Go back to ‘school’ at Fiber College

Many schools open everywhere this week. Add Fiber College to the list of places you may want to “study.” Fiber College, in its second year, is geared toward those who ply the needle Friday-Sunday, Sept. 7-9, on the grounds of Searsport Shores Ocean Camping Resort in Searsport.

Attendees will have the opportunity to participate in classes taught by experts in the needle arts throughout the weekend. Classes in knitting, spinning, crocheting, dyeing, beading, weaving, embroidery, wire working for fiber artists, blending colors for spinners, hooking rugs with wool roving, quilting, ribbon embroidery, needle felting and wet felting will be offered.

Headlining the event is Elaine Eskesen, author of “Dyeing to Knit,” who will give a humorous motivational talk on taking fiber interests to the professional level. She will speak at a reception and lasagna dinner prepared with organically grown salad greens farmed by students at Troy Howard Middle School. The reception, at 6 p.m. Saturday at the school, includes a tour of the school’s garden.

At the event, textile collector Richard Johnson of Searsport and California will show items from his collection in a shamiyan, a colorful tent used for festive occasions in India and Pakistan. Johnson has collected textiles and handwork from Nepal, Pakistan and Afghanistan. His display will include examples of embroidery, hand-woven carpets, traditional costume, mirror-work embroidery, quilting, block printing and wax painting.

Helioprint artist Joan Chellis of Wayne will give instruction in using the sun to create custom-made fabric.

Twenty-seven teachers will conduct 40 classes during the weekend. Among them are Nancy Webster, who lives in Waldo County and who will teach a class in Navajo spindling. Kelly McKenzie of Waterville will show attendees how to do Navajo plying. Susan Barrett Merrill of Brooksville will give lessons in “weaving the goddess.” Marcia Markwardt of Searsport will teach Appalachian basket-making techniques. Kathy Norwood of Bar Harbor will offer a class in knitting short-cuffed socks. Susan Dewey of Southwest Harbor will help class members create a knitted hat with a tapestry band. Beryl Dulson will teach techniques in hardanger embroidery and tatting.

A shoppers boulevard will be open all weekend during the event, where attendees may purchase finished goods, roving and yarns, kits, fiber art supplies and farm produce. Fiber animals will be on-site and their owners will be available to discuss animal care, selection and other concerns. Food produced locally will be available, including lobster rolls from a local fisherman and grilled meats from Maine farms.

Advance registration is encouraged. Most classes are limited to 10 students. The schedule is 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Friday, 9 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Saturday, and 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Sunday. Admission to the Fiber College is $5 and includes access to the shoppers boulevard, demonstrations and live animal exhibits. There is an additional cost for each class attended. Information is available at www.FiberCollege.org or by calling Astrig Tanguay at 548-6059.

Snippets

Those who love to do crewel embroidery will have the opportunity to learn more from Judy Jeroy, former national president of the Embroiders’ Guild of America and a certified teacher of crewel embroidery, 9:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 13, at Fiberphilia in Orono. Registration deadline is Friday, Sept. 7. Call 866-3423 for details about cost and supplies necessary for the class.

Parents with children interested in exploring the artistic and creative aspects of embroidery and sewing in after-school classes should call Tree Heckler, 974-8851, at Howling Threads Studio to obtain a copy of the schedule. Classes begin today.

Bucksport’s Challenging Choices is seeking donations for its teen enrichment program for grades six through 12. Donations needed are sewing accessories, glass beads, silver, findings and other jewelry-making supplies, scissors, any type of yarn, scrapbooking supplies such as paper, scrapbooks, glue, stickers, ink pads and embellishments, cooking supplies, calligraphy sets, a pingpong table and a pool table. The last donation request yielded many yards of fabric and several sewing machines. For information or to have donations picked up, call Barb Ames at 469-6682. If you knit and haven’t yet visited www.stitchymcyarnpants.com go there immediately and be prepared to laugh yourself into a helpless blob as you look at images from vintage knitting booklets coupled with irreverent captions. Here you will encounter seriously tasteless stuff, including a tutorial for crocheting a hat and tote bag using sections cut from beer cans.

Call Ardeana Hamlin at 990-8153 or e-mail ahamlin@bangordailynews.net.