Central Delmarva Fiber Guild - October 2008

Fiber Fest!
What's the first step in making an alpaca fleece sweater? The alpaca, of course! Alpacas will be making appearances at the Julia A. Purnell Museum's FiberFest on Saturday, October 11 at Sturgis Park. Owner Nancie Mulligan of LuckyGirlz Alpaca in Salisbury will tell guests about these charming creatures and their super-soft fleece. FiberFest will explore the many aspects of creating textiles and fiber art.

The 2008 FiberFest will take place at Sturgis Park in downtown Snow Hill. In past years the festival has taken place at the museum, but due to the growth of the event it is moving to a larger venue this year. "We are excited that there is so much momentum from the area's fiber art community. People seem really enthusiastic about having a fiber art festival on Delmarva," says Claire Otterbein, Assistant Director of the Purnell Museum.

There will be opportunities to learn about traditional methods of textile production through demonstrations of skills like spinning and weaving. A number of vendors will be selling specialty fiber art supplies like hand-dyed yarns. There will also be a wide variety of products for sale including handcrafted wearables, quilts, and other regionally produced items perfect for gift-giving.

Lunch fare and other treats will be available for purchase as well. The museum will be providing free fiber art activities for children. For those who participate in the new online fiber art phenomenon, Ravelry.com, there will be a meet-up and a prize drawing for a bunch of Ravelry goodies.

Confirmed vendors and participants include:
The Sanguine Gryphon
Handmade by Rita
Upper Room Studio
Liberto's Art
The Fine Needle
Sharon's Natural Gardens
Frivolous Fibers
Crash Into Ewe
The Quilting Witch
Misty Meadow Alpacas
LuckyGirlz Alpaca
fiber artist Katie Armstrong
Woolart
Yarnigans
The Society for Creative Anachronism.

Festival admission is free, as is museum admission on the day of FiberFest. Parking is free and ample at Sturgis Park. The museum's annual textile art exhibit, the Delmarva Needle Art Show & Competition will be on display at the museum during FiberFest.

Fiber Fest will take place at Sturgis Park in downtown Snow Hill, Maryland, from 10 am to 4 pm on October 11. For more information on the event, contact the museum at (410) 632-0515. For festival updates visit www.fiberguild.blogspot.com.