About | Weavers Guild Of Kalamazoo

About Us

The Weavers Guild of Kalamazoo, Inc. was founded in 1968 by a group of 18 weavers who were interested in sharing and expanding their knowledge of handweaving. Over the years, this interest has expanded to include all fiber arts. The Guild is affiliated with the Michigan League of Handweavers, Handweavers Guild of America, Kalamazoo Institute of the Arts and the Arts Council of Greater Kalamazoo.

The Guild is a private non-profit 501(c)(3) organization. Funding for the educational and public service activities of the Guild come from membership dues and private donations. These private donations are tax-deductible.

Our History

The Weavers Guild of Kalamazoo was founded in Kalamazoo, Michigan in 1968 primarily by local weaving instructor Ruth Howard and a group of like-minded students. Ruth Howard was well-known in the community as a great teacher of basic weaving techniques, starting with demonstrations of early weaving equipment for children at the Kalamazoo Museum, and soon after teaching full-length courses through the Adult Education Department of the Kalamazoo Public Schools. The Guild charter members first met in this teaching space at the museum, along with quickly developing smaller and more specialized programs which met in the members’ homes.

Ruth Howard's loom, built in 1968.

These programs - named study groups - became the place for members to present what they had learned, share their work, and exchange handwoven samples. The first of these was the Four Harness study group, which grew so greatly in popularity that it was difficult to find homes large enough to accommodate the size of the monthly meetings. Efforts to establish a second Four Harness group or split the original group into two were unpopular. While learning and practicing weaving techniques continued to be the primary goal of the guild, the fellowship proved to be equally important. The whole of Kalamazoo agreed - by the mid-70’s, the Guild had grown to almost 150 members.

Guild Charter Members

Dottie Parent Ayers
Elizabeth Clark
Helen Coates
Jean Darling
Sharon Ford
Dottie Goodwin
Jeanette Hendrick

Alice Henwood
Ruth Howard
Esther James

Karen Kunze
Joyce Lemin
Brenda Mergen
Mary Sugars
Gunta Smits
Renate Taylor
Jane Thomas
Diane Waddle
Martha Yeatman

Over time, other study groups were formed and developed: Spinning, Moonbeamers, Multi-Harness, Knitting, and Computer (how to use computer systems for weaving). Workshops were offered to teach special techniques and interests, expanding the skills of the members.

Scholarships were later provided for members to attend outside workshops, returning to share the skills they learned with the guild.

As the membership increased, larger meeting spaces were found, a constitution and by-laws were developed, fiber artists from all over the country were contracted to provide programs, and in 1992, the guild incorporated.

Today, the guild continues to provide countless programs, workshops and study groups in weaving, spinning, color and design, dyeing, felting, plus many more.

The guild has exhibited at numerous fiber events and exhibitions, including:

the Handweavers Guild of America conventions
Michigan League of Handweavers biennial conferences (prize-winner)
Boston Weavers Guild
Kalamazoo Institute of Art (prize-winner)
Kalamazoo College
Western Michigan University
FiberFest (prize-winner)
the opening of the Kalamazoo Mall
Grand Rapids Art Museum
Battle Creek Civic Art Center
Jacobson's for Flowerfest
the Antiques Fair
the Michigan Home Economics Meet
Portage Public Library
and many more.

Members continue to lead educational demonstrations to promote fiber arts throughout West Michigan.The guild also prioritizes assisting individual weavers in the community and at the Kalamazoo State Hospital, as well as warping looms for schools and camps and providing monetary support for public school fiber art programs.

Source

Article: "Ruth Howard (1917-1985) | Planetarian, Weaver, Educator, and Historian"

Kalamazoo Public Library

linked here for more information