The journey begins here for the fiber arts to learn, create and to share ideas.

The Butler Spinners and Weavers Guild was founded in September of 1982 when Mary Ann Geiger gathered a group of ten people at the Butler Public Library. These people desired to organize a Guild to promote interest in and to teach the art of spinning and weaving.

Over the years the Butler Spinners and Weavers Guild has grown to include approximately 50 members. While emphasis is placed on spinning and weaving, members of the Guild also knit, crochet, felt, and raise their own fiber-supplying animals, including sheep, alpacas, rabbits, and goats. No fiber related art is off limits to try! Our members expertise vary from beginning spinners and weavers to nationally and internationally known experts!

The Butler Spinners and Weavers Guild has been active from the beginning in local and regional Sheep-to-Shawl contests, including those at the Pennsylvania Farm Show (Harrisburg) and Penn’s Colony (Saxonburg), bringing many awards with them back to Butler. Throughout the years members have also demonstrated the art of spinning and weaving at many local events, knitting shops, and schools.

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JANUARY 2023

After the November meeting, Jen and Karen set up a display at the Butler library. The display will be up until right before the January meeting (at the extension office) Please check it out before Wednesday if you haven’t yet!

Here’s the library flyer and press release:

YEAR-END EXHIBIT TO INSPIRE WARM AND COZY FEELING

Butler Area Public Library presents “From Fluff to Fabric: 40 Years of Fiber Arts” exhibited by the Butler Spinners and Weavers Guild.  

The display features a variety of textiles and fibers with descriptions, images and props illustrating the cloth-making process. From cotton and linen to cashmere and angora, swatches of fabric are mingled with samples of woven, knitted, felted and crocheted textiles. 

Exhibit visitors will discover an assortment of looms and spinning tools as well as a range of fiber art creations, such as clothing, bowls, handbags, bracelets, and decorative art pieces. 
Included is some history of the Guild started in 1982 by four weavers and spinners interested in sharing, teaching and promoting fiber arts. In those days, the Guild met at the Butler Area Public Library. 

Today, the Guild meets monthly at the county extension office and includes about 50 members from Butler, Armstrong, Allegheny, Westmoreland, Mercer, Clarion, Indiana and Washington counties. 

For information on the Butler Spinners and Weavers Guild, visit www.ButlerGuild.org. 
The work of artists and artisans is featured in the second-floor showcases at the Butler Area Public Library, 218 North McKean St., Butler. For information, contact 724-287-1715 or visit http://www.facebook.com/ButlerAreaPublicLibrary.

And a few photos of the set-up:

The photos do not do justice to the photos, items, and tools so many of you lent. Please stop by the library sometime before January 2 to check it out!

PA Farm Show Sheep to Shawl 2022

Butler County Pedalers was one of 4 teams to compete in the 42nd PA Farm Show Sheep to Shawl Competition. Unfortunately, due to a series of equipment failures (a broken drive band and loom jam that cost us critical time) we were not able to make length. We were also seconds past the deadline to turn in our shawl.

We won the coveted spinner’s award and received much positive feedback from the judges and the media.

Thank you to all of my teammates, to everyone in the guild who helped us get here, and to the farm show staff for all the help and support they offered during the competition.

First place- Friends Thru Fiber (not eligible for auction)
Second place – Twisted Sisters and a Dude ($1500 auction price)
Fidget Spinners – did not finish
Butler County Pedalers – did not finish