The following Guilds and groups will have ongoing demonstrations.
Stop by and enjoy the heritage and diversity of fiber arts in eastern NC.
If you belong to a Fiber Arts Guild or group and would like to participate in the festival, please contact us at info@CarolinaFiberFest.org.
Our vendors have some incredible demos lined up for you!
Check back soon for more information.
John Guss, Alamance County Historic Properties Superintendent and Director of the Textile Heritage Museum in Glencoe Village will speak about the history and importance of Fiber Mills to NC’s economy. Our State Magazine has recently made an interesting video with John Guss entitled: “NC Icons: Textiles”.
Elaina Kenyon, Elaina is the Shepherdess at Avillion Farm in Efland, NC where she tends her flocks of Shetland and Jacob sheep, Angora goats, Suri Alpaca, and cares for a large herd of Angora rabbits.
We are fortunate that Elaina has been a featured Speaker at Carolina FiberFest for several years now and this year we’re very much looking forward to her talking about “Getting Started with Fiber Animals”.
In addition to her farming role, Elaina sells her products at various Regional Fiber Shows and runs an Etsy shop. And if that’s not enough to keep her busy, in her professional capacity, she is a Research Toxicologist at the US Environmental Protection Agency!
Biointensive gardening expert Cindy Conner will present a demo called “Flax to Linen” and will take us through the processing of retted flax into line flax ready to spin. She’ll explain what happens next to get it into linen clothes. Cindy has a forthcoming book entitled “Homegrown Flax and Cotton” being published by Stackpole Books this July. Her book includes detailed plans for making your own tabletop flax brake and Cindy will use it during her presentation. We will also have alongside a static, educational display of flax processing equipment, similar to what we did for Great Wheels last year.
Author and artist Karen Tiede is giving a free practical presentation and workshop about knitting and weaving rugs, She is an artist working in recycled fiber and she has reached her goal of knitting 100 rugs! Karen’s rugs are made from 100% post-consumer upcycled fabric (used clothing) which is washed, machine-dried, sliced into ribbons and wound into balls. Her book, “Knitting Fabric Rugs” is published by Storey Publishing and features 28 stunning, colorful designs. Bring your own clothing rags for upcycling & she’ll supervise us through the fun process.
TITLE: KNIT RUGS FROM RAGS
INSTRUCTOR: KAREN TIEDE
DESCRIPTION: Turn worn-out clothing and fabrics into colorful, soft rugs. The rugs are knit in garter stitch stripes on big needles using small units (squares, triangles) so they don’t get too heavy and aren’t hard on your hands. The gauge is roughly 2 stitches/1 inch.
You will learn:
sources for clothing
how to cut clothing to get the longest fibers
how to select colors
knitting patterns for the basic shapes
how to assemble shapes into a rug
ITEMS TO BRING:
SEVERAL T-SHIRTS to cut into rug fiber or fabric with good color on both sides. Any balls of fabric yarn you might want to use
CUTTING MAT & ROLLER CUTTER (fabric shears can be used to cut one or two shirts)
SIZE 15 or SUPER BULY KNITTING NEEDLES that will hold up to 20 stitches. (Shorter cables are better than longer cables).
LARGE EYED TAPESTRY NEEDLE, big enough to thread t-shirt yarn through.
Liz Sheffield, Liz’s adaptive clothing designs are easy to wear and inclusive of different body types, abilities, mobility and dexterity. Her beautiful PDF patterns combine form and function and 10% of proceeds are donated to ALS research and support. Her websitedifferentviewdesigns.com tells how her mother’s ALS diagnosis started her designing career path. Liz has generously shared her free pattern for a “Different View Cowl” as Carolina FiberFest’s 2023 Crochet Craft-Along project.
Katie Boyette, Katie is a visual artist from Boone, NC and describes herself as having too many hobbies! One look at her imaginative creations on her website katieboyette.com and Etsy store will show you just how talented she is! This year we’re delighted that Katie is one of our featured Carolina FiberFest Designers. You can download her super-cute, free pattern for a felted birdhouse from our website.
Sati Glenn is completely, ridiculously, emphatically in love with yarn. And fiber. Also sheep, alpacas, cotton plants and flax! She is looking forward to showing us her designs, the patterns for which are available from her Ravelry store. Sati has achieved her dream and opened a Local Yarn Store in downtown Seneca, SC called “Rows & Roses”. Check out her store’s YouTube virtual tour on Rowsandroses.com webpage and see where all the fun starts!
Ashley Jane has been crocheting for over 20 years and began her designing journey in 2019 with small designs and pattern testing. Then in 2021, she began working as a Design Associate for
Universal Yarn at their corporate office in Charlotte, NC where she has been honing her skills in design and tech editing. You can see her designs on Ravelry (Ashleyjanemc) and on Instagram (fromyarntostitches). Ashley Jane is very supportive of her local crafting community and founded the new non-profit Charlotte Region Arts, Fibers and Textiles Guild (CR.A.F.T) www.wecraftclt.com. Ashley Jane is going to share the latest in Spring and Summer designs from Universal Yarns – we can’t wait to see samples of what’s fashionably in store!
Yea, Heather Storta is coming to FiberFest!! Heather teaches up and down the East Coast, and nationally, at retreats and conferences as well as at Local Yarn Shops. She is a TKGA-certified Master Knitter, Knitting Instructor, and Tech Editor and has designed a wide range of garments and accessories – being especially well known for her sock and shawl designs, along with her focus on clearly-written patterns. Heather’s designs have been published in Knitty, Knitscene, Cast On, Knit Picks publications, and can also be found on her website: www.heatherstorta.com.
| NAME | PRESENTATION | DAY |
| LIZ SHEFFIELD | DESIGNER SHOWCASE -Different View Designs | FRIDAY 12:10-12:30 |
| JOHN GUSS | NC TEXTILE HERITAGE MUSEUM & GLENCOE MILL VILLAGE | FRIDAY 12:45-1:45 |
| CINDY CONNER | FLAX TO LINEN | FRIDAY 2:00-3:00 |
| SATI GLENN | DESIGNER SHOWCASE – Rows & Roses, Seneca, SC | FRIDAY 3:00-3:30 |
| KAREN TIEDE | FREE KNITTED RUGS WORKSHOP & DEMO | SATURDAY 10:00 – 11:30 |
| KATIE BOYETTE | DESIGNER SHOWCASE | SATURDAY11:45-12:15 |
| ASHLEY JANE MCINTYRE | DESIGNER SHOWCASE – Universal Yarns | SATURDAY 12:30- 1:15 |
| HEATHER STORTA | DESIGNER SHOWCASE | SATURDAY 1:30-2:00 |
| ELAINA KENYON | GETTING STARTED WITH FIBER ANIMALS | SATURDAY 2:30-3:30 |
Moon Eldridge Friday 10:00-10:30
Joan Beebe Friday 10;30-10:45
Amanda Watlington Friday 12:15-12:30
Amie Palmer Friday 12:30-12:45
Lisa Doherty Friday 2:15-2:45
Susanne Zantalluri Friday 2:45- 3:00
Tina McClancy Friday 3:00-3:15
Varian Brandon Saturday 10:30-10:45
Kerry Bullock-Ozkan Saturday 12:00- 12:20
Greg Cohoon Saturday 1:30 – 1:45
Tina McClancy Saturday 2:00 – 2:15
Liz Sheffield Saturday 2:30- 2:45
See bios below
Moon Eldridge Friday 10:00-10:30
Joan Beebe Friday 10;30-10:45
Amanda Watlington Friday 12:15-12:30
Amie Palmer Friday 12:30-12:45
Lisa Doherty Friday 2:15-2:45
Susanne Zantalluri Friday 2:45- 3:00
Tina McClancy Friday 3:00-3:15
Varian Brandon Saturday 10:30-10:45
Kerry Bullock-Ozkan Saturday 12:00- 12:20
Greg Cohoon Saturday 1:30 – 1:45
Tina McClancy Saturday 2:00 – 2:15
Liz Sheffield Saturday 2:30- 2:45
See bios below
FRIDAY 11:00 am
Linette is the official Artist in Residence at Artspace, Raleigh working in conjunction with NC Museum of Art to produce the community crochet satellite coral reef for the Art Museum’s forthcoming Spring Exhibition “Fault Lines - Art and the Environment”
https://ncartmuseum.org/series/crochet-coral-reef-project-satellite-reef/
In preparation for this exhibition, Linette conducted several NCMA sponsored crochet workshops that were open to all and enthusiastically supported by our local Teen Arts Council. Linette describes herself as a “shape shifter & weaver of webs” - come and hear her talk about her experiences introducing everyone from newcomers to advanced makers to the wondrous world of crochet coral as she shares her images of the creative process.
Friday 3:30pm-4:30pm
Cindy will present an overview of what it takes to grow cotton and flax and take those fibers all the way to clothes to wear. Learn when to plant and harvest and what equipment is needed for the next steps, such as spinning, scouring, and weaving. Additionally, flax involves retting, breaking, scutching, and hackling before spinning. Once it is spun, flax is called linen. Cindy will show the clothes she has made with her homegrown, handspun fibers and explain how she developed the patterns.
Cindy Conner bio
Cindy helped establish the sustainable agriculture program at Reynolds Community College. She grows flax and naturally colored cotton in her garden, along with cover crops and vegetables for a sustainable diet. Cindy wants to share her experiences about the entire process from planting seed to ending up with something wearable. She is the author of Grow a Sustainable Diet and Seed Libraries and has produced DVDs about cover crops and garden planning. www.HomeplaceEarth.com.
Friday 1:00pm-2:00pm
In their ongoing commitment to making it more profitable to raise heritage breeds, the Livestock Conservancy created the Shave ‘Em to Save ‘Em Initiative. It’s a program that recognizes fiber artists for using wool from breeds on their Conservation Priority List while connecting shepherds and woolen mills working with heritage breeds with customers. The Conservancy has long said that the way to save endangered breeds of livestock is to give them a job. In the case of wool sheep, we need to start using their wool again. Because of marketing challenges, some shepherds discard or compost the wool after their annual shearing rather than cleaning it and selling it. In addition to encouraging fiber artists to try using rare wools, the program also educates shepherds about how to prepare their wool for sale and how to reach customers and fiber artists, thereby making it more profitable to raise heritage breeds. Come learn about this exciting program and how you can participate as fiber provider or fiber artist.
The Livestock Breeds and Cindra Kerscher bio
A nonprofit founded in 1977, The Livestock Conservancy is the leading organization in the United States working to protect over 150 breeds of livestock and poultry from extinction. The Livestock Conservancy works with farmers and ranchers, chefs, historians, consumers, and others across the nation to protect genetic diversity in agriculture and for the security of our agricultural system. Cindra Kerscher is the “gate keeper” for the Shave ‘Em to Save “Em program at the Livestock Conservancy, an emerging fiber artist, and the accidental shepherdess of a small farm in Chatham County.
Saturday 10:00 - 10:30 am
After a career change, Varian went on a Rowan knitting tour to the UK. She was fortunate to study stranded colorwork knitting with none other than luminaries of the industry, Alice Starmore and Kaffe Fassett. Her passion for stranded colorwork knitting ignited, from there followed several adventurous trips to the Shetland Isles and Outer Hebrides, some designs for Jamieson & Smith and a whole new world of designing and teaching. Varian will be teaching several Workshops at Carolina FiberFest and also organizes the Kanuga Knitting & Quilting Retreat every January. Come and enjoy seeing some of Varian’s wonderful visual images from her adventures!
Saturday 12:30-1:30pm
Have you ever wondered what makes plant and animal fibers different, or found a mystery fiber that you wish you could identify? If this describes you, come join Elaina Kenyon for some fun fiber forensics. We’ll talk about distinguishing animal, plant and synthetic fibers and what makes different fibers suitable for different uses. You’ll also get to play the fiber identification game. This is a hands-on activity suitable for all ages and parents are encouraged to participate with their children.
Elaina Kenyon bio
Elaina is shepherd-in-charge at Avillion Farm in Efland, NC a diversified fiber farming enterprise. The farm is home to Shetland and Jacob Sheep, Angora goats, Angora Rabbits, and Suri alpacas. Elaina enjoys experiencing and sharing with others the whole process - from raising livestock to processing the fleece into clothing and home furnishings.
Saturday 11:00-12:00
We are delighted to welcome the NC Museum of Art to Carolina Fiber Fest!
Director Angela Lombardi has witnessed an out-pouring of support from North Carolina fiber artists, crochet enthusiasts, craftivists, and crochet beginners who have contributed individual parts for the satellite reef. These individual pieces are currently being transformed into a wondrous and beautiful crochet coral reef.
This Spring the NCMA hosts the North Carolina Satellite Reef, part of the Crochet Coral Reef project by Christine Wertheim and Margaret Wertheim of the Institute For Figuring, a Los Angeles–based organization dedicated to the poetic and aesthetic dimensions of science and mathematics. which will be on view in the exhibition Fault Lines: Art and the Environment.
https://ncartmuseum.org/series/crochet-coral-reef-project-satellite-reef/
Come and learn more about this amazing, impactful local creation! Angela’s visual presentation will give us background about this “MUST SEE” exhibition for all fiber enthusiasts!
Friday 10:00-10:30
From Chapel Hill, Moon grew up in Inner Mongolia of China and started knitting as a little girl. She moved to the US in 2010 and is a full time designer & instructor of knitting and crochet - as well as mother to 6 year old twin boys!
Moon is published in Interweave Crochet, Interweave Crochet Accessories, Knit.purl, Interweave Knits Holiday gifts, Knitscene, Knitscene Accessories etc.
Etsy: ButtonsPatterns Facebook: moon.eldridge Instagram: moonsdesign
Pinterest: mooneldridge/
Friday 12:15-12:30
From Durham, Amanda learned to knit as a little girl and by her teens was making elaborate sweaters. Now she’s been knitting for 55 years! Amanda is also an avid crocheter & judges our Carolina Fiber Fest Competition.
Friday 10;30-10:45
From Raleigh, Joan loves to Knit and Weave. Who wouldn’t agree with Joan that every day is fun to play with fiber in some form!Etsy: ssknits
Facebook: SSKnits
Instagram: ssknitsjoan
Pinterest: simsenknits
Friday 12:30-12:45
From Durham, Amy is a lifelong fiber arts enthusiast. Her primary languages are knitting and sewing! Amie’s favorite projects include custom-fitted clothing and creating interesting textures using a variety of knitting techniques. The more arts she can use in a project, the better! Amie says that if she can harvest the fiber, spin it, dye it, and then turn it into fabric that constructs a garment, it’s her kind of project.
Friday 2:15-2:45
From Wake Forest, Lisa specializes as a freeform crochet artist and teacher
Facebook: Lisa Doherty Freeform and Design
Instagram: lisa doherty freeform and design
Saturday 10:30-10:45
Saturday 10:00 - 10:30 am
After a career change, Varian went on a Rowan knitting tour to the UK. She was fortunate to study stranded colorwork knitting with none other than luminaries of the industry, Alice Starmore and Kaffe Fassett. Her passion for stranded colorwork knitting ignited, from there followed several adventurous trips to the Shetland Isles and Outer Hebrides, some designs for Jamieson & Smith and a whole new world of designing and teaching. Varian will be teaching several Workshops at Carolina FiberFest and also organizes the Kanuga Knitting & Quilting Retreat every January. Come and enjoy seeing some of Varian’s wonderful visual images from her adventures!
Friday 2:45- 3:00
From Holly Sp[rings Susanne loves to knit, crochet, spin & dye. She works from home designing quality knit and crochet products. Susanne is kept busy by 5 amazing kids & 3 grandkids
Friday 3:00-3:15
Saturday 12:00- 12:20
From Carrboro, Kerry eally caught the knitting bug in her mid-twenties. Like many of us, Kerry says that lately she’s knit way too many cowls!
Facebook: bullockozkandesigns
Instagram: bullockozkandesigns
Saturday 1:30 - 1:45
From Greensboro, Greg started knitting in 2012 when his daughter was born 2.5 months prematurely, and spent 5 weeks in the NICU before she was able to go home. He’s written about his knitting origin story on his blog. Greg offers a big thank-you to all of you who knit and crochet for charity and says it really does make a difference.
Saturday 2:30- 2:45
From Raleigh
Inspired by her mother’s fight with ALS, Liz’s knitwear designs are for every Body, blending beauty & functionality. Her pieces are thoughtfully put together to include wearability for those who have limited dexterity or disability with how they wear and put on clothing
Liz has also designed Cochlear implant beanies
Instagram: differentviewdesigns
