Standards for Weaving and Spinning

The Heritage Weavers and Spinners Guild of Calgary

These guidelines are intended first and foremost for the weaver and spinner and only incidentally for the Standards Committee. Many points helpful for the weaver and spinner are not discernible by the Standards Committee but depend upon the integrity of the weaver and spinner. The Standards Committee would like to make it clear to all Guild members that it exists to guide and assist as much as possible.

Suitability of Material and Design

• Fibres and yarns used should have common properties and be suitable for the purpose of the article ie. Table linens should be launderable and clothing fabrics not be rough and scratchy.
• Weave, pattern and sett to be suitable to use.
• When using a pattern weave, the pattern should be balanced.
• Non-woven elements and accessories must be part of the overall design.

Workmanship

• Correct threading.
• No knots in the warp.
• Absence of skips and mis-picks.
• A consistent beat.
• Good edges - even selvedges when on view.
• New wefts neatly turned in and clipped as short as possible but long enough to be secure.

Finishing

• All items to be labeled with fibre content and care instructions.
• No loose ends visible.
• Secure and even fastenings of fringes. Any fringes should be suitable and in proportion to the article. Fringe should be durable with respect to the function of the article.
• Inconspicuous machine and handstitching unless used as an embellishment.
• Washable articles carefully washed and pressed.
• Yardage for clothing, curtains or upholstery: steam pressed and pre-shrunk, preferably by a professional.
• Linings:
  • Line where appropriate with compatible material.
  • Cushions should have inner lining and be stuffed sufficiently.
• Originality is always encouraged. When designs are copies or adaptations there should be an accompanying label giving credit to the source.

Special Effects, ie. Wallhangings

• Decorative qualities should be the personal taste of the weaver.
• Construction:
  • Materials used should have a suitable degree of permanency.
  • The structure should be stable in warp and weft. If in doubt, hang for 2-3 months to check.
• Finishing:
  • Lining is optional.
  • Hanging or mounting materials should suit the design and be appropriate for the weight of the hanging. Perhaps the method of hanging should be recommended at the time of sale or perhaps offer to do the hanging to be sure proper materials are used and the panel will be stable.

Hand-spun and Hand-dyed Skeins

• Skeins should exhibit uniformity of spinning technique, ie. Consistently even or deliberately textural.
• Yarn size should be compatible with the character of the fibre use, ie. Length of staple, crimp.
• Hand-spun should be free of stains, second cuts, and foreign matter.
• Hand-dyed yarns must be washed and free of residual dyes.
• Twist must be set.
• No knots in a skein, ie. A continuous length of yarn.
• Skeins should be tied securely and neatly.
• Fibre contents, weight and length should be recorded on an attached label. Hand-dyed skeins must include information on dye-stuff and mordants.

Keep the following points in mind when planning, weaving, finishing and checking your weaving before selling, giving or wearing it.

• Knots in the warp or weft:   Remove before washing.
• Skips and mis-picks: Find and repair before washing or pressing.
• Pillows:
  • Corners: please do not ignore, they also deserve stuffing.
  • Seams: Pre-plan and weave accordingly, ie thick fabric does not turn well. Butt the selvedges and slip stitch together. If a seam needs to be covered, use a plied or braided cord.
  • Cleaning after use: How does the customer remove the handwoven cover if there is no zipper or obvious opening?
• Finishing:   Articles to be clean and freshly ironed.
• Hems:   Fold along one weft. To aid this, when weaving place a fine contrasting coloured thread at the fold lines in the same shed. This is pulled out once the hem has been folded. Machine stitch at the cut line, then handstitch.
• Blocking:  Can work wonders, as can good pressing. Handwoven articles are not taken from the loom and sold straightaway. If nothing else, they should be pressed by either the weaver or a professional and labeled accordingly. Whether washed or dampened by spraying, lay the article out flat, and smooth by hand. Pull or pat to square. Pin, using stainless steel pins and allow to dry.
• Heading:  When weaving a pattern or twill, think twice before weaving a tabby (plain weave) heading. Ruffling almost always occurs because the weft is going over two or more warps in the pattern area, but over only one in the tabby area. This pushes the warps further apart.

Bringing items to the sale:

• Do use cardboard rolls to roll place mats.
• Do fold scarves and afghans carefully.
• Do supply hanging devices on wall hangings.

Preparing Items for the Sale

Sale items are accepted on consignment with 20% (for members) of the sales price going to the Guild. All items submitted for the sale must have a tag attached. The tag should have your code and a price clearly marked on a removable sticker. You chose the code you will use, for example, it may be your initials, followed by the item number that matches what you have listed on your inventory sheet. Prices should be in even amounts, for example $25.00 or $2.50, not $24.95 or $2.49.

A completed inventory sheet must be submitted with your articles. You may want to make an extra copy for your own records. Tags and inventory sheets are always available in the studio. One blank inventory sheet is included with this package; you may want to keep it so that you can make copies at your convenience.

Items will be juried as they come in for the sale; check the newsletter for drop-off times.

Pricing, Pricing, Pricing

Pricing of crafts, in particular handwovens, is a complex process. Here are a few ideas (but no hard and fast rules) gathered from various sources.

• Consider cost of materials, labour, overhead, sales commission. Then consider what the market will bear. Try not to underprice your work because you weave for pleasure and sell only at our sale. Likewise, be careful not to overprice your work because you want to be paid for every minute. Yes, it’s a fine line.
• Think about the budget your customer might have for a gift. $10 for an impulse purchase, $20 (we sell many tea towels in this category), $40, $50, $100, etc. Try pricing items at or just below these price points.
• Fine crafts sell at whole dollar amounts.
• Is the price reasonable? Look at prices in stores; a handwoven item should sell for more than a department store item. If your estimate for what you will have to charge is unreasonable, don’t make it to sell. Don’t “give away” items for sale. Remember, if you underprice your weaving it affects all of us. The value of handwoven items goes down if you underprice it.
• Make it worth the price. A well-designed piece, skillfully made and carefully finished tells the customer that it is special and worth the price. Add value to the piece with hand-dyed yarns, a luxury fibre, a special colour or a custom finish.
• Check last year’s sale results or ask a member of the Sale committee for help. Share your ideas on pricing with other members of the Guild.