Oxford Fiber Arts Festival - Linda Weghorst Opening Talk

The second Oxford Fiber Arts Festival is scheduled for January 20-22, 2012. Opening lecture Friday evening will be given by Linda Weghorst on "African Kente Cloth Weaving." Ms. Weghorst, a fiber artist, weaver and educator, visited Ghana, Africa in 2009 to study the artists and art of Kente cloth weavers. Samples of the cloth and other native crafts will be on view after the talk and slide show. Lecture is at 6:30 p.m.

Ms. Weghorst will also teach a Handwoven Jewelry workshop during the fiber festival, on Saturday, January 21 from 10-4. Pin loom weaving will be used to create elegant, one-of-a-kind pins and neckpieces. Trained as a professional artist at Ball State University and the Art Institute of Chicago (MFA, Fiber Arts), Ms. Weghorst has exhibited her work and taught workshops throughout the United States. Her tapestries have been commissioned for a wide range of public architectural settings, including corporate, government, university and religious institutions.

Here are two examples of Linda's Woven Jewelry pieces.



Angela Schneider weaves, knits, spins and does just about every textile technique. She teaches for shops and guilds and exhibits in art shows in Memphis and regionally. Angela always has multiple projects in progress and classes on the calendar, and she will be teaching two classes during the Fiber Arts Festival. Below is a photo of Wavy Wedges, a project which takes short-rows to the extreme with a trick of geometry to create a unique 'wavy wedges' scarf.

Knitting is simple, but with a twist that makes it anything but plain. Only basic knitting skill required – cast on, knit and bind off. Creative yarn selection makes the design pop. Supplies: 200 yds worsted-weight yarns: Solid, variegated, two colors or two balls of slow color-migrating yarn. Size 8 needles or size to get a comfortable gauge with selected yarns. This class is scheduled for 2-5 Saturday, January 21.

Angela will also teach Kumihimo Braiding, a traditional craft in many cultures. Braids can be used in many applications, from jewelry to accessories to home décor. Students will work with both hand-held disks and marudai (braiding stools). Everyone will start with a sampler braid and choose a pattern for a small project – bracelet or keychain. All supplies will be provided in a kit. This class is designed for ages 10 - adult, and will be held Saturday, January 21 from 9-12.

Below is a photo of two pieces, a bracelet and a necklace that I made after taking Angela's class. The necklace (choker style, with end caps at the back) was made with specialty yarns.

For more information and to register for Handwoven Jewelry, Wavy Wedges, Kumihimo and many other classes, contact Knit 1 Oxford at 662-238-2829.

There will be lots of make and take for kids at the festival, including finger knitting, yarn bombing, and God's Eye, below.

More animals at the festival! This year our vendors are bringing alpaca, pygora goats, angora rabbit, and a llama! Here is a photo of a baby alpaca I took at Cathy's ranch a year ago.

Oxford Fiber Arts Festival

The First Annual Oxford Fiber Arts Festival was so successful I only had time to take 3 photos! I was at the make & take table most of Saturday. Here is a photo of Audrey with her granddaughter after they finished making a long felted bead. There was a lot of stuff for kids at the festival, which contributed to our success -- make & take, yarn 'bombing', alpacas and angora rabbits.

I took a hand painting sock yarn class on Sunday with Penny of Sky Loom Weavers (one of our vendors who came all the way from Texas). One of my skeins came out pretty good, the one at the bottom of the warping board, which I made with dyes in colors of rust, daffodil, brick red, and magenta, something like that. Not sure about the second skein, on the left in the photograph. I just kind of picked favorite colors and splattered them all over the skein. It will be fun knitting something with both skeins.

Vintage Knitting and Crochet

The First Annual Oxford Fiber Arts Festival was successful beyond our wildest hopes! Carolyn's opening talk on Friday evening was attended by about 40 - 50 people. At least one person came from as far as Memphis to attend and brought a 1970's crocheted vest to show after the talk, which still fits her very well!

I was so busy all weekend I only took three photos! This one of the table of vintage knitted and crocheted items Carolyn and I set up as a display. Most of the items are from Carolyn's collection, very few from mine.



Many people came up after the talk to tell Carolyn how much they loved it. A few people brought vintage items to share with the audience, including Mary Lou who brought this amazing shadow box of a pair of knit socks which her great, great, great, great grandmother made in the first half of the 18th century. Mary Lou said that her ancestor sheared, carded, spun and knit the socks to enter in a fair, and she knew exactly how many stitches were in the socks! Her photograph is also in the shadow box, and some of the extra yarn.

Alpacas at Oxford (MS) Fiber Arts Festival

Cathy Stauffer, of Coldwater Alpaca Ranch, will bring two of her adorable alpacas to the First Annual Oxford Fiber Arts Festival, January 21 - 23. Here are two of them enjoying the recent snow 'event' in North Mississippi.


Cathy will also have for sale at her booth: yarn, roving, raw fiber, batts, hand knit items, soap, lotion and other bath products, plus her best-selling dryer balls. What is a dryer ball? I had not heard of these, but Cathy says they are an all-natural alternative to dryer sheets. They contain no chemicals and are reusable, making them an eco-friendly product. Several in the dryer help to speed the drying process by lifting and separating clothes. They reduce static and soften the fabric. And they are pretty!

See blog posts below for information about workshops, lectures, Make & Take, etc. at the First Annual Oxford Fiber Arts Festival, Jan. 21 - 23 at the Powerhouse Community Art Center.

Oxford (MS) Fiber Arts Festival - Workshops

Several workshops will be offered during the Fiber Festival (please see post below for more info about the festival).

Fiber Artist Carolyn Webb, of Tucson AZ, will offer the following workshops:

Felted Clutch - Saturday, Jan. 22, 1-3 p.m.

In this 2-hour workshop, you will learn how to make a small felted envelope purse using wet felting techniques. You will create your fabric by blending colored roving and yarn, which can then be further embellished using yarn embroidery, beads and buttons.

Previous experience not required. $35, plus the cost of materials - available on site during the Festival.

Nuno-Felted Scarf - Sunday, Jan. 23, 1-4 p.m.

In this 3-hour workshop you will learn a unique art form - nuno-felting - to design your own silk scarf. Nuno is a wet felting technique which combines silk chiffon with wool roving and hand-dyed mohair locks to create a beautiful, one-of-a-kind embellished silk scarf.

Previous experience not required. $60. Fee includes white silk scarf and hand-dyed mohair locks. Wool roving to be purchased at the Festival.

See examples of Carolyn's fiber art by clicking on the box in the upper right of this page.

Penny Barnette, of Sky Loom Weavers in Cat Springs TX, will offer the following workshop:

Hand Painting Sock Yarn - Sunday, Jan. 23, 1-4 p.m.

In this 3-hr workshop you will create your own individual sock yarn - in your favorite colors. Learn techniques for dyeing as well as setting the color, and go home with yarn to knit a perfect pair of socks.

Previous experience not required. $40, includes all materials to make your project, including one skein of wool/bamboo blend superwash sock yarn. Additional skeins available for purchase.

All workshop participants should bring a couple old bath towels, small scissors and thin plastic gloves (if allergic to soaps and/or dyes). Wear clothing that you won't mind getting wet or stained with dye, and be sure to wear comfortable shoes as you will be standing for most of the workshop sessions.

To sign up for the workshops, please e-mail or call Knit 1 Oxford, 662-238-2829, or knit1oxford@gmail.com.

Oxford (MS) Fiber Arts Festival - "Vintage Knitting & Crochet" Opening Talk

The First Annual Oxford (MS) Fiber Arts Festival will be held January 21 - 23, 2011, at the Powerhouse Community Arts Center on University at 14th Street. Vendors, demonstrations, workshops, an opening talk by fiber artist Carolyn Webb, make & take for kids, alpacas, and much more will happen during the three day festival.

Admission is free and open to the public. Event hours are:

Friday, January 21, 5-9 p.m.

Saturday, January 22, 10-4 p.m.

Sunday, January 23, 1-4 p.m.

Featured in the Vendors' Market will be hand crafted items such as yarns, knitted and woven apparel and linens, soaps, lotions, jewelry and baskets. Supplies and tools for fiber artists will include yarns, roving, batts, skein winders, drop spindle kits, spinning wheels, rug hooking and punch needle resources, hand-carved and turned tools for knitters, crocheters, weavers, spinner, beadworkers, and much more.

Children will feel welcome at the event -- not only will there be live alpaca, but special kid friendly crafts including macrame, felted bead making and yarn bombing will be offered on Saturday.

Saturday and Sunday workshops offered will be:

Felted Clutch

Nuno Felted Scarf

Hand Painting Sock Yarn

(Please see above post for description of workshops)

The opening lecture, "Vintage Knitting and Crochet," will be a Powerpoint talk by Carolyn Webb of Tucson, AZ. The free talk, at 6:00 p.m., will feature many physical examples of vintage knitted and crocheted apparel, patterns, booklets and books. The public is invited to bring vintage items to show after the talk. A reception will be held after the talk at 7 p.m.

Please see other posts for more information about the Fiber Arts Festival.