The Great Northwest FibreFest is back and bigger than ever this year with all Covid-19 guidelines adhered to during the event that takes place Sept. 11 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Connaught Youth Centre.
There are at least 22 vendors who will be strategically spaced throughout the centre to make sure everyone is safely distanced and comfortable as they explore everything fibre-arts related.
There will be dyers and spinners, weavers and pattern designers, potters and woodworkers as well as needlecrafters and yarn stores represented at the event that’s supersized this year.
“We have such a nice variety of vendors,” Bonne Leiphart, one of the organizers of the event, said. “We have two brick and mortar stores, Top Drawer from here in town and the other one is Faking Sanity from Dawson Creek.”
There are also vendors who get their inspiration from nature and provide environmentally friendly offerings to their customers, Bonne added.
“Other vendors will offer insight into techniques they enjoy working with and it’s just going to be an amazing variety for people to see,” Bonne said.
There are patterns designed by experts available and the festival's featured designer is Carlie Perrins of North Wood Knit Co.
This year's event does not include the Yarn Crawl that was held pre-Covid to complement the FibreFest as co-organizers Jen Boots and Andrea Starck along with Bonne, decided to focus on the bigger FibreFest event to bring as much success to participants as possible.
There are two workshops available for those who wish to get creative on site.
There are two sessions of Karaoke Dye-Your-Own with Lisa Tomaszewsik from Smiling Sheep that will see participants grooving to the tunes while venturing into dying their own yarn. There’s a morning session and an afternoon session.
There’s an opportunity for those who don’t know what to do with their left over yarns from major projects and Colour Choice for Scrappy Socks with Carlie Perrins will offer guidance and know-how on what to do with ends and how to combine pleasing colours.
Along with the all things fibre related vendors there will also be sandwiches, snacks and essential coffees offered by The Open Door Café for those who need a little nourishment or a pick-me-up during their time at the festival.
Each of the vendors has donated an item for door prizes to be won by guests who attend the fibre fest.
To register for workshops or for more information visit http://www.greatnwfibrefest.ca/
