Not dead yet...

... just hibernating. With no scheduled end date. Jenn and I both want to see UVFC continue, but we never meant for it to be a two-woman show for so long - so if you like the idea of a community fibercraft blog, we'd love your help making it happen and have a whole post about possible participation. The two of us will be back eventually, though, in any case.

Meanwhile, I've added to the blackwork map. I designed an era-appropriate alphabet and stitched a title, compass rose, and attribution. My personal craft blog has details about the design process and inspiration, if you're curious. You can get the finished alphabet pattern and word layouts in my Google Drive to add to your own medieval-style stitching. Here's mine:

Now I think I'd like to take a walk...

Participating in UVFC

Every fiber crafter in the Upper Valley has a different perspective, different interests and different expertise. Upper Valley Fiber Crafts aims to be a place to share those perspectives, interests, and expertise for the benefit and enjoyment of everyone. To that end, here are six ways to share with other crafters via UVFC - consider this your invitation!

On the Blog:

• Guest post or join up as a regular contributor (more on this below).
• Send us tips about upcoming events or ideas for posts you'd like us to write.
• Comment on posts: especially when we have guest posters, let them know you appreciate their contribution.

On the Lists:

• Add your blog to our blogroll (in the sidebar below the archive list). As long as fibercraft is in your posting mix, we'd love to have you.
• Send us information for our Fiber Craft Location page: shops for craft materials, groups that gather on a regular schedule to craft together, and places that teach classes are all there.
• Add to our Skills for Hire page: this is for shops and individuals who provide services, from alterations to professional knitting to scissors sharpening to private craft lessons.

You can easily get in touch with us via the contact form in the sidebar.

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More on Guest Posting

We welcome any number or regularity of posts. Want to write a month-long series of weekly posts? A single post? A monthly column? Five posts a year? We are happy to have all of these. Contact us through the form in the sidebar. If you have specific topics in mind, include them, but if you don't know exactly what to write about (or, perhaps, how to write about the topic you have in mind) we will help you formulate your ideas.

There are many kinds of posts you could contribute. Here's an incomplete list:

• Reviews: your favorite books, techniques, or materials, or a useful resource online.
• Event announcements or recaps: festivals, fairs, sales, craft markets, classes....
• Profiles: of fellow crafters, crafting groups, shops, educational establishments, etc.
• Tutorials: for projects or techniques.
• Sightings and stories: such as yarn bombing, fiber-based art, or tales of glee or woe about crafting.

There are really only two cautions:

• Be constrictive in your criticism: reviews should be honest, but remember this blog is for celebrating all of the fibercraft happening in the Upper Valley.
• Posts are not sales pitches: If you are selling handmade crafts, we'd like to know about it, but make it more than an advertisement.

Tell your fellow crafters what you know!

Greetings and Salutations!

Welcome to the Upper Valley Fiber Crafts blog!

We hope to become a useful resource for finding locally-owned shops and community groups with whom to learn and do all kinds of fiber crafts: sewing, knitting, crochet, embroidery, rug braiding, and everything else you can do with yarn, fabric, or thread. We'll maintain a calendar and directory, blog about upcoming classes, and profile local groups. You'll also see posts about projects that use leftover or secondhand materials, or allow items like clothing to have a longer useful life; these are particular interests of those of us who teach at the Upper Valley Sew-Op. We'll announce events outside the Upper Valley that local crafters are involved in or that are worth the drive. Of course, we can only blog about what we know, so all fiber crafters in the Upper Valley are invited to tell us about their activities and other news. Write us if you are part of a crafting group or teach or organize classes, or if you would like to write posts for this blog. All kinds of fiber crafting topics are welcome, as long as they are local, for any craft and any age range. We're excited to start this project, although it will be a while before it fulfills all the ambitions listed above!