Whether you’re a crocheter, knitter, spinner, weaver, or just curious about fibre crafts, there will be something for you
Whether you like to knit only the coolest modern patterns, or you intend to make a sweater starting with the fleece, the Little Britain Fibre Fest will likely have just what you’re looking for and so much more.
This local Fibre Festival is back after a few years off, and it’s bringing together Manitoba fibre vendors to our region for a cozy and fun day of community and shopping.
“(The vendors are) mostly fibre people, a lot are local, and we have one quilter, but the rest are fibre (vendors), and we have one who does woodworking. She makes spindles, she makes broaches, and she makes orifice hooks for spinning wheels. And then there’s LeVerne (Tucker) from Camarno, and she has her own sheep, so she does sheepy things, but she also makes soap, she weaves, she does hand towels, she does hand spinning, just beautiful stuff,” said Maureen Hammond, founder of the Little Britain Fibre Fest.
The total list of vendors includes: Tog and Thel, Manjusha Fibre Arts, Wood & Wool, Last Dance Ranch, Keystone Modern Creative, Prairie’s Edge Wool Farm, and Cloud 9 Fiberworks.
The festival will take place on July 11 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m at Little Britain United.
Hammond explained that this festival will be something that crafty people aren’t going to want to miss, but despite it being a more niche event, new crafters are also very welcome.
“Everybody’s always wanting to help them. Some people (may even) show them how to spin,” said Hammond.
In addition to the vendor’s market, the festival is also a community gathering.
“We also set up some chairs in a little circle. If somebody wants to bring their knitting or their spinning, or just even to sit there. Some people sit and spin, some people sit and chat,” she explained.
Hammond said that before the pandemic, this festival was quite a popular event with cars parked down the highway, and they hope that people are ready to come back for its return.
She explained that she thinks that this festival sets itself apart because it’s a smaller venue and cozy atmosphere. People love the location but also find it much less overwhelming when compared to larger fibre festivals like the one in Winnipeg.
“This is very informal. It’s very casual,” said Hammond.
She explained that it’s been a few years since the last festival, but the group was encouraged to bring it back after hearing from local people that they missed the event.
“This will be our first one back again. People kept asking us if we would do it again, so finally we thought, okay, we’ll come,” she said.
Hammond doesn’t know if sales will be as high or if they’ll have as many people come back after their hiatus, but she knows that it will be a fun event and will connect crafters in our community.
“(By going to a festival like this I) think people are more connected. It’s different than, say, going to a store where it’s just business. This doesn’t feel like it’s business first, it feels like it’s just people meeting and having a good time, and business is second, and that really is how it is,” she said.
Hammond’s favourite part of past festivals has been meeting everyone who stops in.
“We just like talking, and then we get to see what they’ve been knitting, and it’s great fun. You meet lots of nice people,” she said.
She encourages residents to come and check out this fibre festival if they are at all interested.
“Just to see what’s available in all the different colours and different kinds of yarn and different kinds of fibers,” said Hammond.
