Halcyon Yarn Open House, Maine

Columbus Day weekend approaches. The annual Halcyon Yarn Open House on Saturday, Oct. 8 coincides this year with the seaport city of Bath’s annual Autumnfest, which features live music, artisan demonstrations, food and ”shop locally” rewards.

Also a "Made in Maine" craft show, scarecrow making and more. Walk into Halcyon Yarn to immerse yourself in yarn, color, weaving, spinning, knitting, felting - talk with people passionate about the fiber arts - and check out needles, tools, equipment, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m

Three Days of Fiber, Arts, Studios, Farms

Head for the Maine Fiber Arts Tour Weekend, Friday, Aug. 6, Saturday, Aug. 7, and Sunday, Aug. 8, a three-day special event featuring more than 50 studios, farms, shops and galleries open to the public.

Workshops, demonstrations galore about traditional crafts such as basketmaking and quilting to knitting, spinning and nontraditional uses to art.

Maine Fiberarts is a statewide arts nonprofit formed to support fiber and to foster its special work in basketry, beadwork, clothing design, crochet, embroidery, felting, knitting, lacework, needlework, paper, quilting, rugs, sewing, spinning, surface design, and weaving.

Goals include to "create greater opportunities for artists to exhibit work, to apprentice, to mentor, to teach crafts to children" and more.

SOS Fiber and Arts Events

Meet new people, learn or just talk fiber and related arts at a SOS Fiber and Arts Fleecy meeting at Connecticut College, inside the computer room, Hamilton Dorm complex, 270 Mohegan Ave.

Drop in and stay as long as you like.

As always, visitors are welcome to join the project at hand or bring you own project and join the group for the good conversation and lunch in the Student Dining Hall.

For more information about dates for assorted events or about the group, e-mail mjkal@conncoll.edu.

Alpaca Farms: Holidays, Yarn, Music

Alpacas are gentle creatures and the yarn made from their soft fleecy coats is warm and soft. On our roamings around the region, we're featuring farms and the potential holidays gifts they offer.

On Nov. 28 and 29, visit with alpacas, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., at Stone Bridge Farm, 116 Crary Rd., Griswold. The farm will be open every weekend until Christmas offering up holiday music and decorations. The Farm Shoppe will be open stocked with warm-as-toast alpaca hats, scarves and gloves. For information call (860) 376-5027 or visit www.stonebridgealpacas.com.

Holiday Alpaca Farm Days will be from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Burgis Brook Alpacas in Canterbury. Activities include meeting the alpacas, spinning, felting and fiber preparation. Farm-grown yarn and roving is available for handspinners, knitters and weavers. Admission is free.

After Stitches East, Webs, Free Pattern

"As many of you know who have attended a Stitches show, we always bring along Berroco yarns . . " so begins an entry of the Webs blog this week (free pattern on Thursday, too) read more about the event at http://blog.yarn.com.

Webs was part of the yarn, vendors, fiber celebration that was the recent Stitches East event in Hartford.

Webs, also called "America's Yarn Store", is located in western Massachusetts, and is a second-generation, family-owned business.

Rhinebeck! (Or New York State Sheep & Wool)

The New York Sheep and Wool Festival takes place at the Dutchess County Fairgrounds in Rhinebeck, New York, Saturday, Oct. 17, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sunday, Oct. 18, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Sponsored by Dutchess County Sheep And Wool Growers, this is a showcase for one of Dutchess County's first (and still viable) industries.

Hundreds of sheep, llamas and alpacas will be on display and competing for ribbons, while craft and fiber artists from around the country present the best wool and sheep related items. Family activities abound with a Halloween Haunted Tunnel, a Hay Maze, horse-drawn wagon rides, music, cooking demonstrations, a "Punkin Chuckin" contest, and even some Border Collies showing off their shepherding skills.

Visit the NYS Sheep and Wool web site to check the schedule. No pets allowed.

Admission is $12 (pre-purchased $9; two-day package, $17).

For advance tickets, visit www.dutchessfair.com. Parking is free.

Learn 'Steeks' at Yarns Down Under

Yarns Down Under in Deep River will continue to host a coffee hour every Tuesday morning beginning at 10 am. Drop in visits are welcome.


Workshops coming up include:

Finishing – Better Bound Off Shoulders
Saturday, Oct. 3, 9 to 11 a.m.
All levels. Students must know how to cast on, knit, purl, and bind off.
Instructor: Janis Witkins
Cost: $30
Shoulder seams are an important structural part of a finished sweater. When the garment is worn, literally every part hangs from the shoulder seams, so nothing can ruin the fit and appearance of a beautiful sweater like lumpy or sagging shoulders.


Fair Isle Pillow Class
Thursday, Oct. 8, 15 and 29, 7 to 9 p.m.
Instructor: Jeanne Drury
Level: Advanced Beginner
Cost: $65 plus materials
Fair Isle knitting is multicolor knitting using a technique known as stranding in which you knit with two different colors per row, holding one color in each hand. Following a chart you will create wonderful designs and color changes. Learn to knit a steek and we will cut (drum roll, please!) your knitting to create an opening finished with a button band.

Class requirements and more information, call (860) 526-9986. Or visit www.yarnsdownunder.com.

Yarns Down Under is located at 37C Hillside Terrace, Deep River.

Time For Sheep, Wool, Fiber Fest!

Claire Campbell of The Farm on Grindle Brook in Glastonbury will demonstrate how to shear an angora rabbit in Coventry this Sunday.

Some wonderful events coming up for those who love fiber arts, festivals, knitting, sheep, spinning - and being around other kindred fiber-obsessed folk.

The Coventry Farmers' Market fourth annual Fiber Twist event happens Sunday, Sept. 20 at the Nathan Hale Homestead located at 2299 South St.

Alpacas, sheep, llamas, fiber goats, and angora rabbits will be on site.

Events include (some inside the program tent in the Flag Field):

11:10, Claire Campbell of The Farm on Grindle Brook in Glastonbury will demonstrate how to shear an angora rabbit.

11:30, Regina Malsbury will demonstrate goat shearing.

11:00 to 3:30, Rose Ann will conduct a class covering several techniques including yarn sewing, knotting, shirring, and penny rug appliqué wool on wool. Registration and some supplies required. Call (860) 742-6917, or email hale@ctlandmarks.org.

11 a.m. Rose Ann Hunter will offer an introduction to rugmaking at her tent.

Noon, Leslie Wind will conduct a mini-lesson on shawl-making.

Noon, Dayna Mankowski will offer an art yarn spinning demo.

At 12:30, Kris Gonzales of The Painted Sheep demonstrates dyeing.

1 p.m., Gail Ignatowicz will demo her felted wool pocketbook techniques; 1:30 Fido’s Fiber show how to use a drum carder.

Throughout the market, there will be ongoing demonstrations on knitting, weaving, spinning and plus live music, food offerings, farmmarket, all afternoon.



Regional events:

Finger Lakes Fiber Arts Festival, Sept. 19 and 20, Hemlock Fairgrounds, Hemlock, New York. See www.gvhg.org/fest.html for details.

Southern Adirondack Fiber Festival, Sept. 26 and 27, Washington County Fairgrounds, Greenwich, New York.

The 21st Annual Vermont Sheep and Wool Festival, Oct. 3 and 4, Vermont Sheep and Goat Association sponsored event, Tunbridge Fairgrounds in Tunbridge, Vermont. For more, see www.vtsheepandgoat.org/festival.html.

Open Air Market At Long Hill Estate

More than 70 artisans and vendors will display their wares at seventh annual Open Air Market and Festival at Long Hill Estate, 421 Wadsworth St., Middletown, Sunday Aug. 23, 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. rain or shine.

Walk the grounds of the estate and find inspiration and works of art created by artisans, carvers, potters, painters, and jewelers, knitters, spinners and weavers. Fresh produce, fine cheeses, delicious foods, iced coffee and more offer up the bounty of Connecticut. (Live music, plenty of shade, family fun and tours of the mansion, too.)

Vendors will be participating this year including: Rose’s Berry Farm, Wayne’s Organic Garden, Stonewall Apiary, The Farmer’s Cow, Ballek’s Garden Center, Malabar Glass, Silks by Lucia, Zhe Feng Pottery, fine artist Adele Johnson as well as hand spun yarns from Tidal Yarns.

Horse-drawn carriage rides by Allegra Farms, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Face painting, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Middletown Commission on the Arts sponsors the musical entertainment:
9:30 to 11:30, Middletown Symphonic Band
11:45 to 1:45, Tune Chick
2 to 4:00, The Bluelights

Convenient shuttle parking will be available from Snow Elementary School. Additional parking is available at Mercy High School. For a complete listing of performers and vendors visit www.wadsworthmansion.com.

Connecticut Yarn & Wool And Colors Galore

Connecticut Yarn & Wool Company (CYWC) is home to the complete palette of Farmhouse Yarns - bumpy, subtle, soft, wools (and other types) - dyed in color so beautiful to look edible (luscious).

CYWC has two locations - 85 Bridge Rd., before the swing bridge that leads to the Goodspeed Opera House in East Haddam, and an outlet location at 25 Boston Post Rd., Madison. Both stores are brimful of tactile delights for anyone who loves to knit, crochet, felting, or related fiber arts. Artists will revel in the paintbox effect - wall-to-wall pure color and textures.

A good selection of quality yarns (other than Farmhouse) is offered, too, along with knitting needles, quality buttons, designer totes, and other must-haves. Twist of Fate Spinnery of Portland yarns (such as the half alpaca/wool) is among the delights made in Connecticut, available at the store.



Suzanna Mayhugh was working and knitting up a hot pink variegated toddler jacket at the Madison outlet location. Inside the shop there was a 40 percent off all yarn (Sunday) sale going on.

Sales vary at each location, so be sure to pick up a free brochure calendar listing goodies such as 50 percent off fill-a-bag yarns and free Mardi Gras beads. And the outlet store (Madison) is not open on Monday and Tuesday; call ahead to verify hours.



More about the free workshops, knitting help, great teachers, and the entrepreneur (and passionate knitter) behind the creation of Farmhouse Yarns, in an upcoming profile story. (She knows her sheep by name and yes, she has her own Connecticut flock.)

Worth a drive to spend time inside with all the colors, especially in late winter, going into spring.