Go ahead.
You know you want to reach out and touch the items on display at the Langley Weavers and Spinners Guild annual artisan show and sale.
And that’s okay with the people who made the fibre and fabric items.
“That’s perfectly fine,” said Maureen Dones, the guild’s publicity person.
She said members know that if a person is thinking about buying an item, they want to touch it and even try it on.
“The general etiquette is just be careful with things,” she explained. “That’s the only thing is just be considerate.”
The show, happening Friday and Saturday inside the West Langley Community Hall, brings the guild together with other local artisans so that attendees can not only check out works in fibre but also items from other vendors and craftspeople.
“They are all local talented artisans – jewellery makers, potters, soap makers, wood turners, etc. – and add a nice variety to the sale. It’s a good place to come for Christmas gifts,” she said.
The show has been going on since 1983 by the guild that started in 1971.
“It’s quite a neat show when you just walk around and see all the colour,” Dones said.
She enjoys wandering around the venue to see the colours as well as how people use the various raw materials, taking inspiration.
“It’s our only fundraiser of the year,” she noted.
Admission is by donation and any funds raised by the event go to cover guild expenses as well as provide member scholarships for them to learn. The guild also donates to 4-H.
“We do donations to various community groups like the Lower Mainland Sheep Association to help them going and creating more fibre for us,” Dones explained.
People can check out the array of hand-crafted items from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 2 and from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 3. The hall is at 9400 208th St.
In addition to the members and vendors with their tables, there’s a tea room, a silent auction, and opportunity to purchase various supplies and equipment.
There’s ample parking at the hall which is also accessible, and purchases can be made with cash, credit card, debit or cheque (with ID).
The guild, with about 100 members, holds its regular meetings at Sharon United Church in Murrayville but that venue isn’t large enough for the show and sale. Most members are in the Lower Mainland. Learn more at www.lwsg.org.
