Riverbend Fiber Arts Guild featured on Crochet News Today blog

The Riverbend Fiber Arts Guild was featured in Crochet News Today in its November 13, 2012 blog post. Not a crocheter? Well, don't let the Crochet News Today name fool you as blog editor, Melinda Gorley, offers information and articles about various fiber art disciplines and has included a calendar of events, links to podcasts, guild and club listings, charity organizations, and upcoming fiber and textile art exhibits at museums and galleries on this web site.

Color and texture with knitting.

If you live in the Chattanooga, Tennessee area, and are interested in needle and fiber arts, check out an overview of the activities of the Riverbend Fiber Arts Guild on the About Us page.

Join us in 2013. Enjoy the benefits of annual guild membership for only $15 and treat yourself to a year of fiber art!

The magic and beauty of Shibori

The program on "Shibori. Making marks with shaped resist dyeing," presented by fiber artist, Veronica Hofman-Ortega, held attendees captivated at the July Riverbend Fiber Arts Guild meeting. Ms. Hofman-Ortega's multimedia presentation and trunk show provided numerous examples of pattern, texture and the visual exuberance that can only be achieved with the shaped resist dye techniques of shibori.

Fiber artist, Veronica Hofman-Ortega, shows her arashi shibori sample
and talks about other examples of shibori patterns and techniques
during her presentation and trunk show.

"Shibori is a timeless and very versatile art form with limitless possibilities," said Veronica. "All aspects of the fabrics, technique, dye sequence as well as the serendipity of the dye bath work in concert to achieve the resulting patterns."

Along with her multimedia presentation, Veronica showed pieces from her wearable art collection, including a shibori wool vest she created based on Rachel Clark's "Picture This" vest pattern, and the mokume shibori jacket and silk dupioni "Power of Panthera Leo" vest that was published with her article, "Compliments of the Dye Pot," in Belle Armoire magazine in 2011.

Veronica displays her shibori wool vest using the "Picture This" vest
pattern by indie designer, Rachel Clark.
Veronica's collection of shibori artwear is shown at left.

Left: "Power of Panthera Leo" vest, Best of Show at the 2010 Guild Challenge.
Right: Two shibori techniques with appliqué Angelina fibers on a raw silk vest.

Never disappointed with the results of the shibori process, Ms. Hofman-Ortega encourages her audience to "Embrace the serendipity!" and enjoy the magic and organic beauty of shibori.

Mokume stitch resist technique on a raw silk jacket.

More of Veronica's fiber art adventures can be found on her web site, FiberAnticsbyVeronica.com. Veronica offered her recommendations on shibori resources here:


Also visit the World Shibori Network.

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Show and Tell

Guild members shared their fiber art creations during Show and Tell.

Mary's crochet shawl.

Martha's version of the crochet shawl.

Left: A striped knit shawl. Right: Hannah's crochet necklace.

Knit shawl detail.

Tia shows the loom made by her husband.

Crocheted baby tutu.

Colorwork with Tapestry Crochet

Judy Anderson presents
a program on tapestry crochet.

Combine the sculptural qualities of crochet with color work techniques similar to fair isle knitting, and mosaic and figurative designs of tapestry weaving and you have the best of all worlds with tapestry crochet. This was the program topic at the Riverbend Fiber Arts Guild May guild meeting.

Inspired by a workshop with Dr. Carol Ventura, Professor of Art at Tennessee Technological University, guild member Judy Anderson talked about the tapestry crochet technique and showed examples of crocheted pieces done by Dr. Ventura and others.

"Don't throw your Pearls to Swine" (left) and "You will Reap what you Sow,"
tapestry crochet works by Carol Ventura.

Kits, instructions and a demonstration were provided and guild members and guests had an opportunity to work on a small, two-color pouch while learning the technique.

Guild members work on tapestry crochet pieces.

Dr. Ventura, who studies and researches textiles around the world, has written several books on tapestry crochet. You can read more about tapestry crochet on Dr. Ventura's blog, "Tapestry Crochet... the rest of the story."

Books on Tapestry Crochet written by Carol Ventura.

Tapestry crochet bag and cup cozy.

Bring your Mug; warm up with Fiber Arts

Beat the cold weather and warm up the New Year with the Riverbend Fiber Arts Guild!

To kick off 2011, we’ll be serving hot beverages at the January 8 guild meeting. We invite you to bring along your favorite coffee mug and we’ll fill it with something warm and comforting… or maybe something hot and spicy! Either way, bring your mug (and your mug) and join us!

Our guild members enjoy a variety of fiber and needle art disciplines such as knitting, crochet, quilting, weaving, felting, spinning and dyeing.

Guild Membership for a year of creative and interesting fiber art activities includes:
:: monthly meetings and programs
:: inspiring Show and Tell
:: invitations to special guild activities
:: participation in regional fiber art events
:: members-only discounts for workshops, and
:: the camaraderie and support of like-minded fiber arts enthusiasts.

Be inspired... learn a new craft... make cool fiber art... and meet new friends. Our door is always open to new members.

Guild Challenge Artwear Exhibit

Riverbend Fiber Arts Guild President, Veronica Hofman Ortega, emceed the guild's wearable art Challenge exhibit and awards ceremony on Saturday, September 11. This event, called "The Power of the Pocket," was a celebration of the beauty and excellence in fiber arts. The collection of wearable art garments was created by guild members in response to a Guild Challenge.

Ten entries represented a diversity of fiber art techniques, including knitting, crochet, fabric dying, weaving and patchwork and showcased the creativity, craftsmanship and ingenuity of the artists that created them.

Show attendees voted for the Viewers' Choice award and had an opportunity to meet and talk with the artists after the awards presentation. Top awards went to:

Viewers' Choice to Brenda Park
for "Linked Weft Woven Jacket with Purse"

Best of Show to Veronica Hofman Ortega
for "The Power of Panthera Leo"

Best Workmanship to Phyllis Narus
for Chenille Tunic

Best Use of Embellishment to Patricia Keran
for "In Memory of Cookie"

Most Innovative Pocket to Kay Pickrell
for "Plum Happy"

For more photos of the Riverbend Fiber Arts Guild Challenge event, click here.

Many of these garments will be included in the upcoming Tennessee Presents Textiles special exhibit, "The Power of the Pocket." Tennessee Presents Textiles is a wearable art runway show and sale to be held on November 13, 2010. The guest speaker will be contemporary folk artist, Rachel Clark. You won't want to miss this event! It's contemporary fashion entertainment paired with a unique fiber art shopping opportunity for the upcoming holiday season.

May Day Alpaca Shearing

The thunderstorms passed north of our area and cool, mild weather prevailed for the annual alpaca shearing. Under slightly overcast skies, Riverbend Fiber Arts Guild members were on hand for demonstrations at the event where 55-60 alpacas were scheduled for their "annual clipping" at My Little Darlings Alpaca Farm in Chickamauga, Georgia.

The animals were quite friendly and not "camera shy" in the least.

When spun into yarn or used in other applications, alpaca fibers are soft and durable with a silky quality. Alpaca is naturally water-repellent and resistant to solar radiation. These characteristics offer protection against fluctuations in temperature for both the animals and for humans wearing clothes made from the fiber. Unlike wool from sheep, alpaca has no lanolin which also makes it hypoallergenic.

Throughout the day, visitors enjoyed demonstrations on needle felting...

while Riverbend Fiber Arts guild members took to their spinning wheels, crochet hooks and knitting needles to demonstrate other fiber and needle arts techniques.

It was a fiber-filled afternoon for one and all!