Shuttle Spindle & Dyepot Writers' Guidelines

Published by the Handweavers Guild of America, Inc., the award-winning Shuttle Spindle & Dyepot magazine features emerging artists and craftspeople, highlights innovative techniques and events, and honors established fiber artists and textile traditions. SS&D is a magazine for artists and craftspeople. As an international forum for weavers, spinners, dyers, basketmakers, and felters, it is a visually appealing, in-depth publication that promotes excellence in fiber art through articles that inform, enlighten, instruct, and inspire.

Articles:

We are interested in articles that present ideas and concepts related to textile arts, articles on textile history and preservation, artist profiles and guild-related projects. We feature in-depth reviews of museum, gallery and textile shows, as well as articles examining current issues relative to textiles.

Targeting all levels of experience, we look for articles on weaving, spinning, dyeing, felting, weaving with beads and basketmaking that examine a technique or tradition. Our emphasis is on developing design skills, understanding techniques, marketing and craftsmanship.

Manuscripts:

We invite written proposals that summarize the subject and point of view of the article. Complete articles, not exceeding 1200 words, are also welcomed.

Please present your article or ideas in the following format:

• Use 8 1/2" x 11" white bond paper.
• Type and double space.
• Provide a hard copy and a disk copy in an ASCII file, Microsoft Word* (saved as Word 2), or Word Perfect (saved as WP 5.1). *Indicate IBM or Macintosh format.
• Place your name and address and telephone number on the upper right hand corner of each page.
• Indent paragraphs.
• Use two-inch margins at the top and bottom and one inch on the sides.
• If the article is unsolicited, please include a brief outline of the article, hard copy only (no longer than one page).
• Include the bibliography at the end of the manuscript on the hard copy and disk.
• Include photo captions on the hard copy and disk.
• Include a list (hard copy) of enclosed illustrations (photographs, slides, drawdowns, graphs, line drawings) with an accompanying descriptive note of each illustration. Include a brief autobiographical note.

Send to:

Handweavers Guild of America, Inc.
1255 Buford Highway, Suite 211
Suwanee, GA 30024

Illustrations:

We use good quality original slides, 4X5 transparencies and/or black and white glossy prints to illustrate articles. All slides and photographs should be sharp and clear without background clutter. Photographs should be included on the list of illustrations with a brief description. All illustrations/photographs/ samples should be keyed to the text and captioned. Do not write on the back of photographs; write the information on a piece of paper taped to the back of the photo. People in the photograph should be identified.

All illustrations should be labeled with the following information:

• Name of artist and/or author
• Address of author (or artist if different)
• Name of piece, dimensions, fiber content and other pertinent information
• Name of photographer to be given photo credit
• How the piece is keyed to the text for example (illustration 1)
• An arrow on the right side indicating the top of the slide/photograph/ sample

When it is necessary for the author /artist to send in the actual piece for in-house photography, the item must be tagged with :

• Owner's name and shipping address
• Title of the piece
• An indication of the right side
• Insurance value
• The piece must be keyed to the text

We will return the piece/s postage paid, insured via the same transport service used for delivery.

Drafts:

In order to keep drafts uniform, all drafts will be redone on a computer software program to our specifications.

• Draw drafts on graph paper.
• Use numbers to mark the threading draft.
• For the rising shed (jack loom) tie-up draft, number the harnesses, with the highest number on top and the lowest on the bottom, and indicate it as a rising shed.
• For the sinking shed (counter balance) tie-up draft, use X.
• Use short vertical dashes for the treadling draft.
• For the drawdown, fill in the squares where appropriate.
• Be sure to label the threading and the treadling. Indicate tabby by using a and b.

The Publication Process:

Once a manuscript is chosen for publication, the copy is read for content, clarity, conflicts and duplications. Then it is sent to the copy-editor.

The copy editor checks spelling, punctuation and grammar. She also corrects awkward sentence structure. She edits and checks to see that names and places are spelled correctly, whatever appears on the original copy from the author is considered correct. For example, if a person's last name is Smith and the author spells it Smythe, we have no way of knowing that it should be Smith.

The copy then goes to the typesetter for page layout. The typesetter places the copy in a three-column format and prints a proof copy.

Author Proof:

A proof or draft copy is returned to the author for verification and author comments. * It is extremely important to check the spelling of names and places at this time.

We all-authors, members and guilds-love to see our name in print, especially in our national organization's magazine, but only if it is spelled correctly!

Check: Photo, illustration and diagram captions; author's biographical note, as well as illustrations and diagrams.

Comments from the author should be forwarded (faxed, if possible) to the editor as quickly as possible with errors, misspelled names or misplaced diagrams noted on the returned copy.

Review by Consultants:

The manuscript will also be reviewed by a specialist. For example, an article that includes formulas for mixing dyes will be reviewed by a chemist. Once the consultant's and author's comments have been implemented, the page layouts are designed.

Proofreader:

The proofreader inspects all final copy and photo captions.

Honoraria and Publication Agreement:

The Handweavers Guild of America, Inc., provides a small honorarium upon publication of an article. In exchange, the author agrees to convey First English Language publication rights and Anthology (reprint, photocopy and electronic publication) rights to the Handweavers Guild of America, Inc., Shuttle Spindle & Dyepot. In addition, the author agrees not to sell, assign or transfer any remaining rights in and to the article until six months after publication in SS&D unless otherwise agreed with the editor.

References:

All references must be documented.

Bibliography:

Please use this format for a book:

Atwater, Mary M. The Shuttlecraft Book of American Hand-Weaving . New York: Macmillan Publishers, 1928.

Use this format for a magazine article:

Guy, Sallie. "Twill 2- Double Width Afghans." "Shuttle Spindle & Dyepot" (Winter 1983), 34.

Citations:

Parenthetical references are used to clarify (in the body of the text) when documenting research, or when reference should be made to a particular book, page or section of a book.

For example:

author date method (Atwater 1928)
or
author, date, page method (Atwater 1928, p. 178)

For sample see:

Duncan, Kate. "The Kutchin Baby Carrying Strap." "Shuttle Spindle & Dyepot" (Spring 1992), 38.

Book Review Guidelines:

Book reviews follow general manuscript instructions.

Please begin your book review with this format:

• BOOK TITLE IN CAPITALS, by (Author's Name). Publishing Company, Street, City, State, Zip. Year of Publication. Soft or hard Cover.
• Number of pages. Price.
• Do not exceed 500 words.
• Suggestions for discussion:
  • general description
  • to whom would it appeal
  • author's purpose in writing the book
  • author's qualifications
  • merits of the book
  • any weakness
  • quality of illustrations and/or diagrams
• Reviewed by Your Name, City and State or Province