17th Annual

Stephenson County Fiber Art Fair

Saturday, April 13, 2013

9 am to 5 pm

at the Jane Addams Community Center

430 W. Washington Street

Cedarville, Illinois 61013  USA

(815) 541-0897

Page last updated Wednesday, April 25, 2012

 

We had a great time at the Stephenson County Fiber Art Fair this year!  Please join us for next year's Fiber Art Fair on Saturday, April 13, 2013.  The information on this page is from the 2012 event, however the information should be the same, with the exception of the workshops.  This page will be updated in January 2013, with periodic updates from January through April.  Not much will change until then, so be sure to come back then!  

 

 

 

A celebration of fiber and the fiber arts with workshops, demonstrations of spinning and weaving, vendors offering fibers for spinning plus finished yarn, dyes, books, gifts, equipment, handmade soap and baskets.  Also supplies for spinning, weaving, knitting, felting, dyeing, tatting and crochet.  

 

Admission is $2 for adults and free for children under 12.  

Come Spin With Us!

Can't wait until April to get your fiber-fix?  The Moonspinners of Northwest Illinois meet monthly to spin, teach, learn, and have fun!  Our Guild consists of every range of spinners and weavers from expert to clueless-newbies, and you are welcome to join us regardless of what level you are.

     When:   Third Wednesday of Each Month, 7 to 9 pm

    Where:   Bethany United Church of Christ

                  2341 W. Stephenson Street, Freeport, Illinois

(Please note that our monthly meeting space is NOT in the same location as the Fiber Art Fair.  We meet monthly in Freeport, and the Fiber Art Fair is in Cedarville.  Don't show up at the wrong place!)

 

 

Finding Your Way on This Site

This site is all one page.  One very, very long page.  You can read every word, or you can click to go to the section that interests you the most:

 

     Brochure Mailing List (for attendees)

     Vendor List

     Workshops

     Jane Addams and the Importance of Fiber Arts

     Information for Vendors

     How to Get on The Vendor Waiting List

     Directions to Cedarville

     Restaurants, Lodging, Maps, Etc.

     Links

     Just How is Fiber/Fibre Spelled, Anyway?

     Next Year's Show

 

 

Mailing List

Are you on our mailing list?  To receive a brochure about this year's show please send your name and mailing address to Suzy Beggin, P.O. Box 54, Stockton, IL  61085 or e-mail Suzy@SuzyBeggin.com.  Be sure to send your street address, we don't send bulk e-mails.  Our brochure is a good old-fashioned paper brochure that will be delivered by your local mail carrier to the mailbox at the end of your driveway. 

 

 

Vendor List

Remember that you don't have to wait for the show to talk to our vendors, feel free to contact them anytime to ask about their supplies or place an order.  Many of our vendors will let you place an order now and pick it up at the show - saving you the shipping costs.  Please let them know you got their e-mail and website address from the Stephenson County Fiber Art Fair website. 

 

Below is a list of our 2012 vendors:

 

 

  • Connie Straube - Straube Farm - Spinning fibers, handwoven rugs, commercial & handspun yarns.  connies@atcyber.net

 

  • Richard & Barbara Gast - Albo Acres Alpacas - Fine alpaca fiber, yarn, felted pads, blankets, ponchos, sweaters, gloves, mittens, glittens, texting gloves, wrist warmers, leg warmers, socks, hats, scarves, teddy bears, alpaca figures, etc. rbgast@alboacres.com; www.alboacres.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  • Floya Hawkins - Floya's Fleece - Raw wool and roving from Merino x and Blue Face Leicester and crosses.  fdlhawk@aol.com

 

  • Patty Reedy & Andy Wersal - Rainbow Fleece Farm & Carding Co. - BFL, LL & Merino fleeces, carded rovings, dyed locks, dyes, millspun / handspun yarn, silk scarves, needle felting supplies.  rainbowfleece@gmail.com

 

  • Deb Rock - Rock Farms - Luxury blended yarns and spinning fibers, Yarn-a-long bracelets, wood tools for fiber use, and handmade buttons  debe53@juno.com; www.rock-farms.com

 

 

 

  • Illinois Green Pastures Fiber Co-Op.  IGP is a non-profit group that is hosting the wooly soap scrub workshop in the back room and will also have a booth in the back room.  Their booth will have yarn, roving, batts and kits from various breeds of sheep, llamas and alpacas all grown in Illinois.  candrgus@yahoo.com; www.illinoisgreenpastures.org

 

 

 

 

 

Note:  You will have trouble reading the class list if you are using Firefox or Chrome. 

This page is best viewed in MicroSoft Internet Explorer.

 

 

Workshops - 2012

You can pre-register for your class by mailing in a check or you can register online using PayPal.  Sign-ups will be allowed the day of FAF, but only if there is room available.  Because our workshops provide one-on-one, hands-on instruction, class sizes are limited.  Sign up early to make sure you get a spot! 

 

To mail in your class registration:  Use the form in the brochure or list the classes you want on a sheet of paper.  Be sure to include your name and mailing address, and mail it to Nancy Jones, P.O. Box 5, Cedarville, IL  61013.  Checks should be written to "Moonspinners of Northwest Illinois."

 

To use PayPal:  Click on the PayPal icon beside the class you want.  PayPal members can use their PayPal account, and anyone (whether you are a PayPal member or not) can use a credit card.  Please be sure to include your "shipping address."  Nothing will be shipped to you, but we will add your address to next year's brochure mailing list.  Your PayPal confirmation (and your credit card statement, if you pay by credit card) will list "Suzy Beggin, Shepherdess" as the business paid.  If you have any questions regarding your PayPal transaction please contact Suzy at Suzy@SuzyBeggin.com or call 815-541-0897.   

 

A Notice to Procrastinators:  On-line class registrations will be accepted until the stroke of midnight on Friday, April 13th.  Registration will be accepted at the Fiber Art Fair until just a few minutes before each class starts.  But that is only if there is room - many of our classes fill up early!

 

A Note on the Admission Fee:  Your class registration does not include the two dollar admission fee.  The entire class fee goes to the instructor to cover her time and materials, and we will still collect your $2 admission fee to help us cover the rental of the facility.   

 

 Click here at anytime to view your cart.  è

 

     
 

Red Heel Sock Monkey

9 am to Noon;  $20

Nancy Jones, Instructor

Minimum 4 Students / Maximum 10

Make a monkey from one pair of Red Heel Socks.  All materials for the basic monkey are provided.  Some preliminary machine stitching has been done.  Must be able to sew by hand and be able to sew on a button.

 
 

Soap Making: The Real Deal

9:30 am to Noon;  $18

Susan Keating, Instructor

Minimum 3 Students / Maximum 12

Must be over 18

Learn to make soap!  Participants will make personalized, cosmetic quality soap from scratch.  Safety practices will be enforced as we will be using caustic lye.  Pre-registration is required.  Must be over 18.  No experience necessary.

 

Supplies and Safety Gear (All Participants Must Bring their Own)

Rubber gloves

Safety goggles

Apron

 

2 quart glass or ceramic microwave safe mixing bowl

1 liquid measuring cup

1 dry measuring cup set; should include 1 cup and 1/3rd cup

Tablespoon measuring spoon

1 Long handled wooden or stainless steel spoon

1 stainless steel serving spoon

Wire whisk or hand-held blender

 

1 empty plastic container with lid:  ice cream pail, cool whip container, “swiffer” wet wipe container, baby wipe container, etc.

 

1 Pound LARD

1 Pound CRISCO

Canola Oil

 

Any herb, essential oil, spice, tea or fragrance that you like a lot!

 

NO ALUMINUM items!

 

 
 

Needle Tatted Greeting Card

9:30 am to Noon; $25

Colleen Keleher, Instructor

Minimum 1 Student / Maximum 12

Lean needle tatting, then use your tatting to decorate a special greeting card.  All students will learn single thread tatting, and you may choose to also learn double thread tatting.  All materials will be provided.  No experience necessary. 

 
 

Felting Embellishments

1 pm to 4 pm;  $30

Terry Jones, Instructor

Minimum 3 Students / Maximum 15

Learn to felt embellishments as you make a felted bracelet and add your felted embellishments:  spirals, flowers and shapes.  All supplies will be provided, all experience levels are welcome.

 
 

Thrummed Mittens

1 pm to 3 pm;  $20

Ginger Toomey, Instructor

Minimum 3 Students / Maximum 15

Knit great warm, fuzzy mittens!  You’ll use wool yarn and wool roving which will create a pattern on the outside of your mitten and a warm lining on the inside.  Knitting experience is required, and you must knit the cuffs at home so that you can get started on the thrums right away.

 

Materials:

Approx. 215 yds worsted wt wool – acrylic doesn’t work well for these mittens.

Approx. 60 gms carded roving

Bottle of Water

Size 5 or 6 double points or size to obtain gauge.  The “hand” part may also be knit with two 24” circular needles or on 32” circular needle for the magic loop method.  You will need double points for the thumb.

 

Gauge:

22 sts and 30 rows = 4 inches in stockenette stitch (knit 1 row, purl 1 row)

 

Homework

CO 39 sts, Join, divide so you have 13 sts on each needle

Knit cuff in K2, P1 ribbing for 3 inches.

Inc 9 sts evenly around cuff (3 increase sts on each needle)

Knit 1 round

Now you're ready to start the thrums!

 
 

A Bunny Tale – Hop, Spin, Knit

1:00 pm to 4:00 pm;  $35

Donna Towell, Instructor

Minimum 5 Students / Maximum 15

This class features one of the fiber animals that doesn't need a pasture and can be kept as a pet in your home, the adorable Angora rabbit.  We will be focusing on processing and spinning Angora rabbit wool. Students will sample fiber from all seven wool rabbits that are available in the United States; English Angora, French Angora, Satin Angora, Giant Angora, German Angora, American Fuzzy Lop and Jersey Woolies.  They will be able to see, feel and compare the differences between each breed along with learning how to care for each breed. We will go over several helpful tips on harvesting the wool, storing, blending and preparing the fiber for spinning. There will also be time to discuss what types of projects are appropriate for Angora fiber.  Donna is hoping (depending upon breeding success) to have rabbits for sale. If you are interested in purchasing one of her Giant, German or German / Giant crosses please E-mail her at dlwoolees@centurytel.net to reserve your rabbit. Depending on the breed the price range will be $75.00 to $150.00. This class is highly recommended if you are interested in owning your own wool rabbit.

 
 

Wooly Soap Scrub

Drop in any time between 9 am and 3 pm; $5

Kathy Koning McClure and the Illinois Green Pastures Fiber Co-op

Take home a beautiful handmade soap wrapped in its own washcloth!  Learn simple needle and wet felting techniques to create your own unique felted soap bar.  A fun project for all ages, no experience needed.  All materials will be provided.  Stop by anytime throughout the day and plan to spend 15 to 30 minutes to complete your wooly soap scrub.

 

 

 

Jane Addams and the Importance of Fiber Arts

Cedarville, a picturesque little village in northwest Illinois, was the birthplace of Jane Addams (1860-1935), the social worker and humanitarian who founded Hull-House in Chicago and won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1931.  Much of her time was spent improving the lives of Chicago's immigrant population, and she also advocated world peace and stood up for the rights of women, children and workers.  Our event space, the Jane Addams Community Center, is named in her honor.  

 

Like most Victorian women, Jane Addams was a knitter.  Many of her hand-knit items were given away to friends, and some of her knitted work is on display at the Cedarville Area Historical Society Museum.

 

Miss Addams also saw the value in the lost arts of spinning and weaving, and invited spinners and weavers to demonstrate their "old world skills" at the labor museum in Hull-House.  In her work Newer Ideal of Peace (1907), Miss Addams notes the companionship that is created between spinners, even from vastly different backgrounds.  Over one hundred years later, modern spinners will recognize that the same spirit still holds true today:

 

We have made an effort at Hull-House to recover something of the early industries from an immigrant neighborhood, and in a little exhibit called a labor museum, we have placed in historic sequence and order methods of spinning and weaving from a dozen nationalities in Asia Minor and Europe. The result has been a striking exhibition of the unity and similarity of the earlier industrial processes. Within the narrow confines of one room, the Syrian, the Greek, the Italian, the Russian, the Norwegian, the Dutch, and the Irish find that the differences in their spinning have been merely putting the distaff upon a frame or placing the old handspindle in a horizontal position. A group of women representing vast differences in religion, in language, in tradition, and in nationality, exhibit practically no difference in the daily arts by which, for a thousand generations, they have clothed their families. When American women come to visit them, the quickest method, in fact almost the only one, of establishing a genuine companionship with them, is through this same industry.

 

 

Information for Vendors

Vendor packets were mailed on February 23, 2012.  Packets were mailed to:

  1. Everyone who was a vendor last year

  2. Vendors who applied for a spot last year, but were unable to get in (our "Waiting List Vendors," click here to see the list)

  3. Anyone who contacted me requesting a vendor packet in 2009, 2010, 2011 and anytime between last year's show and February 23, 2012.

 

The good news is we have a popular, well-attended show, and many of our vendors say it's one of their favorites.  The bad news is we always have more interested vendors than we have room for, and unfortunately that means we have to turn vendors away each year. 

 

Vendor booths will be assigned in this order:

  1. First preference goes to vendors who attended last year, and they get "first dibs" on the booth location they had last year.

  2. Second preference goes to the Waiting List vendors.

  3. Additional vendors will be added to the Waiting List, in the order in which their registration is received. 

 

Vendor confirmations will be mailed in March, but you can check the Vendor List on this page at any time to confirm that your application has been received.  I usually update this website every two or three weeks after the vendor packets are mailed, so don't panic if your name isn't immediately added to the list.  

 

 

How to Get on The Waiting List

Waiting List names are not removed except at your request, or if we contact you and don't receive any response for two years.  So if you are put on the Waiting List this year you will retain your Waiting List position next year and in future years.  Click here to see the Waiting List.

 

The only way to get on the Waiting List is to mail in an application.  You do not need to send in any money with the application, but you must send in an application so that we have all of the proper information and can easily contact you when there is an opening.  To receive an application please e-mail me your address (mailing address, not your e-mail address).  You may request an application at any time throughout the year, however applications are only mailed in January. 

 

If you are already on the Waiting List you don't have to do anything from year to year to hold  your position, but please do let me know if any of your contact information has changed.  

 

 

Directions to Cedarville and the Jane Addams Community Center

The Jane Addams Community Center is in historic Cedarville, Illinois, three blocks west of Highway 26.  In its previous life the building was an elementary school, and it still has a very 1950s elementary school look to it.  Cedarville is located between Freeport, Illinois and Monroe, Wisconsin.  It's 125 miles west of Chicago, 125 miles southwest of Milwaukee, and 60 miles south of Madison, Wisconsin - just right for a pleasant day trip through the stateline area!

 

From East (Chicago; Rockford):  Take Route 20 West.  At Freeport take 26 North to Cedarville.  In Cedarville, turn left at the Mobile Station onto Washington Street.  The Jane Addams Center is at 430 W. Washington Street, which will be on your right.

 

From West (Galena; Dubuque, IA):  Take 20 East.  At Freeport take 26 North to Cedarville.  In Cedarville, turn left at the Mobile Station onto Washington Street.  The Jane Addams Center is at 430 W. Washington Street, which will be on your right.

 

From North (Monroe, WI):  Take 26 South into Cedarville.  In Cedarville, turn right at the Mobile Station onto Washington Street.  The Jane Addams Center is at 430 W. Washington Street, which will be on your right.

 

From South (Forreston):  Take 26 North through Freeport and into Cedarville.  In Cedarville, turn left at the Mobile Station onto Washington Street.  The Jane Addams Center is at 430 W. Washington Street, which will be on your right.

 

Restaurants, Lodging, Maps, Etc.

For free information on restaurants, lodging, maps and other things to do in Stephenson County, contact the Freeport / Stephenson County Convention & Visitors Bureau.  Please tell them you got their name and number off the Fiber Art Fair's web page.

 

        Freeport / Stephenson County Convention & Visitors Bureau

        4596 US Route 20 East

        Freeport, IL  61032

        (815) 233-1357 or (800) 369-2955

        e-mail  stephcvb@aeroinc.net

        website www.stephenson-county-il.org.   

        Direct link to the hotel page:  http://www.stephenson-county-il.org/lodging-camping.aspx

 

There are no hotels or public transportation in Cedarville.  Welcome to small town life!  The bustling metropolis of Freeport is just four miles south of Cedarville, and you will find a selection of hotels there.  

 

Hotel Note:  Many of our guests have stayed at the Baymont Inn in years past, the closest hotel to Cedarville and very conveniently located at the north end of Freeport at the intersection of the Freeport 20 By-Pass and Route 26.  You may recognize it from their former name, The Amerihost.   They can be contacted at 815-599-8510 or 877-BAYMONT.

 

 

Links

The Fiber Art Fair is listed on the following websites listing fiber and craft events.  Visit these sites for other exciting fiber events:

 

Homespun Journey - http://www.homespunjourney.com/Site/Festivals_%26_Events.html

Ravelry - http://www.ravelry.com/events/stephenson-county-fiber-art-fair-2

 

 

 

Just How is Fiber/Fibre Spelled, Anyway?

For years we had spelled the fiber in Fiber Art Fair the old English way - fibre.  We're a laid back, earthy group and decided that "fibre" was just a little too hooty-snooty for us.  Starting with the 2006 show, we've been spelling fiber as plain old "fiber," although you might still catch the former spelling in some of our materials.  J

 

 

Next Year's Show

The 17th Annual Stephenson County Fiber Art Fair is planned for Saturday, April 13, 2013.  See you then!

 

 

 

 

 

The Stephenson County Fiber Art Fair is  hosted by the Moonspinners of Northwest Illinois.

This website is hosted by Suzy Beggin, Shepherdess.  Learn more about me and my sheep at www.SuzyBeggin.com.