy to learn of weaving and spinning items in very good condition that you are no longer using. We request that you send photos and descriptions of your items with MWG members as well as with members of other area guilds. Due to space limitations, the Guild can consider loom donations of only gently used floor looms up to 36" in width. Please contact Donations Committee if you are interested in donating such items. The Guild is also happy to receive donations of clean yarn and small weaving/spinning accessories. Donations may be sold by the Guild, with a portion of the proceeds earmarked for the MWG Scholarship Fund. Please note that the Donations Committee decisions regarding acceptance of donations on behalf of the Guild are final.

Merchant Rewards - Please Patronize these Vendors

The Woolery Guild Rewards Program:

Manasota Weavers Guild has been approved to participate in the Woolery Guild Rewards program. Any purchases, using this link, from the Woolery by Guild members will result in an annual cash reward that will be sent to our Guild.

Amazon Rewards Program:

If you are an Amazon shopper, you can benefit our guild with most purchases. If you sign up for AmazonSmile, MWG will receive 0.05% of all qualifying purchases. Just sign up at Amazon Smile and select Manasota Weavers Guild as your charity and the magic will happen. Just remember to access Amazon through smile.amazon.com. Sign up today and start sending benefits to the guild!

Halcyon Yarn Guild Rewards Program:

Halcyon Yarn offers 5% year-end cash-back to Manasota Weavers Guild when members make purchases at Halcyon and identify their membership in our guild. Individual guild members may place orders by any method, but must have a Halcyon Yarn customer number for sales to be tracked and payments credited. Rewards payments are not retroactive, but begin accruing as of the date of membership acceptance. If you shop at Halcyon please register for this membership program and start sending more benefits to our guild.