Guild Calendar
Thursday, August 14, 2025 – August Morning Meeting – ANWG Conference Recap
Multnomah Arts Center, 7688 SW Capitol Hwy. (503) 823-2787
All meetings are free and open to the public
10:00am Morning meeting only – Dance Studio
Thursday, August 28, 2025 – Board Meeting
7:00pm – Zoom
See the website for full calendar including study group meetings.
President’s Message
Happy August! For me, summer is the hardest time to weave between gardening and the thought of handling yarn when it’s 90, somehow it gets back burnered. I seem to need an impetus to get moving and have a couple events coming up. First, I am going on vacation with my very talented and fashionable sister so I decided to weave a big shawl that I can use on the ship and out to dinners. Fortunately, I had plenty of yarn from the weft over sale that I planned to use for the weft and of course had to buy a stunning deep blue for the warp because somehow, I didn’t have the right color. I leave early September, so I am on a deadline.
The second event is volunteering to assist at a Ruth Dabritz Legacy Project Weaving course in December. I attended the class assistant orientation and am so impressed with the course that I wish I was able to take it back when I started. As Sue Walsh stated, it is one way to learn to weave, not the only way. I have so much to learn and am inspired to help new students to become weavers. I highly recommend volunteering to assist with a course and possibly grow into teaching. I am so glad the Legacy project is part of PHG.
Between the two events, I am off weaving and remember thinking that I need to warp my loom more often and how relaxing I find the whole process. So, I am happily weaving and planning what is next in the project queue.
I am looking forward to seeing folks on August 14th at 10am for the special meeting where we will highlight show and tell from the ANWG conference. We will only hold the morning meeting and there will be no Zoom due to the nature of the meeting. Plan to come and see and hear what participants learned at the conference.
Nora Gessert
Upcoming Workshops
If you’d like some weaving inspiration, to learn new skills, and connect with the PHG weaving community, please join one of our future workshops. Here’s what we have coming up:
September 12-14, 2025: Indigo and Shibori, an Exploration of Resist Techniques with Judilee Fitzhugh
Sign up soon, only two spots remain! PHG’s own Judilee Fitzhugh will be leading this workshop exploring indigo with multiple techniques that highlight this dye’s natural beauty. This 3-day workshop will be held at Ruthie’s Weaving Studio and is open to dyers of all levels. Judilee is a fantastic instructor, come join us! For information and registration, visit: Indigo and Shibori, an Exploration of Resist Techniques
November 14 & 15, 2025: Color and Design in Huck Lace Towels with Rosalie Neilson
Sign up soon, only two spots remain! This workshop is led by another PHG member, Rosalie Neilson! Explore Huck Lace while weaving a multi-colored towel in three sections. Discussions and design sessions will focus on converting a profile draft into a threading and treadling plan, and how literally thousands of designs can be created with a single threading by changing the tie-up. This 2-day workshop will be held at the MAC and is appropriate for advanced beginning to advanced multi-shaft weavers. Rosalie is well known as an excellent teacher. Please join us, just in time for some holiday and winter weaving! For information and registration, visit: Color and Design in Huck Lace Towels
March 14 & 15, 2026: Mastering Multiheddle Weaving on a Rigid Heddle Loom with Carly Jayne
This two day workshop at Ruthie’s Weaving Studio is led by PHG member and fiber artist Carly Jayne. Looking to explore the possibilities of a rigid heddle loom? This workshop will cover both 2 and 3 heddle weaving. You will be looking at threading drafts and profile drafts and discussing how they can be used on a loom with at least 3 shafts. This is an excellent class for shaft loom weavers who are structure nerds because you will create multiple structures (Summer and Winter, False Damask, Tabby, Taquete… etc) by manipulating slot threads while the heddles act as shafts one and two. Carly recommends this workshop for rigid heddle weavers, curious floor loom weavers with a little rigid heddle experience, and weavers curious about shaft switching. For information and registration visit: Double Trouble and Triple Treats – Mastering Multiheddle Weaving on a Rigid Heddle Loom
May 15-17, 2026: Doubleweave Discoveries with Jennifer Moore
Learn all about the magic of doubleweave! In this workshop, participants will weave a sampler that explores weaving two independent layers of cloth, double-width cloth, tubular weaving, color-and-weave effects, pique, quilting, and doubleweave pick-up. Students with 8-shaft looms will also be able to weave samples of 2-block doubleweave techniques in log cabin, checkerboard, windows, and double-blocks. Graphing designs and working with multiple colors will be introduced. These techniques can then be taken home to create clothing, sculptural pieces, decorative hangings, and whatever else the imagination can dream of. This in person workshop will be held at the MAC. Registration is not yet open, but you can find out more information at: Doubleweave Discoveries workshop with Jennifer Moore – Portland Handweavers Guild
February 13 and 20, 2027: Passimenterie with Elizabeth Ashdown (online)
Looking forward to 2027, Elizabeth Ashdown will be joining us virtually from her studio in London to lead an online workshop in Passimenterie. In this bespoke two day workshop, you will learn five passimenterie designs. Check out Elizabeth’s amazing work at: Elizabeth Ashdown | Passementerie Artist – Textile Art – Weaving – Craft – Maker – Handmade | London – UK – US – International. This workshop is open to weavers on all loom types.
March 12-14, 2027: Rug Weaving Basics with Mary Zicafoose
We are excited to bring renowned artist Mary Zicafoose to PHG. Mary joins us for a program and workshop in March 2027. Learn, add to, or refresh your knowledge of a well constructed rug in Rug Weaving Basics. This is an in person workshop. Registration is not yet open. Learn more about Mary at: Mary Zicafoose Tapestries and Prints | Home Page
Happy weaving and learning!
Any question should be directed to workshops@portlandhandweaversguild.org.
Guild News
Art in the Pearl Demonstrators Needed
Portland’s Art in the Pearl will be held again over Labor Day weekend, Saturday through Monday, August 30, August 31, September 1. This is a wonderful opportunity for our Guild to advertise our resources for folks who may be interested in starting to weave. It also allows us to advertise our annual sales.
Please sign up to put in a couple of hours to demonstrate and answer questions about weaving and the Guild. Looms will be available for you to weave on or help the public to try some weaving. Or feel free to bring your own small loom with a project to work on, or a spinning wheel.
Sign up to help and then take some time to browse this wonderful art sale in the park blocks.
https://portlandhandweaversguild.org/volunteer-new/
Location: Portland Northwest Park Blocks
Near NW Flanders and NW Park Ave
If you have questions contact Cooki Messmer at cookimessmer@comcast.net or text or call my cell. You can look up my number in the membership section of the Guild website.
Time for PHG fall sale entries!
It’s never too early to start thinking about the sale. This year it will be the weekend of Nov 8 & 9.
– Set up will be Friday evening, Nov 7, from 5-9 pm. Set up crew at 5pm, vendors afterwards (about 5:30).
– MAC is now charging for tables and chairs. We have reserved 5 tables and 15 chairs, first come/first serve.
– Booth fees are the same as last year.
– We’d like 4-5 people to volunteer for publicity as their choice for show job. This is instead of setup/cleanup duties. This is an important job! It truly made a big difference in the number of patrons who visit, so we’re looking for enthusiastic individuals.
– A floor plan of last year’s booth layout is here. If you’d like the same spot, let me know and I’ll do my best to accommodate your request.
– Remember that you must be a current PHG member to participate.
– We must have a signed entry form for everyone: if you’re sharing a booth, both members must submit a form.
– You must include contact info on your submitted form. You can fill out the form and email it to Judilee (instead of mailing it), but your space is not actually reserved until payment is received.
I’m happy to answer any questions/concerns. Email me at: judilee.fitzhugh@gmail.com or leave a msg at 503-759-3721. Looking forward to a great sale this year! Judilee
Tigard-Tualatin School District is looking for artist input
TTSD would like to feature PHG to their elementary school students. I plan to put the presentation together but need a few members to send me photos of your work along with a brief background on you as an artist and possibly any history about weaving methods you may want to share. I would like to include 4-5 artists so if interested, please send me a few slides by August 14th. Apparently, the Potters did this, and it sparked many students to create some amazing clay projects. Let’s spark some weavers!
Latest ANWG Newsletter
The Association of Northwest Weavers Guilds has posted their April 2025 newsletter. Check out the creative ways other Northwest weaving guilds are getting their members together for fiber activities. All ANWG newsletters are available here.
Bulletin Board
Looking to Buy or Sell Weaving Equipment or Materials?
Check out the Items for Sale page.
Fiber News and Events
Damascus Fiber Arts School Tapestry Talk
August 16, 2025, 10am
Damascus, Oregon
Tapestry Talks guest will be Emily Trujillo. Emily is an eighth generation Rio Grande weaver from Chimayo, New Mexico, who specializes in the techniques and logic of Chimayo weaving. She will discuss her life journey from initial disinterest in Rio Grande Chimayo weaving as the daughter of a famous artist, to her love of music being a driving force to her inspiration in all her work. She will take you through what preserving a dying artform looks like in the modern age, and how her neurodivergence has helped her make a difference. See Tapestry Talks – Damascus Fiber Arts School for more information.
Oregon State Fair
August 22- September 1
Salem, Oregon
More info: https://oregonstatefair.org/
Pacific Northwest Fiber Arts Expo
October 3-5, 2025
Port Angeles, WA
More info: https://www.pnwfiberx.com/
Oregon Flock & Fiber Festival
October 18-19, 2025
Albany, Oregon
More info: https://www.oregonflockandfiberfestival.com/
HGA Convergence
August 12-16, 2026
New Orleans, Louisiana
More info: https://weavespindye.org/convergence/
Handweavers Guild of America
Textiles & Tea
Tuesdays
The Handweavers Guild of America, Inc.’s (HGA) exciting new program, Textiles & Tea, takes place every Tuesday at 4 PM (ET). We’ve invited some of the most respected fiber artists in the field today to join us for an hour long conversation where we will discuss their artwork and their creative journey. Make a cup of your favorite tea and join us as we talk about fiber, creativity, inspiration, process and so much more.
Newsletter Contributions
Send news items and fiber events to Tim Prins by the 25th of the month for inclusion in the next month’s newsletter.
Rental Equipment
PHG has equipment available for rent to current PHG Members. Click here for more info.
PHG Board and Chairs
Please click here for a list of PHG Board Members and Committee Chairs.