A celebration of fiber arts and old-time artisan skills!
At the Johnson County Fairgrounds in Franklin, Indiana - 2026 Dates: Friday, June 5 & Saturday, June 6
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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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​
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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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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
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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.
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
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Info Pending
Coiled Baskets and Bowls
with Wendi Donovan
12:00 P.M. Saturday
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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.