Sheep, spindles, and sustainability will intertwine this month as St. Albert artisans gather for a twice-annual conference on yarn and crafting.
About 1,200 crafting enthusiasts will be at the Edmonton Expo Centre Nov. 12-13 for the Edmonton Fibre Frolic. This twice-annual event brings crafters together to share their love of knitting, spinning, weaving, macramé, and other fibre arts, and features many St. Albert-area artists.
This was the third in-person Fibre Frolic since the province lifted most COVID-related health measures in 2021 and the first time it had been held at the Expo Centre, said organizer Holly Aamot.
“We are a one-stop shop for people who are interested in and enjoy anything to do with knitting, crochet, macramé, and embroidery,” she said, whether they want to find the latest crafting supplies or simply to hang out with fellow yarn fans.
All things yarn
Aamot said the Fibre Frolic conference featured an array of talks and workshops. Lee Satori, whose work has been featured on PBS, would hold lessons on Tunisian crochet and Japanese amigurumi. Manitoba wool mill owner Anna Hunter would speak on the history of wool production in Canada, while knitter Caroline Sommerfeld would demonstrate various yarn-manipulating techniques.
St. Albert certified master spinner Elana Goodfellow was running a workshop at the conference on how to use a hand spindle.
“A hand spindle is one of the most rudimentary spinning tools you can have,” she said, consisting of a stick (the spindle) with a weight attached to it.
Most fibres are covered in microscopic scales, Goodfellow said. By spinning fibres onto a spindle, you twist them, latching those scales together so the fibres can be pulled into a continuous thread.
While most modern yarn was machine-made, Goodfellow said some countries and many hobbyists still use spindles and spinning wheels, especially if they need yarn with very specific traits.
“It’s a really enjoyable, calming experience,” she said of hand-spinning — almost meditative.
Aamot said the conference has grown considerably since it started in 2016. Its new, bigger venue has allowed organizers to hold a Gathering Threads social lounge where guests can socialize and show off their projects. St. Albert's Yarn Divas were the co-sponsors of the lounge.
The conference also features vendors, food trucks, and a free online virtual festival.
Sustainability
Yarn-crafters tend to have a strong interest in sustainability, Aamot said.
“It’s becoming common knowledge amongst folks that the fashion industry is one of the biggest polluters in our world,” she said.
Textile production consumes millions of barrels of oil and hundreds of thousands of tonnes of pesticides a year, and produced more greenhouse gas emissions in 2015 than all international flights and ocean shipping combined, reports the Ellen MacArthur Foundation.
Many yarn enthusiasts get into crafting to offset these impacts, Aamot said. Most commercial yarns are made from petroleum and use harsh chemicals to get their colours, for example. Use yarn made from wool, and you reduce fossil fuel use and create compostable clothing. As panellists at the conference will discuss, the sheep which produce that wool can even enhance carbon sequestration.
“Just the act of making things gets you making more sustainable choices,” Aamot said, as you realize the time and effort that goes into making clothes.
Crafting and textile arts are enriching hobbies that can improve your mental health and hand-eye co-ordination, Aamot said.
“Every single one of us uses textiles,” she said, and crafting helps us better appreciate the clothes around us.
Ticket to the conference start at $15. Visit edmontonfibrefrolic.com for details.
