We meet one Sunday afternoon a month from 2-5 pm. We do not normally meet during the summer months. For details, email us at mail@essexspinners.org.
Meetings are usually held at members’ homes. Any member can volunteer to host a meeting, though most are held in or near Essex County.
Our regular meetings are generally informal: we spin on wheels or drop spindles (or knit or weave), discuss fiber-related topics, and show recent purchases or projects-in-the-works. The host provides beverages; others can bring snacks to share.
We try to devote at least one meeting a year to a class on a fiber skill, which is taught by one of our members or by a hired teacher. Past topics have included:
- Weaving freeform baskets
- Making wrist distaffs
- Microwave and indigo vat dyeing
- Knitting a moebius scarf
- Color blending
- Knitting beaded wire bracelets
- Making dragon boat ornaments
- Natural dyes workshops: indigo, onion skins, Bengala mud dyes
- Spinning on a support spindle
We also sponsored an all-day charkha workshop that was taught by Eileen Hallman.
In addition to holding meetings and workshops, we arrange visits to local farms, shops, and fiber mills.
Visit our Facebook page for photos from meetings, workshops, and field trips.
We occasionally meet in a public location—e.g., in a museum or at a festival—when we are invited to do a spinning demonstration. Since our group formed, we have demonstrated at the following locations and events:
- Hamilton House Museum (Clifton, NJ)
- Kingsland Manor Colonial Day (Nutley, NJ)
- Little Falls Family Day (Little Falls, NJ)
- Israel Crane House (Montclair, NJ)
- Madison Township Historical Society Apple Festival (Old Bridge, NJ)
- Modern Yarn (Montclair, NJ)
- Dey Mansion (Wayne, NJ)
- Durand-Hedden House (Maplewood, NJ)