Your Old Wool Sweaters Wanted!

Bring your old wool sweaters in to the Fiber Center during the fair and someone from the Maine Mitten Project will turn them into Mittens, Hats and Scarfs for Maine's Homeless! 

Sweaters made of wool or other natural animal fibers including, cashmere, mohair, angora, wool and alpaca.

We'll felt them and stitch them together to re-purpose and recycle these unwanted items into useful and warm stuff for Maine's homeless.

Any size and some holes are Ok :-) As long as we can salvage  a piece large enough to cut out a pattern piece, it will be useful!

Author Of Maine Mitten Folklore and Pattern Books Robin Hansen To Demonstrate Knitting At Fryeburg Fair

The Fiber Center at Fryeburg Fair is pleased to have Maine author, knitter and folklorist Robin Hansen appearing to demonstrate mitten knitting using patterns included in her many books on Wednesday October 3^rd from 11am to 4pm. Hansen is participating in support of The Maine Mitten Project, a new Fiber Center community project to benefit Maine’s Homeless children, families, and adults. The Maine Mitten Project intends to link community with the Traditional Fiber Arts for a good cause. Hand made mittens hats and scarves created by anyone wishing to participate will be collected throughout the next year and donated to Maine’s homeless shelters. At this time Preble Street in Portland and York County Shelter in Alfred have been named as recipients but others are being approached to participate.

Hansen with degrees in Folklore and Folk Life will have copies of her fifth mitten book released last November titled Ultimate Mittens: 28 Classic Patterns to keep You Warm.

 And the rest of her books.....

TRADITIONAL ARTS TAKE CENTER STAGE AT FRYEBURG FAIR’S FIBER CENTER 2012

 The Traditional Arts including Knitting, Crochet, Yarn Spinning, Wool Processing, Weaving, Yarn Dyeing, Felting, Tapestry, Rug Making  as  well  as  many  other  fiber arts and  crafts continue to hold popularity and intrigue for many. Daily demonstrations and examples of this work take center stage at the Fryeburg Fair’s Fiber Center each year. In addition to seeing how these traditional arts and crafts  are  done,  animal  fleeces  and  various  fiber  arts  equipment  and  finished  products  are  available  at  the  Fiber  Center’s  Fleece  Show  &  Sale.

This year’s Fiber Art feature is “The Maine Reef Project”, an Installation created by nearly one-hundred fiber enthusiasts from Maine and other states, who have donated hundreds of knitted, crocheted and felted pieces depicting sea life. It is a Satellite of the Worldwide Hyperbolic Crochet Reef Project created by Margaret and Christine Wertheim of the Institute For Figuring in Los Angeles.

The Fiber Center is New England’s largest Fiber Exhibition Hall. It is open during Fryeburg Fair week from Sunday, September 30, to Saturday, October 6, from  9am - 9pm., and  Sunday, October 7,  9-6pm.  Fleeces will be judged starting at 11am Sunday September 30th.  Fiber enthusiasts will have an opportunity to stock up on supplies and get tips from experienced fiber artists.