Craft Yard Sale at Fine Needle

On Saturday, May 31 we're having a CRAFT YARD SALE at The Fine Needle. The sale begins at 9 a.m. and will go to about noon or so. You can shop for crafty items (supplies and [un]finished items) and/or set up your own table of craftly goodies. If you'd like to set up a table just drop me (Stacy) an email. You supply your own table/chair. Any type of craft stuff - supplies, tools, finished projects, unfinished projects! - are welcome.

I've been cleaning out my craft bins (and I did a lot of crafting before "concentrating" on quilting and knitting!) and will also have oodles of stuff from the shop that just needs to find a new home.

If you are part of - or know of - an organization that will accept craft items for donation, please contact me. We will be happy to place boxes with signs (designating organization and types of items accepted) at the sale for collection. The only catch is that we won't deliver - someone will have to pick up the box for the group/organization.

"Back to School" Program--June 9, 2008

The Central Delmarva Fibers Guild is offering a program for fiber artists wanting to upgrade their skills, from beginners looking to get started, to those would like to learn a specific new technique. The “Back to School” program will take place on Monday, June 9 at 6pm at the Snow Hill Library meeting room.

Participants can learn about instructional fiber art programs--teaching weaving, knitting, dyeing, spinning, quilting and more--in our region and beyond in a round-table discussion. This will include information on several east coast arts and crafts schools, knitting cruises, and opportunities in Maryland. Visitors are also encouraged to share their experiences of instructional programs.

The “Back to School” program is free and open to the public. Light refreshments will be served.

The Central Delmarva Fibers Guild supports promotion and education of the fiber arts, and holds frequent public programs for adults and children. Members include those of all skill levels, from beginners to professionals,and new members are welcomed. New and prospective members are welcome to attend. For a full list of the Guild’s activities, or for information about becoming a member, contact Stacy at (410) 632-0772.

FiberFest 2008

Plans are already in the works for the annual FiberFest at the Julia A. Purnell Museum in Snow Hill. This year's Fest is on Saturday, October 11. Several vendors are already on board. The Sanguine Gryphon will be there once again selling beautiful handspun and hand-dyed yarns. You can visit Gryphon's own blog at www.sanguinegryphon.blogspot.com. Several area Etsy vendors are planning to be there as well: Crash into Ewe, Kelly's Creations and Yarnigans.

For those of you who haven't been to the FiberFest before, it's a small--but growing--textile arts festival with demos, vendors, activities for kids, live animals and food. The Central Delmarva Fibers Guild has been very involved with the festival since its beginning. Festival admission is free. As in past years, there is no charge to vendors, since we want to encourage as many fiber artists as possible to participate. So if you're interested, let us know! You can call the Julia A. Purnell Museum at (410) 632-0515, or leave a comment.

Maryland Sheep & Wool Festival

Last weekend was the annual Maryland Sheep & Wool Festival and it was pretty great. My group included my two year-old niece B., so this year our visit was all about the animals. We got in plenty of face-time with the baa-baas, and visited the llamas, alpacas, rabbits, and those precious mini angora goats. I have been told there is talk of eliminating the non-sheep animals at future festivals, and I think I speak for toddlers (and their handlers) everywhere when I say this would be tragic. Perhaps we could mount some act of civil disobedience; species-discrimination will not be tolerated!

Here is the wrap-up of the event according to B.:

Best part of the festival: 3 pavilions of wall-to-wall sheep

Worst part of the festival: not being able to "hold the baa-baa in my arms"

Yummiest food: sugary pecans

Ickiest food: lamb (also most traumatic food)

Best vendors: Anything with needle felted animals

Most mesmerizing demonstration: spinning wheels go round and round

Be sure to bring: your own potty. The bathroom lines can be long.