Guild Calendar
No meetings during the summer. Meetings resume in September
See the website for full calendar including study group meetings.
President’s Message
Well, summer is almost over, and hopefully the heat. I just returned from a trip to Alaska with my grandson where we climbed glaciers, took a boat ride to one of the largest glaciers in Alaska, and hiked in the cold and rain. Exactly a year ago I was in Greenland hiking glaciers. Cold and rainy is truly my kind of weather. I do appreciate the Oregon growing season and how lush and green it gets, but the heat is not my vibe. It also makes it hard to work with fiber, I just feel hotter and sweatier. Fall can’t come soon enough for me!
With Fall starts our programs and workshops. Niki has planned a great year; there is something for everyone. Make sure to check out the website for updates on what’s coming up including small group meetings. There are several study groups, and we get queries to start new ones. The website is your one stop for all Guild information.
I’m looking forward to seeing everyone in September, when, hopefully, it will be a bit cooler.
Nora Gessert
Upcoming Workshops
If you’d like some creative inspiration, to learn new skills, and connect with the PHG weaving community, please join one of our future workshops. If the workshop you are interested in is full, please join the waitlist. Here’s what we have coming up:
November 13, 2026: Introduction to Japanese Book Binding
Registration is open! Learn how to build and hand-stitch your own books using the four classic Japanese book binding techniques. We are happy to announce that Barbara Setsu Pickett will teach a one-day Introduction to Japanese Book Binding workshop at Ruthie’s Weaving Studio. Barbara is a Professor Emeritus in the Department of Art at the University of Oregon. The focuses of her research and creative practice are velvet weaving, shibori, natural dyeing, and the book arts. For information and registration visit:
February 13 and 20, 2027: Passementerie 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 Passementerie. In this bespoke two-day workshop, you will learn five woven passementerie designs. Registration is not yet open, but you can learn more about the Elizabeth and the workshop here: Workshop: Passementerie with Elizabeth Ashdown (online in 2027) – Portland Handweavers Guild. Also, check the latest (Winter 2025) issue of Handwoven magazine. Elizabeth is featured twice: she has an article and fringe pattern, and there is a brief segment about her book, Passementerie: Handcrafting Contemporary Trimmings, Fringes, Tassels, and More. This workshop is for weavers on all loom types. Look out for workshop registration to open in September.
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 at the Multnomah Arts Center. Registration is not yet open. Look out for workshop registration to open in October. 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
Summer Volunteer Opportunities—Please sign up!!
I wanted to remind those of you who have a little time this summer to sign up for one of the demonstration events. You can find the sign-up sheets on our PHG website under community, then volunteer. We still need lots of help especially for the Kids Zone event at the Multnomah Arts Center. Use our looms or bring your own loom or spinning wheel.
Cedar Mill Farmers Market on Saturday, August 8
Nordic Northwest Event at the Nordic House on Sunday, August 9
The Kids Zone at MAC on Saturday, August 15
Sign-up sheets for Art in the Pearl, Labor Day weekend, Saturday to Monday, September 5, 6, 7, are also posted now. But right now I am mostly concerned with filling those slots for the August events as I will be out of town during those dates.
In addition, The Oregon State Fair will run in Salem from August 28 to September 7. The Salem Fiber Arts Guild organizes those demonstrations and sign-ups and they are always looking for volunteers. Our Portland Guild has not sent many volunteers in the past years and they could use the help. Let’s show them that we are willing and able to promote weaving and other fiber arts state wide!!! The day you volunteer you get a free parking pass and entry to the fair. You can spend all your time in the air conditioned exhibits’ buildings or take some time to browse around the fairgrounds. Curley fries anyone? Or Dairy Women’s ice cream cones? Contact them directly at fairlifeoregon@gmail.com to sign up for a shift.
Contact CookiMessmer@comcast.net with questions or if you want me to sign you up. Or go directly to the sign up page.
MAC Update
Recently, MAC put out a request for interest to groups potentially interested in renting permanent space. Without going into the minute details, we were looking to rent one of the cottages. This would allow us to have a permanent set up for our technology, which is a challenge for each meeting, a regular monthly meeting space (we are now in the gym for the evening meeting as Room 30 is not going to be available), as well as providing space for members who might want to hold a workshop or meeting. The board realized that we were not prepared to create a plan that would allow us to take on the additional expense. In short, we would need to reach out to other guilds as possible co-renters, query members for interest in renting space for workshops, or whatever, and a whole host of other items we would like to consider as revenue generating. It may be doable but not in the timing MAC was looking at to secure long term renters.
We let MAC know that, although we are interested in a cottage, we would pass in hopes that if the opportunity arises, we will be ready. All that is being said because you will see a short survey in the next month or so asking for input on interest, ideas, and thoughts on use of a permanent space. By no means are we committing. We just want to be prepared if the opportunity arises again.
Fall Sale
It’s time to get ready for the PHG fall sale: Handwovens for the Holidays! The application is here and will be available on the website members area soon.
Remember that you must be current with your PHG membership. Spaces are reserved on a first come/first served basis. We will make every effort to accommodate requests for space location, but nothing is assigned until your application check is received. I’d like to encourage folks to sign up for the publicity jobs: it’s a pretty easy task and such an important part of getting folks in the door. We need social media posts, postcard and flyer distribution, access to free news list posts, etc. Looking forward to a great sale this year! For questions, email me at: judilee.fitzhugh@gmail.com
Weft Over Sale Donations
Mark your calendars for our Weft Over Sale in October! Donations can be brought to the September and October meetings. Your donations of yarn, smaller looms, accessories, and weaving books/magazines make this sale a special and fun event each year. We’re looking forward to another great turnout!
Questions? Contact Kati Robb at korobb0519@gmail.com.
Bulletin Board
Latest ANWG Newsletter
The Association of Northwest Weavers Guilds has posted their July 2026 newsletter. Check out the creative ways other Northwest weaving guilds are getting their members together for fiber activities. All ANWG newsletters are available here.
Looking to Buy or Sell Weaving Equipment or Materials?
Check out the Items for Sale page.
Fiber News and Events
Damascus Fiber Arts School presents Tapestry Talks
On Saturday, Aug 15, at 10am Pacific, our guest will be Minna Rothman. In this talk, Minna Rothman will reflect on her discovery of tapestry weaving and the ways it has informed, challenged, and evolved her approach to design. Minna is a contemporary fiber artist and retired atmospheric physicist who weaves highly technical, deeply emotional handwoven tapestries. Based in Brookline, Massachusetts, her multi-decade career seamlessly transitions between the objective structures of climate modeling and the expressive, tactile world of fine art textiles. She views contemporary tapestry as an intersection of painting and sculpture–assuming a two-dimensional form but using physical fiber manipulation to parallel a sculptural experience. Minna’s website: https://www.mzrstudio.com/. See Tapestry Talks – Damascus Fiber Arts School for more information.
HGA Convergence
August 12-16, 2026
New Orleans, Louisiana
https://www.handweavers.org/convergence
ANWG 2027 Conference
June 14-19, 2027
Portland, Oregon
https://anwgconference.org/
Handweavers Guild of America
Textiles & Tea
Tuesdays
Handweavers Guild of America, Inc.’s (HGA)‘s 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.