Coming November 15th, 2008: our annual craft show!

Along the Saco River in Southern Maine, the earliest pioneer families settled in small villages to eke a living from farming, logging, and trade with the local Native Americans. No one worked harder than the tough colonial women who raised flax and wool, harvested, washed, spun, and wove every fiber needed for their households.

The Saco River		The Saco River Valley in Spring

What was once backbreaking work is now our therapy, our pleasure, and our pride. Saco Valley Fiber Artists are an informal group of women who love to use traditional and modern methods to create art from all forms of fiber.

A Weaving Loom		Dyeing Fibers

We are friends and neighbors, farmers and professional career women, who live along the Saco River Valley from Fryeburg all the way downriver to Saco, Maine. Our monthly meetings are as much about great food and drinks as they are about our various crafts. We travel together to learn about the world's cultural fiber traditions. We share our skills with one another and with the public at our annual workshops and demonstrations. Most of all, we support one another in our creative fiber work, through all the bends, rapids, and ice dams in the river of our lives.

Valerie Sullivan and Janet Conner, learning backstrap weaving in Guatemala		Members relaxing in handmade socks.

We invite you to learn about our work and our goals. Perhaps you would like to join us for a workshop, visit us at one of our many craft shows, or purchase some of our handmade products. Some of us are available for educational presentations and demonstrations.

We sell at many craft shows throughout the year.		Natural fiber dyeing at the Shearbrooke Summer Workshop

Events

Saco Valley Fiber Artists are proud to announce that Julie Yarbrough's wonderful sculptures, puppets, hangings and paintings will be featured at Fryeburg Fair this year! Visit many of us at the Fiber Arts Building! September 28-October 5, 2008

The Saco Valley Fiber Artists annual craft show (formerly at "The Bungalow") is now held at the North Scarborough Grange #495 at 56 County Road (Route 22 near intersection of Saco Road) in Scarborough, ME

Come see us at "Home on the Grange" on Saturday, November 15, 2008 from 10:00am-4:00pm. Enjoy Artist Demonstrations and Unique Handcrafted Items for Sale, including hand woven items, soaps, quilted items, hand knit items, felted items, baskets, and knitting and spinning supplies.

Lunch will be available and served by 99.9 The Wolf's Morning Show Host, Dave Winsor! For more information call Karen at 642-3067.

Our Shearbrooke Farm Summer Workshop is a wonderful way for you to try your hand at a variety of classes, including: weaving, rughooking, embroidery, wet or dry felting, silk painting, knitting, fabric coiled baskets, beaded knitting, and natural dyeing.

Shearbrooke Farm in winter.		Shearbrooke Farm Summer Workshop

Our past attendees have said the gourmet lunch (included in the workshop) is one of the best parts! They demanded our recipes, so we have published a cookbook. Our cookbooks are available by mail for $17.50 each, including shipping. Printable Order Form

We have adopted a special charity through Miguel Bello (http://www.artebello.com) which helps support a children's aids hospice in Guatemala, as well as helping our sister weavers in the village of Aguas Calientes, Guatemala. A portion of all our profits go directly to this cause.

Handwoven Guatemalan Fabric