AAFG 2026-27 Meeting Programs
Membership Meetings:
Held the 2nd Monday, September – May, no December meeting.
Social time begins at 6:30 p.m. Program starts at 7 p.m.
Library hours: 6:15 – 6:45 p.m.
We meet at Zion Lutheran Church in the Gathering Room (2nd floor)
1501 W. Liberty Street
Ann Arbor, MI 48103
For Zoom presentations, members will be sent an email with the Zoom link.
Meeting Formats
In-Person = Program will be held in person at Zion Lutheran Church.
Zoom = Presentation and participation will be held exclusively via Zoom.
Blended = Presentation will be held remotely via Zoom and in person at Zion Lutheran Church. Choose how you wish to participate.
Monthly Schedule
Monday, September 14, 2026 (In-Person)
“A Fiber Art Gathering”
AAFG members Pam Nickerson (l), Anne Smith (c), and Kathy Zasuwa (r) will display their work and discuss their processes and artistic practice. Techniques include a variety of fiber art techniques including weaving, quilting, and crochet. Come and admire their craft, ask questions about their work, watch demos, and get inspired for your future explorations.
Monday, October 12, 2026 (In-Person)
“Biodegradable Textiles with BIOSPOKE”
Nadia Boone
A freelance fashion designer born and raised in Detroit and the founder of BIOSPOKE, Nadia has a passion for heavy construction clothing that specializes in tailoring and patternmaking. Discover how BIOSPOKE, a sustainable fashion studio, develops biodegradable textiles and bespoke garments through material innovation and circular design. Rooted in craftsmanship, they transform textile waste into refined, wearable systems that rethink what clothing can be from the fiber up.
Boone has been sewing for over a decade and designing for more than six years. In addition to holding a BA degree in Fashion Design and Merchandising from Kent State University, they also studied at The Paris American Academy in France.
https://biospoke.info
Monday, November 9, 2026 (In-Person)
“Cartoon Logic”
Sam Dienst
Explore the colorful world of tapestry weaver and sculptor Sam Dienst. Her personal approach to textile exploration is inspired by the objects around her and flows between more representational and abstract compositions. She loves playing with colors, textures, and finishing her work with multiple embellishment techniques like painting, embroidery, felt appliqué, and beadwork.
Dienst is a tapestry weaver and sculptor currently living and working in Detroit. She graduated in 2016 with a BFA in Fibers from Massachusetts College of Art and Design and an MFA in Fibers at Cranbrook Academy of Art in 2021. She’s exhibited at the Museum of Museums in Seattle, Martha’s Gallery in Austin, the Metropolitan Museum of Design in Detroit, and the Jane Lombard Gallery in Tribeca.
www.samdienst.com
Monday, December 14, 2026 (In-Person)
Holiday Party (details on AAFG Members page)
Monday, January 11, 2027 (Blended)
“From Pinterest to Pattern”
Susan Lazear
Pinterest is a best-loved source of inspiration for many. In this lecture, we will explore its use and go one step further to begin the process of translating what you see online into actual patterns you can sew. It’s not about copying, but about adaptation. Learn how to read a garment, and how to translate the style to measurements that you can use either by choosing the right pattern, altering a pattern, or drafting your own. The process is logical and simple. There are lots of ‘aha’ moments to be had.
Lazear is an Emeritus Professor of Fashion at Mesa College in San Diego where she taught various textile and design courses including patternmaking, computer design and textiles for 30 years. She is the owner and Creative Director of Cochenille Design Studio where she designs pattern making and stitch design software for textile and fashion enthusiasts. Susan actively designs wearable art utilizing a variety of textile arts. She also leads workshops around the world and hosts retreats in France and Italy.
Monday, February 8, 2027 (Blended)
“Structured Color”
Heather Macali
Learn about how woven structure can transform cloth into a dimensional surface through Heather’s explorations in waffle weave architecture and color relationships. By engaging directly with spinning, dyeing, and weaving, she maintains an intimate relationship with the material processes that shape the final form. As the structure of the cloth emerges gradually, it reveals how subtle shifts in tension, yarn twist, and color arrangement can influence the behavior of the woven surface.
Macali is an artist, craftsperson, and educator based in Detroit, Michigan. She holds an MFA in Textiles from the University of Wisconsin–Madison and teaches at Wayne State University, where she specializes in weaving, dyeing, textile design, and spinning. Her practice explores the structural, optical, and material possibilities of woven textiles, situated at the intersection of Craft, Fine Art, and Desig
https://heathermacali.com
Monday, March 8, 2027
TBA
Monday, April 12, 2027 (In-Person)
“Hat History”
Diane Hall
Time travel through headwear history with local hat aficionado Diane Hall. Explore her vast collections of pieces from prestigious, long-gone city department stores, couturiers, and milliners. While she admires hats for their particularly fine fabrics, shapes or accessories, her favorites are those that resemble styles worn by actresses in her favorite classic movies.
Hall is a retired IT specialist who is also a genealogist, vintage dancer, dressmaker, more-than-amateur historian of fashion and films, and storyteller. She has a wealth of lore about family members and film stars and their triumphs and tragedies that otherwise would have faded into history.
Monday, May 10, 2027 (Blended)
“Celebrating Member Fiber Explorations”
The final meeting of the season invites all members to share fiber art projects they have been working on all year, and workshop participants are welcome to show their unique responses to the Guild workshops they attended. Wear your creations or bring the artwork you would like to display. There will also be a presentation of the upcoming lineup of workshops and speakers for 2027-28.