Fiddlehead Fibre Festival brings people together from across N.B. and other provinces
Florenceville’s Faith Memorial United Church was filled with fibre enthusiasts in mid-April for the third annual Fiddlehead Fibre Festival. The event drew participants from across New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, as well as Maine and Ontario.
“It’s been very busy,” said festival founder Robyn Oakes. “This event draws around 300 people. We love this venue, it’s such a great space.”
People chatting and knitting in groups throughout the entrance area created a welcoming sense of community for people as they arrived.
Moving into the main hall, a colourful array of Maritime-made yarns and fibre-related products greeted visitors: indie-dyed yarns, award-winning Alpaca fibres, naturally dyed yarns, yarn kits, patterns, and project bags, as well as aprons, cork tags and other accessories and tools.
Michelle Landry, owner of Woodstock-based Michelle’s Creations, was excited to return as a vendor.
“We learn a lot from other vendors: little knitting tricks, different yarns, weaving too,” she said. “What I like, as well, is that the atmosphere is joyful. I always look forward to coming back.”
Learning opportunities for crafters at all levels of experience included an introduction to rigid heddle weaving, a drop spindle spinning class, sessions on casting on, adding beads to your knitting, and steeking (knitting a sweater in the round, then cutting it to make a cardigan), and a heel sock class.
Lucy Ann Stoop led “The Right Cast-on” workshop. Stoop has been a keen knitter since the age of seven, and she teaches knitting to people with special needs in her community.
“Knitting, fibre arts – it’s a community,” she said. “The craft brings us together. We all live in different places. I’m originally from Fredericton, now living in Ontario. My friend Heidi Stephenson and Robyn Oakes are good friends. That’s how I got the invitation to be here this weekend.”
Oakes, owner of Close Knit Friends Yarn Shop, said she could not put on the festival without the help of her friends and fellow organizers Heidi Stephenson and Gaby Mann.
Among many thoughtful touches, the festival features a different Famous Fibre Guest each year with a local connection.
“This year we have Rhonda Yerxa, a famous pattern designer who grew up here in Carleton County and went to Carleton North High School,” said Oakes. “We also have a fundraiser every year. The proceeds go to breast cancer research. Pattern designer Nancy Wheeler does a special sock pattern every year and sells it for a week to ten days before the festival every year and Deborah from Yarn Indulgences dyes a special limited edition pink yarn to go with that sock pattern.”
In the first year, they raised around $1,500; in 2024, the total was $4,300, with the help of an additional fundraiser by Sadie from Topsail Canvas. At press time, organizers said this year’s total had exceeded last year’s, with the final amount to be confirmed.
