Hand Dyed Fibers

Web Cams at the Exhibit Hall

Various views of the Exhibit Hall and hanging

Another view of the hall.

Exhibits

We're thrilled to be hosting the World Trade Center Quilts!!!!! If you haven't seen them, they're a compilation of squares by stitchers from all over the world, in a total of 5 quilts. On display for one day only, Saturday June 18, 2011

The Quilts and How They Came To Be

Read here about these famous quilts and how they were conceived and brought to fruition.

Individual Squares

Close up's of each individual square, arranged by the last name of the stitcher. Click on one of the letters in the quilts alphabet to see them all.

There is also a Ukrainian textile exhibit. It features textiles with distinct motifs and then shows those same motifs echoed through other folk art pieces (eggs, dyed wheat, frames to name a few).

What Hand Dyed Fibers Will Have

Of course we are sponsoring the Dye It Days. Bring your own fibers and fabrics to dye, hands on with the dyer. Think of all the "bad" colors of fabric, fibers you have, or the colors you have WAY too much of. Bring them along and let's see what we can do with them! Can we save everything? Probably not but we may be able to turn that sow's ear into a silk purse!!!

It's a working factory. That means that there are HUGE amounts of one of a kind/detritus/STUFF that is almost impossible to sell over the Internet. While this includes one of a kind cross stitch fabrics, it also includes other fabrics, laces, trims, ric rac and other items for you to buy (and then dye yourself if you wish). Think of the possibilities for finishing work!
There are boxes of bits of leftovers for you to stuff grab bags with. There are skeins (hang tags) of floss and ribbon and greatly reduced pricing. It's my chance to clean the place out!!

The caveats:

This is a working factory. That means you can't have access to all areas of the factory for safety and security reasons. It also means that it's not "pretty". Although the Exhibit hall was just painted, expect worn wood floors, HUGE windows, high ceilings.

Handicapped:

We are handicapped friendly but not deemed handicapped accessible. If you can't get into the Exhibit via the main entrance we can accommodate you at another doorway which has two shallow (6" rise) steps. If you cannot negotiate those please let us know in advance of your visit as we will borrow a ramp for those two steps. After you get into the factory though the entire exhibit is on one floor, with no barriers.
The bathroom is unisex (if this is a serious problem we can accommodate you in a separate area) but it factory standard without a wider handicapped stall or grab bars. If this is an issue we will add grab bars next year.

After You Get here - Williamstown PA (and a bit further afield)

After You Get Here, Then What??

In Williamstown there are a few places to catch something to eat

. The pizza place is on Market St (across from the laundromat). It's one block up and one block over from the factory. Blocks are tiny, so it's a very easy walk. He serves pizza (of course!) along with subs, wraps and burgers. I'll have some menus on site, and he delivers for free, prices are the same as everywhere else in the world for pizza. Open 11am - 10pm weekends (11am - 9pm weekdays) but closed Sunday.

The grocery is up one block and then down 3 blocks (again a VERY easy walk). He carries sandwiches made to order and has the regular foods you'd find in a very small town local grocery/deli/convenience store. Prices adequate on most things, sandwiches and deli stuff very good.

The Legion (up one black, over two blocks) is open for breakfast every morning and they open at 6am. Breakfast is cooked by Janet and the eggs over easy are sublime (they call them dippy eggs here and they are perfectly done). The breakfast is heavy (think scrapple, bacon, huge pancakes) but the prices are amazing. Leave a good tip. :)

And the Willow Tree is in the park/playground, several blocks away (though a very easy walk and I'll have a map). They do ice cream, and in PA gelati is a thing. It's ice cream in your cup and then Italian ice on it. Got me. But you mix and match flavors. Prices again amazing. Also a nice walk for the kids/DH/person you came with who doesn't want to look anymore.

For the adult crowd, the local bar (UJ's which stands for I am told Uncle Joe's) is one block up and two blocks down and they tell me is an extremely friendly and remarkably cheap place to drink. The alcohol situation in PA is bizarre, they only sell beer and wine at monopolized stores. but bars can sell these items to take out. They do a supper, and the woman who cooks at the Legion for breakfast also cooks the suppers at UJ's.

From Google Maps:

The Entire Town

Market Street is the main drag and where the above businesses are located (except the Willow Tree, which is at the park). There is also a basketball court down at the bourough office which you can almost see from the factory. If you are in need there is a laundromat in town, across from the pizza parlor. Oh and there is a bank (Sovereign) on Tunnel Street, a block up from the factory, and a PO a block from the bank.

If you're staying in the area at all, very local to Williamstown:

There is nothing worth mentioning between Route 81 and Williamstown.
Lykens is the next town further down Route 209 (west). On the main street, it sports a Dairy Queen next to an excellent Chinese restaurant. There is a grocery store, larger than the Williamstown one in the same plaza as a general store. (And if you turn left at the light there is the wine and spirits store).
If you continue down 209 to the end of Lykens, on the right is Kevin's Place which is a quite good restaurant and bar. The food is slightly higher for the area, but the food that is good there is very good and the rest is pleasantly passable. It's the only restaurant we ever eat at in the area, besides the Chinese place. And we've been to them all.
Continue past Kevin's and on the left is Horning's. It's a GIANT Amish goods/bulk food/canning/sausage making/chocolate molding/health food/you name it kind of store. It's worth the visit I promise if for nothing but all the samples she has out. I have no idea how she supports that place but it's quite a sight.
On Friday's, go to the next light past Horning's and turn right, take that all the way till you get to the Crossroads Market. Open Friday noon till 8pm, it's the local farm market with food vendors. AWESOME prices, fresh produce, lots of Amish sellers, and if I didn't get the chicken there every Friday I'd perish. Other people swear by the fresh cut fries and sausage from the guy cooking in the middle. The raspberry pie guy sells there, and I'll pick a few up on Friday to serve on Saturday's till it's gone.
If you don't turn and continue straight down 209, you'll get to Elizabethville which houses a drug store, and Walmart on the main drag. It's about a 15 minute drive.

How To Get Here!

The address is 100 South Tunnel St. Williamstown PA 17098 for your GPS. The 17098 is important. There is another Williamstown near Pittsburgh so make sure you are not going to that one. The phone number at the factory is 717-674-5399

We're off Route 209, off Route 81. If you're coming down 81, it's straight forward. 209 runs through the entire valley and is Exit 107 (Tremont/Tower City) off Route 81. Our GPS always wants us to get off the exit before, at Ravine, but that's just silly so we ignore it.

Your GPS will get you to Tunnel St, but it will want to take you up the hill. If you're going up the hill, you are going the wrong way on Tunnel St! Turn around and go down the hill and we are at the bottom of the hill, look to your right at the stop sign You can't miss the giant building. Parking is along the building to the right, or in the small parking lot to the left of the building on the grass or behind the building (to your right, go around to the back).

If you're coming not via 81, your GPS may want to take you down Goldmine Road. You could do this as it's VERY scenic, but it's also very curvy and narrow. Your GPS thinks it's shorter but doesn't account for how slowly you have to go to get here. Clark's Valley Rd is a good alternative and how the natives travel from the Harrisburg/Hershey area. That's 322 West to the Halifax exit, and then 147 north to 325 east (also known as Clark's Valley Rd). That takes you to 209.

If you're coming down through Sunbury (route 15) take 147 to 225 to 209. Your GPS may want you to go to Millersburg down 11, because it thinks there is a ferry in Millersburg to ferry you across and that is shorter. Now there is a ferry in Millersburg and it's fun, http://www.millersburg.com/attractions/ferry.html but plan accordingly. I have no idea how often it runs.

Needlework Categories EXPLAINED

The First Annual Hand Dyed Fibers Needlework Exhibit Class Definitions

Samplers

A (needlework) sampler is a piece of embroidery which often includes various stitches, the alphabet, figures, motifs, decorative borders and sometimes the name of the person who embroidered it and the date.

Cross Stitch

Cross-stitch is a popular form of counted-thread embroidery in which stitches are used to form a picture. Other stitches are also commonly used in cross-stitch, among them, specialty stitches, 1/4, 1/2. 3/4 stitches, and backstitches.. The stitcher works from a chart or graph and counts the threads in each direction so that the stitches are of uniform size and appearance. This form of cross-stitch is also called counted cross-stitch in order to distinguish it from other forms of cross-stitch. Sometimes cross-stitch is also done on designs printed on the canvas, showing every single cross (stamped cross-stitch).

Surface Embroidery (includes Silk Ribbon Embroidery, Crewel, Stumpwork)
In surface embroidery, designs are applied without regard to the weave of the underlying fabric.

Silk ribbon embroidery is a surface embroidery technique which uses narrow ribbon in silk, usually to create floral motifs. The ribbon is sewn in the same method as stitching with an embroidery thread using traditional embroidery stitches such as straight stitch, lazy daisy, French knots and stem stitch.

Crewel embroidery is a decorative form of surface embroidery using wool (crewels) and a variety of different embroidery stitches to follow a design outline applied to the fabric in order to create a raised surface design.

Stumpwork is a raised form of hand embroidery in which motifs, such as petals and leaves, are sewn individually and then cut out and sewn down together to form a dimensional embroidery. Often motifs are padded or stitched over wire so that they can be molded into shapes. Wooden beads are wrapped with embroidery thread and used for fruit and glass beads are used for blackberries.

Specialty Stitches (includes hardanger, drawn thread, lots of specialty stitches)

Hardanger embroidery is a form of counted thread and drawn thread openwork embroidery having elaborate symmetrical designs created by blocks of satin stitches within which threads of the embroidery fabric are removed. By definition, hardanger has to have some open work and drawn threads.

Drawn thread embroidery is a form of counted-thread embroidery where the foundation fabric has threads removed and is deformed or cut away to create holes that are then embellished with embroidery. The remaining threads are grouped or bundled together into a variety of patterns.

Specialty Stitches are stitches comprised of straight stitches, slanted stitches, or a combination of the two to create a combination of many different stitches.

Needlepoint/Canvaswork

Needlepoint is a form of canvas work embroidery in which yarn is stitched through a fabric mesh to create a dense pattern which may or may not completely cover the foundation fabric. Stitches may be plain (tent stitches - basketweave, continental or half cross), covering just one thread intersection with a single orientation, or fancy, such as decorative specialty stitches.

Smalls

This classification contains small decorative accessories which could comprise a set. Items include biscornus, ornaments, biscornu, stitcher�s etui, scissor fob, scissor case, needlecase, pincushion, pinkeep, or small box,

Other fiberarts - knitting, crochet, weaving, tatting, lacemaking, origami/omiyage with silk paper, beading, kumihumo, tassels, projects using silk fabric, perforated paper, etc.

Where To Stay, What To Do

From someone who has tried EVERY hotel between Exit 90 and 119:
Best Western Lebanon Valley Inn and Suites at Exit 90 is by far the best.
If you want to stay further afield, near more tourist destinations, go to Google and put in 17098 hotels there's a big list.
Murray's Hotel in Tower City is not real, nor is The Inn at Elizabethville, or The Washington Hotel.
Everything else on those first three pages is easy driving distance. PA changes town names every 1 or 2 miles, so don't be thrown by the names of the towns!
Jonestown is closer to Harrisburg/Hershey area, we often go there to shop. Grantville is also closer to Hershey and we shop sometimes in Annville (right near it).
There's a bed and breakfast in Lykens, though I haven't looked at it. Mauser's Bed and Breakfast, right on the main drag and she advertises heavily. It's just a house, no Yelp reviews, (717) 453-9449. Rumor in the street is that it's 3 bedrooms, shared bath, dated but clean and costs $100 a night for all three bedrooms (I don't know if it's $35 a night for each room).
Next year I seriously hope to have housing close to the factory - the town is helping me work on that so I can have more classes and a bigger Needlework Exhibit.
Near Here:

Hershey Park, about 45 minutes or so. In fact all of Hershey is there. :)

Hershey Park

Lake Tobias Wildlife Park

Indian Echo Caverns:

Indian Echo Caverns

National Civil War Museum

Pennsylvania Dutch Country

Lancaster PA, Pennsylvania Dutch Country

Make It, Take It's for the Needlework Exhibit

Make It Take It's are short classes given in a specific technique or area. They're sold as complete kits, and you can choose to complete them in class or take them with you. These classes are paid at the individual class tables.

From Brenda Kocher Designs: MITI teaching Or Nue. It's a medieval form of embroidery that uses a metallic thread that lays on the canvas, then another thread is used to couch it. The couching thread is the one that creates the design. It's a small pattern that would take about an hour to teach.

Brenda Kocher Designs Web Site

AND

The Stitch Counter/Clay MITI:
(From the teacher)
I'm going to offer two different types of stitch counters and
also offer simple punch cut buttons. Everything is included!
I will bring everything to make them:
toaster oven
clay (pre rolled to sheets)
head pins
beads
pricing:
each set will be $5.00
2 - swirl head pin with a dangling bead
2 - clay topped stitch counters
4- simple punch cut buttons
TWO Silk Ribbon Embroidery Classes
1. a small silk ribbon picture done on a ground cloth.
2. embellishing a printed Chinese fan with silk ribbon.

Hand Dyed Fibers Fabric Painting Booth

Hand Dyed Fibers is sponsoring a fabric painting booth. You can bring all your fibers, fabrics, trims, etc etc to paint with dyes. Think coordinated finishing for your fabrics, think cleaning out your stash to get something new to you!
The class (dye, materials, and instruction) is free, though I will of course have trims, laces, ric rac, fibers and fabrics for sale for you to also paint.

Basically the fabric painting works like this:
You'll put down a sheet of plastic wrap and place your items to be dyed on that. You paint with the soda ash solution (or dye fixative) and then choosing from all the liquid dyes available, you mix and paint with the dyes.
You roll this up and let it batch (or set) for several hours. When you take it home you rinse in cold water. If you want it more lightfast, you then rinse in HOT water. Then you are done!
Everything is pre-mixed. I do have plastic gloves, but you'll only be holding the paint brush and shouldn't be coming in direct contact with the dye. It's not a sloppy procedure but you shouldn't wear your finest clothes or anything that you would simply perish if it got splashed by accident. When you rinse it at home it may color some sink and/or countertop materials. To be perfectly safe rinse it outside.

Tag Sale!

We are now ready to start accepting new/used stash for the tag sale booth at the exhibition.

Please read the following information carefully and if you have any questions please contact Mary. Please email Mary or post under the stickied topic in the forum once you�ve sent your package so we know to expect it.

You must include an inventory sheet of the items you are sending along with the desired sale price. Also include the least amount you are willing to accept in case we need to lower the prices during the last weekend to clear items out. If you do not want to negotiate the price, leave the �will take� column blank. Please be very specific so we are easily able to identify each item. Make sure linen is tagged with all relevant information including size and count. Example (sorry, can't tab or add spaces so divided columns with slashes):

Item/ Asking /Will Take
Drawn Thread Sampler Gameboard Chart/ $5/ $3.50
Metta Chart/ $20/ -------
Fat Quarter 32 ct. white linen/ $10/ $5

Please do not stick a price tag on your item. We will double check the inventory sheet and code and price each item. Make sure to include your Name, Address and Phone Number in case we need to contact you.

If you have a few items a bubble mailer should work, but if you have a large amount of items you might consider sending it in one of the bulk mailing boxes the post office offers.

After the exhibition, all items will be inventoried again and whatever did not sell will be returned to you along with a check for items that did sell. Your return postage will be deducted from your profit. You may alternately opt to take your profit in the form of Hand Dyed Fiber gift certificates. Note this on your form also!

Please send your items you wish to sell to:

Mary Cheng
985 Centennial Dr.
West Chester, PA 19382
mcheng@everestcrm.com