Tuesday, January 2, 2024

Common Threads Spinning Guild January 2024

Happy New Year,


Our next meeting will be on Saturday, January 13, 2024 at the West Seneca Senior Center from 9am to 12pm.


Our program will be "Pass the Batt" in celebration of Roc Day which is on January 7th.


We did this a few years ago with great results.


Pass the Batt


Perhaps something once looked good to you, now you realize you will probably never use it as hoped. You will need to bring 2 oz. of prepared, easily spun wool or wool blend, (or a protein fiber) in a color way of your choice, to pass.


Start spinning with your fiber, after a few minutes, we will all pass that fiber to the next person, and so on. (You will always be using your own spinning wheel. Just the fiber is passed) As a challenge we will suggest trying different ways to spin it, thick, thin, etc. There is the possibility of getting some very colorful yarn. 


To pull things together, you may decide to spin a single prior to the program to ply your program yarn with. Neutrals were suggested, and you may also want to incorporate this fiber into the program yarn.  Drum carder and combs will be available. 


We will offer small project suggestions for what to do with the final yarn. After you take your yarn home and ply it, if it's a light worsted weight, it will be perfect to use for our Zoom Loom program in February. We'll talk about it during the meeting.


What is Roc Day (or Saint Distaff's Day)?


Saint Distaff’s Day (also known as Distaff Day, Roc Day, or Rock Day) is the day when spinners go back to work after the holidays. Most of what we know about Saint Distaff’s Day comes from a poem called “Saint Distaff’s Day, or the Morrow After Twelfth Day,” by Robert Herrick from his 1648 book Hesperides.


Saint Distaff’s Day may also be called Rock Day or Roc Day. In several Northern European languages, “roc” or “rok” means “distaff.” To be confusing, Saint Distaff’s Day may also fall on Old Rock Day, January 7, which celebrates fossils.




Monday, December 11, 2023

Common Threads Spinning Guild December 2023

Happy Holidays Everyone


 As we enter a new year, this a our tentative 2024 spinning guild program list:

January - "Pass the Fiber". We had a lot of fun when we did this a few years ago and went home with some very interesting yarn. More about this soon.

February - Pin Loom Weaving

March - Our Annual Auction

April - TBD

May - Mother's Day Open Spin (it's the day before Mother's Day)

June - Our Annual One Day Retreat in Orchard Park

July - Fiber Carding and Blending at Laurel's home in Holland NY

August - Natural Dyeing with Stitch Buffalo at their studio in Buffalo

September - Needle Felted Picture at Doreen Kelly's home in West Seneca

October - Program with Marcia Weinert (more info soon)

November - Wrapped Core Yarn Bowl.

December - Holiday Open Spin.

Please check back for more details

Anyone who is interested in spinning or is curious to see what our guild is like, is welcome to join us. 

An Open Spin Meeting means that our members bring their spinning wheels, knitting, felting, weaving, or what ever project they're currently working on, and we have a relaxing morning socializing and enjoying each others company. If anyone is having trouble spinning, our experienced members are always willing to help. We have a very wonderful, friendly and welcoming membership. Please join us!!

All of us at Common Threads wish you a very Happy and Safe Holiday!!

Sunday, May 7, 2023

Common Threads Spinning Guild May 2023 Meeting

Our next meeting will be on Saturday morning, May 13, 2023 at the West Seneca Senior Center from 9am to 12pm.

This will be an open spin meeting to socialize and create. In the past during our Mother's Day meetings, we've talked about our favorite books. Not necessarily fiber related books, (although that's fine too), but novels or any subject that you found interesting and entertaining. So please put together a list of good book titles to share.

We will not have a regular Saturday June meeting, instead our Annual One Day Retreat will be on Sunday June 11, 2023. This will be in place of our regular meeting. It will again take place at The Meadows of Highland Clubhouse in Orchard Park where Ellie lives. She has the room reserved for our retreat day. I'll send out all of the information soon. This is for our guild members only. 


Don't forget the Southtown Spinners will meet on Tuesday May 9th at the East Aurora Senior Center from 10am to 2pm. It's free and all are welcome.

Monday, April 3, 2023

Common Threads Spinning Guild April 2023 Meeting

 Our next guild meeting will be on Saturday April 8, 2023 at the West Seneca Senior Center, 4620 Seneca St., West Seneca NY 14224 from 9am to 12pm. 

This will be an Open Spin Meeting and we will have a few cute Easter and Spring themed project patterns to share, perfect for using small amounts of yarn or your precious handspun stash. 







A small knitted bunny made from a 4"-6" square.








A Chicken Egg Cozy to be placed over a hard boiled egg or a plastic, decorative egg.








Anyone who is interested in spinning or is curious to see what our guild is like, is welcome to join us. 

An Open Spin Meeting means that our members bring their spinning wheels, knitting, felting, weaving, or what ever project they're currently working on, and we have a relaxing morning socializing and enjoying each others company. If anyone is having trouble spinning, our experienced members are always willing to help. We have a very wonderful, friendly and welcoming membership. Please join us!!

Wednesday, March 15, 2023

IMPORTANT - Common Threads Spinning Guild New Meeting Day and Time

 Our Common Threads Guild meeting day has changed to: 

The Second Saturday on Each Month from 9 am to 12 pm

We still meet at the West Seneca Senior Center at 4620 Seneca St, West Seneca NY 14224

Occasionally our meetings are at a different location and possibly on a different day. For or example, our One Day Retreat, Our Farm Visit, and our Dye Day. 

Check this site for a change in day and location.

Our April 2023 meeting will be on Saturday April 8th at the West Seneca Senior Center. It will be an open spin meeting. There will be patterns for cute Easter themed projects for small amounts of hand spun yarn.


Doreen's bunny, hand spun from her English Angora rabbit yarn. 

Common Threads Spinning Guild March 11, 2023 Meeting

Our meeting dates have changed to the second Saturday of each month. A few pictures from our March meeting. Our program was Plying Techniques. 


 Laurel is demonstrating a unique way to Navajo ply without using your wheel. The 3 ply is made and wound into a ball, then the twist is applied on the wheel at any time in the future. 


Mary is showing her wool rug that was knit by using various colors of green, yellow, brown, and blue yarns, randomly plied to create a kaleidoscope of landscape colors. 



Members spinning at our March meeting at the West Seneca Senior Center. 

Sunday, January 9, 2022

January 2020 Spinning Guild Meeting

 Our first guild meeting of the year was a Needle Felting program. It was so much fun to create a critter of our choice with the help of member Mary Fisher. Some weren't quite finished, but had a great start and just needed some finishing touches.