Member Spotlight
Nancy DeVries’ fiber journey began with spinning and weaving, and she was a founding member of the Lakeshore Fiber Arts Guild in 1979 (then known as the Fiber Arts Guild of Holland). Some years later, she moved to Vermont and joined a weaver’s guild there, took a basket making class, and has been making baskets since 1990. While in Vermont, she earned a certificate in fiber arts and apparel design.
Her early baskets were more functional in design, but she then moved to more non-functional basket pieces. Nature is her design inspiration: trees, leaves, grasses, birds, and her materials focus beautifully reflects this inspiration.
Nancy continues to try new techniques and materials in her basketry. One example is using paper that she has painted and then cut into strips, and then adding bits of silk fiber to the surface.
Look for Nancy’s beautiful creations at our upcoming TAM sales!
Featured Projects
The cowl on top left was designed and knit by member Jocelyn Shaw using her own handspun. Deflected Double Weave & Twill Ruanna on right were created by Cathy McCarthy.
Some of our Guild Members & their stories…
“Many years ago, probably mid to late 80’s, I joined the Woodland Weavers and Spinners Guild. What a lucky day that was for me!!”
One year a very dear friend of mine decided she would join WW&S. We rode up to the meeting together and she was most impressed with the meeting and how friendly and supportive everyone was. She felt so welcomed. I will never forget our ride home that evening. For the hour ride we were happily discussing how welcomed we felt at WW&S, and how wonderful it was to be part of that atmosphere.. We could not believe our good fortune at having found such an inviting and supportive group of weavers, spinners, and fiber artists.
-Cathy McCarthy
“I have been living in this sweater which I finished February 1st. I made it without a pattern. I am waiting for a set of buttons which are being made for it by Carla Allen-Hart of “Not Quite Right Pottery.” The yarn is some handspun from guild member Margaret Jaeger.”
-Dawn Cheikh
“I appreciate all the weaving knowledge that is in the group. It is a huge help to a relative newby. Also the opportunities to learn new weaving techniques thru workshops or just the programs at the meetings are a great benefit. Not to mention getting together with a wonderful group of people. ” -Vina
“Reconnecting a family to their loom”!
Many years ago, I answered an ad to purchase another loom and discovered it was being sold by the father of a family friend. When they learned I was teaching some refugees to weave on a floor loom I was gifted that loom and have enjoyed it for years. This past December at our Textile Arts Market sale I was delighted to see our family friends after many years and mentioned that I had their grandmother’s loom and wondered if anyone in their family might want to use it. Their faces lit up with excitement as they explained that the oldest daughter, Lizzie, had declared just the night before after visiting our sale, that she thought ‘weaving was in her future’. That week I gifted the loom back to the family to surprise Lizzie for Christmas and I was blessed to spent time teaching her some weaving basics on her family’s loom. Lizzie’s and her great grandmother have connected over weaving and the loom has found its way back home after many years.”
-ChiChi VanDyke
“I fell in love with fiber arts at a young age. My grandmothers taught me how to knit and crochet. From there I moved on to learn macrame, embroidery and rug hooking. I kept up with my knitting and crocheting while my three children were growing up. Now as an empty nester, I have started doing macrame and needlepoint again. I also learned how to weave on pin and circular looms and enjoy the flexibility of them. I also recycle old jeans, t-shirts and other fabric and turn them into rugs, coasters, plant hangers and other fiber art pieces. “