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2010 Press Release coming soon.

 

 

The FiberAntics Fiberarts Guild is pleased to announce that the Fifth Annual Hoosier Hills Fiberarts Festival will be held again this year at the Johnson County Fairgrounds, 100 Fairgrounds Street, Franklin, Indiana.  Admission and parking are free.  Festival hours are Friday from 12pm – 7pm, Saturday 9am - 6pm.   There will be workshops, door prizes, demonstrations, historical re-enactors, a fiber art gallery, silent auction, raffle, competitions and more than 80 booths bursting with fiber, yarns, finished items, equipment and supplies.  To register for a class, participate in the competitions, see a list of our vendors and find out more about the festival, visit the Hoosier Hills Fiberarts Festival website: www.hoosierhillsfiberartsfestival.com.   Come for the day!  You’ll find fun for the whole family!

 

Location: Franklin, Indiana is located 8 minutes south of Greenwood [South Indianapolis] on State Highway 31.  For a map and hotel information, see www.hoosierhillsfiberartsfestival.com.

 

Follow the thread, connect and make a memory.   In an era when much of what we do is instantaneous and pre-made, a time when much of our “grass-roots” heritage is swallowed and lost by concrete and progress, the Hoosier Hills Fiberarts Festival steps back in time to celebrate much of what would be lost without groups of fiber artists and artisans.  Spinners weavers, felters, lacemakers, and needle artists of all kinds gather here to demonstrate what they know and share their skills and goods with the public. The FiberAntics Fiber Arts Guild from Whiteland, Indiana sponsors this event and is proud to say that although the event is only 5 years old, it continues to grow and draw interest.  People of all ages and backgrounds come from Indiana, Ohio, Michigan, Tennessee, Kentucky, Illinois, Pennsylvania and the Carolinas to attend this event. 

 

2009 is the International Year of Natural Fibers.  This year, fiber growers and artisans all over the world honor natural fibers and those who produce them.  After half a century of being dominated by synthetic fibers, the textile industry is seeing a return to natural fibers – prompted by a growing understand of the health benefits of wearing and living with natural fibers instead of synthetics.  As a result, there is growing demand for natural fibers and many believe that small farmers all over the world can reduce local poverty and hunger as the demand for and profitability of their natural fiber goods increases. 

 

Renewable resources.  Fiber is a renewable resource, as animals eat grass, which is then converted into protein fibers.  After shearing, the fibers are processed by hand or send to a fiber mill for processing.  Each year, the animals grow new fleeces to be gathered and processed anew.  Plant fibers such as cotton and flax can be planted and harvested each year.  Spinners make yarn; weavers, knitters and needle artists of all kinds turn that yarn into clothing, rugs, blankets, towels and countless other household and personal goods.

 

2009 Workshop Schedule: Visitors who want to know more about fiber arts are encouraged to sign up for a workshop.  Eleven workshops will be offered at Hoosier Hills Fiberarts Festival this year:

For more information about the classes and their teachers, and for a registration form, see the Hoosier Hills Fiberarts Festival website:  www.hoosierhillsfiberartsfestival.com

Competitions: Competitions are a great way for fiber producers and artists to show the quality of their work.  Hoosier Hills Fiberarts Festival has three major competitions:    Spinning,  Fleece, and Fiber Art.   We encourage the public to come and see what our artists and growers have been doing this year.  All exhibits may be viewed by the public and folks will be on hand to answer your questions. 

 

The Skein Competition has a category for beginning/new spinners and a category for experienced spinners.  Skeins are spun on either a spinning wheel or a drop spindle.   Entrants spin a two ounce skein of yarn, either singles or plied, to demonstrate their hand spinning skills.  Among other things, skeins are judged on consistency, balance, suitability for intended purpose and overall beauty.  Entries will be collected on Saturday from 9am-noon and can be viewed by the public.  A full description of the competition categories and guidelines is available on the website: www.hoosierhillsfiberartsfestival.com

 

The Fleece Competition allows fiber producers to show off the quality of the fleeces of individual animals.  Many growers spend years implementing breeding programs that allow them to produce the finest quality fleeces.   This year fleeces from llamas, alpacas, angora goats and sheep will be judged and ranked according to the quality of their fiber.   Entries will be collected Thursday, 3pm- 7pm or Friday, 8am - 1pm.  Judging will be Saturday at 1pm.   Following the judging, fleeces will be offered for sale to the public.   Come see what makes a truly great fleece!

 

The Fiber Arts Competition will exhibit fiber artists who work in the following techniques:  Knitting, Weaving, Crochet, Needle Felting, Wet Felting [not knit or crochet], Knit/Crochet and Fulled.  All fiber artists are encouraged to enter this competition.   We encourage the public to come and view these amazing works of art.  All entries must be received by 12pm, Saturday.  Judging will be at 4pm Saturday. 

 

Other attractions:  In addition to the fabulous shopping in our three vendor buildings, Hoosier Hills Fiberarts Festival offers other activities for your family.  Check these out:

 

The Society for Creative Anachronism - the SCA is returning for the 5^th year. The SCA is an international organization dedicated to researching and re-creating the arts and skills of pre-17th-century Europe.

 

Indiana designer Karen Garlinghouse will be doing a book signing.  Karen's lacy tank is featured in the Spring/Summer 2009 issue of Vogue Knitting. She will be in the Northside Knitting Guild booth to sign copies of the book on Friday and Saturday from 1-2 and again at 4:30-5:30 each day.

 

Demonstrations:  Stephen Bowman of the Bedford College of Lacemaking will demonstrate bobbin lace making techniques.  In addition, many of our vendors will be demonstrating weaving and spinning in their booths. 

 

Local fiber producers and fiber artists.   The majority of our vendors are hoosiers, working hard to create beautiful things from renewable resources.   They love their farms, their animals, their customers and their work.  Many of them have turned their passion for fiber into full time businesses.  Here is a list of our Indiana vendors according to location in the state:

For more information about the vendors, the festival and driving directions, visit the Hoosier Hills Fiberarts Festival website: www.hoosierhillsfiberartsfestival.com