The beautiful arbutus tree (Arbutus menziesii) is one of the distinctive features of the Sunshine Coast. Canada’s only native broadleaf evergreen grows in areas where the soil is rocky and drains rapidly and is often found along rocky shorelines. It can also be found growing in residential areas. The flowers, which open in April and […]
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Coast Colours – Alder Bark
The plants and mushrooms from our gardens and wild spaces on the Sunshine Coast offer us many beautiful colours for dyeing fabric and fibre. This blog is the beginning of a series which will explore and document dyeing with local plants and mushrooms. I hope that other local dyers will add their dyeing experiences. Alders […]
Read MoreComing Full Circle – the Fibre Circle
It is with great fulfillment that I share this latest blog with you as we approach 2015. Personally, my focused interest has been on the search for local fibre and I’ve spent the year looking for a local source of wool other than our Olivia and the products from her fleece featured at our Fibres […]
Read MoreFibre Circle Video
The raw fleeces sheared from the Icelandic sheep (see blog November 10) became the focus of a newly formed Fibre Circle hosted and facilitated by Yvonne Stowell at the FibreWorks Studio and Gallery. We met for two days to learn how to skirt, wash, comb, card and spin this beautiful fibre. (See the upcoming blog […]
Read MoreTransition Café: “How will we clothe ourselves in 2030?”
When the Fibreshed had a display at the One Straw Society’s Fall Faire in October (see blog October 16) we met Leonie Croy of the Sunshine Coast in Transition and found that our groups’ core beliefs had much in common. This connection led to the Fibreshed being invited to make a presentation at their Transition […]
Read MoreSunshine Coast Spinners and Weavers Guild’s Annual Fibres Plus Sale, November 2014
Set-up before our two day Annual Fibres Plus Sale is a busy time as we prepare to sell our exquisite juried creations, demonstrate our skills to the public and share with our Sechelt First Nations friends. Here, early Friday morning, Barbie and Jan collaborate on how to hang a fuzzy toque on the new hat […]
Read MoreShearing of the Icelandic Sheep
In the blog posting of June 23, 2014 we met Leila Bee’s four Icelandic sheep – Prince, Belle, Roxy and Ginger. This fall the sheep were sheared – an exciting step in the Fibreshed’s goal of greater fibre self-sufficiency on the Sunshine Coast. Ron McInnis of Imaginary Image created a beautiful video recording this event. […]
Read MoreDyeing at the 6th Annual Mushroom Festival
On October 18th the Pender Harbour Community Hall was filled with visitors to the Sunshine Coast Mushroom Society’s sixth annual Mushroom Festival. It was a wonderful event celebrating the rich diversity of mushrooms that grow on the Sunshine Coast. Members of the Sunshine Coast Spinners and Weavers Guild volunteered to demonstrate dyeing with mushrooms. We […]
Read MoreDyeing at the Yurts
Yvonne Stowell, artist and owner of FiberWorks Studio and Gallery, is a beloved and valued member of our fibre arts community, inspiring and mentoring us. She hosts exhibitions, workshops and spin-ins in the yurts of her Studio and Gallery. This summer the deck outside the yurts was brightened by planters filled with colourful dye plants. […]
Read MoreThe One Straw Society’s Fall Faire
On October 5th the Sunshine Coast Spinners and Weavers Guild had a display at the One Straw Society’s Fall Faire. The Faire was a celebration of community and a coming together of individuals and groups who share an interest in ecologically sound local sustainability. The One Straw Society focuses on the goal of food sovereignty […]
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