See this story at BrooklynDaily.com.
By Danielle Furfaro
Brooklyn Daily
The knits are about to hit the fans.
Yarn has gone from grandma’s best friend to de rigueur hipster accessory, with crocheted graffiti installations hanging from trees and “Stitch ‘N’ Bitch events at bars across Brooklyn — so it’s only fitting that this knitting-obsessed borough will soon host the first-ever Kings County Fiber Festival.
“More and more people see fiber arts as a viable form of expression,” said Maxcine DeGouttes, owner of Stitch Therapy and a co-organizer of the festival, which runs from 10 am to 6 pm at Park Slope’s Old Stone House on Oct. 6. “This is another way to share that.”
The Old Stone House, a landmarked reconstruction of a 1699 farmhouse that was once owned by the Vechte and Cortelyou families, is a logical location for a party celebrating crocheting, weaving, quilting, weaving, among other string theories.
“The purpose of the fiber festival is to create a connection between the history of the house and the shearing of sheep and making one’s own clothing and the contemporary look at craft,” said Kim Maier, executive director of the Old Stone House.
Fiber artists will give demonstrations on topics such as finger-knitting, spinning wheels, and fleece identification.
The Famous Accordion Orchestra will provide the music and painter Gail Rothschild, whose work focuses on ancient fiber, will have a solo show in the house coinciding with the fair.
And Rothschild says fiber arts are far more than a trend.
“I make portraits of ancient linens, using source material that’s thousands of years old,” said Rothschild. “Fiber is a cultural artifact.”
The first annual Kings County Fiber Festival at the Old Stone House [336 Third St. between Fourth and Fifth avenues, in Park Slope, (718) 768–3195, www.kingscountyfiberfestival.org]. Oct. 6, 10 am–6 pm. Free.