An Awesome Career Opportunity for Crafters!

I ordinarily don't post anything that isn't directly fiber related, but I thought that this could be an awesome opportunity for my crafty, fiber lovin' readers so I'm making a little exception...

I was recently contacted by the recruiting manager for Reader's Digest... They publish a number of magazine titles including Taste of Home, Country and Country Woman. They are looking for an editor to lead the creative direction of crafts projects in these publications. The position would require the person to work out of their Milwaukee, Wisconsin, office full time.

From the recruiting manager, "This is a very unique position - so we are willing to put the hobbyist skills in front of the editorial skills. I am wondering if you know of someone who might be interested in this opportunity or if you would be willing to post something on your website?"

My answer is, an enthusiastic "of course!" I'm willing to pass the word along about this opportunity. What a blessing it would be to get to incorporate your love of crafts (fiber and otherwise) into your daily job and make it your career.

Click here to read all about the position and how to apply.

(And, a big thanks to Reader's Digest's recruiting manager for contacting me and allowing me to pass along such a great opportunity!)

Now taking submissions for Midwest Fiber Farm features!

Although there are many, many wonderful Midwest fiber events going on, it seems that I haven't come across enough to fill the MFC blog with posts every weekday. Therefore, I would like to feature some Midwest Fiber Farms between event and activity posts. If you own/operate a Midwest based fiber focused farm, please submit via email (mfc[at!]thefunkyfelter.com) the following information for consideration:

1) Farm Name
2) Brief Description (2-3 paragraphs)
3) Web-site and/or online shop
4) Other Contact Information (optional)
5) 1-2 Farm Photos (optional)

I hope to introduce MFC fiber loving readers to great Midwestern fiber farms very soon! All listings are FREE and done as a labor of love by a fellow Midwestern fiber fanatic (a.k.a. me).

(*Please note that only fiber farms located in the Midwestern United States will be accepted for posting. These states include Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Ohio, and Wisconsin.)

Craft Culture Tours the USA to Document Fiber Artists and Comes to the Midwest!

Craft Culture Tours the USA to Document Fiber Artists

Daniella Cortez is taking a three-week, nine-city tour this summer to
promote, interview and document knitting and spinning’s cultural and
ethnographic significance.

Daniella Cortez, the driving force behind the wickedly smart podcast, Craft Culture, is taking to the road on July 1st, traveling through nine cities in the eastern USA to interview and document the cultural significance handcrafts have played in modern society.

It began with a dream, and the idea that most of academia hadn’t properly examined handcrafts’ impact on the culture at large. She wanted to travel, talk to the knitters on a personal level, and interact with local groups to find the ways they were unique to a specific region, as well as the ways they were the same. In effect, she wants to investigate the common threads that hold us together as a community, even when separated by distance or demographics.

Far from being dry and stuffy, there are planned events at local yarn stores in each of the nine cities, interviews one-on-one, and visits to stitching groups and prayer shawl ministries. Dani will be keeping a detailed log of her travels in blogs, podcasts and videocasts from the road.

The nine cities slated for the tour are:
Las Vegas, NV
Salt Lake City, UT
Denver, CO
Omaha, NE
Chicago, IL
Cleveland, OH
Newark, NJ
Washington, DC
Greensboro/Raleigh, NC

For additional information on the tour, or to schedule an interview with Daniella, contact Amy Brown or visit www.craftculturecollective.com

WoolFest Fiber and Art Festival 2010 June 26 & 27 at Lake Metroparks Farmpark in Kirtland Ohio

WoolFest
Fiber and Art Festival
June 26 - 27, 2010
Lake Metroparks Farmpark
Kirtland, OH 44094

Web-site: http://www.lakemetroparks.com/programs/woolfest.shtml

Discover how hand-spun products are created from the fleece of farm animals. Get an up-close look at fiber-producing animals and a marketplace featuring fiber art vendors from across the Midwest. Demonstrations of herding, animal shearing, and fiber processing are highlighted throughout the weekend... Please see the link above for more information on this event.

6th Annual Iowa Sheep & Wool Festival 2010 June 12 - 13 at the Dallas County Fairgrounds in Adel Iowa

6th Annual Iowa Sheep & Wool Festival
June 12 - 13, 2010
Dallas County Fairgrounds
Adel, Ia

Web-site: www.iowasheep.com

Think Spring! Think Festival! Planning for the 6th Annual Iowa Sheep & Wool Festival has been taking place all winter. Make your plans to attend! Come, enjoy and support your industry... Please see the web-site link above for more information.

Upper Valley Fiber Fest 2010 May 15 - 16 at the Miami County Fairgrounds in Troy Ohio

Upper Valley Fiber Fest 2010
May 15 - 16
Miami County Fairgrounds
Troy, Ohio

Web-site: www.uppervalleyfiberfest.org

The Upper Valley Fiber Fest came about three years ago when a group of fiber enthusiasts decided that the Miami Valley area needed a spring show. After much brainstorming, and with the help of the Upper Valley Fiber Guild, the Upper Valley Fiber Fest was born... Please visit the web-site link above for more information.

14th Annual Stephenson County Fiber Art Fair 2010 April 17 at the Jane Addams Community Center in Cedarville Illinois

14th Annual Stephenson County Fiber Art Fair
Saturday, April 17, 2010
Jane Addams Community Center
Cedarville, Illinois

Admission is $2 for adults and free for children under 12.
Time: 9 am to 5 pm
Location: 430 W. Washington Street, Cedarville, IL
Phone: (815) 541-0897

Web-site: www.suzybeggin.com/FAF.htm

A celebration of fiber and the fiber arts with workshops, demonstrations of spinning and weaving, vendors offering fibers for spinning plus finished yarn, dyes, books, gifts, equipment, handmade soap and baskets. Also supplies for spinning, weaving, knitting, felting, dyeing, tatting and crochet.

National Alpaca Farm Days 2010 September 25 - 26 at Alpaca Farms across the Midwest and Nation

National Alpaca Farm Days
Alpaca farms across the Nation
September 25-26, 2010

Web-site: www.explorealpacas.com

Organization Affiliation: AOBA (national) & Upper Midwest Alpacas (Minn, SD, ND, Wisc, Iowa)

Alpaca breeders open their farms to visitors. Many have spinning, knitting, weaving demos, kids activities and alpaca fiber, yarn and products for sale.

Midwest Fiber & Folk Art Fair 2010 July 16 - 18 at Lake County Fairgrounds in Grayslake Illinois

Midwest Fiber & Folk Art Fair
July 16-18, 2010
Lake County Fairgrounds
Grayslake, Illinois

Web-site: www.fiberandfolk.com

"Come Celebrate the Work of our Hands!" Join us this summer at the Lake County Fairgrounds for the 4th Annual Midwest Fiber & Folk Art Fair and SEIZE THE DAY! You could spend a whole weekend... you see, we believe a fair should fuel ALL your passions and ignite ALL your senses...

Mopaca's Fiber "U" 2010 July 10 - 11 at Cowan Civic Center in Lebanon Missouri

Mopaca's Fiber "U"- Fun, Fiber & YOU!
July 10-11, 2010
Cowan Civic Center,
Lebanon, Missouri

Hours: 9am-4pm
Admission & Parking: FREE
Phone: 417-533-5280
Web-site: www.mopaca.org
E-mail: liz [!at] whirlwindranch.com

Fiber and fiber art education with more than 30 classes to choose from (advance registration required) plus vendors from 9 states selling yarn, roving, finished goods and fiber equipment. Numerous demonstrations including shearing equipment, felting, spinning, weaving, sock making, carding and more. A true educational experience for all your senses.

HFA Fiber Fair 2010 at the Webster County Fairgrounds in Marshfield Missouri

HFA Fiber Fair 2010
May 15, 2010
Webster County Fairgrounds, N. Marshall St.
Marshfield, Missouri

Hours: 10am-4pm
Admission & Parking: FREE
Phone: 417-859-7840
Web-site: www.hfafiberfair.com
E-mail: fiberartistry [!at] gmail.com

Highland's Fiber Artists' 16th annual Fiber Fair featuring handcrafts using the natural fibers of animals and plants; Animal exhibits; demonstrations of weaving,
spinning, knitting, etc; mini-workshops; children's hands-on craft booth; handcraft competitions; fashion show; vendor booths and more.

Knitting in the Heartland 2010 hosted by Sunflower Knitters Guild March 27 - 28 in Overland Park Kansas

Knitting in the Heartland 2010
hosted by Sunflower Knitters Guild
Saturday & Sunday, March 27 - 28
Ramada Inn at 7240 Shawnee Mission Parkway
Overland Park, Kansas

Sunflower Knitters Guild is sponsoring Knitting in the Heartland 2010 in Overland Park, Kansas, this weekend! It features best selling knitting and crochet author Melissa Leapman. There will also be a variety of classes and a wonderful vendor market to purchase fiber supplies and other fiber goods. It looks like a fun time for all fiber loving folks! Click here for complete details.

About Midwest Fiber Crafts and the Author

Hello, I'm Shalana, a traditional feltmaker and real fiber fanatic. My husband, baby girl, dog, and I live right in the middle of the Midwest in the Kansas City, Missouri, area. We usually attend several fiber related events each year. That inspired me to start this blog with postings of all kinds of fiber related events, shows, meeting, activities, information, and resources. I look forward to sharing what the Midwest has to offer. If you know of an event in the Midwest focused on fiber in some way, please submit it. The posting service is free! This blog is intended to be a good resource for all fiber enthusiasts located in the Midwestern United States.

You can find more information about myself and my fiber art endeavors at my personal blog and at my business website. And, if you'd like to get in touch with me about MFC, please email me. I'm always happy to hear from you!

Submit an Event to Midwest Fiber Crafts

Do you know of a great fiber related show, event, meeting, or other activity happening in the Midwestern United States? Please submit it to the Midwest Fiber Crafts blog. All submissions will be reviewed for posting and must meet the following criteria.

Submission Guidelines:
1) The event must take place in one of the Midwestern United States including Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Ohio, and Wisconsin.
2) The event must be fiber related.
3) The information submitted must include the event's website.

Submission Form:
When submitting event information, please include the following...
1) Name, Location, and Date(s)
2) Organization Affiliation (if applicable)
3) A brief description
4) An event website link for more information

Submissions MUST be made at least two weeks prior to an event.

Examples of Acceptable Event Submissions:
(This is not all possible, but just some examples for reference.)
fiber festivals, fiber focused craft shows, fiber guild and other fiber group meetings, fiber seminars and classes, fiber farm open houses and other fiber farm public activities, fiber organization meetings and events, etc.

Please search the blog to make sure your event is not already posted. We will be searching for events, etc., to post about so there is the chance that your event may already have been posted. On the rare occasion your submission is not accepted for posting, you will be notified. Please allow up to two weeks for the posting of your event. All event posting services are free!

If you'd like to submit an event, please do! Simply email MFC ( mfc [!at] thefunkyfelter.com ) the above information. And, if you have any questions or comments, please email MFC. We are happy to respond. Our intention is to be a good source of information for all Midwestern fiber enthusiasts. Thank you!