Etobicoke Handweavers and Spinners Guild Toronto

About the Etobicoke Handweavers and Spinners Guild

Etobicoke Handweavers and Spinners (EHS), was founded more than half a century ago to encourage an interest in handweaving, spinning and dyeing, offering services and learning opportunities to members and educating the larger community about our crafts.

Since the early 1990s, EHS has been privileged to have a physical home at the Neilson Park Creative Centre (NPCC) in the western GTA, sharing a large, bright studio space with other resident craft guilds including rug hookers and quilters.

There, in Studio C, large scale looms are used by members for joint weaving projects like blankets. Our extensive library is housed at Studio C and we also store and maintain equipment including small looms and spinning wheels that members may rent at nominal cost. Monthly meetings feature guest presentations and, throughout the year, several weaving and spinning workshops take place, usually on weekends. Since most Guild members are interested in a variety of textile arts, there are activities focussed on knitting, including a bi-weekly KnitNight drop-in, and, occasionally, felting.

Along with other resident craft guilds and artists, EHS members can participate in two annual craft sales, organized by NPCC.

The Guild also mounts an annual gallery show of members’ work, participates in community events like the Royal Winter Fair Sheep-to-Shawl competition and the Etobicoke Farmers’ Market and has a robust charity knitting program.

Perhaps most importantly, EHS boasts a weekly Friday drop-in and monthly Sunday drop-ins, along with monthly spinning-focused drop-ins, offering members the chance to turn up, share ideas, seek help, show recent achievements and, not incidentally, have lunch together, share stories and laugh.

At the core of these achievements is a dedicated group of volunteer executive members and chairs.

Executive

President: Joan McKenzie

Vice President: Cindy O'Malley

Past-President: Carolyn Ramos

Treasurer: Patti Wibe

Secretary: Cheryl Michalson

Committee Chairs

Programs: Vanessa Crandall and Carolyn Ramos

Education: Helen Skelton

Library: Monica Penner

Membership: Susan Lapell

Sales: Lori Bond

Shows: Lori Bond

Spinning Convenor: Patricia Cooper

Weaving Convenor: Cindy O’Malley, Gloria Williams, and Diane Martin

Newsletter Editor: vacant

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