Exchanges & Rentals - Handweavers Guild of America

Textile Exchanges

These online programs are ideal for personal use or guild study groups. Open to all skill levels.

Textile Exchange Programs

Sponsorships are available! Email us at HGA@WeaveSpinDye.org for more information.

Textile Exchange events are open to active HGA Individual, Family, Student and Professional Artists members. Not a member? Join today!

Handspun Skein Exchange

sponsorship available - email HGA@WeaveSpinDye.org

Each spinner is invited to set their own goals for this exchange. Do you want to stretch yourself by learning a new spinning technique? Share your pride and joy "default" spinning skeins? Play with color? Try a new fiber? Have you recently purchased a new wheel and want to put it through its paces?! Let this exchange be your avenue for adventure (or not)! We hope you have some fun with this, and know you will produce beautiful yarn! Not a member? Join Today!

(The 2024 exchange is closed)

Guidelines

This exchange will focus on protein/animal-based fibers. This could be wool, alpaca, mohair, angora, silk, or blends of any of these fibers.
Fibers can be dyed or natural.
Use 4 ounces of fiber.
Create a skein of plied yarn in a worsted weight, size 4 pursuant to Craft Yarn Council Guidelines, approximately 10 to 12 wraps per inch.
Your skein should be wet finished prior to being sent in for the exchange.
Securely label your skein by attaching an index card that contains the fiber content, total yardage, and your name.
In addition to the skein label, complete out the skein information sheet that can be downloaded here as a typeable PDF and email the digital copy to the exchange administrator.
Ship your skeins beginning February 1st. Skeins must be received by the exchange administrator no later than February 29th. Instructions for mailing will be emailed with your registration confirmation.
DO NOT MAIL TO HGA. Your skein will not be received.
Skeins will be exchanged and shipped by March 31st.

Participant Requirements

Current HGA Student, Individual, Family or Professional Artist Membership. Not a member? Join today!
Participant fee of $10 to cover return priority-mail shipping (international participants will have their items returned via first class mail) and administrative fees.

Community (Optional)

Participants will be invited by email to join the Facebook group for the exchange so they can share and communicate with each other.

Handwoven Bookmark Exchange

sponsorship available - email HGA@WeaveSpinDye.org

Sometimes it's fun to have a small project that provides quick warping, easy weaving, and great satisfaction. Versatile bookmarks can be completed on a table loom, rigid heddle loom, inkle loom, or tapestry loom. So many options! This exchange offers flexibility and allows participants to test their creativity. There are no yarn restrictions, nor is there a minimum width or length. The only requirement is to weave four bookmarks and in exchange, you will receive four different bookmarks with instructions to recreate each one. Not a member? Join Today!

Guidelines

Weave four (4) bookmarks.
Include four (4) printed worksheets (download sample) with your complete contact and weaving information (draft for your weaving along with thread samples and sources). There should be one printed for each bookmark. Insert your worksheets in a sheet protector to keep them flat and neat while shipping.
Email a digital copy of your worksheet to the exchange administrator (to compile a complete listing of all bookmarks entered). Instructions will be emailed with your registration confirmation.
Submit your bookmarks and thread samples (if available), along with your completed project worksheets.
Ship your bookmarks beginning February 1st. Bookmarks must be received by the exchange administrator no later than February 28th. Instructions for mailing will be emailed with your registration confirmation.
DO NOT MAIL TO HGA. Your bookmarks will not be received.
Bookmarks will be exchanged and shipped by March 31st.

Participant Requirements

Current HGA Student, Individual, Family, or Professional Artist Membership. Not a member? Join today!
Participant fee of $15 to cover return priority-mail shipping (international participants will have their items returned via first class mail) and administrative fees.

Community (Optional)

Participants will be invited by email to join the Facebook group for the exchange so they can share and communicate with each other.

Handwoven Towel Exchange

2023 Handwoven Kitchen Towel Exchange

sponsorship available - email HGA@WeaveSpinDye.org

HGA Individual, Family, Student and Professional Artists members are invited to participate in a weaving exchange and increase your handwoven towel stash. Participants will each send four towels and will receive four wonderful new towels. Not a member? Join today!

Guidelines

Towels must be woven from cotton (unmercerized is preferable for kitchen towels), linen, hemp, bamboo or any combination of these fibers.
Towels should be hemmed (either hand-sewn or machine-sewn).
Wash your towels so that shrinkage has been addressed.
Finished (after washing and hemming) minimum measurements are to be 18” x 25”.
Weave four (4) towels.
Include four (4) printed one-page information sheets with your name, contact information, and the draft for your weaving along with thread samples and sources. There should be one for each towel. Insert each information sheet in a sheet protector to keep it flat and neat while shipping.
Email a digital copy of your information sheet to the exchange administrator (to compile a complete listing of all towels entered). Instructions will be emailed with your registration confirmation.
Ship your towels beginning June 1st. Towels must be received by the exchange administrator no later than June 30th. Instructions for mailing will be emailed with your registration confirmation.
DO NOT MAIL TO HGA. Your towels will not be received.
Towels will be exchanged and shipped by July 31st.

Participant Requirements

Current HGA Student, Individual, Family or Professional Artist Membership. Not a member? Join today!
Participant fee of $20 to cover return priority-mail shipping (international participants will have their items returned via first class mail) and administrative fees.

Community (Optional)

Participants will be invited by email to join the Facebook group for the exchange so they can share and communicate with each other.
Participants will be invited to participate in a Zoom event during Spinning & Weaving Week (October 2 -8, 2023).

Handwoven Scarf Exchange

2023 Handwoven Scarf Exchange

sponsorship available - email HGA@WeaveSpinDye.org

In order to accommodate the sun worshippers and the snow worshippers, you will submit a Summer Scarf and/or a Winter Scarf. If you submit a summer scarf, you will receive a summer scarf in exchange. If you submit a winter scarf, you will receive a winter scarf in exchange. If you want to submit one of each (1 summer scarf and 1 winter scarf), you will receive 1 summer scarf and 1 winter scarf in return. Not a member? Join Today!

Guidelines

Weave a scarf at least 5" wide and 60" long not including fringe. These measurements are finished measurements, meaning you have washed and dried your scarf or finished it as appropriate for the yarns used.
Label your worksheet (download) with your complete contact information and weaving information (draft for your weaving, along with thread samples and sources). Insert the worksheet in a sheet protector to keep it flat and neat while shipping.
Clearly mark your worksheet with SUMMER or WINTER scarf. You will be the one who determines if your scarf is to be considered a summer or a winter scarf.
Email a digital copy of your worksheet to the exchange administrator (to compile a complete listing of all scarves entered). Instructions will be emailed with your registration confirmation.
If you submit both a summer and a winter scarf, please mark them clearly and wrap them separately. Enclosing each one in a large plastic bag is suggested. You can mail them in the same package.
Submit your scarf along with your completed project worksheet.
Ship your scarves beginning October 1st. Scarves must be received by the exchange administrator no later than October 31st. Instructions for mailing will be emailed with your registration confirmation.
DO NOT MAIL TO HGA. Your scarf will not be received.
Scarves will be exchanged and shipped by November 30th.

Participant Requirements

Current HGA Student, Individual, Family or Professional Artist Membership. Not a member? Join today!
Participant fee of $15 to cover return priority-mail shipping (international participants will have their items returned via first class mail) and administrative fees.

Community (Optional)

Participants will be invited by email to join the Facebook group for the exchange so they can share and communicate with each other.

Textile Exchanges

Textile Exchange Programs

For more information about Textile Exchanges call (678) 730-0010 or email Programs@WeaveSpinDye.org.