Etobicoke Handweavers & Spinners Guild

Just as textile crafters bring together individual threads to create objects which are both useful and beautiful, craft guilds draw together those makers into a community of support, learning and friendship.

Etobicoke Handweavers and Spinners (EHS), founded more than half a century ago, is such a guild, encouraging an interest in handweaving, spinning and dyeing, offering services and learning opportunities to members and educating the larger community about our crafts. Please visit About EHS to discover our beautiful studio space, extensive resources and comprehensive program of guest speakers and workshops. And visit Membership to join.

Check out some highlights from our recent show at Neilson Park Creative Centre below. To view the full show, please click here.

Cathie Dowell – Challenge Mittens 3

Dorothy Thomson – Inlayed Jewels

Tencel

Members of EHS – Dyeing with Madder Sheep

Needle-felted sheep made by EHS Members for the display table at the 2024 Royal Winter Fair Sheep to Shawl Competition

Orphan 3

Orphan 11

Orphan Mittens and a Sock

Vivian Goffart – Challenge Mittens

Handspun wool (blended animal fibres) Pattern: self-drafted

Carole Gay – Challenge Mitten (Samoyed Dog Hair)

Made from handspun dog hair

Cord 3

Susan Lapell – Challenge Mittens 2

Handspun wool. For my daughter; buttons came from one of her childhood dresses. Pattern: Patons Convertibles.

Cindy O’Malley – Cochineal Rodeo

Warp: 80/20 Wool/Nylon, Weft: 55/23/22 Kid Mohair/Merino Wool/Nylonv

Cathie Dowell – Watery Vortex (asymmetrical triangular shawl)

Hand spun Merino wool

Carole Gay – Challenge Mittens (Camel Hair)

Made from handspun camel hair

Elena Koneva – Spring Bulbs

Tulips: Merino wool, wire, and stone Snowdrops: Merino wool, wire

Lori Bond – Pointed Twill Scarf

Elizabeth Evans – Mini Mitts

Cathie Dowell – Veter Triangular Shawl

Wool and mohair

Maura Leahy – A Peaceful Summer Day

Karen Fowler – Shadow Weave Tea Towels

Orphan 5

Cathie Dowell – Challenge Mittens (Bamboo Field Mittens)

Romney wool, handspun by Joan McKenzie

Members of EHS – 2024 Sheep To Shawl

The shawl woven by EHS’s team at the 2024 Royal Winter Fair Sheep to Shawl competition. The warp uses natural wool colours, dyed with madder.

Cathie Dowell – Study in Purple

Wool and miscellaneous art yarns and fibres from stash

Cindy O’Malley – Colour Play Wrap

Hand dyed wool

Orphan 12

Cord 1

Joan McKenzie – Challenge Mitten

Handspun Tweed yarn by Andy Lehnen, various other yarns. Knitting, crochet, embroidery in a custom design.

Cathie Dowell – Shawlography

Semi circle shawl. Yarns used used were remnants from other knitting projects.

Orphan 8

Cheryl Michalson – Challenge Mitten

Handspun wool

Members of EHS – Mitten Challenge Results

Susie Lawrie – Triangular Scarf

Elena Koneva – Sheep Puppets

Wet felted. Wool and fleece.

Diane Martin – What about Thumbs

Cindy O’Malley – Mustache

Warp: 80/20 Tencel/Wool, Acrylic, Weft: 55/40/5 Acrylic/Polyester/Nylon

Carolyn Ramos – Challenge Mittens (Norwegian Mittens)

Knit using traditional Norwegian patterns

Orphan 4

Vivian Goffart – Mini Mitten Chain 3

Maura Leahy – Autumn Glory at Our Cabin

Helen Skelton – Krokbragd 1

3/8 Jaggerspun merino heather yarn and 4/8 cotton

Elizabeth Evans – Tablet Woven Band

Pattern: Cowberry band by Sonja Berlin based on Norwegian tradition

Debbie Law – Guilded Fairy (view 1)

Wool, Silk, Alpaca, Kapok fibres, Wood. 11 Guild members contributed materials. Wet/Needle/Nuno Felted 3 dimensional female form sculpture

Susan Lapell – Songbird Mittens

Handspun (blue: shetland wool and silk, white: wool) Pattern: Songbird Mittens by Erica Heusser Designs

Orphan 2

Debbie Law – Dragon Mitten and Knight Gauntlet

Wool Silk, Metalic Thread, Metal Buttons. Wet/Needle Felted Handspun Knit Mittens

Susie Lawrie – Scarf

Susie Lawrie – Stained Glass Window Blanket

Karen Fowler – Scarf

Knitted from handspun wool.

Karen Fowler – Playful Shawl

Acrylic, wool and mystery yarn. Using supplementary warp and weft.

Cindy O’Malley – Challenge Mittens

Handspun, naturally dyed wool by Joan McKenzie

Orphan 10

Orphan 6

Orphan 7

Elizabeth Evans – Quechchemitl Shawl (summer and winter)

8 shaft Summer and Winter

Cord 4

Elizabeth Evans – Ontario Farmed Fibre Shawl

Made from handspun yarn, using fibres farmed in Ontario

Cathie Dowell – Challenge Mitten (Star Power Mitten)

Merino wool, handspun by Diane Martin

Vivian Goffart – Mini Mitten Chain 1

Maura Leahy – Pretty in Purple

Tam and neckwarmer set

Vivian Goffart – Mini Mitten Chain 2

Susan Lapell – Candy

“I really HATE knitting dolls etc., so I figure my brain was addled during the pandemic, when I fell in love with Susan Hickson’s little tearoom bears [and other creatures], along with their wardrobes on Ravelry. Mine is Candy Bear. She sat unfinished for over 2 years until about a month ago when I finally decided to give her a face and sew all the pieces together. When I bring her home she’ll get her tee shirt, shoes, and perhaps a bag over her shoulder.”