Upcoming Community Events
Blue Ridge Fiber Fest 2025
Higgins Fairgrounds in Sparta, NC.
Admission is free!
Come visit Piedmont Fibershed's table at Blue Ridge Fiber Fest, an annual event bringing together farmers, vendors, and fiber artists for a celebration of the fiber arts in beautiful downtown Sparta, NC. Dozens of classes will be available - knitting, crocheting, spinning, weaving and more. Demonstrations will include both traditional and modern fiber techniques as well as farming operations.
Get more info, see a list of vendors, and register for workshops at www.blueridgefiberfest.com.
Blue Ridge Fiber Fest 2025
Admission is free!
Come visit Piedmont Fibershed's table at Blue Ridge Fiber Fest, an annual event bringing together farmers, vendors, and fiber artists for a celebration of the fiber arts in beautiful downtown Sparta, NC. Dozens of classes will be available - knitting, crocheting, spinning, weaving and more. Demonstrations will include both traditional and modern fiber techniques as well as farming operations.
Get more info, see a list of vendors, and register for workshops at www.blueridgefiberfest.com.
Alpaca Shearing Day at Apple Hill Farm
Apple Hill Farm in Banner Elk, NC is hosting an alpaca shearing day on Saturday, June 7. Make a reservation and join them, any time between 11 and 2! You’ll get a front-row view of the whole process of shearing, fleece sorting, and more. The Piedmont Fiber Guild will also be doing demonstrations on spinning, weaving, and more.
Your pass allows you to get a front row seat to the excitement. We’ll have tour guides on-hand to answer questions about our alpacas and the shearing process. You’ll also be able to browse through our Farm Store, where we sell the yarn and socks made from our alpaca fiber, as well as a large selection of other gifts.
LOCATION: Apple Hill Farm | 400 Apple Hill Rd Banner Elk, NC 28604
PRICE: $5 for ages 4+, $3 for ages 3 and under
Dyeing with Fresh Leaf Indigo
Dyeing with Fresh Leaf Indigo
Explore several methods for dyeing with fresh-leaf Japanese indigo (Persicaria tinctoria) with textile artist Bethany Hebbard.
In this workshop we will explore several methods for dyeing with fresh-leaf Japanese indigo (Persicaria tinctoria): the “blender” cold-water extraction method and the salt-rub method, as well as techniques for leaf-pounding and stenciling. We will also discuss how to make and use soy milk as both a pre-treatment and post-treatment for textiles dyed with fresh indigo. Participants will practice all the methods presented and will have the option to use these new skills to create a beautiful bandanna or silk scarf. Each participant will receive a Japanese indigo seedling to continue growing and dyeing at home.
Instructor Bethany Joy Hebbard is a knitter, spinner, and dyer who recently moved to the Piedmont from Austin, Texas. While in Austin Bethany was a member of the Austin Weavers and Spinners Guild, focusing on natural dyes in Texas. Since moving to North Carolina she has loved learning which dye plants are best suited to this more temperate climate. Her husband is a permaculture-trained farmer, and together they keep a large garden on their suburban homestead in Jamestown, North Carolina. Since her preschool son and daughter are her typical apprentices, Bethany is very focused on using natural dyes in ways that are child-friendly and safe for home use.
Fiber and Folk: A Weekend Craft Retreat
April 26 @ 9:00 am - April 27 @ 3:00 pm
Fiber and Folk: A Weekend Craft Retreat
Gather with fellow fiber enthusiasts for a weekend of crafting, learning, and socializing in a beautiful wooded landscape next to the Deep River in Franklinville, NC. This two-day event, offered in collaboration with Deep River Folk School, includes:
workshops: two half-day workshops or one full-day workshop (see below for options)
group crafting time
a selection of local fibers and yarns to sample
shared meals (Sat. lunch and dinner; Sun. lunch)
a tour of sites of the in-development North Carolina Textile Museum
optional overnight camping
free time for exploring/doing your own thing
Deep River Folk School is a nonprofit organization that offers practical learning experiences to help you embrace a simpler, more self-sufficient lifestyle while fostering meaningful connections with others. We invite you to join us in this spirit of building community, sharing knowledge, and celebrating the rich human and natural resources that create our region’s unique fiber and textile culture.
Schedule
FRIDAY, April 25
5PM-7PM: Camper check-in
SATURDAY, April 26
7:30AM – 8:30AM: Camper check-in
9AM – 11:45AM: Morning Workshops
Raising Sheep and Goats
Working with Natural Dyes from the NC Piedmont
12PM – 1PM: Group Lunch
1PM – 3:45PM: Afternoon Workshop
Simple Weaving Using Diverse Materials
Wild Edible and Medicinal Plant Walk
All Day Workshop (Takes place during both morning and afternoon workshop sessions)
All About Spinning
4PM Onward: Communal Crafting + Free Time
6PM – 7PM: Group Dinner
SATURDAY 11PM – SUNDAY 7AM: Quiet hours
SUNDAY, April 27
7AM – 10:30AM : Breakfast on your own; Communal Crafting + Free Time
11:30AM – 12:30PM – Group lunch
1PM – Walking tour of the future North Carolina Textile Museum in Franklinville
3PM – Camper pack-out
Camping Info
Rustic camping is available for Friday night and Saturday night for an additional $15 per night. There is plenty of space for tent camping and some limited space for car camping and small camping trailers. Small trailer camping sites need to be reserved in advance, and may not have access to power or water/sewer hookups. Campsites are first come, first serve.
Water and port-o-potties will be available. There will also be access to electricity for charging phones or other items.
Location
The Fiber Weekend takes place at Deep River Folk School in Franklinville, in the center of North Carolina on the Deep River about 27 miles directly south of Greensboro, 65 miles west of Raleigh, and 85 miles northeast of Charlotte. It is in close proximity to a significant portion of North Carolina and points beyond.
About the Deep River (from NCPedia.com): The Deep River corridor is significant for its place in both the region’s natural and human history. It is home to numerous animal species including rare fish (the Atlantic pigtoe mussel and the Cape Fear Shiner), muskrat, river otter, coyote and bobcat, as well as heron, bald eagles and osprey. The river was important to the development of settlements for the Eno, Occaneechi, Shakori, Saura, and Sissipahaw tribes prior to European colonization. And then it became a resource for European settlers, providing the basis for industries such as coal mining in the state’s largest coal field and then iron production, both in Lee County, and power for textile mills.
Growing a Carolina Piedmont Dye Garden
Growing a Carolina Piedmont Dye Garden
April 5 @ 9:00 am - 12:00 pm
Learn how to cultivate a dye plant garden that thrives in the Carolina Piedmont with textile enthusiast Bethany Hebbard.
In this workshop, you will learn how to cultivate a dye garden that thrives in the Carolina Piedmont. From sourcing and starting seeds through tending plants and harvesting, this workshop will equip you to fill your backyard or balcony with vibrant, color-rich plants. Participants will be able to touch, smell, and study the dye plants growing in our suburban homestead garden, and even sample using many of the plants. We will focus on the cultivation and use of Japanese Indigo (Persicaria Tinctoria), woad, madder, and a few dye flowers (for example, goldenrod), with discussions of other plants as relevant. This workshop is suited for experienced fiber artists looking for a “green edge” for their craft, or beginners eager to dive in. No gardening experience is necessary. Participants will leave with seeds, seedlings, and cuttings to grow in their own garden.
Gardening host Bethany Joy Hebbard is a knitter, spinner, and dyer who recently moved to the Piedmont from Austin, Texas. While in Austin Bethany was a member of the Austin Weavers and Spinners Guild, focusing on natural dyes in Texas. Since moving to North Carolina she has loved learning which dye plants are best suited to this more temperate climate. Her husband is a permaculture-trained farmer, and together they keep a large garden on their suburban homestead in Jamestown, North Carolina. Since her preschool son and daughters are her typical apprentices, Bethany is very focused on using natural dyes in ways that are child-friendly and safe for home use.