An annual fibre arts sale is looming.
The Sheep Creek Weavers Fibre Art Guild is hosting a sale on Oct. 15 and 16 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Millarville Racetrack Hall.
Longtime guild member Lyn Pflueger said this is the first time they are holding a two-day sale, and a large range of items will be available.
Pieces range “all the way from very useful, entirely utilitarian items to very expressive items that you would hang on the wall,” Pflueger said.
“We do spinning and weaving and felting and quilting and sewing and embroidery, all sorts of stuff.”
During the sale, about 40 guild members will have items such as toys, scarves, cushions, bags, towels or felted pictures available to buy.
Even tools of the trade, handmade by members, will be available.
“One of our members, who's a fabulous weaver, also makes shuttles and things like that out of out of wood,” she said.
Throughout the weekend, demonstrations of techniques like weaving, spinning or felt making will take place.
Since weaving is an ancient art that people have been doing for thousands of years, Pflueger said the equipment needed can be as simple, or as fancy, as you like.
“You can spin wool with a stick stuck in a potato,” she said.
However, several guild members have been dipping their toes into the modern era by using digitized looms.
“(A digital loom) doesn’t throw the shuttle or any of that stuff, but it does allow you to be more adventurous in designing,” she said.
“We’re trying to keep up old skills, but then we’re also trying to see where we can take some of the older skills in a different direction."
Guild members pay a commission back to the guild from every sale, and the money helps subsidize workshops.
Members teach each other, but also have outside experts come in, she said.
To help keep appreciation for these traditional skills alive, the guild strives to raise awareness of fibre arts in the community and visits schools, where they give demonstrations and let students get hands-on experience.
“We’ll teach them how to do simple things, like making needle felted landscapes or little bowls, those kinds of things.”
For more information, visit sheepcreekweavers.ca.
