A Tale of Two Weavers
During the Summer of 2018, Maine Fiberarts’ member and friend, Nina Ruit, entered an apprenticeship program organized by the Maine Crafts Association. Ruit is a spinner, knitter, seamstress, and sheep …
A Fully Braided Home
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
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
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 …
About The Fiber Art Mini Tour
It’s a select group of sites including top artists’ studios, fiber farms, shops and galleries and a locally-owned restaurant and fiber-friendly inn. Plan your own mini tour and then keep …
Traveling our Fiber Arts Mini Tour
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
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
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
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
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 …
Fiber Frolic 2016
Here are some images from the Fiber Frolic held in June each year at the Windsor Fairgrounds. Some beautiful fiber creations, animals, yarn, fleeces and many other goodies. Always a …
Anne Cox: Artwork and Gardens
This place is fun! Hedgerow is owned and operated by Anne Cox and her partner Julie Wortman near the tip of the St. George Peninsula in Tenants Harbor situated between Thomaston …
Susie Stephenson’s New Studio
Susie Stephenson is into fibers whole hog. She has been a rug hooker over many years known for her playful original designs, wild use of color, and reuse of woolen garments …
Folk Art Rug Hooking
SADLY THIS WAS CANCELLED A Workshop with Janet Conner Like all old fashioned crafts, rug hooking is low-tech, simple, and lots of fun! You can easily incorporate fabric strips, woolen …
Elizabeth Busch: Architect, Artist, Painter, Quilter, Knitter
For Elizabeth, art is a way of life. You see it in her surroundings, in the attention to detail in her gardens, in the collections within her antique home, in …
Hillary Hutton: Master Rug Weaver
Hillary learned to weave at the Massachusetts College of Art and has stayed with it for over 30 years. She is known for her exquisitely-crafted handwoven rag rugs, but also …
Carlson’s Collaged Crocodile
To prepare for a Summer exhibition of members’ work at Maine Fiberarts, we have been visiting artists’ studios. It had been a while since I visited the studio of Susan …
Boston in 48 Hours
On the first warm sunny weekend in May, we set off for a whirlwind textile tour of Boston. We wanted to see CraftBoston, sponsored by the Society of Arts and Crafts—“America’s …
Shearing Day at Hatchtown Farm
Hatchtown Farm in Bristol, Maine, held its shearing early in April and several stalwart friends braved a very cold day to help with the harvest of wool. Farm owners Pam …
Fiber Marketplace and Yarn Sellar
It was off to the town of York this Spring to take in a special event and a yarn shop. Carrie McKie, owner of The Yarn Sellar in York, Maine …
Marlene Ekola Gerberick: Great Gifts Come
Marlene Ekola Gerberick [4/29/1935-5/21/2018] Birds’ nests, feathers, bones. Paintings, artists’ books, assemblages. The work in the studio of Marlene Gerberick is both nature-based and eclectic. The overall colors are soothing …
The Knitting Sculpture Studio of Katharine Cobey
Katharine Cobey [1/8/1938-12/5/2020]. The studio of artist Katharine Cobey is located on a cove off Muscongus Bay in Cushing, Maine. Katharine was one of the founding trustees of Maine Fiberarts, …
Getting Ready for Sew Class
During the past several winters, seamstress Barbara Taylor has been leading a garment sewing workshop for Maine Fiberarts. Barb uses commercial patterns to sew a wide variety of coats, jackets, vests, shirts …
Maine Ag Trades Show Walk-Through
The 75th Maine Agricultural Trades Show took place January 12-14, 2016 in Augusta and I visited the show to see what’s up. Booths on gardening, maple syrup, farm equipment, composting, …
Anne Walker’s Studio in Rangeley
While touring Rangeley, Arlene and I visited the studio of art quilter Anne Walker. Anne and her husband Rick built the house several years ago and included space for a …
Travels to Rangeley
We’ve just returned from a trip to Rangeley, Maine, an area of lakes, mountains, moose and big skies. We visited Threads Galore Quilting Shop and toured the studio of Maine …
Textile Fashions at Rhinebeck 2015
This October, I traveled with a group of friends to the New York Sheep and Wool Festival at Rhinebeck, New York. Gorgeous trees, weather, foliage and a landscape of rolling hills, …
The Colorful World of Natasha Kempers-Cullen
Natasha Kempers-Cullen is an artist whose work features her hand painted and printed fabric. These fabrics are cut and torn into pieces she incorporates into collage compositions which become art …
Biddeford Field Trip
Our Field Trip to Biddeford in late August was very fun. We started at Saco River Dyehouse, then visited Suger across the street, Biscuits & Company, and Angelrox. Read on …
Susan Mills’ Studio
This weekend, I ventured out to an Open Studio held by Susan Mills in Bowdoin. Susan is a mixed media artist using felt, photography, found objects, natural materials, metal and more combined …
Vinalhaven Dye Day
This July, a few friends from our spinning group headed for an all-fiber retreat on the island of Vinalhaven. It was a beautiful summer weekend full of the greens and …
A visit to South Street Linen
Have you been? South Street Linen, located in Portland, is run by three artists who came together around a love of painting, printmaking and designing—Lynn Krauss, Mary Ruth Hedstrom, and …
You know you want one…
Meeting the HansenCrafts miniSpinner™ I always intended to learn to spin, especially with the fleece so handy during my 35 years raising sheep, but never took the time. Now that …
A Trip to Rhinebeck
Six spinning friends rented a house in Rhinebeck, NY this October to tour the New York Sheep & Wool Festival. Thousands upon thousands of people attended and we saw some …
Fiber at Common Ground Fair
There is so much fiber at the Common Ground Fair held in Unity each September and sponsored by the Maine Organic Farmers & Gardeners Association. Fleece Tent, Wednesday Spinners, vendors …
Knitting and Sunning at Haystack
This summer, I had the great fortune to serve as the Technical Assistant to Katharine Cobey’s knitting class. We were a group of about 16 intrepid knitters out to create …
Visiting a Washington Lavender Farm
What is this fascination with Lavender so many people have? I remember the soap from my high school days, what was it called…Yardley English Lavender. And it is still for …
Touring Norway, Maine
This Spring, we headed out to Norway to visit some Golden Retriever puppies, but also to see fiber! We stopped at Quiltessentials in Auburn along the way—a treasure trove of …
Spa Knit & Spin 2014
In February, to kick the New Year off, fiber lovers from all over New England converged at Spa, the New England Textile Association’s spinning, knitting and fiber retreat held each …
Hooked Rugs at Savory Maine
This past March, students and friends of Diane Langley showed their work at the bright sunny Savory Maine Restaurant in Damariscotta. Owner Grace Goldberg shows artwork regularly and has a fondness for …
Book Arts Bazaar
On the first truly warm day of this Spring, I headed for the Book Arts Bazaar at USM in Portland and found an explosion of goodness! Handmade papers, eco-dyed linens, …
Spring Shearing at Ruit Farm
Several friends gathered at Ruit Farm in Bristol, home of Nina and John Ruit and their herd of goats, several sheep, watchful llama, loud donkey, and whomever else wandered by. …
Marion Brown Rug Hooking Studio
This winter, we visited the studio of Marion Brown Rug Hooking in Belfast, Maine. The studio is located just beyond downtown in a large red and white building called The …
Fiber College Blogging Class
Fiber College represents several days of fiber-filled workshops, good food and fun at the Searsport Shores in Searsport, Maine. The event is always held the weekend after Labor Day, and …
Fiber on the Western Front
The sheep may be a little different in Western Washington where I live now, but the fiber people are the same. I visited three of the 24 farms in Jefferson …
Georgetown Historical Society Fiber Exhibit
“With Hands and Hearts: The Threads of Our Island History,” is an exhibit at the Georgetown Historical Society now through October 12, 2013. “More than 100 years of handmade items …
Sculptural Knitting Workshop
In May, I attended a sculptural knitting workshop organized by the Maine Crafts Association. Haystack Mountain has a beautiful campus located on Sunset Point at the tip of Deer Isle …
To the Beach
Summer excursions are not complete without a trip to the beach. Here we are at Reid State Park off Georgetown, Maine.
Maine Quilts Show 2013
In July, I visited the 36th Annual Maine Quilts Show at the Augusta Civic Center. This is a huge display, organized by the Pine Tree Quilters Guild, with over 600 …
Island Retreat
This summer, a few members of Salt Bay Treadlers—a group that meets in Damariscotta to spin one Wednesday evening per month—took a retreat on a beautiful Maine island. The idea …
One Lupine Fiber Arts
We visited One Lupine Fiber Arts in Bangor to see the world created by owner Jodi Clayton. Jodi has a complete yarn shop downstairs and a gallery and boutique with …
Sheep Dairy Farm Visit
In August, the Emerging Maine Sheep Entrepreneurs visited a sheep farm in Dedham, Maine. Northern Exposure Farm—just east of Bangor—is run by Jim and Janet Weber who have been producing …
Freeform Quilting Workshop & Exhibit
This Spring, we held a workshop in freeform quilting, taught by artist Diane Langley of Westport Island. We used fabrics from our stashes with some trading among students. We used …
Shearing time
A scene from Ruit Farm North in Bristol where Emily, the shearer, is clipping Coopworth fleece. Several shearers came to help for the day. Shared, luncheon. Click image for a …