Christine Macchi – Fiber Folio

Fabric, Books and Fiber Weekend

April 8, 2025

On a weekend in April, I chose three events from Maine Fiberarts’ newsletter to attend: the Fiber Arts Marketplace and The Yarn Sellar in York; Portsmouth Fabric Company in New …

The Curious World of Barbara Bean

December 26, 2024September 29, 2024

I am an artist who earned a living as a social worker for 35 years before settling in Brunswick and turning to art full time. My husband, a biologist, taught …

Lissa Hunter: materials + meaning

November 14, 2024August 15, 2024

Fibers, Clay, Basketry, Paint, Ideas Lissa Hunter spends her life working in and around fibers. She has worked as a painter, weaver, basketmaker, coiler, papermaker, and assemblage artist. She also …

Morris David Dorenfeld: Tapestry Artist

January 2, 2025August 2, 2024

Morris David Dorenfeld: Tapestry Artist (3/30/1937-2/13/2023) Long after studying painting at the Art Institute of Chicago and the Art Students League in New York City, Morris David (Morrie) Dorenfeld found …

Maine Quilts 2024

December 27, 2024July 27, 2024

Pine Tree Quilters Guild, operating since 1978 in Maine, is the organizer for the Maine Quilts Show. This event, held annually in July at the Augusta Civic Center features special …

Harpswell Studio Tour I

December 28, 2024July 13, 2024

The inaugural Harpswell Open Studio Tour took place July 13-14, 2024 and included “Open Studios and Display Spaces” in and around Harpswell Neck: Sebascodegan Island, Orrs Island and Bailey Island. …

Harpswell Studio Tour II

December 28, 2024July 13, 2024

Here is a continuation of the Harpswell Studio Tour I took this past July (see Harpswell Studio Tour I) . In these travels, I visited the home and studio of …

Ed Musholt’s Art: Whimsy With Punch

July 31, 2024April 12, 2024

Arlene and I visited the studio of Ed Musholt in Portland after seeing three of his sculptures in an exhibition at Maine Fiberarts. Ed can draw and paint, but prefers …

Revisiting Rhinebeck 2023

November 3, 2023

Four of us rented a house near Rhinebeck to visit the New York Sheep and Wool Festival this past October. The area is beautiful at this time of year and …

Students with glue sticks

November 2, 2023November 2, 2023

Here’s a look at results of the October 2023 workshop—“Create an 8-Page Book: Unconventional Construction Centered Around Glue Sticks”—with painter, bookmaker and graphic designer Meredith Mustard from Two Imagine Studios …

Making Gelprints

December 7, 2023October 25, 2023

Low-tech, analog printmaking with a gelatin plate. A One-Day Hands-On Workshop offered by Meredith Mustard and sponsored by Maine Fiberarts. Dates and Times: Tuesday, November 14, 2023, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. …

Braiding Squares and Rectangles

December 7, 2023October 13, 2023

In this live and in person workshop, you will learn to braid a square or rectangle shape that can become a wall piece, a rug, a chair pad, a covering …

Create an 8-Page Book

December 7, 2023October 11, 2023

Unconventional Construction Centered Around Glue Sticks What and Who A One-Day Hands-On Workshop offered by Meredith Mustard When Wednesday, October 18, 2023, 11-3 p.m. Where Maine Fiberarts13 Main StreetTopsham, ME …

Stephanie Crossman

December 13, 2023August 7, 2023

Traditional Knotted Netting Stephanie Crossman is one of a handful of artists throughout the U.S. using traditional knotted netting to create art. She learned the technique in 1992, when she …

Creativity at Two Imagine Studios

September 8, 2024August 4, 2023

In July, Two Imagine Studios held an Open House to announce their new gallery in Farmington called “This Is It.” I traveled the backroads of Litchfield, Monmouth, Readfield, and Mt. …

Her Life in Braiding

May 31, 2023May 20, 2023

Read about Master Braider, Nancy Young, how she got her start in braiding, how she held Braiding Camps attracting makers from all over the U.S. and beyond, and view pages …

Interviewing Bobbi Mahler

December 8, 2023April 1, 2023

Braiding in Belgrade. Rug braider, demonstrator and teacher, Bobbi Mahler of Belgrade has been braiding since 2004. She began doing decorative wood craft: birdhouses, household items, and cat or bear …

Rug Braiders Meet in Kennebunkport

March 10, 2023March 9, 2023

During February, Arlene Morris and Christine Macchi from Maine Fiberarts went to visit a gathering of rug braiders who meet each year in Kennebunkport. Many belong to different rug braiding …

A Visit With Renu

November 7, 2022October 8, 2022

Enjoy these photos of the studio of Renuka O’Connell. Full interview of her work coming soon.

Fiber at Common Ground 2022

October 7, 2022

Common Ground Country Fair, sponsored by the Maine Organic Farmer & Gardener Association, was held September 23-25, 2022. Because of the pandemic, this was the first time the Fair welcomed …

Maine Quilt Show 2022

September 21, 2022August 12, 2022

This past July, Maine Quilts presented its 45th Annual Show at the Augusta Civic Center in Maine. A beautiful variety of work greeted visitors who were delighted to once again …

Far Western Maine – Day Two

August 3, 2022June 27, 2022

Fiber & Vine, McLaughlin Gardens, Parris House Wool Works: When in Norway, Maine, a must-stop is the beautiful yarn and wine shop of Kimberly Hamlin called Fiber & Vine. We …

Far Western Maine – Day One

August 3, 2022June 27, 2022

Jagger Spun, Maker’s Way, Kimberly Crichton Studio: We set out on a lovely Spring day to visit Stash, a yarn shop adjacent to the Jagger Spun Spinnery in Springvale, Maine. …

Alfred at Oceanwood

August 3, 2022May 16, 2022

Rug Hookers from several Northeast states have been meeting annually in Alfred, Maine for years, but this year’s event was held at Oceanwood Conference Center in Ocean Park. Dubbed “Alfred at Oceanwood,” the event was coordinated by Lauri Troutman and attended by over 20 people who came to enjoy and to hook with friends.

Maine Tin Pedlars

October 16, 2022April 28, 2022

Maine Tin Pedlars has been meeting for over 40 years in and around Southern Maine. The Chapter is a member of the national group—Association of Traditional Hooking Artists. Back in …

Wiscasset Fiber Group

April 27, 2022April 27, 2022

On a Friday in April, Christine visited a regular monthly meeting of the Wiscasset Fiber Group at the Wiscasset Community Center. The 12 members present included Pamela Riml, Pat Ringston, …

Remembering Elizabeth Stoyko

October 4, 2022April 3, 2022

“After a lifetime of pursuing various art and craft media, I started rug hooking in 2004 and found my passion. I began by doing portraits of family pets, and developed a style which …

Seacoast Ruggers of York Maine: Part I

April 11, 2022April 2, 2022

Notes on March 2022 meeting Seacoast Ruggers has been meeting for over 50 years, most recently at the Fellowship Hall of the First Parish Congregational Church in York. The group …

Seacoast Ruggers of York Maine: Part II

April 9, 2022March 31, 2022

Notes on March 2022 meeting continued… LeAnn Hodgson, owner of Camp Wool in Milbridge, sent a rug along with a friend to the meeting. This is a small detail of …

Seacoast Ruggers of York Maine: Part III

May 13, 2022March 30, 2022

About the history of rug hooking in Maine

with Grace Collette and Jane Sittnick of the Seacoast Ruggers

Hugh Verrier: Birds in Flight

August 9, 2023January 28, 2022

Hugh Verrier of Eustis, Maine [10/29/1931-5/31/2023] creates birds and fish that are a unique combination of watercolor painting and paper sculpture. We visited his home studio in June where Hugh …

Waldoboro Historical Society

January 31, 2022August 2, 2021

The images below include Fire engines (one from 1834), quilts, braided rugs, several examples of the well-known Waldoboro hooked rugs, model ships, 1900’s wall calendars, embroidery samplers, military paraphernalia, historical …

Sew Group Reconvenes

January 31, 2022June 11, 2021

Barb Taylor coordinates a group of women who enjoy sewing. The group was meeting at Curtis Memorial Library in Brunswick before the pandemic hit, and has kept in touch lately …

Belfast in Springtime

January 31, 2022May 28, 2021

Carolyn Wollen and her great friend Mary Lou Steptoe came together for some fiber explorations in Maine this Spring. They like to peruse Maine Fiberarts’ online Tour Map and publications, and …

Barbara Burns’ Tapestry Studio

August 9, 2023May 28, 2021

Friends Mary Lou Steptoe and Carolyn Wollen truly love to explore fiber art when traveling. Mary Lou found the studio of Barbara Burns in Maine Fiberarts’ “Fiber Art Masters Book”—a …

Blocking Knitted Lace

June 10, 2021March 29, 2021

I’ve always learned that a textile—whether woven, knitted or sewn—is never finished until it’s washed. Immersing a textile in lukewarm water with mild liquid detergent, and then NOT playing with …

Planting Garlic

October 11, 2023November 7, 2020

I’m a tad late for planting garlic in Maine’s Midcoast during early November, but we had a four-day stretch of 68 degree weather, and I was ready to go. Allium …

Summer Travels: Part I

June 29, 2022August 16, 2020

Franklin/Somerset Travels: Traveling North, Hutton Studio, and my campsite Tasked with finding fiber artists, shops and farms in Franklin and Somerset Counties by a grant generously given to Maine Fiberarts through …

Summer Travels: Part II

June 29, 2022August 16, 2020

Franklin/Somerset Travels: South Solon Meeting House, Skowhegan, Maine Grains and Happy Knits Up early the next morning, I settled my camp and took to the road. I had been to the …

Summer Travels: Part III

June 29, 2022August 15, 2020

Franklin/Somerset Travels: Dark Star Fabrics, Anne Walker Studio, Mt. Blue State Park and Farmington On this day, I started off in Strong, gassing up at The White Elephant, a huge catchall …

Summer Travels: Part IV

June 29, 2022August 14, 2020

Franklin/Somerset Travels: Wynmere Farm, Jill Snyder Wallace, Mount Vernon and a loon As luck would have it, Maine Fiberarts’ member Jacqueline Horn of Wynmere Farm in New Vineyard was home. …

Common Threads of Maine

March 26, 2021March 10, 2020

Visiting a new learning center in an old mill Maine Fiberarts visited Common Threads of Maine in Westbrook just before the pandemic caused businesses to shut down. A huge room …

Rhinebeck 2019

June 29, 2024October 19, 2019

scalloped shell stitch with blue, orange, red, purple

Wandering through the New York Sheep and Wool Festival A group of friends traveled to Rhinebeck, New York last Fall to attend this grand event of all things fiber! Animals, …

Harvest Hook-In

April 23, 2021September 21, 2019

A World of Wool at The Harvest Hook-In In September, I was invited to give a slide talk about Maine’s fiber community at The Harvest Hook-In held in Brewer. The …

Monson Arts

June 29, 2022August 22, 2019

Coiling, Twining and Braiding at Monson Arts Stephanie Levy had the good fortune to attend Lissa Hunter’s “Fiber/Mixed Media” workshop at Monson Arts last August and sent photos and stories …

Hatchtown Dye Day

August 23, 2019August 12, 2019

Our spinning group meets once per month at a different person’s home. Pam Child of Hatchtown Farm in Bristol decided to host our group in August and to organize a …

Popham Circle Quilt Show

March 26, 2021July 20, 2019

This past July, two friends and I decided to demonstrate fiber techniques at the inaugural Quilt Show at Popham Chapel. We arrived on one of the hottest days of the …

Weaving at the Studio of Sara Hotchkiss

August 9, 2023July 11, 2019

Gardens and looms. Lavender, weaving students, chocolate chip cookies, and looms underway. Sara and I planned this visit months ago when the snows were still swirling in Maine. But this …

Altered Couture Fashion Contest – 2019

August 16, 2019May 10, 2019

The 9th Annual Mid-Coast Altered Couture Contest was held May 4th at Fort Andross in Brunswick. This is a unique creative fashion show event—headed each year by director/producer Christine deTroy—that …

Kuhn/Walls Studio: A Love of Color

April 20, 2019April 11, 2019

Two artists in the family. Allegra Kuhn has a long history with fibers and textiles tackling weaving, hooking, knitting, crochet, sewing, and quilting. These days, she is focused on hooking. …

In and Around Eastport

December 19, 2018November 3, 2018

Eastport, Maine is located right on the ocean and next to Canada. I stayed in a beautiful condo at The Commons, and co-owner Linda Godfrey offered an insider’s tips to …

Traveling to Eastport

December 21, 2018October 12, 2018

In October, I traveled to Eastport, Maine in search of fiber art teachers to be profiled in our 2019 publication, “Learning Fiber Art: A Guide to Maine Teaching Resources.” Foliage …

A Fully Braided Home

August 9, 2023August 26, 2018

Nancy Young lives in both Maine and Pennsylvania and has been braiding rugs for over sixty years. She and her husband ran Waters Edge Braiding Camp in Winthrop for many …

Fiber in Western Maine – Part II

June 29, 2022July 20, 2018

Continuing our journey through Western Maine to learn of teaching resources for our new Learning Guide, we left Rangeley and made our way back towards Maine Fiberarts in Topsham with …

Fiber in Western Maine – Part I

February 6, 2019July 16, 2018

Maine Fiberarts is working on a new publication. “Learning Fiber Arts: A Guide to Maine Teaching Resources” will be an online and printed directory of the people and places throughout …

Traveling our Fiber Arts Mini Tour

April 8, 2019September 22, 2017

In August, several of us spent three days traveling along Maine’s midcoast using Maine Fiberarts’ newly-printed Fiber Arts Mini Tour. This is what we saw and did: First, we toured …

Maine Woolens: American Textile Manufacturing

November 17, 2017August 28, 2017

As part of our programming about Maine textile history this past summer, we hosted an exhibition; a series of lectures about silk and textile mills; a walk along Main Street, …

A Visit to Stephanie Levy’s Studio

April 23, 2021June 2, 2017

I visited Stephanie Levy’s studio in Brunswick in June and it was an exciting time for both of us. Stephanie had just retired from her working life to focus more …

Fiber in New York City

April 23, 2021March 10, 2017

We took a four-day trip to New York City at the tail end of winter. First stop, Loop of the Loom uptown to do some Saori weaving. The shop is filled …

Teapots and Textiles at Meryl Ruth’s Studio

March 26, 2021September 13, 2016

Arlene and I visited the studio of Cumberland artist Meryl Ruth in September to prepare for her solo show at Maine Fiberarts. We were able to walk through her home, see her …