Our August meeting (August 1) will be at the Santa Barbara Natural History Museum.   Guild members check in the office and will be checked in to hear our guest speaker.  Come a little early so you have time to sign up as a Guild member!

Saturday, August 1st: Chumash Basketry with Jan Timbrook, Ph.D.

Jan Timbrook is an anthropologist and ethnobiologist—one who studies the interactions of human societies with plants and animals. She is the curator of ethnography at the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History. Her specialty is the indigenous Chumash people of the Santa Barbara region, particularly their uses of plants in food, medicine and basketry.

“Chumash Basketry: Art in the Life of Native Californians”

Chumash baskets have been admired and collected since the first days of Spanish exploration. Of the few hundred older baskets now thought to exist, the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History houses the largest collection, and nearly all of those are on display. Jan Timbrook’s talk will begin with an overview of the cultural context and diverse roles of basketry in the traditional daily life of Chumash peoples of southern California. She will then discuss the characteristics of Chumash basketry – weaving techniques, materials, design layout and patterns – and note the changes in designs, shapes and function that began with European settlement in the late 18th century. The last three old-time weavers died between 1902 and 1915. After a long hiatus, cultural revitalization of Chumash basket making traditions is now underway.

The presentation will take place at the Natural History Museum, entrance is free for the program.

The June meeting was a field trip!  Please see our Facebook Page “Santa Barbara Fiber Arts Guild” to see the photos posted by our members who took the bus down to the Craft Show in Pasadena.

Month of June: Guild Showcase at the Goleta Library

In June the guild has mounted a display in the Goleta Public Library display case. It will be taken down on Tuesday June 30 so hurry over!

The theme is “Tools and Toys of Fiber Arts”, a display – of smaller items like scarves, hats, small wall hangings, mats, handspun skeins, and small tools!

Our July meeting will be special also, and not just because it will be the 4th of July!  Stop by before going to the parade (or as an alternative to all that commotion!) as we prepare for the upcoming Yarn Blast at the Santa Barbara Botanic Gardens.  Here is a message from our coordinator for the event:

Come and Join the Fiber Blasting Party!

Bring your fiber friends, family and neighbors. Join us in knitting and crocheting up a storm at our next meeting on July 4th. We will be discussing designs and fabrication of pieces for the Santa Barbara Botanical Garden Yarn Blasting project. We have 10 site installations and need lots of creative fiber men/women to help make fun pieces including pom poms, flowers, small bugs, or animals. Bring your extra yarn or scraps of unfinished projects, (we will have yarn to use too). The installation of the project is set for the end of August. Karen Luckett will open up the meeting by discussing the details of the projects and show pictures of what we need. Creative ideas are welcome. We want to make this a fun party. Karen will supply the 4th of July themed goodies. For questions call Karen: (805) 570-0306.

PLEASE see our EVENTS page for upcoming events after July!