Winter Woolen Workshop 2015

The Winter Woolen Workshop is a two-day event showcasing fiber artists and fiber art vendors. Beth Notaro of Beth's Main Street Folk Art (and my contact for practicum with Kokomo Art Association) designed the event in collaboration with the Howard County Historical Society. The event includes a variety of demonstrations and instructional classes on wool preparation, spinning, knitting, crochet, rug hooking, Oxford punch, needle punch, felting, and quilting. It takes place on the Seiberling Mansion museum campus, occupying all three floors of the Mansion and two floors of the Elliott House. The artists and vendors carry-in food and the Historical Society provides volunteers to man the entrances and take money for tickets.

I have an ironic relationship with fiber arts. Most of the creative women in my family are fiber artists. My family has a long history of quilters in particular. I have quite a collection of heirloom quilts! But I never picked it up. It It's funny that here at the end of my college education I am attempting to strengthen my abilities in an area of art I have had access to my entire life! Regardless, I do feel my weakest area of art talent lies in fiber arts and I was able to take two classes that I feel I could now teach if needed.

The two classes I took were Oxford punch and Wool Felting. A six-year old girl attended the classes with us and, with the assistance of her father, was able to complete both projects with ease. I observed she was able to complete an exercise on spinning wool as well. The workshop provides an excellent opportunity for the novice of any age to explore fiber mediums and experiment with the products it is capable of making. I feel more confident in my own ability now, and feel I could repeat similar lessons on Oxford punch or wool felting in my own classroom. I recommend the event to anyone interested in learning or sharpening their fiber arts abilities! It is held ever February in Kokomo. VisitBeth's Main Street Folk Art to receive updates on the 2016 workshop.