Posted on by Christine Igot

Fabric collage and thread painting workshop

There is one stop still left for this fabulous workshop with Rachael Ryan which will take place on May 26th at the Annapolis Royal Library.

 

SOFAAR Workshop with Rachel Ryan

Fabric Collage & Thread Painting

May 26, 2019, 10:30 to 4:3

Cost:SOFAAR members: $25; Non-members: $50
Workshop Description

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This workshop is an informal one day class in which Rachel will recreate her own relaxed working process: participants will be encouraged to engage in hands-on ‘play’ rather than overthinking the concept. The point is not necessarily to have an end product, rather to become comfortable with process and technique.

Using a variety of fabrics and a fusible iron-on product, participants will create applique compositions. The pieces will then be embroidered using free-motion technique. Rachel will be available for technical assistance and creative feedback. Finishing techniques will also be discussed.

Workshop Preparation

Begin preparing for the workshop by assembling a bag or box of
fabric scraps for using and sharing. Choose items that give you ideas,
make you happy or give you a spark. Special things can be set aside for personal use, but

sharing is encouraged. This can help to inspire ideas in others. Make sure to have a few larger pieces of fabric to use as potential background or borders. Please don’t worry about buying all new fabrics! Rachel will be bringing lots of scraps if you don’t have much.

Participants will be expected to bring their own sewing machine, iron and a variety of threads and fabric scraps to share with one another, but if someone doesn’t have a machine or iron, they can borrow Rachel’s.

If you have a preferred type of fusible web you may bring it along, but Rachel will bring a quantity of Heat n’ Bond Lite that you can buy from her. You may also bring an image to work from if you choose, or simply have a theme, pattern, or colour scheme to play with.

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If you have photos which inspire ideas for your project, they can be brought along, but for this workshop we will focus on having fun and playing with colour/pattern/fabric rather than going for photo-realism. A nice selection of sewing machine threads and hand embroidery threads/needles are also a good idea if you enjoy working with them. We will be working fairly small scale to encourage playing with different kinds of stitches and techniques.

Other items to think about would be scissors, quilting pins, sewing machine accessories and a small piece of blanket-weight quilt batting, and anything else that inspires you or that you enjoy working with. And bring along a lunch since it’s a full day.

To Register

Register by contacting info@sofaar.ca. You may pay at the door.

Posted on by Christine Igot

Saturday Snips this Saturday May 11th

Our monthly Saturday Snips gathering will take place at the Weymouth Waterfront Library community room this Saturday, May 11th from 1 pm to 4 pm.

We gather to work on our projects and share ideas and inspiration.

You are encouraged to bring show and tell!!

Refreshments will be served.

Ann Marie’s Bluenose cross stitch taking shape.
Posted on by Christine Igot

Small Treasures exhibit – call for entry

SOFAAR’s Small Treasures at the Mym Gallery

Call for Entry and Guidelines

All members of SOFAAR are invited to participate in the Small Treasures exhibition at the Mym Gallery at ArtsPlace in Annapolis Royal from September 8 to October 12, 2019.

The Mym Gallery is a tiny space perfectly suited for small pieces of fibre art so we are asking that entries for the show not exceed 40” (plus or minus) in perimeter. Work may be square, rectangular, circular, or any shape, like that of the tiny Crazy Christmas stockings made at our November workshop. The maximum size will allow members who created a piece for the 2018 East meets Westexhibition to show their British Columbia entry at home.

You are invited to enter one or two pieces of your choice. Entries will not be juried.

Email info@sofaar.cawith the following information for each entry by the deadline for receipt of entries, August 26, 2019:

–Title of the piece

–Size, height X width or perimeter

Each piece must be clearly labelled on the back (or inside) with the artist’s name and the title of the work.

Work to be hung must be ready for hanging, including a hanging rod, if applicable, and any special hardware if a simple nail will not suffice. If your work requires a special display, please provide it.

Although every care will be taken of the submitted work, the responsibility for loss and damage whilst in exhibition cannot be accepted by SOFAAR or ARCAC. We strongly advise that each artist obtain commercial insurance to cover the work in exhibition.

We ask that you deliver your work to ArtsPlace, September 3, 2019. If this is not possible, contact us atinfo@sofaar.catomake alternate arrangements for delivery.

IMPORTANT DATES

Deadline for receipt of entries – August 26, 2019

Work delivery date –  September 3, 2019, ArtsPlace, Annapolis Royal 

Exhibition opens – September 8, 2019

Exhibition closes – October 12, 2019

Collect your work from gallery – October 15, 2019 ArtsPlace, Annapolis Royal, 10:00-12:00.

Posted on by Christine Igot

SOFAAR presents the Art of Fibre – call for entry

SOFAAR presents the Art of Fibre Exhibition 2019

Call for entry and guidelines

All members of SOFAAR are invited to participate in the annual member’s exhibition at the Macdonald Museum, Middleton, from July 6 to September 2, 2019.

This year’s exhibition will not have a specific theme but we want to feature the excellence and the wide range of fibre art created by SOFAAR members. Submit your latest work or an older piece of which you are particularly proud to have created. We encourage original work but if it is not we ask that you credit the original designer. Acknowledgement should be given to anyone participating in the execution of the work, i.e.,quilted by, framed by, etc.

Here are some things to keep in mind when you are preparing for the exhibition;

– You are invited to submit one or two pieces of your choice. Entries will not be juried. All is welcome.

– We ask that you include a full digital image of your work for each entry.  This helps us plan the layout for the gallery before installation.

– Email your photos to info@sofaar.cawith the following information for each entry by the deadline for receipt of entries, June 17, 2019:

–Title of the piece

–Size, height X width

–Materials used

–Is the piece for sale? If so, what is the price?

–Please include an artist’s statement with your submission. The statement is simply one or two sentences explaining what inspired you to create the piece.

–Does SOFAAR have permission to use your photos to promote the exhibition?

 

– Each piece must be clearly labelled on the back with the artist’s name and the title of the work.

– Work to be hung must be ready for hanging, including a hanging rod, if applicable, and any special hardware if a simple nail will not suffice. If your work requires a special display, please provide it.

– Work may be for sale but the piece must remain until the closing date of the exhibition. The Macdonald Museum will record the contact details of anyone wishing to buy a piece. The owner of the piece can then communicate with the buyer to arrange for the sale.

-Every care will be taken of the submitted work. The Macdonald Museum have several security measures in place and carries insurance for catastrophic loss or damage. We advise that you have personal insurance for your work.

– We ask that you deliver your work to the Macdonald Museum June 24 or June 25, 2019. They are open from 9:00 until 4:30.If this is not possible, contact us atinfo@sofaar.cato make alternate arrangements for delivery.

-We ask that you collect your work at the Macdonald Museum September 3, 2019, from 10:00 – 12:00. If this is not possible, contact us atinfo@sofaar.cato make alternate arrangements.

IMPORTANT DATES

Deadline for receipt of entries – June 17, 2019

Work delivery date –  June 24, June 25, 2019, Macdonald Museum, 9:00-4:30

Opening Reception – July 6, 2019, 2:00-4:00

Exhibition closes – September 2, 2019

Collect your work from gallery – September, 3, 2019 Macdonald Museum, 10:00-12:00

Posted on by Christine Igot

SOFAAR launches “conception to completion” workshops

Concept to Completion

SOFAAR is offering members a program called Concept to Completion. This programming is intended for members of our society who want to try using their fibre skills to design and create an original piece of work or who are interested in learning more about how to take a concept for a work of fibre art and make it into a reality.

There will be three phases of the program; Concept, Execution and Completion. Members are invited to participate in one or all of the workshops depending on their specific interest.

The first phase of the program, Concept, will be held May 5, 2019, from 1:30 – 3:30, at the Granville Ferry Community Hall. We will convene a panel of fibre artists in Stitching, Art Quilting, Knitting, Rug Hooking and Needle Felting.  They will speak about how they proceed in making a concept into a finished piece. Do they draw it first? Does their original concept evolve during the process? What are the technical skills required in a particular field of fibre arts? The creative process is unique.

Our panelists will be Penny Berens, Rachel Ryan, Cheryl den Hartog, and Heather Horsfall. A fifth panelist will be added at a later date.

Following all presentations members will have an opportunity to ask questions and gain information that they can use in their own work. Our panelists are happy to share their creative process.

Phase 2, Execution, is aimed at members who wish to work with a mentor in one of the five above-mentioned categories of fibre arts and who need help and encouragement with original design. This will be in a small class format with each participant having a chance to work on a project idea of their own while consulting with someone with expertise. Phase 3, Completion, is aimed at helping our members complete their original piece of work either for hanging on their own wall or for exhibition. We will have more information at a later time.

Please write to us at info@sofaar.ca if you are planning to participate in Phase 1, Concept, so we will have nibbles for everyone. Last minute attendees are still welcome.

If you willing to give original design a try and are wondering where to start Heritage Homes will be the theme of SOFAAR’s 2020 Members’ Exhibition, which will be held at ARTsPlace to coincide with the Annapolis Historical Gardens House & Garden Tour. Members will be invited to create images of heritage homes in fibre. The interpretation of the home need not be in a realism form; it could be abstract, it could be a collage of different features of the home or anything your mind’s eye sees.

Posted on by Christine Igot

Snips and Scraps: lots of fibre fun!

One of SOFAAR’s largest events of the year (SNIPS & SCRAPS) took place on April 13th at the A.R. Firehall.  Over 150 people attended to see 18 exhibitors featuring creative ways to re-use scraps of fibre &/or explain the environmental impacts of the textile industry. The success of this event was clearly evident by the high level of interest & enthusiasm generated throughout the day.
Although our exhibitors varied in age from grade fours to octogenarians, they all had displays that reflected their dedication to keeping fibre out of our landfills.  A special thank-you to CARP as well as the students who entered the Student Challenge to create pieces from fibre that would otherwise have been destined for the landfill.
Congratulations to Digby and Champlain elementary schools who tied for first place in this challenge!
Posted on by Christine Igot

Snips and Scraps Expo: April 13th

Sofaar invites you all to attend our Snips and Scraps expo on April 13th from 10 am to 3 pm at the Annapolis Royal Fire Hall.

Snips and Scraps is an event free to the pubic and open to everyone. It will showcase the uses for fibre waste: all those pieces of unwanted clothing, bits of fabric, yarn, fleece etc that fills our landfill sites.

Come on out and learn how to be creative with these fibre snips and scraps.

Please help us spread the word about this event by sharing the attached poster.

See you there !

Snips.Scraps.poster

 

Posted on by Christine Igot

ONE room left for the Fabulous Fall Fibre Retreat!

An update on our Fabulous Fall Fibre Retreat 2019. There is now only ONE room left at the beautiful Hillsdale House Inn for the weekend of our Retreat (September 27th to 29).

And only a couple of day stitching spots left.

It’s going to be a wonderful, relaxing weekend of like-minded fibre enthusiasts getting together to work on their projects and enjoy the sights of historic Annapolis Royal with its Saturday Farmers and Traders market, interesting shops and beautiful waterfront.

For more information on the Retreat and how to book a room, please contact info@sofaar.ca

Posted on by Christine Igot

SOFAAR elects a new board

SOFAAR held its Annual General Meeting and Stash Day this past Saturday, March 9th, 2019. The sun shone for us and some 35 members gathered for a fibre afternoon. The business meeting was followed by much browsing and selecting of ‘new-to-you’ stash, an exciting Show and Tell and lively conversation.

One of the key elements of the business portion was the election of directors. Some directors are returning: Rachael Cheechoo, Donna Godfrey-Conyers, Sharon Moody and Céleste Thibodeau-Stacey. Others have served on the SOFAAR board in previous years: Cheryl den Hartog and Cathy Malon. Yet others have agreed to serve for the first time: Rosaire MacNeil, Annette Parker-Smith, Tammy Sanford-Hutchinson and Betty Wade. The new board met briefly after the AGM portion of the day and elected directors to serve the members of SOFAAR in the following roles:

President – Cheryl den Hartog

Vice-President – Céleste Thibodeau-Stacey

Treasurer – Rachael Cheechoo

Secretary – Cathy Malon

We look forward to a vibrant year of fibre events – casual gatherings, exhibitions and learning events. We hope to serve you well.  If you have any ideas for future, please don’t hesitate to let us know.

PS> We’re working on the next issue of Snippets and we need your help. Please send us your news. This could be a photo of a recently finished project (with a few words of description); news of upcoming guild meetings or workshops; exhibitions of interest to SOFAAR members; books, websites or blogs you find helpful or inspirational; etc. In other words, anything you think would be of interest to fellow members. Please send directly to our totally amazing Snippets editor at gracebutland@eastlink.ca.

On behalf of the newly elected SOFAAR directors,

Cheryl den Hartog

Posted on by Christine Igot

Fabulous Fall Fibre Retreat update

Only THREE rooms left at Hillsdale House Inn for our Fabulous Fall Fibre Retreat coming up in September.

We are going to have a wonderful weekend of quiet fibre work in the beautiful setting of Annapolis Royal.

For information on  the last rooms available, please e-mail Hillsdale House Inn directly at: <reservations@hillsdalehouseinn.ca>

We will have room for day-stitchers. This means you can still be a part of the Retreat even if all the rooms are booked at the Hillsdale House Inn. We have a maximum of 30 participants. For information on day stitching spots, please contact info@sofaar.ca.