“Woven Photography” at Textile Museum

If you think that architecture and quilting seem unrelated, think again. Once you experience the Mississippi Valley Textile Museum’s new exhibition, you will never look at a building the same way! “Surface Fabrications,” which opens on December 8, features the work of artists Diane Laundy and Robin Laws-Field.
Diane Laundy brings the eye of a photographer and the design sensibility of the quilter to the skyscraper, where she discovers poetry, playfulness and patterns of beauty and originality. “There is an inherent sense of order and structure in both quilting and architecture,” says Laundy, “that lends itself to the creation of pattern and rhythm. I approach architecture as a fabric to be cut and shaped by my viewfinder, and patterned and embroidered by the world around it.” Laundy presents her creations on archival paper and silk and suspends them from rods hung as quilts are hung.
Robin Laws-Field was searching for a new approach to her fibre art as she zoomed her camera lens in on the textured surfaces of sites she was visiting. She suddenly realized that she had discovered a new way to create abstraction in her work. The images in this exhibition come from sites around the globe and all focus on surfaces: peeling paint on a shutter in Turkey or footprints in the sands of India. She interprets these with a range of media from paint and dye to clay and yarn, always incorporating a threaded needle wending its way through the composition.
Come and be dazzled as these two talented artists show us a new way of looking at the world. “Surface Fabrications” runs from December 8 until February 13, 2016. The official opening event is on Saturday, December 12 from 2 to 4 pm. The Mississippi Valley Textile museum is located at 3 Rosamond St. in Almonte

The Friends of the Mississippi Valley Textile Museum will be holding a canteen at the show serving light lunches including soup, sandwiches, beverages and tasty desserts at the Christmas in the Valley Artisan Show. November 7 & 8th from 9am- 4pm at the Almonte Arena. All proceeds from the canteen sales will be going to the general operations of the Mississippi Valley Textile Museum. www.valleyartisanshow.blogspot.ca

This may be of interest to you!

http://walkingwithoursisters.ca/events/2015-2/ottawa

One fabulous weekend in September!

21 August 2015
Fibrefest Marks 20 Years

Mark the weekend of September 12th and 13th, 2015 on your calendars because you won’t want to miss the Mississippi Valley Textile Museum’s 20th annual Fibrefest. At two locations—the Museum and the Almonte Arena—visitors will find demonstrations, vendors, and exhibits—a full two-day festival of fibre arts! Local guilds will demonstrate spinning, knitting, weaving, rug hooking, lacemaking, smocking and quilting. Many guilds will be rising to the challenge of exhibiting special works celebrating 20 years of Fibrefest. Vendors include spinners, weavers, and fibre artists from across the province, as well as quilt shops and alpaca farms. “That’s My Style,” vintage clothing show and sale will include a large number of vintage clothing and jewelry dealers, allowing patrons to enjoy and purchase a huge variety of vintage fashions in one location.
The Friends of the Mississippi Valley Textile Museum will offer their popular tea room services, featuring homemade goodies, beverages and sandwiches at very reasonable prices.
While visiting the Museum, explore the permanent history exhibit “Fabric of a Small Town,” which interprets how a piece of wool becomes a piece of finished cloth and includes industrial machines used throughout the process.
Featured Artist Frank James Cripwell (1925-2014)
The Ottawa Valley Guild of Stitchery will present a special exhibit of amazing cross-stitched works by this talented artist. Cripwell and his wife Jill discovered counted cross-stitch while he was on assignment in The Hague and filled their walls with scenes and themes from Holland and Europe. Upon retirement they naturally took up stitching. Being a scientist, Jim attacked the problem of patterns and colours. Unsatisfied with simple patterns created by others, he created his own designs using scanned pictures and pattern-making software. His outstanding work was well-known across the country and this exhibit is not to be missed.
Don’t miss the Lamb Race!
At 4 pm on September 13th, hundreds of wooden lambs will be thrown over the main falls in downtown Almonte, and the owners of the first three lambs to reach the finish line will win fabulous prizes. Tickets for the race will be on sale at the Museum well ahead of the event.
Whether you are interested in art, history, clothing, or textiles or are just looking for a great day out and about, Fibrefest will have something for you.
Admission to Fibrefest is $5.00 per day, which includes access to all sites.

Kingston Fibre Artists Dazzle at the MVTM

On July 28 the exhibition Timeless Textiles opens at the Mississippi Valley Textile Museum. This stunning exhibit will take you on a journey through the collections of award-winning art created by the Kingston Fibre Artists Group. Formed in 1996 by Kingston area fibre artist, Hilary Scanlon, this 18 member group has exhibited in galleries across Ontario, and the MVTM is thrilled that they have chosen us to present a retrospective exhibition of their work. The artists will be present to share a ‘Walk and Talk’ with visitors after their opening vernissage and reception at the Museum on August 1, 2015.
Having amassed an inventory of dazzling art with fibre as their medium, the members of the group will share their favourite pieces from past shows, as well as an impressive collection of new work. A wide variety of talent in the membership means that their art covers a huge array of techniques, designs and personal styles. From painted fibre pieces with added airbrushed text by artist Wilma Kenny, to the stunning hand-embroidered and machine-stitched cityscapes and urban landscapes/hideaways created by Phillida Hargreaves, you are sure to find a piece that sparks your interest. Contemporary art created with hand-dyed and painted cloth is the foundation for works by Bethany Garner, while Frankie Lemonde shares the joy of designing with crochet and yarns in brilliant colour. Hilary Scanlon’s beautiful works include important pieces in the inventory of this renowned Ontario artist. Sylvia Naylor brings her well-known, machine stitched landscapes and new art assemblages to the show, and Robin Field shares pieces from her Pavement series—a stunning collection inspired by photos taken around the globe.
Artists Janet Elliott, Susan Farber, Sandra Garner, Mary Ev Wyatt, Christina Barnes, Margaret Morris, Hana Sramek and Elinor Rush, bring a myriad of their exciting designs using techniques ranging from handmade felt and chenille to woven ribbon and 8-inch squares made weekly over a year.
This stunning exhibition will delight and inspire. Don’t miss a chance to visit between July 28 and September 5, 2015 in the Norah Rosamond Hughes Gallery at the Mississippi Valley Textile Museum, 3 Rosamond St. in Almonte.

TWIST festival, the weekend of 22-23 August, its a great event! There are lots of workshops scheduled for Thursday and Friday - check it out!

http://www.festivaltwist.org/en/workshops-2015

Mark your Calendars!

http://mvtm.ca/mvtm/?page_id=2675

Mark the weekend of September 12th and 13th, 2015 on your calendars because you won’t want to miss the Mississippi Valley Textile Museum’s 20th annual Fibrefest. At two locations—the Museum and the Almonte Arena—visitors will find demonstrations, vendors, and exhibits—a full two-day festival of fibre arts! Local guilds will demonstrate spinning, knitting, weaving, rug hooking, lacemaking, smocking and quilting. Vendors include spinners, weavers, and fibre artists from across the province, as well as quilt shops and alpaca farms. “That’s My Style,” vintage clothing show and sale will have a large number of vintage clothing dealers, giving patrons the opportunity to enjoy and purchase a huge variety of vintage fashions in one location.

Crochet Summer Workshops with Lynda Forgues at the Mississippi Valley Textile Museum
Tunisian Entrelac Crochet~



Saturday, 4 July 2015
1:00 – 3:00 pm
$30.00
Instructor: Lynda Forgues

Know how to crochet the Tunisian Simple Stitch? Want to put it to good use? Then, why not learn the secrets of Tunisian Entrelac? Just like its knitted cousin, this entrelac technique is made of squares constructed tip to tip. That means very few yarn tails to weave in! (Yea!!!) Fill in the “triangles” around the edge to make it smooth or leave its natural zig-zag as is—your choice. Add a border. Or not. We’ll cover it all in the workshop!

Basic Tunisian Crochet skills required.

Please bring two or three colours of contrasting yarn—light colours are easiest to learn with—and appropriate-sized hook to class. (A Tunisian crochet hook is not required as there will be very few stitches to work at a time.)




Tunisian Crochet 101 ~
Saturday, 29 August 2015
1:00 – 3:00 pm
$45.00
Instructor: Lynda Forgues

Kinda like knitting with a very long crochet hook. Kinda. Tunisian Crochet (aka Afghan Crochet) is often described as a hybrid of knitting and crochet. But however you choose to describe it, it sure is fun! And relaxing. And unique.

Learn the basics of this unusual and increasingly popular technique as well as a few tips and tricks and you’ll be sure to mystify and delight the uninitiated with the beautifully distinctive results. (No doubt, you’ll enjoy them too!)

No previous crochet or knitting experience required although basic crochet would be advantageous.

All materials included in the cost.




Basic Crochet ~
Saturday, 11 & 18 July 2015
1:00 – 3:00 pm
$55.00
Instructor: Lynda Forgues

A two-week course designed for the beginner with no previous crochet experience or as a refresher for those whose hooks are a bit “rusty”. Learn all the basic stitches plus how to read a yarn label and choose an appropriate hook and yarn. Also covered will be how to start, finish, wash, and block your work. Several handouts and tips & tricks will be sprinkled throughout the journey.

No previous crochet experience required.

All materials included in the cost.

Building on the Basics ~
Saturday, 25 July & 1 August 2015
1:00 – 3:00 pm
$50.00
Instructor: Lynda Forgues

In these two sessions, learn to follow written instructions and diagrams (read a pattern), change colours, and crochet some stitch combinations and variations. Perhaps add a border or two.

Basic crochet skills required.

Please bring a light-coloured yarn and appropriate-sized hook to class.

Building Higher ~
Saturday, 8 & 15 August 2015
1:00 – 3:00 pm
$50.00
Instructor: Lynda Forgues

More stitches, more handouts, more edgings, more complicated patterns to read. Learn to crochet in the round (think hats, baskets, tablecloths, doilies, motifs, and medallions) and join motifs.

Instructor Bio ~ Lynda Forgues, also known as “The Snowflake Lady”, has been crocheting for more decades than she’d care to admit to—ever since, as a teenager, her mother passed on the skills learned in a crochet class at night school. From that point on Lynda was, as you might say, “hooked”.

For information on any of these workshops, please contact Lynda at 613.256.9381 or at lynda.forgues@gmail.com

To register for any of these workshops, please contact the Mississippi Valley Textile Museum at 613-256-3754 or info@mvtm.ca.

Easy Breezy Broomstick Lace Beach Bag Workshop at the Mississippi Valley Textile Museum

Easy Breezy Broomstick Lace Beach Bag
Tote your sunscreen, shades, and favourite paperback in style with this easy, breezy broomstick lace beach bag! (Try saying that 10 times, fast!!!)

Made of satiny-soft and oh-so-shimmery pima cotton, you may be tempted to keep it by your side all summer long to show it off (and to stroke it!). And, in case you’re curious … Yes, you do use a broomstick—or reasonable facsimile thereof—to make it.

Never made broomstick lace? Not to worry. All you need is rudimentary crochet skills (chain, single crochet, slip stitch) and you’ll catch on in no time.

Please bring approximately 220 yards of the yarn of your choice, a small amount of yarn in a contrasting colour for the drawstring/strap, and a crochet hook 1-1.5 sizes larger than you’d normally use for your choice of yarn. I’ll bring the broomstick!

(Sample is worked using 1 skein of Cascade Ultra Pima Cotton yarn and a 5.50 mm hook.)

Not interested in a beach bag? Use it for lunch. Or buy extra yarn and make a summer scarf instead. It’s up to you!

Registration: Please call the Museum at 613.256.3754 or email info@mvtm.ca by 17 June to register.

Questions? Lynda would be happy to help. Call her at 613.256.9381 or email her at lynda.forgues@gmail.com.

Saturday, 20 June 2015
1:00 – 3:00 pm
$35.00
Instructor: Lynda Forgues

Instructor Bio ~ Lynda Forgues, also known as “The Snowflake Lady”, has been crocheting for more decades than she’d care to admit to—ever since, as a teenager, her mother passed on the skills learned in a crochet class at night school. From that point on Lynda was, as you might say, “hooked”.


Our mailing address is:
Mississippi Valley Textile Museum · 3 Rosamond Street E. · Almonte, On K0A 1A0 · Canada

Fabric Sale at Textile Museum

Calling all quilters, crafters and seamstresses for an event that you won’t want to miss. On Saturday, June 6 the Friends of the Mississippi Valley Textile Museum are holding a fabric sale fundraiser. Fabric donations from countless sources will load the tables. Most pieces are measured and tagged, making it easy to sort through for your own fabulous fibre finds. Prices are unbeatable, and the selection is amazing. Come out, have fun and support the museum.



The sale runs from 10 am to 2 pm at the Mississippi Valley Textile Museum, 3 Rosamond St. in Almonte. For more information call 613 256-3754.

Going my way?

Will you be in NewFoundland this October.

You may want to register for their fibre event/workshop.

Check out the link below

http://www.fibreartsnl.ca

Chameleon Tunisian Crochet ~
Saturday, May 16, 1:00-3:00 PM, $25
Instructor Lynda Forgues







Knit and purl using a crochet hook? That’s right! Without even knowing how to knit you can produce fabric that looks exactly like knitting (at least on the good side). It’s sneaky like that!

Materials list provided upon registration. Kits also available for purchase, if preferred.

Basic Tunisian Crochet skills required.

Please contact Lynda at 613.256.9381 or at lynda.forgues@gmail.com before 10 May to register.

Instructor Bio ~ Lynda Forgues, also known as “The Snowflake Lady”, has been crocheting for more decades than she’d care to admit to—ever since, as a teenager, her mother passed on the skills learned in a crochet class at night school. From that point on Lynda was, as you might say, “hooked”.

Is this a Conference for You ?

MAFA 2015 WORKSHOP WEEKEND July 16-19, 2015,Millersville University,Millersville, PA

Read all about it!



http://www.mafa-conference-2015.org/PDF/2015MAFAconference.pdf

Introduction to Weaving at the Mississippi Valley Textile Museum



Imagine the excitement telling someone that you made that! Come and learn the basics of weaving with Textile Artist Laura, owner of Lola dot Studio, at the Mississippi Valley Textile Museum. Looms will be prepared so you can focus on learning how to weave, understand the language of the loom and other basic steps.

Come and learn how to improve your skills by understanding how to weave and learn different techniques of finishing your product. Textile artist Laura will inspire you by giving a new spin on weaving. It's going to be a lot of fun!

April 12 and 13– Learning how to set up and weave a finished piece. – 9:30 am to 4 pm each day. Cost is $125 (including materials and lunch).

To register or for more information please contact Laura at 613-256-5652 or loladotstudio@gmail.com

Fun with Knitting

On April 4th, the Mississippi Valley Textile Museum presents Fun With Knitting with instructor Patricia Sullivan. Learn basic knitting stitch using lacey yarn to make a beautiful scarf. The perfect accessory for this cold snowy weather!

The workshop will take place on April 4th from 10 am to 12 pm.

The cost is $25 ($20 for museum members)which includes all materials.

For more information and to register please call Patricia at 613-256-4648.

Beginner Rughooking - Primitive Style - A Workshop at the Mississippi Valley Textile Museum

If you have ever wanted to try rug hooking, this is the workshop for you. Rug hooking artists Loretta Moore and Lesli Ann Zanetti will start with the basics and cover the supplies and techniques of primitive rug hooking. Students will then have an opportunity to practice the technique of pulling up loops of wool and see why we're all “hooked” on this fun and creative textile art.

When: Saturday, March 28 from 10 am to 3 pm. Deadline to register and submit payment is Saturday, March 21.

Level: No prior rug hooking knowledge or experience required.

Class fee: 45.00 plus the cost of supplies i.e. kit and hook plus HST

Kit Description: pattern on linen, pre-cut wool, hook and hand-outs (The kit must be purchased from “Hooked on the Lake” at the time of the workshop. There are many designs, colours and price options available (see kits under online store at hookedonthelake.wordpress.com). Hooks can be bought from the teachers.

Students need to bring: Scissors and either a good quality quilting hoop with a long bolt or a Qsnap frame. Quilting hoops can be bought from the teachers at the class. Please confirm at the time of registration whether you will need a hoop.

To register, call 613-256-3754 or email info@mvtm.ca.

Fun with Knitting

On February 14, the Mississippi Valley Textile Museum presents Fun With Knitting with instructor Patricia Sullivan. Learn basic knitting stitch using lacey yarn to make a beautiful scarf. The perfect accessory for this cold snowy weather!

The workshop will take place on February 14 from 10 am to 12 pm.

The cost is $25 ($20 for museum members)which includes all materials.

For more information and to register please call Patricia at 613-256-4648.

Mosaic Weaving: a multi media workshop

On February 15 at the Mississippi Valley Textile Museum, Textile Artist Laura Fauquier, owner of Lola dot Studio in Almonte and local artist, Ingrid Harris, will be teaching the art of cutting glass & weaving it together into your personal art form on the loom. The class will entail working in stain glass and textiles to create a unique piece. Imagine the excitement telling someone that you made that!

Ages 14-84

The workshop will take place Sunday, February 15 from 9:30 am till 4:00 pm.

The workshop cost is $165.00 per person (including material fees and lunch).

For more information and to register, call Laura at 613-256-5652 or email workshops@mvtm.ca.

Don't forget your application if you are wanting to participate

Imagine the excitement telling someone that you made that! Come and learn the basics of weaving with Textile Artist Laura, owner of Lola dot Studio, at the Mississippi Valley Textile Museum. Looms will be prepared so you can focus on learning how to weave, understand the language of the loom and other basic steps.

Come and learn how to improve your skills by understanding how to make a warp and set up your loom, weave and learn different techniques of finishing your product. Textile artist Laura will inspire you by giving a new spin on weaving. It's going to be a lot of fun!

February 8 – Weaving with a warp set up – 9:30 am to 4 pm. Cost is $115 (including materials and lunch).

February 9 – Learning how to set up and weave a finished piece. – 9:30 to 4 pm. Cost is $115 (including materials and lunch).

To register or for more information please contact Laura at 613-256-5652 or loladotstudio@gmail.com.

Get “Hooked on Rugs” at the MVTM

From March 3 to April 11, the Mississippi Valley Textile Museum is featuring the work of fibre artists Lesli Zanetti and Loretta Moore in the Nora Rosamond Hughes Gallery. Their hooked rugs are a delight, with artful designs from primitive to modern.
Lesli’s interest in rug hooking began with a 1992 visit to Cape Breton, where she was struck by the unique and complex Acadian scenes depicted on beautiful rugs. On a subsequent trip to Newfoundland she was drawn to the vibrant colours and simple scenes of their rugs.
With one of Deanne Fitzpatrick’s rug hooking kits, Lesli taught herself to hook, and her passion for the craft was firmly entrenched. After 10 years, Lesli has found her own style. She prefers to use recycled wool from garments donated by friends or found at second hand shops. Imagining the history embedded in a wool garment as it is ripped apart and refashioned into a new rug is an important part of her creative process. She describes her rugs as simple in style, bordering on the primitive, but without a traditional palette. Somehow, she just has to inject bright colours into her designs
Loretta’s passion for fibre arts developed at an early age, sitting in her mom’s sewing room and making doll’s clothes from scraps. She later made her own clothing and learned to quilt. It was in a quilt shop that she discovered her first rug hooking kit. “After the first few loops I pulled, I realized that I had discovered a fibre art that appealed to every creative bone in my body. I loved the almost zenlike feel of pulling loops, loved playing with colour and developing my own through dyeing, and loved the final product,” says Loretta. While her preferred style is primitive, folk art wide-cut rugs, she loves playing with various fibres and techniques. She also teaches and sells supplies through her business “Hooked on the Lake.”
Don’t miss a chance to enjoy these wonderful rugs. You may well become “hooked” yourself. Both artists will be conducting demonstrations in the gallery on March 12 from 11 am to 2 pm. There will be a vernissage on Saturday, March 7 from 2 pm to 4 pm. For more information call the Museum at 613- 256-3754.

Moose McGuire’s Joins “Soup for Thought”


The Mississippi Textile Museum’s popular fundraiser “Soup for Thought” is back again, and on Saturday February 28, Paul Obrien, head chef at Almonte’s new Moose McGuire’s Pub and Grill will be adding his delicious soup to those contributed by the area’s other stellar chefs.
Paul has worked across Canada, as well as internationally. While working in a Bankok bistro, providing treats for Western tourists, he volunteered at the local culinary school, helping them develop a program for the international market. He is excited to be working in Almonte and is anxious to work with local farmers and growers to provide patrons with fresh wholesome food.
Soups will also be donated by the Heirloom Café Bistro, Palms Coffee Shop, The Chef’s Table at Home, Mill Street Crepe Company, Foodies Fine Foods, Robin’s Nest Tea Room, the Barley Mow, Ballygiblin’s, and Café Postino. The Friends of the MVTM will provide delicious desserts (some gluten-free), as well as tea and coffee. Sarah Robertson, of Prior Engagements, will be loaning dinnerware for the event. Once again, the Almonte Potters Guild will be donating fabulous handmade soup bowls for each patron to take home.
There will be two sittings: 11:30 am to 1 pm and 1:30 pm to 3 pm. Tickets cost $20 in advance and $25 at the door (children under 12 are free) and are available from Baker Bob’s, Pêches & Poivre and at the Museum, 3 Rosamond St. E., Almonte. Don’t miss this chance to have a wonderful lunch and take home a one-of-a-kind treasure!