Julie Benac has enjoyed the textile, sewing and fiber arts for over 35 years. She owns Fresh Lotus Design, a fiber art design small business with her partner Patrick, right on the shores of Lake Erie in Michigan. Here they produce hand-woven & hand-dyed artisan garments, luxury fiber blends for spinners, weavers and felters, as well as an outstanding and hard-to-find selection of hand-dyed silk yarns.
JULIE ADAMS
Hi everyone! I'm Julie of Julie's Fiber Treasures. I discovered felting around 2013/2014 and feel like I have found my "thing". In 2022 I expanded my resume by becoming a Certified Felting Instructor through Sarafina Fiber Art which has allowed me to explore and expand my teaching capabilities. I enjoy learning new techniques, bettering my skills, and teaching others the wonders of fiber through felting.
Patti Barker
Patti is an award-winning, full-time American fiber artist who enjoys incorporating hand-dyed silk and fibers, as well as handspun art yarn into her unique felted garments and accessories. She makes her home in North Central Florida with her husband, Rex and two fine pups. Patti teaches felt making and shows her work in wearable art fashion shows and exhibitions all over the US. To see more of her work, visit pattibarker.com
Siobhan Boothe
Siobhan Boothe is a natural dyer, fiber artist, and educator located in Floyd, VA. She has been crocheting for over 12 years and began pattern testing and writing in 2017. As a dyer, her focus is on traditional natural dyes, as well as local flora, nuts, & trees found around her family farm in the heart of Appalachia. She dyes yarn used for knitting, weaving, & crochet as well as home goods printed with images of flowers & leaves. In her spare time, she is a mother, wife, & farmer of chickens & cattle.
Varian Brandon
Varian Brandon started knitting at eight. A trip to the islands of Great Britain rekindled a love of color and created an interest in the traditions of Fair Isle design and construction. She is currently designing stranded colorwork patterns for several yarn companies, international magazines, and her own website. She has also created a collection of stranded hats entitled "Waiting". This book of patterns can be found on her website.
Currently living in Saluda, North Carolina, Varian has been teaching stranded colorwork and related knitting techniques at local yarn shops, regional fiber festivals, and for the past eighteen years at the Kanuga Knitting and Quilting Retreat in Hendersonville, North Carolina which she coordinates. Online, she can be found at www.brandonknittingdesigns.com or on Ravelry at varianbrandon.
Roiana Buckmaster
Roiana Buckmaster lives in Mt. Pleasant, TN with her husband, building flocks of Icelandic sheep and heritage poultry. She was taught to knit at age 6 (to keep out from underfoot), embroidery at age ten (to encourage sitting still), and plunged into the rabbit hole of the Fiber Arts World from there. Roiana has been teaching weaving and tatting for eight years at fiber festivals across the South and also at the farm shop (The Tog and The Thel).
Ronda Cassada
Ronda is a self-taught basket maker of 30 years and a local resident of Buncombe County. She has an Associate of Arts degree and teaches absolute beginner basket weaving classes in Asheville, NC. To see more information on classes and sample baskets go to: www.ronda-w-cassada-basketry.com.
Katie Clark
Katie Clark has been crocheting and knitting for 30 years. For many years, she taught friends and family and anyone who would sit still long enough how to stitch. It finally occurred to her in 2009 to teach professionally and began offering classes at the Knit Studio in Jackson, Mississippi and the Bill Waller Craft Center in Ridgeland, Mississippi.
She now teaches regionally and writes patterns as Katie Clark Crochet which are available on Ravelry. She has designed for Interweave Crochet Magazine and Jems Luxe Fibers. She is a proud member of the Craftsmen’s Guild of Mississippi, Chimneyville Weavers and Spinners Guild, and the Crochet Guild of America. She lives in Madison, Mississippi with her husband, daughter, two cats, and a ridiculous stash of yarn.
Visit www.katieclarkcrochet.com to learn more.
Nharah Clark
Nharah Clark is a fiber artist, instructor, and historic textile specialist. For the last six years, she has co-owned SPARKLE Studio, a working and teaching fiber arts studio located at Lowe Mill ARTS & Entertainment in Huntsville, AL. She is deeply immersed in historic reenactment and has devoted 25 years to learning and teaching the fiber arts methods of the past. Over the years, she has added fiber processing, spinning, weaving, knitting, felting, sewing, and embroidery to her fiber arts repertoire.
Vickie Clontz
Vickie's love of fibers, wool and folk art shine through in each of her classes and the 100+ patterns she has designed for her company, Annie's Keepsakes, which celebrates its 33-year anniversary in 2023! Vickie's projects have appeared in magazines across the nation and abroad, and she brings h er easy-going style and award-winning expertise to each of her classes and workshops. See more of Vickie's work and learn about her textile trip to France in 2023 on her web-site at http://www.annieskeepsakes.com
Beth Collier
Beth began spinning in 2004 after getting her first sheep. Shortly after she started her business, Three Creeks Farm where she sells her Shetland wool and yarn, Kromski products including wheels and looms, felting supplies, dyeing supplies and a variety of handmade items. She has been teaching spinning and felting since 2010. When not spinning, felting, weaving or sewing, she enjoys chasing her grandchildren.
Sue Dial
Sue Dial got her first spinning wheel in 1989, and has been working with polymer clay since 1995. She teaches both polymer clay and fiber related classes regionally, and sells her work in several area yarn shops and galleries. She lives in Little River with her 2 dogs, 2 cats, and 2 angora rabbits.
Meg Evatt
Meg Evatt started knitting when she was 17 years old. She checked a book out of the library and taught herself through trial and error. After retiring, she has studied and honed her knitting skills and knowledge. Meg began teaching knitting classes in the Upstate area to help other knitters learn new techniques, new stitches, increase knitting skills and troubleshoot knitting problems. Meg expanded her fiber skills to include dry needle felting, Dorset button construction, and even how to avoid injury while crafting using good ergonomics techniques. Meg teaches classes at local retreats and Palmetto Yarn Shoppe in Campobello, SC.
Eileen Hallman
has been spinning cotton on the charkha since 1985, weaving with it since 1986, and has been teaching since 1998. As a cotton enthusiast, she also dyes it with natural dyes. Her specialty is indigo; she has been growing and researching the use of the fresh leaves for non-vat dyeing since 2006.
In 2018 she began marbling with the intent to use natural dyes. She has developed natural dye inks for use in marbling, starting with tannins as both mordant and dye.
Cynthia D. Haney
Cynthia Dianne Haney, a spindle maker, is passionate about teaching people how to spin. She designs spindles and turns them on the lathe to aid students with high quality performance. Enabling students to make the yarn they want with a spindle. Teaching beginner spinners, of all ages and abilities, since 2011. From individual lessons to specialized group classes at guilds, Southeastern Animal Fiber Fair, Maryland Sheep and Wool, and the MidAtlantic Fiber Association. A Virginia native her woodshop and Cynthia Wood Spinner business is in Nelson County. More information and social contacts on CynthiaWoodSpinner.com
Cecilia Ho
Cecilia Ho of Greenville, SC, was born into a family of designers in Hong Kong. During her last residence in Nova Scotia, Canada, the local sheep farms influenced her passion and direction into felting and fiber arts. Since 2013, Cecilia relocated to South Carolina and has taught thousands of students through one-one-one private & group felting workshops. Currently, Cecilia is a SC Certified Teaching Artist running full-time fiber arts integration programs for k4-8th in the Greenville County School District & senior adults at OLLI Furman University. Throughout the year, Cecilia acts as fiber art instructor at Greenville Center for Creative Arts, Spartanburg Art Museum, Fiberworld Virtual Festival, & many regional communities. She often holds felting demonstrations at museum, gallery & festival (ie High Museum of Art, Smithsonian affiliations museums, Artisphere) across the United States & Canada. Cecilia has taken part in multiple juried contemporary & fine art exhibitions, as well as fashion shows. FELTasticFashion is the business created in 2011 which Cecilia designs & packages all-inclusive felting DIY kits as well as official retailers for Ashford NZ & Clover felting supplies. Daily inspirations can be found on Instagram FELTasticFashion. Workshop calendar, project kits & felting supplies available from www.FELTasticFashion.com
Susannah Johnson
Susannah Johnson has been spinning for over 30 years, and teaching whenever she can get somebody to sit still long enough. She weaves, spins, hand-combs, dyes with natural and commercial dyes, and enjoys being a sheep midwife. She owns BellaLuna Sheep & Wool Co., a flock of BFL, Finn, Merino crosses and East Friesian. Milking sheep gives one-on-one time with the ewes, cheese, yogurt, and super-moisturizing sheep milk soap!
Jessica Kaufman
Jessica has her Masters degree in Crafts Education, and has been leading hands-on arts programming at schools, summer camps, and workshops for 16 years. In 2016 she opened WAXON Batik & Dye Studio LLC, an open batik & tie-dye studio in West Asheville. Jessica continues to teach traditional and contemporary crafts skills around the region, with a focus on textiles & fiber arts. Her patience, kindness, and love for teaching guide her classes to success.
Elaina Kenyon
Elaina is shepherdess and Avillion Farm in Efland, NC. The farm is a diversified fiber enterprise - home to German and French angora rabbits, Angora goats, Shetland and Jacob sheep and Suri alpaca. The rabbits and their fiber were her first fiber love, starting in 1993, and is still her favorite fiber to spin and blend with other fibers.
Barry Klein
Trendsetter Group owner/designer Barry Klein has been knitting for 50 years. He started by working in his family's knitting store, where all patterns were designed for the knitter's body. For the past 35 years he has worked as an industry teacher, doing knitting classes all over the world on land and sea.
Barry has designed knitwear for magazines, television shows, ice skaters, and movie stars; authored 5 knitting books; and worked as a spokesman on Knitting Daily and other television knitting shows. He loves to share his love of yarn and everything that can be done with it. Barry has been voted one of the Top 10 Men who Knit/Design throughout history.
Learn why 'Let the yarn do the work' is Barry's favorite motto.
For more about Barry, go to trendsetteryarns.com
Melanie Koenig
Melanie has been enamored with all things fiber since her grandmother taught her to knit and crochet when she was five or six years old. She has spent a lifetime delving deeply into every fiber art you can imagine. She has even travelled to Peru and Bolivia to study knitting and to Mexico and Guatemala to study Mayan backstrap weaving and embroidery. She began teaching and sharing her vast knowledge with others over thirty years ago and has a reputation for being a patient, fun, motivating teacher who is really good at making complex things easy to understand.
Lisa Lamb
I'm a self taught knitter that's only been knitting for about 20 years... But a life long crafter. My Grandma taught me to crochet when I was 4 and I've spent my free time since learning and experiencing different crafts. A few years ago I was asked to teach a class, Ok what topic did they want.. Knitting on Fabric. So I started researching there isn't anything for knitting onto Fabric but ton's on how to crochet. After some trial and error I've figured out some base stitches and a few patterns to spark the imagination.
Grace McFetters
Grace McFetters has studied various fiber arts since 2013, starting with knitting. She began to explore weaving in early 2017. Grace established her fiber studio, Transcend Fiber Studio, in 2018, and formalized her fiber business in early 2020. She has taught Ukrainian Easter Eggs since 2011, and began teaching fiber arts, including knitting, weaving, hand spinning, and dyeing since 2018. As Grace grows as an artist and continues learning new techniques, she continues to add to her teaching repertoire.
Pat Murray
Became interested in RugHooking while in the antique business in 1995. Involved in the fiber arts since 1997. Enjoy all aspects of the art from pattern to choosing colors to make patterns come alive.
Member of Tarheels Ruggers, Merry Mountain Guild. While a member of Shockley Slip of Virginia was chairman of their fiber auction which raised funds to further the education of all fiber Arts. Taught workshops this year. Am a Certified McGown rug Hooking teacher.
Phyllis Narus
Phyllis has been weaving since 1996 and instructing since 2000. She is the proud owner of R&M Yarns (since 2005) in Georgetown, TN. She enjoys teaching "beginning & beyond" weaving workshops at the R&M Yarns Fiber Art Studio throughout the year. She loves the enthusiasm and personal satisfaction on the faces of the students when they finish their first weaving projects!
Justin Near
Justin Near is a Nashville fiber artist and homeschooler who has a passion for sustainability and supporting local and regional communities and economies. Growing up, Justin was surrounded by crocheting, knitting, embroidery, and sewing, and dabbled in many of those as well as closely related fiber arts. As an adult, not long after beginning their homeschool journey, a door into the fiber world was reopened at a young child's birthday party where wool and spindles were the theme. Fast forward, and Justin is now knee-deep in the fiber community, teaching at fiber festivals, writing about fiber, and developing a soon-to-be regional fiber business. In her day job, Justin builds, manages, and supports websites and has a strong love for learning new technology. This carries into the fiber arts world, which is very closely related to the sciences - dyeing and chemistry, spinning and physics, design and engineering, and weaving and programming - so Justin feels quite at home here and hopes to pass on that love and passion to as many people as possible so that they, too, can experience the magic and beauty of working with raw, natural materials.
Bex Oliger
Bex grew up in her mother's (Carol Leigh Brack-Kaiser, author of Continuous Strand Weaving Method and Nature Provides Dyes for Rainbows) weaving and dyeing studio. She has been weaving, spinning, natural dyeing, and knitting for over 35 years. Bex is currently a knitwear designer and owner of Hillcreek Yarn & Fiber in Columbia, MO. She and her husband travel to fIber festivals across the country to vend and teach knitting, natural dyeing, and weaving.
Martha Owen
Martha began her adventure in spinning at the John C. Campbell Folk School, in Brasstown, North Carolina in 1978. Since 1980 her extended family has included sheep and angora rabbits. Also a banjo player and known to tell a story or two, Martha's interest in sheep and wool, music and dance, have carried her quite literally and joyfully around the world. Some say she is a wool nerd but her sheep say she is outstanding in her field! Martha is a member of the Southern Highlands Craft Guild since 1988, is currently a Resident Artist at the John C. Campbell Folk School (folkschool.org) andis proud that she won the Local Cloth fashion show 2016 for "best use of local products" for her piece: North Carolina Fair Isle
Amy Shelton
Instructor Amy Shelton is a fiber artist, instructor, and crochet designer. For the last six years, she has owned SPARKLE Studio, a working and teaching fiber arts studio located at Lowe Mill ARTS & Entertainment in Huntsville, AL. She is an expert crocheter who has been crocheting since the age of 9. Over the years, she has added fiber processing, spinning, weaving, knitting, felting, sewing, and embroidery to her fiber arts repertoire. She served on the Crochet Guild of America board of directors for four years and as president for two years.
Heidi Sunday
Lifelong crafter, numbers nerd and former yarn shop owner from Mobile, AL I love to Knit, Crochet and Tat, Weave.
Michele Tway
Growing up, Michele Tway was surrounded by fiber artists. She's the fourth generation in her family to wield a crochet hook, The third to embroider and sew; the second to bead and quilt. The ladies were master technicians. Her grandfather rarely worked from a pattern, preferring to create his own. Their work was primarily framed or worn. Michele has always preferred to create stuffed and sculptural designs. After an extended detour, where she earned a master's degree, wrote computer code, developed software training manuals and conducted corporate training; she gave herself permission to pursue her own dreams of playing with yarn all day and making things with her crochet hook. She is a member of The Southern Highland Craft Guild and known for her mixed media and crochet bird sculptures. Michele is always eager to share her love of crochet and began formally teaching crochet classes in 2019.
Beverly Van Hook
Peyton Waggener
I began my journey as a knitter and I have blossomed. The kind of art I practice ranges from useful to whimsical. I strive to elevate the humble. Delicate nuno felted silk scarves and garments, practical hand-dyed and handwoven rugs, unique hand-beaded and felted jewelry, elegant handspun shawls, and fantastical needle felts are all outlets for my creative inspiration. Unexpected elegance and luxury attract people to my art.
Julie Wilson
Julie Wilson and her family own a farm in Fines Creek, North Carolina. In 1990, two sheep came to the Wilson family. Since then, Jehovah Raah Farm has grown to Shetland sheep, alpacas, llamas, Angora goats, Angora Rabbits, and Scottish Highland cattle. Julie has been spinning since 1990, and has retired from teaching high school Special Education for over 30 years. Julie has been with SAFF since its beginnings in Winston-Salem and has taught the spinning class since instruction was offered. Satisfaction guaranteed by Julie.
Q Wirtz
Liza Q. Wirtz, better known as Q, teaches freestyle weaving in the SAORI tradition, art-batt carding on Strauch carders, and exploratory spinning on her herd of wheels through her fiber-arts business, the Foldout Cat, based at her home studio in the Huntsville, Alabama area. She has taught and vended at multiple fiber events in Virginia, Tennessee, Mississippi, and Georgia. Q has been weaving and sewing in the SAORI tradition for several years, and she spins and cards with the same philosophy: create from your heart and put beauty into the world! When she’s not teaching or creating, Q bakes and sings (separately) for pleasure and occasionally practices estate-planning law. Find her as FoldoutCat on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest or on her website, foldoutcat.com.