FiberFest at Sturgis Park on October 11, 2008

I wanted to let everyone know that we will have this year's FiberFest (October 11, 2008 from 10am to 4pm) at Sturgis Park in Snow Hill. For those of you not from the area, it is just a couple of blocks (walking distance) from the museum itself.

In the past we have had the event at the museum (actually on our neighbor's yard!), and this year we have outgrown that. So, while I was hesitant to move the event away from the museum, having it at Sturgis Park will benefit the festival in several ways. There is more room, including pavilions; electricity is available for any vendor who needs it; parking is ample and close; there are more bathrooms; there are picnic tables for visitors to sit; and it is right in downtown so there will be more foot traffic. The town has generously offered to shut part of River Street off to cars that day, so that there will be more room to mill about. So, I think this is a good decision for our growing FiberFest.

Museum admission will still be free on FiberFest day, and the annual Delmarva Needle Art Show and Competition will be up, so I hope festival-goers will take the short walk over to visit the museum.

PS. This year, Frivolous Fibers from St. Michaels will be at FiberFest, and our friend Carolyn will be selling off her collection of hundreds of fiber art books, including many that are out of print.

If You Can't Get Enough FiberFest . . .

I'm happy to report that our alpacas friends from LuckyGirlZ Farm in Salisbury, and their mama Nancie, will be joining us once again for FiberFest on October 11. They have been the festival's favorite attraction for the last several years.

This year FiberFest will also welcome new vendors Yarnigans (amigurumi and accessories) and and Crash Into Ewe (hand-dyed and painted yarn and roving, and other knitting goodies).

Join us on the Eastern Shore group on www.ravelry.com for futher FiberFest chat.

Needle Felted Doggie

My sister took these photos of a little needle felted terrier I made for my niece, so I thought I would share them with you. It has been vigorously played with since the photos, and now is pretty squished, and missing an eye!

FiberFest Update

I thought I would give a brief update on FiberFest planning, since I know the details of events planning are fascinating to all. Several new vendors are confirmed for this year: Upper Room Studio, The Quilting Witch, and Misty Meadows Alpacas. And The Sanguine Gryphon will be returning. Yea for FiberFest!

Anyone who would like to know more about the event can give me (Claire) a call at (410) 632-0515.

Children's Fiber Art Program

Our July Children's Fiber Art Workshop was a fun time, and we are now looking forward to the next one, on Monday, August 11 from 2-4pm. It will once again take place at the Snow Hill Library meeting room. There is sure to be more fiber art fun for kids of all ages--from pre-schoolers to preteens. The program is free, but please call Stacy at The Fine Needle at (410) 632-0772 to register so we will know how much yarn, looms, felt, roving, and glue-the-wool-on-the-sheeps to bring. See you there!

Pictured are Emily Magee and Jonathan Lilley working on projects at the July children's program.

Textile Arts Instruction Programs

At the Guild's June meeting, programs that offer instruction in fiber arts were discussed. Below is contact info for a whole slew of programs around the country and beyond.

Maryland Shores Rug-hooking Workshops
304-9 33rd Street
Ocean City, MD 21842
www.marylandshores.blogspot.com
Classes held each spring at the Dunes Manor Hotel in OC.

Sanguine Gryphon
Easton, MD
www.sanguinegryphon.com
Opportunities to learn spinning and dyeing.

Stitches East
Baltimore Convention Center
November 6-9, 2008

Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival
Howard County Fairgrounds
West Friendship, MD
www.sheepandwool.org
The first full weekend in May. Courses are available the Wednesday, Thursday and Friday before the festival.

Lahara Textiles
PO Box 315
Barnesville, MD 20838
301-349-0056
www.laharagallery.com
Saturday courses in knitting, rug-hooking, weaving and design.

Springwater Fiber Workshop
808 North Fairfax Street
Alexandria, VA 22314
703-549-3634
www.springwaterfiber.org
Spinning, weaving, knitting, crocheting, felting and more.

Joan Griffin Tapestry
1800 Yorktown Drive
Charlottesville, VA 22901
434-979-4402
www.joangriffintapestry.com

The Mannings
1132 Green Ridge Road
PO Box 687
East Berlin, PA 17316
1-800-233-7166
www.the-mannings.com
Weaving, spinning and knitting classes.

Spin Off Autumn Retreat (SOAR)
Pocono Manor, PA
October 5-12, 2008
Register through www.interweave.com
Scholarships available.

John C. Campbell Folk School
1 Folk School Road
Brasstown, NC 28904
1-800-FOLK-SCH
www.folkschool.org
Courses in all types of fiber art, plus tons of other things. Also programs for school age kids and teens.

Penland School of Crafts
PO Box 37
Penland, NC 28765
828-765-2359
www.penland.org
Many textile courses including knitting, weaving, textile sculpture, design, screen-printing, dyeing, millinery and more.

That Hat!
Wilmington, NC
910-397-9099
www.hatshatshats.com
Millinery workshops around the USA and at the studio in North Carolina.

Peters Valley Craft Center
19 Kuhn Road
Layton, NJ
973-948-5200
www.petersvalley.org
Fiber art courses include spinning, weaving, knitting, crochet, color & design, needle felting and more.

Arrowmont School of Arts & Crafts
PO Box 567
Gatlinburg, TN 37738
865-436-5860
www.arrowmont.org
Fiber art courses including dyeing and weaving. Scholarship and work study opportunities.

Rhode Island School of Design
2 College Street
Providence, RI 02903
401-454-6100
www.risd.edu
Summer and special programs in fiber art for continuing education.

Quilt Surface Design Symposium
464 Vermont Place
Columbus, Ohio 43201
www.qsds.com
Symposium focusing on non-traditional and art quilts with instructors and attendees from around the world.

Haystack
PO Box 518
Deer Isle, ME 04627
207-348-2306
www.haystack-mtn.org
Quilting, knitting, dyeing and more. Scholarship opportunities.

Knitting Cruises on the Schooner Isaac H. Evans
Captain Brenda Walker
PO Box 791
Rockland, ME 04841
1-877-238-1325
www.midcoast.com/~evans/

Sievers School of Fiber Art
Jackson Harbor Road
Washington Island, WI 54246
920-847-2264
www.sieversschool.com
Courses on knitting, spinning, weaving, dyeing, felting, stitchery and design.

North House Folk School
PO Box 759
Grand Marias, Minnesota 55604
218-387-9762
www.northhousefolkschool.com
Courses on knitting, embroidery, spinning, felting, weaving, and dyeing.

Sharon Alderman
734 South 500 East
Salt Lake City, Utah 84102
801-355-0215
www.sharonalderman.com
Weaving courses.

Sarah Natani Navajo Weaving Workshops
PO Box 2270
Shiprock, NM 87420
505-368-4906
www.navajovalues.com

Idyllwild
PO Box 38
Idyllwild, CA 92546
www.idyllwildarts.org
Summer programs in Navajo weaving. Also family camp and children's programs.

Weaver's School
Madelyn van der Hoogt
PO Box 1228
Coupeville, WA 98239
300-678-6225
www.weaversschool.com

Craft Cruises
craftcruises.com
Cruises with knitting, crochet, beading classes.
Destinations in US, Caribbean, Europe, Asia, Central & South America.

Traditions Mexico
01152-951-571-3695
www.traditionsmexico.com
Fiber art tours to Mexico.

Weaving Course in Norway
contact: Dr. Carol Colburn, carolcolburn@cfu.net
Focuses on weaving and design in vadmal.

Textile Study Tours to Norway
Vesterheim Norwegian American Museum
PO Box 379
Decorah, IA 52101
563-382-9681 www.vesterheim.org

World Wide Knit in Public Day Event in Snow Hill

World Wide Knit in Public (WWKiP) Day was started in 2005 by knitter Danielle Landes as a way for knitters to come together and enjoy each other's company. Knitting is such a solitary act that it's easy to knit alone somewhere and sink into your own work without thinking about all the other knitters out there. Neighbors can spend their entire lives never knowing that the other knits. This is a specific day for knitters (and those who want to learn) to get out of the house and go to a local event (with knitting in tow). WWKiP Day is the largest knitter-run event in the world, and each local event is organized by volunteers.

A WWKiP Day event is being held at Sturgis Park in Snow Hill on June 14 from 10am to 3pm. Knitters can stop by any time to network with other area knitters and check out each others' current projects. Knitters should bring a chair and their knitting (and snacks if they'd like). Stacy Mitchell, owner of the Fine Needle quilt and yarn shop in Snow Hill, is offering free goody bags to those who register ahead of time by calling the shop at (410) 632-0772. Visitors can pick up the bags from Stacy at the event.

The Julia A. Purnell Museum in Snow Hill is offering free admission coupons to participants in WWKiP Day. They can be picked up all day at the event. “Knitters can knit at the KIP, have lunch in town, and then walk a few blocks to the Purnell Museum. It's a great way for visitors to Snow Hill, and locals, to spend the day,” said Julia A. Purnell Museum Executive Director Mary St. Hippolyte.

There were nearly 200 event for last year's WWKiP Day, and the number will probably be even higher for 2008. Events are being held in the USA, Canada, Denmark, Norway, Germany, Switzerland, France, Australia, Netherlands, Finland, the UK, Portugal, Austria, New Zealand, Belgium, Iceland, Czech Republic, and Mexico.

Knitters can stop by the Snow Hill event any time from 10am-3pm. Those who are interested in learning to knit—including kids and teens—are encouraged to join in too.

For more information on the event contact Stacy Mitchell at the Fine Needle at (410) 632-0772. To find out more about WWKiP events around the globe, visit www.wwkipday.com.