The Fiber Festival is coming...with plenty to see and do!
The third annual Fiber Festival of New England takes place November 3 & 4 at the Mallary Complex at Eastern States Exposition. Show hours are Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Vendors and fiber enthusiasts gather to promote the use of wool and other natural fibers and related products, and visitors can enjoy workshops and demonstrations. In addition, there will be llamas, alpacas, sheep, rabbit and goats on display. There’s also a wealth of shopping, with more than 150 exhibitors offering everything from clothing and quilts to rugs, blankets, spinning wheels and more. Admission to the Fiber Festival of New England is $5 for adults and free for children 12 and under. For more information and tickets, click here. Here are 5 Great events taking place at the festival:
Sale items from the 2011 Fiber Festival. Photo courtesy Eastern States Exposition.
1. A Fiber Fashion Show, featuring handmade clothing and items made from natural fiber, will be held Saturday at 1:45 p.m. Consider showcasing your fiber-made accessory or piece of apparel made out of wool, mohair, alpaca or angora, at this fun-filled event. No pre-registration is required, and those interested may contact Kathy Rasys at (413) 245-9463 or via email at kathyrasys@hotmail.com. Participants should arrive no later than 10 a.m. on the day of the show. Volunteer models are also being sought for this event. If interested, please call (413) 205-5011.
2. A Fleece Sale will be ongoing throughout the Festival and is open to all. Be the first in line to purchase a fleece. Those interested in contributing fleeces: send fleeces to arrive on or before Nov. 2; or bring them to the Mallary Complex, beginning Nov. 2 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Please include the date shorn, breed of animal and producer information.
A friendly face at the Fiber Festival. Photo courtesy Eastern States Exposition.3. David and Iris Westcott of the Rhode Island Spinners Guild in booth 521 East will be teaching spinning and weaving on location and will produce a colorful coat by the end of the Fiber Festival.
4. Want to learn more about fiber crafting? Attend one of the workshops held during the Fiber Festival, including Beginner Rug Hooking and Making a Needle Felted Scarf.
5. Have crafting tools lying around the house that you’re not sure how to use? Storrowton Village Museum Director Dennis Picard will present “A Field Guide to Your Antique Tools and Mechanisms.” Bring along your unique or mystery relics. You’ll gain insight into historic fiber mechanisms’ functions and dilemmas and solutions as to why your bat head is lazy or your clock reel refuses to tell the right time. The workshops take place Saturday 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. and Sunday 1-3 p.m.
