A celebration of fiber arts and old-time artisan skills!
At the Johnson County Fairgrounds in Franklin, Indiana
2027 Dates: Friday, June 4 & Saturday, June 5
Vendor Marketplace: 10 A.M. to 5 P.M. Both Days
2026 Free Lecture Series
Lectures are held in our Lecture Hall in the center west of the festival's area.
See map for location: https://www.hoosierhillsfiberfestival.com/map-of-festival
Friday Lectures:
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12:00 P.M. - Fiber Arts & Folklore; The Role and Symbolism of Fiber Arts in Storytelling with Paige Shipley
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1:00 P.M. - A Patchwork Life with Benita Story
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2:00 P.M. - Red, White, and Blue: Revolutionary Dyes and Fibers with Gina Levesque
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4:00 P.M. - Artist in Residence Talk
Saturday Lectures:
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12:00 P.M. - Coiled Baskets and Bowls with Wendi Donovan
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2:00 P.M. - Tools of the Trade: Fiber Processing with Justin Near
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3:00 P.M. - A Patchwork Life with Benita Story
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4:00 P.M. - Natural Fiber Types and Attributes with Justin Near
Fiber Arts & Folklore;
The Role and Symbolism of Fiber Arts in Storytelling
12:00 P.M. Friday
Ever wonder about the origin of the term "spinning a yarn"?
Join Paige for a lecture on the history of fiber arts, cultural symbolism in traditional arts, and the stories we tell with yarn- specifically what happens when the yarn itself becomes part of the story.
Paige Shipley, an Indiana fiber artist and writer, will be discussing fiber arts and the symbolism of yarn throughout the history of storytelling- from traditional folk stories about the beginning of the world and ancient mythology, to hidden meanings in fairy tales, to more modern (and sometimes magical) uses of yarn and needlework in literature.
Spoiler alert- it's never *just* a knitting project.
A Patchwork Life with Benita Story
1:00 P.M. Friday & 3:00 P.M. Saturday
Each person's "patchwork life" is a work of art that is a unique representation of that person.
Book signing to follow Benita's talk and Benita will also be at the festival throughout the day to sign books.
Join Benita Story in discussion about how memories and experiences create who we are. How everything we do becomes a piece of our lives "quilt" with some blocks having nice, neat points, and other blocks being decidedly improvisational.
Benita Story was a staple at the Hoosier Hills Fiber Festival for many years as a vendor and fiber arts competition judge. She also is a former fiber arts teacher, lecturer, and part owner of Dyed in the Wool until it closed in 2019. She is a retired accountant, spinner, weaver, quilter, embroiderer, writer, lover of journals/diaries, Lego builder, and lover of vintage dolls. Benita has been happily married over 40 years to historian/artist/writer Scott A. Story who has helped embellish the many blocks of Benita's life quilt.
The cover of this novel is a quilt created by the author specifically for this book. To watch the video on the quilt’s creation click: A Patchwork Life Book Cover Quilt
Red, White, and Blue: Revolutionary Dyes and Fibers
with Gina Levesque
2:00 P.M. Friday
In celebration of our nation’s birthday, it is worthwhile to take a trip back to the late 1700’s and investigate the dyes (and fibers) being used. What dyes were utilized to color the flag and why? What was used to color the soldiers uniforms and why was there a difference between those used on officer’s clothing as opposed to the enlisted? What was the symbology behind the suit General Washington wore as he was being sworn in as our first president? Whether you are creating a piece of fiber art to celebrate our 250 year anniversary, interested in textile history, or both, this will be an informative window into the year 1776.
Artist in Residence Talk
4:00 P.M. Friday
Info Pending
Coiled Baskets and Bowls
with Wendi Donovan
12:00 P.M. Saturday
Coiled baskets and bowls are an ancient technique used by many cultures and their creation dates back many thousand years. Explore these beautiful and useful pieces of art with Wendi.
Tools of the Trade: Fiber Processing
with Justin Near
2:00 P.M. Saturday
What's a picker? A hackle? A diz? A niddy noddy? There are some funny words in the fiber arts world. If you've ever been curious about the hand tools used in fiber processing - what they're called, what they do, and how to use them - come and see!
Natural Fiber Types and Attributes
with Justin Near
4:00 P.M. Saturday
When we use the word fiber, what do we really mean? What kinds of natural fiber do we use regularly in fiber arts? And why are some fibers used more than others for specific purposes? Come and learn all about natural fibers and some of their unique qualities, characteristics, and attributes.