Latest News and Special Events

Cedar Overlay Workshop with Polly Adams Sutton - November 6, 2007

Registration Now Closed

(Click above for brochure)

 


April 28, NFG workshop-- American Bulrush Pouch Class with Peggy Wilcox. Twine a beautiful pouch using bulrush and maidenhair fern.


October 26, 27 & 28, 2006 Open Pine Needle Basket Workshop !
Washington Civic Center
Washington, NC
Read Press Release


Aug- 26, 2006, Basketry Exhibit Trip to Rocky Mt Imperial Art Center

We are planning a trip to the Rocky Mount Art Center to see two basketry exhibits: Billie Ruth Sudduth's work and work by the Tar River Basketmakers Guild. The trip will take place on Saturday, August 26th, 9:00am at the Food Lion on 264 in Washington, on the shopping center across from the Hampton Inn (intersection 264 & 15th St.) After we're finished at the Art Center, we'll go out to lunch in Rocky Mount and then head back.
The regular August 17th meeting will be canceled, as this trip will be our other activity for the month.


Aug 5, 2006, Special Tulip Poplar Gathering with Sam Taylor- Members who have registered will meet on Saturday, August 5th, 9:00am at Lowes parking lot, Washington, NC.
We'll go to Sam Taylor's nearby property- the woods, and learn to gather bark from the tulip poplar. Wear protective clothing. Bring: leather work gloves, insect repellent, sunscreen, toilet paper, pocket knife or utility knife, heavy duty scissors, rubber bands or twine, folding chair or stool, tarp or plastic for ground sitting, a bag lunch and water. Sam does chair caning and makes rustic furniture from materials he gathers.

Next Meeting- Monday, Aug. 7 at 6:00pm at The Blind Center in Washington. We will be making plaited necklace pouches. Those who have collected tulip poplar bark (the previous Saturday) can prepare some and bring it to the meeting to use. You will be told how to prepare it for use at the bark gathering. Those who don't have bark or would just like to practice making the pouch before using their bark another time can bring flat cardboard. Cereal boxes, mac & cheese, or similar food boxes work well, as do tissue boxes with attractive designs. One box should be enough.
Supplies and tools needed:
prepared bark or cardboard
waxed linen thread or sinew or other binder
small clips
optional: a few beads for embellishment
ruler
scissors
needle that your binder will fit through (like a yarn darner)

 


June, 2006- The Natural Fibers Group was granted 501c3 status by the IRS.


 

Russian Birchbark Basketry Workshop
with
Vladimir Yarish
May 20-21, 2006
Brochure Printable Registration Form


April 28, The Natural Fibers Group did programs consisting of talks with hands-on projects at Eastern Elementary, Washington, NC. Several hundred children were introduced to basketry and gourd work.


April 22nd, Palmetto and Yucca Gathering Expedition. We had a ball gathering and processing these materials for later projects!


Three members of our group have won awards in the exhibit room at the 2006 NCBA Convention! Congratulations go to:

Dean Lee, second place in Novice Coiled!

Dory Maier, who tied with herself for third place in Advanced Coiled!

Lynn Hoyt, first place in Advanced Coiled!


Coming May 20-21, 2006: Russian Birchbark Workshop with Vladimir Yarish
of Velikiy Novgorod Russia
Registration for this two day class is open now!


Great workshop-- so much fun!!

December, 2005- Sweetgrass Workshop Filled !
The Natural Fibers Group Workshop: Sweetgrass Basketry in the Low Country Tradition with Barbara McCormick is our second public workshop. We will learn to weave using authentic materials of sweetgrass & palmetto. Our instructor, Barbara McCormick, was born in Charleston, SC and raised in Mt. Pleasant, where she learned the trade of sweetgrass basket weaving from her grandmother, mother, aunts, and other family members at a very early age. The workshop will be held in January 2006 at Beaufort County Community College in Washington, NC.


10-3-05-- NFG display booth wins first place (Civic and Community Groups) at the Pitt County Fair, Greenville , NC! This is our second year participating and our second first place win! Special thanks goes to the set-up crew: Stephen Jones, Gloria Jones, Cassandra Jones, Pamela Zimmerman , and Lynn Hoyt .


Late Sept, 2005-- Grass Roots Grant Awarded to Natural Fibers Group by the NC Art Council and the National Endowment for the Arts! This matching grant will enable us to hold another basketry workshop! Check back later for more details.


64th Annual NC Gourd Festival- Sept 10 and 11, 2005
Dorton Arena, NC State Fair Grounds, Raleigh, NC
Adults $3.00, Seniors (55+) $2.00, under 12 free
This year's theme is "Bountiful Baskets."

NFG members will be teaching and selling this year. Marie Kube will be teaching classes at the festival this year, offering Painted Santa and Painted Birdhouse workshops. Dean Lee will be selling her beautiful long leaf pine needles (natural brown, green, dyed, and fumed)

Everyone is encouraged to attend this fun event, enter the competition, and take classes.


Spring, 2005-- The 2005-2006 Grassroots Grant was applied for through the Beaufort County Arts Council. Receiving the grant will help us fund another NFG workshop. Look for more news in October 2005.


3/05 NFG Members Sweep NCBA Exhibit Room- Coiling Division, Other Awards Also Won!

Coiled (Novice) 1st place, Gloria Jones

Coiled (Novice) 2nd place, Cassandra Jones

Coiled (Novice) 3rd place, Lois Hoot

Coiled (Advanced) 1st place, Lynn Hoyt

Coiled (Advanced) 2nd place, Pamela Zimmerman

Coiled (Advanced) 3rd place, Dory Maier

Rib (Advanced) 2nd place, Mark Barnes

Mixed Media (Novice) 2nd place, Jan Dunn

Mixed Media (Advanced) 1st place, Dianne Masi

Miniature (Advanced) 3rd place, Pamela Zimmerman

Wire and Textile (Advanced) 2nd place, Pamela Zimmerman


10/30/04- The Kudzu Workshop is over and it was fun! Look for another natural basketry workshop from the NFG in early 2006!

 

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