Fibrations 2018

Fibrations 2018 Has Happened!
See Event Photos from August 19 Below

Fibrations 2018 is an outdoor marketplace celebrating the unique and diverse talents of over 60 fibre artists. Fibrations is organized and sponsored by Knotty by Nature Fibre Arts. Other sponsors include Black Press, CFB Esquimalt and all the vendors. Visitors to this free family event will delight in the abundance of original creations and on-site demonstrations.
A site map is available this year to assist visitors. On August 19, the 8th annual event unfolds in Porter Park, on the traditional territory of the Lekwungen speaking peoples, the Songees and Esquimalt Nations.

Stephanie Papik and Ryan Davis founded Knotty by Nature in 2008. Their award-winning business sells fibre supplies and hand-made items at 1704 Lillian road in Fairfield. Ryan Davis is the 9-5 guy, offering customers friendly, knowledgable service.
A visit to Knotty’s creative mecca is always a treat. The cozy shop overflows with colour, texture and intriguing hand-made items. It’s a social place, buzzing with activity, as people work on fibre projects or take classes. Throughout the year, local instructors offer inspirational workshops on knitting, weaving, needle felting, crochet, wet felting and spinning. “Connecting people and creating community through the fibre arts is our ongoing mission,” says Stephanie.

ANNIE NAZARIAN is a fibre artist who makes hats, pillow slips, wall hangings and sweet little stuffies. All from repurposed material. Her love of fabric and stitchery comes from childhood summers spent with her creative grandmother. Annie has a BFA from UVic, and has studied clothing design, printmaking and ceramics. Last year, Ryan suggested she attend Fibrations after viewing her wares on the Fairfield Artists Studio Tour. Knotty proudly displays her original creations which exude a whimsical charm.

“Every artwork takes time and tells a story,” she says. The female personas and fantastical creatures slowly emerge from the artist’s contemplative practice of piecing together raw materials. Annie’s sewing techniques include embroidery and a Japanese running stitch called Sashiko. Boro patching uses Sashiko stitching to adhere raw edged cloth to a backing. Boro is back in fashion for mending clothing and Annie makes extraordinary patches, sure to add pizzaz to any faded cloth.

CHRISTIAN McGINTY-STEELE attends UVic in the department of visual arts, majoring in film and photography. A few years ago, while helping a friend with a knitting project, he became enamoured with the artform. Now he designs knitwear patterns, and uses solar and natural dyes for his cozy toques and mittens. Fault is one of three original patterns in the artist’s special edition publication called Animism. The Fault pattern makes a pair of fingerless mittens. A lace motif on top of the mittens cleverly suggests boulders tumbling into a middle ridge.

Christian’s creative inspirations come from the natural world and the way textiles connect him to a highly evolved tradition. The artist looks forward to his second year at Fibrations. “This festival has many interesting guests and vendors,” he says, “and shows the vitality of our fibre community.” Find Christian’s knitwear, hand-dyed clothing and other treasurers at Fibrations.

THERESA SCHLAGEL operates Morrison Creek Farm and Fibre in the Comox Valley. She has 27 alpacas and two llamas.
At Fibrations, she sells her premium alpaca fleece, much valued for its strength, delicate crimped texture and long fine fibres. Her hand dyed rovings in bright jewel tones are very popular. Smoother and softer than cashmere, alpaca fibre is prized by hand spinners and felters. The fibre blends well with wool and silk and feels lighter than wool and warmer than cotton.

Following Fibrations’ theme of Fibre in Motion, Theresa will bring a sorting table to demonstrate the grading of newly shorn fleece. Producing beautiful fleece requires a mix of nature and nurture, a combination of careful breeding and management of herd health. “Hat’s off to Knotty by Nature,” she says, “for expanding the depth and breadth of fibre knowledge on Vancouver Island.” As a fibre producer, she also values the support of many local Weavers and Spinners Guilds.

BURNT CURVE is a family business that makes jewelry, craft buttons and designer tags. Kylie, her husband Don, and a colleague are the creative trio behind these unique and popular items. Kylie is an elementary French school teacher with young children. Burnt Curve is one of her creative outlets, along with knitting. Kylie draws the designs using a computer program which is imported into a laser cutter. The laser cutter burns the designs into 1/8 inch thick baltic birch.

The designs have evolved over time. First came the feathers, very geometric in design. Then came the “scrawl” earrings, derived from a free hand doodle on her tablet screen. “It’s very satisfying,” she says. An emerging business, Burnt Curve looks forward to their first Fibrations event. Their buttons and earrings are sold at Knotty by Nature. “Ryan and Stephanie’s business is truly unique,” she says, “and they’ve been very supportive of our venture.”

EMJAY BAILEY of JOMA Yarn markets her multi-coloured fibres on-line, at fairs and locally at Knotty by Nature. “For me,” says Emjay, “hand-dyeing is both a science and a passion.” Careful to use only quality yarns and colourfast dyes, the artist uses a variety of techniques that produce vibrant and flowing tones and tints. Her creative process includes hand-painting, immersion baths, and splatter speckle sprinkles.

Emjay believes in the power of fibre to build community and personal connections. In 2017 she organized Victoria’s first World Wide Knit in Public Day with Knotty by Nature. At Fibrations, you’ll find Emjay at the Discovery Knitters booth, a group who meets weekly for a creative coffee social. The artist is a fan of Yarn-Bombing, a fun-filled activity that uses oversized yarn and knitting needles to make sculptural objects left in public places. “Who wouldn’t be delighted to find an oversized mushroom at the bus stop one morning?” she asks. For Emjay, this active interaction is a welcome relief from passive posts on social media.

It was perfect weather at our annual Fabulous Fibrations Event on August 19, 2018. Thanks to all the vendors, shoppers, workshop organizers and volunteers. The fibre community grows stronger each year with your valuable support.

Caitlan ffrench giving Natural Dyes Workshop at Knotty by Nature.

Stephanie Papik at the Knotty By Nature Booth.

Spun Wear, Mandy and Michael, from Comox

Nicole Bottles, the Spinnacle Fibre Arts.

Sharon Broadley, weaver and Richard Marshall

Victoria Handweavers and Spinners Guild

The Make House

Flax to Linen sample table

Owen Brush Textiles

Victoria Handweavers and Spinners Guild

Kylie Read and David Bernard, Burnt Curve.

Steve Ashton, Freedom Kilts, knitting machine

Dawn (right) & Larry, mohair & woodworking.

Web Design, Content and Selected Photos
by Kate Cino
Kate is an arts writer published in Focus,
Yam and Boulevard.
She has a History in Art degree and Public Relations certificate from UVic.