Each month's images page will remain on this server until the next issue comes out. At that point, it will be deleated to save space.
Note: About the "by- lines". In those cases where I just had to edit the newsletter, Nellie is listed as the "by" person, and I am listed as editor. In these cases, I just made sure the language was consistant and the content understandable by modern weavers. In some cases, it is obvious that Nellie sat down and wrote the issue in one sitting off the top of her head. In thise cases, major surgury is needed, and I have had to expand and explain further. When my content hits 50%, I add my name to the by-line. As Nellie's primary audience was her own guild and long time subscribers, she took liberties in not explaining a weave or making offhand comments about weaves this audience would have seen. So, some issues are written entirely by me to bring my audience (you) "up to speed" about techniques Nellie's audience may have been very familiar with. In this case, the "by-line" lists only my name.
Subscribers are invited to share their articles and samples. Web space is available on this site, and within the newsletter.
Handweaving News was a newsletter created by Nellie Sargent Johnson, one of the
foremost production weavers and weaving educators of her time. She wrote and sent to her
subscribers 3 to 4 page newsletters each month from 1933 to 1951. In the course of writing
a biography of Nellie (soon to be printed in Handwoven Magazine), I collected most of the newsletters and subsequently copyrighted
them. To make them available to the greatest number of weavers, I have decided to re-issue
them, but with a difference:
Nellie's greatest ability was in making a weave structure understood by her students.
My forte is making much of my equipment with often nothing but a verbal description to go
on to start, and being able to see the shaft relationships of the weaves and thus to generalize and manipulate them. I intend to combine these into the new newsletters. Also, since Nellie's
original samples have been lost, and her original pictures were copies of photographs
(technology being limited at the time) they are unable to be used for these newsletters,
and I will have to weave all new samples.
They will be issued in the following formats:
1. Text format, with pictures available on my website.
2. Hard copy for those who need the newsletter in that format.
1. Will the newsletters be issued in the same order as Nellie wrote them?
No, they will be issued in logical order (terminology, warping, etc) primarily, but subjects may be mixed throughout the years so that they are interesting to more of the weaving populace than single subject year/volumes may be.
2. How about indicies? Will there be only one index at the end of it all, or will there be other periodic indicies?
Indicies will be included each year, as well as a final index. Furthermore, I plan on posting an index on this website, including up & coming issues/topics.
3. Nellie had traveling exhibits. That is, she produced a monograph, and would mail a copy along with the loan of her woven samples to those who wanted to see them or share them as the topic at a guild meeting; and would send them out for the cost of postage and a small fee for her time. Will instructions and samples be simularly grouped and offered for examination?
It may be too early to see to this, but if people are interested, I am open to this possibility.
further questions will be listed & answered as they are asked. If you have quesitons, please e-mail me.
