Nell Steedsman Award

Placemats

Criteria for the Nell Steedsman Award:
The Guild of Canadian Weavers

The Guild of Canadian Weavers Nell Steedsman Award honours excellence in quality of handweaving.

The Award is offered by the Guild of Canadian Weavers for work that has been entered in a Regional Juried Exhibition that includes weaving.

The recipient of the GCW Nell Steedsman Award will receive a one-year membership to the Guild of Canadian Weavers and a Certificate of Recognition.

Eligibility:

The Award will be made available to any show or conference in the five regions of Canada with juried exhibits.

The handwoven item(s) selected to receive the Award:

  • should show originality and creativity.

  • should, while demonstrating artistry, conform to its end use and function.

  • should be of the highest technical standards.
The Award is open to weavers both inside and outside the GCW membership.

Criteria:

They are based on the GCW test requirements. This criteria is the basis for the judges' guideline.

  • Threading and Sleying: Threads must be entered in correct heddle and dent without error.

  • Warp Setting: Thread, reed and sleying must all harmonize to produce a web suitable for the intended use.

  • Warp Tension: Warp tension should be even across the entire width of the warp.

  • Edges: Selvedges shall be even, without weft loops nor with weft drawn in excessively so that breakage occurs.

  • Colour: Use of harmonious colour for a creative effect.

  • Design: The form or shape should suit intended use.

  • Knots, Weft Joins and Turn-ins: All weft joins should be neatly lapped or turned in to lie just inside the selvedge; knots in the warp or weft are unacceptable.

  • Beat: Should conform to the use to which finished web is intended; 50/50 webs for plain weave or a balanced twill.

  • Finishing: Should include blocking and heavy pressing for tapestries, washing, hemming knotting, hemstitching braided warp ends, etc. Should be hand finished if required; machine stitching is permissible if concealed in the final presentation

The Term HANDWOVEN does not exclude Dobby or computer-assisted looms.

The GCW Quebec representative is Anne Marie Poulin.