June's issue 📨

• Meeting details
• Fiber Events Beyond the Flock
• Rentals & programs
• Ways to get involved
• Advertisement Opportunity

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📍 June Meeting

📅 June 13th, 2026
📌 Senior Center
500 Washington Street, Chelsea MI 48118
🕚 10:00am–2:00pm (doors open 9:45)

📅 Upcoming Meeting Schedule

Washington Street Education Center
(Senior Center Building)
Meeting times: 10am–2pm (doors open 9:45am)

• 2026: July
  500 Washington Street, Chelsea, MI 48118

Editor's Note:

Great meeting in April. Thank you for the kind words about the newsletter. I wrote the text but Candace was responsible for setting up all the formatting and appearance of the newsletter. So big Kudos and appreciation to Candace!

A big thank you for the economical and fun weaving class. Photos are shown below.

I had an idea for a new benefit for PAID members to be able to place free advertisement of their used fiber related equipment and tools ready for a new home to be placed in the Spinners Flock newsletter. Additionally, the ads can be listed in the promotion section of the Spinners Flock website which will be visible to the public. We'll discuss this in more detail further in this newsletter.

May 9th Meeting Minutes

Meeting Date: 5/9/26
Held at Chelsea Senior Center, 500 Washington Street, Chelsea, MI 48118
Karen Armburuster (24) called meeting to order at 11:36 am.

Thank you Lee Miller (32) for reporting 31 members signed in. No guests today.
April meeting minutes approved, Joanne Scollard (942) motioned first and Kathy O'Chesky (478) seconded it.
Please remember to pay membership dues to Joanne Scollard (942). In her absence in June and November, see Becky Keiser (1044).
Paid membership is now at 70 not 77 as there were reups that were counted twice.

If you have paid your membership dues please obtain a sticker from Joanne Scollard, available in June.
No New members. No guests
Number of paid members is now 70.
If you need a Spinner's Flock membership badge, please talk to Patty Jo Yoder (450).

Approval of April meeting minutes first motion from Joanne Scollard (942) and seconded by Alice Ward (648).

Reminder for members to bring the following if participating in the Dryer Ball class after the June meeting. Please bring any felting supplies if you have them: Felting block or foam at least 1 inch thickness, fiber, felting needles, scissors, pantyhose or nylons and string.

If you have trouble accessing newsletter, email: newsletter@spinnersflock.com.

Reminder to SF members to take photos of their spinning and send them to SF, along with your name, fiber(s) content.

Rachel Stanley (1135) asks members to return rentals at very beginning of meeting at 10 am. The Equipment wranglers must have time to check them in so it can be available to rent after the SF meeting.

Please see Lee Miller (32), our SF greeter, to sign in at beginning of meeting.

Joanne Scollard (942) reported that due to cost of QuickBooks software of $25/month it was decided to postpone its use. In lieu of software, a spreadsheet template will be used for monthly accounting activities. It was graciously shared from the Ann Arbor Fiber guild member, Kathy Moskal (478). It will contain the records of incoming finance from ie. membership dues, rental and paypal monies.

Becky Keiser (1044) tells us that the accounting sheet will be published in the monthly newsletter and is available for personal review at the meeting for paid members to review.

Announcements:

Rachel Stanley (1135) has a black Jacob ram to sell. He is a proven male. For more information contact Rachel Stanley.

Please bring your empty egg cartons for Michele Rouleau (1129) to recycle for her chicken and duck egg market. Thanks Michelle the fresh eggs taste great and the duck eggs were great for baking!

Gail Swenson, Director of Merchant Barn from the Saline Community Fair asks for volunteers at their 90th Fair on September 2 - 6,2026 to demonstrate spinning for 2 hours. She mentions that the volunteer can sell some of their products at the fair. Please keep the amount small as it will be next to you on stage. Anyone wishing to sell can apply for merchant barn space at scfmerchant@gmail.com, phone 734-417-2927. Website: SalineFair.org.

Questions:
Linda Baker (910) asked if we have decided on the location of a consistent sales site as it is hard for return customers to find us. Becky Keiser (1044) advised that the Senior Center was a more economical way to conduct sales. The Senior Center provides a good location that is easily found with easy access to parking. Additionally, it would be less expensive and easier to have the SF sale on the day of our regular meetings, the second Saturday of the month. Dates are still to be finalized.

Show-N-Tell:
Linda Baker (910) displayed her beautiful quilt that she was commissioned by a member to make.

Joanne Scollard (942) spun 8 braids of 100% BFL top, hand dyed by Riin Gil of Happy Fuzzy Yarn (sadly no longer dying) in the Flourite colorway. She spun it all fractal, and has a bunch left. She knit the Flax Worsted pattern by Tin Can Knits, but left off the garter stitch detail on the sleeves to obtain a simpler raglan sweater design. You can see project details here:  https://www.ravelry.com/projects/jscollard/flax-worsted

Motion to adjourn made by Becky Herman (1044). Second motion Rachel Stanley (1135).

Meeting adjourned at 12:04 pm

$ Treasury Report

🪧 For Sale

Equipment, Tools, & Fiber Animals for Sale, oh my . . .
Okay Dorothy, we're not in OZ anymore but dreams can come true . . . To run a free ad in the newsletter and/or promotions site in the Spinners Flock website you must be a PAID member. The item sold must be owned by that member. It will be your sole responsibility to complete the sale and deliver the item. You can exchange at the monthly meeting or by other arrangements that you have made. However, animals or livestock exchange can not be conducted in the building or building site. Spinners Flock will not assume any responsibility for the sale. And of course, all conduct must be cordial and of a peaceful and ethical nature. Spinners Flock can withhold the ad if any foreseeable problem(s) identified are not resolved before publication date. The ad should be announced at a meeting and will be listed in the subsequent month's newsletter.

It can also run in the promotions section of the website however you will need to clearly indicate in your email of the ad that you would want to list it in promotions. Please remember that when your ad is in the website, your contact information will be visible to anyone who looks on the website. Meaning it can be seen by the public. All ads will be published on a monthly basis by you submitting the ad again. Item should be fiber related and even can be an animal. Include the following information:

Item name and description (model number)

Condition (used, age, certificate, breed)

Your website, Etsy store, price.

You can include a photograph.

And should end with "If interested please contact: Your name, phone number, email address.

If they meet you at Spinner's Flock meetings make sure you do not interupt the club meeting portion of our monthly Saturday get together.

Be concise, clear and spellcheck. Announce your ad at the meeting for the initial newsletter run and review your ad and promotion before you send via email to Spinnersflocknewsletter@gmail.com. Please submit ads ahead of time so that any clarifications needed can be made well in advance of publication.

I suggest that the club have a class on how to write ads and send them into Spinnersflocknewletter@gmail.com as soon as we identify a volunteer to run the class.

If you have questions or suggestions lets discuss at meeting or write an email to Spinners Flock newsletter.

🛠️ Equipment for Rent

Wheels

• Lendrum DT
• Louet S-10 DT
• Louet S-15
• Louet S-70
• Louet S-96

Drum Carders

• Green
• Red
• Chain Driven
• New Drum Carder

Hand Carders & Combs

Large Ball Winder
(Not for rent, but available during meetings)

📚 Program Notes

All programs will take place after the monthly meeting.

In the rhythm of the spinning wheel, there is music for the soul.

The May class was held after the meeting by Becky Hermen (301). Becky had yarn scraps available, prepared cardboard looms with warp already strung on it and Bamboo needles to weave the weft. She also provided a nice reference sheet listing books and YouTube videos.

June SF class will be presented by Linda Baker on how to make a dryer ball. Please bring any felting supplies if you have them: Felting block or foam at least 1 inch thickness, fiber, felting needles, scissors, pantyhose or nylons and string.

July SF class is a steeking demo/workshop. Joanne Scollard (942) will demo reinforcing a steek and cutting it after the business meeting in July. If you'd like to try steeking at the July meeting, please bring:
A knitted cup cozy or cowl, done in the round, adding 5 or 7 extra stitches for the steek,
Extra yarn from the project.
A crochet hook 1 size smaller than the knitting needle size you used the knit the item.
Joanne will help you reinforce the steek, and hold your hand while you cut it. Tanya Thomann, aka Maybea Crafted, has a bunch of hat/cowl patterns (the pattern will have instructions for both a hat and a cowl), named for Michigan towns and cities, that would be great for steeking as a cowl:
https://www.ravelry.com/designers/tanya-thomann

🧶 Fiber Events Beyond the Flock

Small Expressions — National Touring Exhibit

April 18 - June 27, 2026
NMY Beaumier Heritage Center
1401 Presque Avenue, Greis Hall, Marquette, Mi 49855

A juried exhibition of contemporary small-scale fiber art (all works 15 inches or smaller), featuring weaving, interlacing, basketry, bead weaving, embroidery, felting, and mixed media.
NMY is one of only four U.S. hosts in 2026.

Gallery Hours:
Mon–Fri: 12pm–5pm

June 3-7 MLH Michigan League of Handweavers Workshops at N. Michigan Universtiy in Marquette, MI

June 11-14 Estes Park Wool Market

July 9-12 IFAM International Folk Art Market, Sante Fe, NM at Railyard Park near Farmers Market

Aug. 12-16 HGA Convergence, International confererence at the Sheraton in New Orleans for:

Workshops, exhibits, tours, demos, vendors, and seminars

Aug. 12-16 Michigan Fiber Festival, Allegan Co. Fairgrounds, Allegan MI 49010

🌱 Opportunities to Share & Learn

Volunteer & Demonstration Opportunities

• Waterloo Farm Museum (Grass Lake, MI)
  http://www.waterloofarmmuseum.org/
• Knit Michigan — Knit hats for cancer patients
  https://knitmichigan.org/patterns/
• Loose Ends — Finish craft projects for families
  https://looseends.org
• Sutherland-Wilson Farmhouse (Ann Arbor)
  FREE opportunity to sell while demonstrating fiber skills
  Contact: smcdowellGlass@gmail.com
  Website: pittsfieldhistory.org
• Gail Swenson, Director of Merchant Barn from the Saline Community Fair asks for volunteers at their 90th Fair on September 2 - 6,2026 to demonstrate spinning for 2 hours. She mentions that the volunteer can sell some of their products at the fair. Please keep the amount small as it will be next to you on stage. Anyone wishing to sell can apply for merchant barn space at scfmerchant@gmail.com, phone 734-417-2927. Website: SalineFair.org.

Expand Your Skills

• Artisan Knitworks
  105 N. Main Street, Chelsea
• Spun in Ann Arbor (our member, Carol U., teaches here)
  410 N 4th Ave, Ann Arbor
• Lansing Area Spinners & Fiber Family
  3rd Saturday monthly
• Ida Library Crankers
  1st Monday monthly – Ida Library, 3016 Lewis Ave

Share Your Skills

• Waterloo Farm Museum
  Share traditional fiber skills in a warm, historic setting. A wonderful way to inspire others while keeping old traditions alive.
  13493 Waterloo Munith Rd, Grass Lake, MI
  http://www.waterloofarmmuseum.org/
• Knit Michigan
  Help bring comfort to cancer patients by making soft, cozy hats. Patterns are free, and every stitch makes a difference.
  Free patterns: https://knitmichigan.org/patterns/
• Loose Ends Project
  Join a caring community of crafters who finish projects left behind by loved ones. A touching way to use your skills to support grieving families.
  https://looseends.org
• Sutherland-Wilson Farmhouse (Ann Arbor)
  Free opportunity to demonstrate your fiber craft — spinning, weaving, tatting, felting, and more — and sell your work at no cost.
  A fantastic chance to gain confidence, connect with the public, and support a local historic site.
  Contact: smcdowellGlass@gmail.com • info@pittsfieldhistory.org
  Website: https://pittsfieldhistory.org

💬 Stay Connected Between Meetings!

Alex set up a Spinners Flock GroupMe for us to chat, share projects, ask questions, and enjoy all the fibery conversations.
It’s a friendly, active space — we’d love to see you there!

👉 Join us here: https://groupme.com/join_group/100791572/LwJWrPOh

📇 Board & Leadership

We still need volunteers to handle the Secretary and Social Media positions!

President: Karen Armbruster – president@spinnersflock.com
Vice President: Rebecca Herman – vp@spinnersflock.com
Treasurer: Rebecca Keiser – treasurer@spinnersflock.com
Membership: Joanne Scollard – membership@spinnersflock.com
Secretary: Need Volunteer – newsletter@spinnersflock.com
Equipment Rentals: Judy Ramsey, Rachel Stanley, Carol Buis
Learner’s Circle: Deb Anderson & Candace Clark
Newsletter/Promotions: Deb Foti / Cheryl Horak - newsletter@spinnersflock.com
Greeter: Lee Miller
Website: Candace Clark
Social Media: Need Volunteer – newsletter@spinnersflock.com
Nametags: Patty Jo Yoder – nametags@spinnersflock.com

📫 Spinners Flock
PO Box 41
Chelsea, MI 48118