We are excited to announce the ANWG 2027 towel exchange as part of the Portland conference. This engaging activity allows attendees to contribute a handwoven towel and, in return, receive a one-of-a-kind conference souvenir – a special towel crafted by another weaving enthusiast.
Towel Specifications
- Technique: Towels for the exchange must be hand woven by the conference attendee. Any weaving technique or equipment is allowed.
- Size: Towels should be a practical size for use as dishtowels or hand towels. The size is flexible, but towels smaller than or equal to 16″x24″ inches will be sorted into a Smaller towel exchange group, and towels larger (in one or both dimensions) than 16″x24″ will be sorted into a Larger towel exchange group.
- Materials: Towels should be made from absorbent and machine-washable yarns such as cotton, hemp, linen, bamboo, ramie, or other cellulose fiber blends. Common yarn sizes for towels include 2/3, 5/2, 8/2, 10/2, and 20/2.
- Finish: Towels for the exchange must be washed, pressed, and hemmed.
- Colors: You are welcome to use any colors, including those that match the conference theme or colors from your personal stash.
Participation Requirements
- Only registered conference attendees may participate.
- There is no additional fee to participate in this event. We’d love to have participation from all of our attendees!
- Each participant may submit one towel.
- Towels must meet the size, materials, and finish specifications listed above.
- Fill out the 2027 Towel Time Submission Form and pin it to your towel when submitting it. This is the label for your one towel. It includes your name, email address, and phone number, along with your guild name and location. Also include info on the weaving draft name, source for the draft, yarn size, fiber, and sett used. This form will be passed along to the recipient of your towel, so be sure to answer any questions you’ll have about the towel you’ll receive.
- You will receive a numbered receipt, which will be used on Saturday to pick up your new towel and ensure you receive a towel from the same pool (Larger or Smaller) as the towel that you submit.
- When towels are distributed on Saturday, participants will need to present surrender their receipt.
- The towels will be distributed using the number on the receipt to ensure that participants do not get their own towel back.
- Towel assignment will be random. Participants will not choose their new towel.
- Participants who submit a towel to the Larger towel group will receive a towel from the Larger exchange group. Participants who submit a towel to the Smaller group will receive a towel from the Smaller exchange group.
Design Ideas
- Consider incorporating the conference colors into your design.
- Take inspiration from our conference theme: Rivers & Bridges: Connecting Fiber Communities
- Explore a variety of weave structures, such as twill variations, laces, M&O, overshot, crackle, summer & winter, plain weave, or any combination that is practical for a useful towel.
- Embrace color-and-weave, stripes, checks, color blocks, gradients, iridescence, or monochrome designs. The towels can be dropped off and exchange picked up during the Conference according to the schedule on the Conference website. Add the Towel Exchange* to your conference registration at any time to add the drop-off and pickup information to your schedule.
We can’t wait to see what you come up with!