Contemporary Handweavers of Houston

MONTHLY MEETINGS

CHH meets the third Thursday of the month, August through May, at Bayou Manor (see map) in the auditorium.  It's located at 4141 S. Braeswood, Houston, Texas.  We begin at 7 pm with 30 minutes of browsing books and videos from our library, and yarns and other goodies brought by vendors in the area.  The business meeting begins at 7:30, followed by a program at 8:30, and show and tell by the members.  Refreshments are provided by the members on a rotating basis. 

WORKSHOPS AND CLASSES

The guild hosts workshops by local and international fiber artists. Please check the Calendar for all upcoming events listed in date order. Costs are reasonable and cover the instructor's time and materials. These events are a wonderful way to learn a technique in depth in a short period of time. People emerge from classes and workshops renewed and refreshed with new skills. Try it, you'll like it!

SHOW AND SALE

The Contemporary Handweavers of Houston has an Annual Sale, featuring unique hand-crafted works. Items include table linens, stationary, bookmarks, baskets, ornaments, jewelry and wearable art. Styles range from homespun, to elegant, to fun and funky. Handspun and hand dyed yarn, buttons and other materials for the creative soul are also available.

ART CAMP AND RETREAT

Another way guild members refresh themselves is by joining our annual retreat event. This is usually held on a weekend at a bed and breakfast inn where we work on a project of choice or on a themed project. There are no specific skill requirements for this FUN event. Retreats are limited to 15-20 members on a first-come, first-serve basis, determined by postmark on mailed applications. Email for specific information.

STUDY GROUPS

There are numerous study groups around the city which are open to members of the guild, most at no charge. The groups give us opportunities to meet more frequently to exchange ideas about  weaving and the related fiber arts and to participate in actual studies where members create samples to exchange with each other. Some groups have made samples for the newsletter to share with the entire guild. Others have woven color gamps, kitchen towels, African weaves, Scandinavian weaves, mug rugs, etc. One group acquired fiber and dye plants and planted them at the heritage garden at the historic George Ranch near Houston.

NEWSLETTER

The guild publishes CHHit CHHat, a newsletter, 11 months of the year, August through May, with a summer thrums issue in the summer. It keeps us informed about meeting dates, sale forms and information, volunteer opportunities, etc. In addition, there are articles of interest and announcements of happenings regarding our members or events of interest to them, and hand woven, hand spun or felted samples created by members, to show a new technique or fiber.

VOLUNTEERING

Volunteering is one of our major activities at CHH. We are non-profit, and education is our main goal. We strive to educate ourselves and the community about our craft by sharing at meetings and programs, teaching classes and holding workshops. In addition, through volunteering at community events we support Texas fiber growers, local historical societies, and others. We teach children about the fiber arts through volunteering at schools, libraries and church events.

The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, held in February, is our largest volunteer event every year. Spinners, weavers and knitters from our guild demonstrate their expertise for busloads of school children and any visitors who pass by our stage setting next to Sheep Mountain. Be sure to visit us there.

HISTORY

CHH was founded in 1949 as a chapter of the Contemporary Handweavers of Texas. The state guild was formed to provide a common meeting ground for isolated weavers throughout the state. A monthly newsletter was begun, an annual meeting was held in the Spring to showcase members' work and dues were set at $3.00. By 1974 the Houston Chapter had created its first newsletter. Many of the newsletters contain a handwoven or handspun sample created by one of the members. In 1987, a name the newsletter contest was held, with the winning title of CHHit CHHat remaining so popular that it is still used today.

JOIN

Check our membership web page- membership dues today are still modest.