What sad news! I have fond memories of my chats with Russ at IOLI conventions. He always had a good selection of interesting books. A couple of months ago I helped Sarah, a (famous!) Navajo rugweaver, start a card weaving project. I had discovered that I had two of Russ's card weaving books so I was able to give Sarah one of them. I remember buying one of them from Russ at an IOLI convention. I hope I hadn't pinched the other one somehow.
My copy of "Manual of Swedish Handweaving" still has a sales receipt for Sept 1956 when the book was brand new, from Robin and Russ Hand Weavers in Santa Barbara. I got it on Ebay from a man who was selling his mother's things after she died. She was the one who had bought the book from Russ in 1956. Sally Four Corners, New Mexico > Date: Thu, 14 Jan 2010 11:23:59 -0800 > From: lacel...@verizon.net > Subject: [lace] Passing of an Era - Russell Groff > To: lace@arachne.com > > I just received news of the passing of Russell Groff ... owner of former Robin and Russ Handweavers.... who supported lacemaking along with his weaving. He printed or reprinted many books of lacemaking, and provided a place for our lacemaking group to meet for many years. Here is his story from a weaving source, so it doesn't mention lace, but he was important to our world also. The local lacemakers already missed him when he retired and closed the store, but still saw him occasionally around town. Now we have only the memories. > > Alice in Oregon > > --------------------------------------------------- > Russell Ellsworth Groff, weaver, teacher, author, publisher, champion of handweaving, and for 57 years the proprietor of Robin and Russ Handweavers, passed away on January 3rd, 2010, at the age of 85. > > He suffered rheumatic fever during service in World War II and was taught weaving as occupational therapy. From that time on, Russ was a tireless promoter of weaving, weavers, equipment makers anyone and anything involved in fiber crafts. Fresh out of college, he scrounged up 15 looms and started a weaving program in Santa Barbara, California, that is active to this day. As of 2005, they were up to 45 looms and had a waiting list. > > After college, Russ started a production weaving studio, even selling his handwoven skirts to fashion retailer I. Magnin. He travelled the world buying for his shop, making high quality yarns and an amazing variety of tools and equipment available to weavers and other fiber artists. He designed and produced looms. He published two weaving newsletters and wrote or published more than 60 books. He founded or led weaving guilds in Santa Barbara, Southern California, and Portland, Oregon. He supported and encouraged anyone who wove, or taught, or wrote about weaving. > > Endings didnt interest Russ. He asked for no funeral, no fuss. As his health declined, his great concern was that his books and other publications would continue to be available to coming generations of weavers. > > > --------------------------------------------------------- > > - > To unsubscribe send email to majord...@arachne.com containing the line: > unsubscribe lace y...@address.here. For help, write to > arachnemodera...@yahoo.com - To unsubscribe send email to majord...@arachne.com containing the line: unsubscribe lace y...@address.here. For help, write to arachnemodera...@yahoo.com
