Wearable Art Vest Workshop

A Wearable Art Vest workshop is being sponsored by the Riverbend Fiber Arts Guild on Saturday, February 20. The instructor is Veronica Hofman Ortega and she will be teaching her Yarn Fabrication technique. Students will learn this easy, no-knit stitching technique while creating a wearable art vest.
Garment pieces are easily assembled using flat seams and additional texture and color can be achieved with contrasting yarns, trims, threads, embellishments, buttons or beads. This soft-sculpt vest can be customized for any occasion. See Veronica's blog at www.FiberAnticsbyVeronica.com to see other artwear garments that were created using this technique.

The vest workshop will be held on Saturday, February 20, at Alexian Brothers/Senior Neighbors, 10th and Newby Streets, in Chattanooga. It is a full day class from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The cost of the workshop is $45 per person ($35 for guild members). Make checks payable to "Riverbend Fiber Arts Guild." To sign up for the workshop, send an e-mail to veronicaquilts@gmail.com.

Guild Challenge: a call to Pocket creativity

With the beginning of the new year comes new inspiration, programs and a Guild Challenge for the Riverbend Fiber Arts Guild.

At the January guild meeting, stitch patterns and techniques for knitted lap afghans were presented for the guild's community service project. Members have the option to knit sampler-style strips using several "reversible" stitch patterns or to knit strips with an overall texture.

Guild members were also invited to kindle their creativity with participation in a Guild Challenge. Inspired by the theme for the 2010 Tennessee Presents Textiles wearable art show, the guild's "The Power of the Pocket" Challenge issues a call to action—and originality—with the creation of a wearable art garment.

Who can argue with a few of the Top 10 Reasons for Participating in a Guild Challenge:

• It's an opportunity to try a new technique, material, pattern, etc..
• It's fun! You can be as creative, conventional or unconventional as you want.
• It sharpens your analytical as well as your artistic skills.
• It gives you a reason to do your "fiber thing!"
• It provides "justification" to buy more yarn, thread, fabric ...
• And, it offers one of the greatest motivating factors for making and completing a project—a deadline!

Show and Tell at the January meeting included knit, woven and felted scarfs, garments and wall pieces.