The Adventures of a Foraging Natural Dyer

Byron Center, Michigan – The Lakeshore Fiber Arts Guild’s next program meeting is on Wed., November 1, featuring Susan Vegter on “Adventures of a Foraging Natural Dyer,” at the Holland Area Arts Council, 150 East 8^th St., Holland, MI 49423, starting promptly at 6:30pm with social time beginning at 6pm.  Guests are asked to pay $10 toward the speaker’s fee.

Sue Vegter was introduced to natural dyeing in 2005 and has been an avid practitioner ever since.  Initially she purchased natural dyes like madder, indigo, woad, etc., that were not available locally and got some beautiful results.  Since 2014, however, she has been concentrating on only dyeing with things she can grow or forage or reuse.  This has led to explorations with weeds, biowaste, mushrooms and lichen.  Sue will share her journey including successes and failures.  She’ll have small hanks of yarn and crock pots with dyes for attendees to try dyeing yarn.

The Lakeshore Fiber Arts Guild invites anyone interested in the textile fiber arts to their monthly program meetings held the first Wednesday of each month at the Holland Area Arts Council.  For more information, visit the guild’s blog at http://lakeshorefiberartsguild.blogspot.com or contact jgould1526@gmail.com or 616-878-1526.

A Wonderful Night With Georgia Mae Farr and one of a kind Afro-Centric Inspired Clothing

Georgia had a lot to share with us.  She brought several items of clothing, book covers, scarves, and wraps. She started sewing when she was 8, she said she just always knew how things went together and could always alter or fix a family members clothing item. She sells her items at The Afro American shop on Monroe in GR and on etsy. Check out her shop. Impressive.

https://www.etsy.com/shop/CreationsbyGeorgiaF

She also explained the different fabrics she likes to use such as Mud Cloth and Kin Tay which she often adds as an accent to other fabrics. A lot of her fabric she buys local.

This jacket that belonged to her son while he was in college needed a new lining.  So being creative and frugal, she pieced lots of different pieces of fabric together to line the jacket and put the design on the back.

The above pictures are examples of Mud Cloth, a hand woven, hand painted, hand made fabric.

Priscilla begins her modeling career.

The purple coat is made out of mud cloth.

This was a piece she purchased, all different colors and patterns have meanings. 

The vest above was made using a variety of leftover fabrics and items.  The shells on the back are cowrie shells.  The shells were used for currency at one time.

Georgia basically uses the same jacket pattern, just changes it to what she sees in her mind, and according to what supplies she has on hand.

Alexa fell in love with the coat above. So she bought it. 

 This red coat has so many different details, Jonetta enjoyed modeling it.

I found this intriguing, she took a solid design and cut it up and put it back together.  So much more style to it.

As you can see, several people enjoyed trying on Georgia's creations.

Her jackets are finished inside and out, most of them with a wild, wonderful lining.

This bag she made years ago out of mud cloth, it still looks wonderful.

Her items are not trendy and are made to last a lifetime.

Show and Tell

Alexa was excited to show us her new jewelry technique, fire colored copper with torch. 
 Wonderful

Priscilla made a paper pieced pattern quilt, pattern by Judy Niemeyer. Very nice even points but takes a lot of time and patience.

The above are examples of Eco Printing  on wool batting, silk and wool fabric,

also made by Priscilla.  

Jan showed off her green shawl and a fleece lined bum warmer she bought in Tibet.

Jeanne is always into recycling antiques, now she is making pincushions.

One of the many reasons to come to our meetings.  Wonderful treats.  Thanks Barbara, 

Priscilla and Jeanne.