A winter break.

(It's a sheep.)

Dear Friends,

It feels like only yesterday that we were announcing this year’s upcoming programs, and in the blink of an eye we just wrapped our 2024 season. The shift to a seasonal calendar is necessitated by our new home’s lack of heat (this last class was a tad brisk), but after a sprint of a year we’re looking forward to the winter break. The looms and wheels might be put to bed, but we certainly won’t be asleep over the next few months. No, there’s too much important work to do. We’ve got new programs to research and design that will expand the breadth of what we teach and the audiences we serve. Of equal importance is the creation of a Strategic Plan to guide us forward. After a year spent putting out fires so to speak, this opportunity to reflect, envision, and prepare will allow us to create the best version of the school we can. Don’t think you get to kick back and relax, we need to hear from you! Email us with your comments and ideas for the future. We’re all in this together.

On behalf of our Board, pick three pieces of Halloween candy for today and save the rest for later. Don’t forget to floss.

Justin Squizzero

Director

A Clarifying Note

We have heard from you and recognize that there remains some confusion and ambiguity that we would like to clarify. The Marshfield School of Weaving is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that is separate from, and not affiliated with, The Weaver’s Croft. Our mailing lists and programs operate independently. For all information regarding the Marshfield School of Weaving, please visit marshfieldschoolofweaving.org, and find us on Instagram @marshfieldschoolofweaving.

We thank you for your continued support. Sincerely,

Marshfield School of Weaving Board of Directors

Open Studios

We opened our doors during the first two weekends of October as part of the Vermont Crafts Council and Vermont North By Hand Open Studio events. Guests from near and far had a chance to sit at a loom and try weaving, to purchase beautiful work made by school students, and to chat with our board and learn more about who we are and our plans for the future. We snacked on delicious refreshments provided by the Newbury Woman’s Club as a gesture of welcome, and got to meet many new faces. We’ll be participating in these events again, so consider working on pieces to contribute to the sale! The sale is a great way to get your work in front of customers, to show our guests how creative this community is, and of course to support the school.

Looking Back

We held three Foundations and an Introduction to the Great Wheel class in Newbury after the move. The old chapel performs even better as a teaching space than we could’ve imagined, with lots of natural light and fresh air thanks to the tall windows, flexible open space, and that great big porch! Surrounded by hand planed floorboards and old lime plaster, the historic interior blends seamlessly with our collection and ways of working. We can also confirm that the acoustics are first rate, tested out during our first waulking. Sing along here!

Below: Figgy the cat lives around the corner and stopped in for a little visit during our final 2024 class.

Looking Way, Way Back

Newbury neighbor Linda Bryan gifted us a print she made from a glass plate negative depicting Newbury Common sometime between 1899 and 1913. The Methodist Chapel may be seen in the background next to the brick building that started out as Newbury Seminary. One of the young elms being planted in this photo is probably the one that survived the outbreak of Dutch Elm Disease and still stands in the middle of the common. We’re thrilled to bring the school to such a prominent place within the hub of the village.

Looking Ahead

We might be embarking on a winter break, but much of our 2025 calendar is already scheduled on the website! The first program that kicks off the year is Fleece to Fulling which spans the entire month of May. If you want to truly make a blanket from the ground up, this is the class for you! We begin the month assisting Mary Lake, learning about shepherding and sheep shearing. We’ll learn how to skirt, scour, card, and spin the fleeces from that shearing for the weft for our blankets. At the same time we’ll become familiar with the great wheel by spinning roving carded from local wool by Green Mountain Spinnery for our warp. We will have the option to add color to our yarn using natural dyes before weaving our blankets during the final week. Consider this class the High Intensity Interval Training of cloth making, where we build skills through repetition, quantity, and perseverance.

A full listing of our programs may be accessed here. We hope you can join us!

As always, we can only do what we do with your generous support. Gifts of all sizes make a tremendous impact. Thank you.

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