On March 28 the One Straw Society and the Sunshine Coast Seed Collective held the 11th annual Seedy Saturday at the Roberts Creek Hall.
It was a wonderful day for gardeners and other members of the community to buy and exchange seeds and live plants. There were a number of interesting workshops and a farmers market outside.
The Sunshine Coast Fibreshed was invited to participate and we were there with our display of fabric and fibre dyed with plants grown on the Sunshine Coast, local fleece and beautiful naturally dyed pieces of clothing made by members of the Sunshine Coast Spinners and Weavers Guild.
There was great interest in our naturally dyed items which highlighted the wonderful range of beautiful colours that are available from plants that grow right here on the Sunshine Coast.
Some of our Guild members felted delightful bird houses to sell as a fundraiser for the Fibreshed. These were very popular and we sold a number.
There’s a growing awareness that we need to be more responsible in our clothing choices and many visitors to the display expressed a deep appreciation of one-of-a-kind pieces of clothing made by artists and artisans in their own community. There was a great interest in the traditional arts of spinning, weaving, natural dyeing and fleece preparation. A number of visitors enjoyed watching Kimberly demonstrate carding.
An exciting moment for the Fibreshed was the presentation of a sign to our first Certified Producer of local fleece – certification only being given to knowledgeable producers who produce high quality fleece in a sustainable and responsible way. The recipient of the sign was Leila Bee of Round Table Farms who raises beautiful Icelandic sheep. At the presentation Deanna wore a lovely handknitted hat that is the first piece of clothing coming from these sheep – the wool being washed, combed, carded, spun and knitted by Guild members.
We had a wonderful day sharing and networking with visitors to our display and other Seedy Saturday participants. It’s encouraging to see such an interest and commitment in our community to local sustainable living.
Heather Apple
Photos by Heather Apple and Deanna B. Pilling