NEW CLASSES AT THE GUILD
NEW CLASSES
Go to the website to enrol.
Exploring 4 Shaft weaving
Tutor: Alison Francis
When: Sunday May 14
Time: 10am to 4pm
Where: Textile Art Centre (aka The Guild)
Cost: Guild members $75, Non Guild members $85 (Also includes materials)
Students must be able to warp their loom independently
How it Works: Once you have enrolled, you will received a n already wound warp and an instruction sheet to tell you how to warp up the pattern you have been given.
You will warp your loom before the class and bring it ready to weave.
You will weave a sample on your loom and then you will swap with other members of the class and weave a sample on each of their looms. Everyone will have a different pattern on their loom, so you will have the chance to try them all.
Please Bring: Your warped loom. Scissors, measuring tape, shuttles, scrap yarn, some tie on name tags, pencil and paper, your lunch.
We provide tea and coffee and weft yarns.
Please enrol early enough so you have time to receive your warp and warp up your loom.
Flash Jackets
Tutor: Priscilla Lowry
When: Saturday 6 May
Time: 9am to 3.30pm
Where: Textile Art Centre
Cost: Guild Members $80, Non Guild members $90
What you will Learn: Do you have a favourite jumper with holes in it, or has it shortened and widened, or got smaller?
This is upcycling as an adventure. Let Priscilla help you to unleash your creativity and create a unique wearable jacket out of an old knitted garment. (Hand or commercially knitted)
Please Bring: Any old jumpers or cardigans that you are willing to cut up, sharp scissors, a range of knitting needles including a long fine one, crochet hooks, pins, tapemeasure, large sewing needles, embellishments, any small balls of yarn including some fine yarn to match the garment, and just the usual sewing bits and pieces.
Priscilla will also bring various jumpers, yarns etc and she usually finds that people are willing to share and swap materials as they go.
Nuno Felting Class
Tutor: Christine Roxburgh Time 9.30 am – 3.30 pm
When: Saturday 8 April Where Textile Art Centre
Cost: Guilder Members $75 (includes materials kit) Non Guild Members $85
Fabulous Combinations
This is your opportunity to venture into a new world of felting! Come and learn how to integrate fabric into your felt using nuno techniques. Since its creation in Austria over 20 years ago, nuno’s popularity has grown hugely due to its stunning effects and endless possibilities.
What you will learn. Come and enjoy several techniques which really create a “wow” factor in your work. We will cover wool layout before making a number of small samples to try different methods. You may then choose to make a larger piece to combine the effects or continue to explore the methods we try.
You will leave with new ideas bursting to be tried out.
Suitable for – beginner felters and those wishing to try some new ideas.
Kit Supplied – includes 100gms fine merino, assorted silk and cotton fabrics, different weight of silks, various small inclusions, eco detergent, mosquito netting, thin plastic.
What to bring – Any fine lightweight silks or lightweight loosely woven cotton fabrics you may have already, or op shop scarves. Select loosely woven, fine natural fabrics such as silk chiffon, and georgette, cotton gauze. No polyester or acetate. Patterns and plain fabrics are both useful. I have a selection but you may have some of your own you’d like to try.
- Scissors suitable for cutting fine fabrics
- Bubblewrap (new pieces not with the bubbles burst) 2 pieces about 120cm x 50 cm
- Pastic bottle with lid to sprinkle water. Milk bottle with moulded handle is good (we will make small holes in the lid)
- Small amounts (3-4m) woollen yarn, DK or thicker, any colours
- Bring any fine merino or polworth wool you already have and wish to use for your own project later in the day. 21 micron and less. Coarse wool won’t work! This is optional so only bring it if you have it. (I will have a limited amount available)
- 2-3 old towels and a sponge or microfiber cloth for soaking up extra water. Apron
- Notebook and pen
- 2L icecream container or similar
- Swimming pool noodle or wooden dowel (broom handle diameter) about 50cm long
- Plastic bags to take home wet felt.
- Please bring your own lunch. Tea and coffee is supplied.
Today’s Mind-Bender is the Last of the Year! Can You Guess It Before Everyone Else? 🌟🎁🌲
I dance in the sky with green and gold, a spectacle few are lucky to behold; I’m best seen in the south, a celestial sight—what am I, lighting up the New Zealand night?
Do you think you know the answer? Simply 'Like' this post and we'll post the answer in the comments below at 2pm on the day!
Want to stop seeing these in your newsfeed? No worries! Simply head here and click once on the Following button.
Poll: Is it ok to regift something that you have been given?
🎁 Holiday Gift Chat!
Do you ever regift?
What’s your take on asking for a receipt if a gift doesn’t fit?
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78.5% Yes! It's better to regift what I don't need
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21.5% No. It's the thought and effort that matters
Charities turning away high numbers of volunteer applications
Charities are turning away people wanting to volunteer amidst a flood of interest they say is linked to the high rate of unemployment.
It comes as some businesses receive thousands of applications for paid roles and people look for experience anywhere they can.
The advocacy organisation Volunteering NZ has been tracking the trend. Spokesperson Margaret McLachlan said there has been a considerable rise in applications for volunteer roles across a range of charities.
Many application forms asks people to divulge if they are job hunters.
"Over the last year or so, they are seeing more people coming in who are saying they are in that category. They are looking for work but doing volunteering while that process is taking place."
"As unemployment increases and the cost of living, times are tougher for everybody."
At the same time, she said community organisations supporting social services were busier and needed more helpers.
McLachlan said depending on the organisation, they might want to do a police check, a reference check and an interview.
"In some cases it can be a process to go through and not always, and that can take some time.
"It's actually the same barriers that a person might find in finding a job, can also apply to volunteering. It's not always a easy option."
SPCA had 120 op shops and animal rescue centres across the country in which volunteers worked.
General manager of retail Cathy Crichton said they received about 1300 extra applications for volunteer roles, a 32 percent increase, from June to November 2025, compared to 2024.
"There's definitely a nudge forward which is very exciting and we're very grateful."
But it meant they were not accepting any more volunteers in some areas.
"Because the applications are up it's a unique scenario. But at this point in time, in smaller locations, we've actually got a hold in 19 locations in New Zealand where we are at capacity - and that's very rare and it's a very new trend."
Crichton said anyone seeking volunteer work should think creatively about what skills they can offer - it could be in administration or marketing.
"We'd love to welcome as many people as we could because the more hands on deck the more we can do and the more we can contribute to the community."
She said people were self-motivated to apply for volunteer work.
The unemployment rate rose to 5.3 percent in the September quarter, meaning 160,000 people were jobless. The next quarterly figures are out in February.
"There's a willingness to give back and contribute to the community. Unemployment being high really does encourage people to engage with the workforce and get experience," Crichton said.
"It really is about staying connected with the community and meeting others."
She said they had also seen an increase in young people seeking volunteer work experience.
"It's a great opportunity to get work experience and a reference and there's an appeal there as an employer...I really do think it adds value to a CV."
Stats NZ data showed over half of New Zealanders, 53 percent, volunteered during March 2025 and of those, 27.6 percent volunteered through an organisation and 40.8 percent volunteered directly for another person.
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