Fibre, Fashion and Fun

Last weekend 200 fun loving fibre-istras descended on Rotorua for four days of fibre, fashion and fun at the Creative Fibre Festival 2015.

There was yarn bombing

 and knitting on the most ginormous needles ever.

I mentioned weaving a banner some time back.  Three banners hung in the central foyer, one (on the left) in a cobweb technique of semifelt and threads, one nuno felted and the one I wove in 4 colour double weave.  The railing at the base of this photo is on the first floor so you can imagine how high they were looking from ground floor.

I taught 3 3hour workshops on knitting, actually more specifically Using Our Unique Designer Yarns, whether handspun or commercially bought.  One lady whispered to me afterwards that it was the best knitting workshop she'd been too and another lady stopped me in the street while I was walking back to my motel and said folks were raving about my workshop and she was sorry she hadn't taken it.  Guess I did something right.  Was so busy teaching I missed the workshop on how to be a teacher!

The Festival started with the Opening followed by the presentation of the Exhibition awards.  Just as an aside, I was at the selection dinner, I was rooming with one of the selectors and was sitting beside her in the hall.  I had no inkling that

"Paua" won the Alpaca Association of New Zealand Award for the entry that best illustrates the lightness and fineness of alpaca fibre.

Beading at the centre

and at the edge.

(Awful photo, me bad) showing how it was hung in the exhibition.

I also entered "Clouds" a cotton scarf

and "Chromatic Reflections" hand dyed merino.

Probably the highlight of the Festival was the Annual Dinner combined with the Runway Show on Saturday night at the Blue Baths, an amazing venue.  I had two entries in the show, (these are photos of photos in the catalogue so not the best)

"Contrast" in Special Occasion section.  I couldn't see from where I was seated but am told the black side stripe looked like a snake twisting as the model walked.

I don't really expect you to remember back here, September 2013 when I wove this fabric.  Its what I was working on when I ripped my leg open last year.

Well ... "Sapphire" won the Auckland Area Award for an entry using mill spun yarns with an emphasis on artistic content and design.

And friend, Rene, took out the Creative Fibre Award for the most outstanding Fashion creation.

Altogether a wonderful four day party weekend.