The members of the Verde Valley Weavers and Spinners Guild are displaying their handmade crafts at the Camp Verde Community Library through Sunday, Jan. 8.
The guild was founded in 1973 by Betty Gaudy, who, at age 87, is still active in the guild and attends its meetings. The guild will celebrate its 50th anniversary next September.
From around 12 members in the 1970s, the guild has grown to about 55 members today.
The guild welcomes any crafters who work in some sort of fiber art, whether it be weaving, knitting, spinning, embroidering, or something entirely different. Their fibers can include yarn, string, straw, wood, paper, raffia and many others.
“Because we are people that have a wide diversity of skill sets, we learn a lot from each other,” member Joyce Friel said. “We have some members that are very skilled and they are instrumental in helping others grow their craft and learn to be more proficient at what they do.”
Friel is a knitter and a seamstress who prefers to make wearable art. She loves to repurpose clothes and other items and described her most recent project reworking an old denim jacket and a lace dress from a thrift store.
Anyone is encouraged to join a guild workshop or demonstration or even become a member. “One of the benefits [of being a member] is continuous learning and always having access to programs that are very reasonably priced,” Friel said.
The guild holds a demonstration every month at the Sedona Heritage Museum, which, Friel mentioned, usually attracts groups of tourists who stop to watch and want to know what the guild is doing. All of the guild’s workshops are open to the public.
The guild also holds their Fabulous Fiber Sale every fall at the Methodist Church in Sedona.
“Many of the things that we make throughout the year, we stash away in the closet or in a bureau drawer,” Friel said. “All we do is sell them so that we can fund our habit!”
The guild’s next meeting will be held on Jan. 19 at the Sedona Arts Center and will feature a Zoom talk with Nashville master basket weaver Eric Taylor.
For more information visit verdevalleyweaversguild.com.
