Posted on by Cindy Sherman

Introducing New Members-Only Resources

During the pandemic your Board has worked hard to introduce new ways to connect our members to fibre-related content. Our latest initiative is our Members-Only Resources page on sofaar.ca. Currently included on the page are all of the 2020 and 2021 issues of Snippets, a list of books available from our library, a direct link to the popular Snippets article on how to photograph your work, and the recording of the recent program on growing flax for linen with Patricia Bishop. More material will be added shortly.

To access this information click on the Resources link at the top right of any sofaar.ca page. You will see the screen pictured below. Click in the password box and type in the password. Click on ENTER. The password was sent to you in the January/February 2021 issue of Snippets.

Posted on by Cindy Sherman

Virtual Saturday Snips

Join Us for Virtual Saturday Snips
March 13, 2021, 1 – 2 p.m.

If you’ve been hesitating to join a virtual SNIPS, we’d like to encourage you to jump in and give it a try. Past participants have been pleasantly surprised and enthusiastic about the experience.
“…nice to see everyone and hear them in these crazy times…”
“I enjoyed being part of the conversation.”
“…a group conversation rather than individual conversations. I really liked that.”

Most people bring something to work on (just like a live SNIPS) and we gather in a virtual circle. The conversation is always interesting. We catch up on current projects and show off our finished pieces. It’s a nice break from the “Groundhog Day” life of COVID.

Join via your computer or download the app onto your device. It’s pretty simple but there’s also detailed online help directly from Zoom. We HIGHLY encourage you to read this first if you have any questions as they cover most of the platforms and browsers available. You should find yours on that page.

https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us/articles/201362193-How-Do-I-Join-A-Meeting-

You can also ask your kids to help as they may already be using Zoom for work and school.

If you want to test your connection before the meeting, please go ahead. Once you connect, you will be placed into a ‘waiting room’ so you can test anytime. On the actual day of the live meeting, you will still enter the waiting room to be ‘admitted’ about five minutes before the meeting starts.

Take advantage of the waiting room feature to sign in a bit early to the actual meeting.  If you should run into any issues, Aprille Janes, who hosts the ZOOM meeting, will be available 30 minutes before the meeting to help. Feel free to call her at 902-824-1926.

Complete details about how to join our Zoom meetings can be found on our password-protected Resources page.

Posted on by Cindy Sherman

Books, Books, Books!

Our book collection is both growing (thanks to new donations) and shrinking (as members lay claim to books). If you would like one of the books, please contact Barbara Nutley-Hunter at nutleyhunter58@gmail.com. Pickup or delivery can be arranged or you can receive your book the next time we are able to meet for Saturday Snips.

Click here to see a list of our books.

Posted on by Cindy Sherman

SOFAAR Member Sam Norgard and International Beading Week

The Beadworkers Guild of the UK is sponsoring INTERNATIONAL BEADING WEEK.  SOFAAR member Prof. Sam Norgard, of the Savannah College of Art and Design, has been selected by The Beadworkers Guild of the UK as a Guest Ambassador.

Complete information may be found at: https://www.nationalbeadingweek.co.uk/Diary-of-Events.php

Event Details: The Black and White Together Project Team’s goal, led by Prof. Norgard, will collect from Makers around the world numerous black and white warped squares made with size 11 black and white Delicas.  They will then assemble the works into one connected piece.  Hundreds of warped squares, representing Makers of various ethnicities, are envisioned!  It is their hope by offering these sessions, pre-recorded, on-line, that it will enable ease of access to Makers around the world allowing them to easily fit viewing into their schedules.

Warped square instructional video and all pattern instructions will be accessible on line.

During the week of July 27 – July 31 – each day Makers can access a pre-recorded session that will provide 25 minutes of instruction and demos on the construction of the warped square.  Each day a different pattern, using only black and white size 11 Delicas, will be explored.  In addition, 20 minutes of each session will be used to discuss the state of the art of beads by highlighting the works of various bead artists in the world today. Session links will be posted on International Bead Week website.

It is their vision that Makers interested in contributing to this piece will view the instructional sessions and contribute the warped square(s) they construct to the compilation of the final project.

Posted on by Cindy Sherman

Sewing Machine Needed

Can You Help?

Anna Amegah is a refugee – a single mother with 4 children – who lives in the area. She can sew but doesn’t have a machine. Funds are very limited and she wonders if anyone has one they are not using they would give to her. If you can help, please contact info@sofaar.ca.

Posted on by Cindy Sherman

E-Transfer Now Available

GOOD NEWS: When renewing or purchasing a membership, SOFAAR can now accept e-transfers to email address info@sofaar.ca. The e-transfer will automatically be deposited into SOFAAR’s chequing account; no password is required. We hope this will make payment easier during this difficult time and in the future.

Posted on by Cindy Sherman

Membership Extension Increased to 6 Months

In the April/May issue of Snippets we announced that, due to interruption of our ability to host Saturday Snips or provide workshops, all members in good standing as of March 2021 would have their membership extended for 3 months.

Because of the ongoing COVID-19 social distancing requirements, that extension has been increased to 6 months. We are looking into options for programming that might involve meeting via Skype or Zoom and we hope to resume Saturday Snips as early as September if circumstances allow. In the meantime, we’d love to see your works-in-progress. Send them to info@sofaar.ca and we’ll post them here on the website.

Posted on by Cindy Sherman

Saturday Snips on hold

In light of the pandemic and the need for social distancing, the SOFAAR Board has cancelled upcoming sessions of Saturday Snips until further notice. We will continue to monitor the situation and make decisions about upcoming meetings as the need arises. In the meantime, we’re lucky that fibre arts can be practiced in isolation.

This is a good time to finish UFO’s and start challenging new projects.

While Saturday Snips is on hold, we’ll publish monthly issues of Snippets. Send photos of what you’re working on to gracebutland@eastlink.ca  and we’ll include them in the next issue.

Posted on by Cindy Sherman

SOFAAR:AGM March 14th: important notice

SOFAAR members,

As you are no doubt already know the World Health Organization has declared COVID-19 to have reached pandemic status. At this time in Canada, as reported on the Government of Canada Health site,  80% of cases are travellers and 10% are close contacts of those travellers. There are no confirmed cases in Nova Scotia at the time of writing but this can change in a moment and progress rapidly.   With this in mind let us take the following precaution:

Anyone returning within the last 14 days from a country or province with confirmed COVID-19 cases, or been in contact with anyone who has, DO NOT attend the AGM event.

We all need our immune systems to be at their best so anyone suffering colds and seasonal flu please stay at home as well.

We are all going to have parts to play in the coming weeks. If it falls to me that my part is to stay home, I will immerse myself in fibre projects and be glad to do so. If we all do our part the show and tells once the contagion has abated could be amazing.

When I became SOFAAR president I never imagined penning such an email, but at this conjuncture I feel it is essential.

Yours wanting to keep us healthy,

 

Cheryl den Hartog

President SOFAAR