Almost 50 artists representing the full spectrum of the fiber arts, hands-on demonstrations, food and more highlight the return of the Lehigh Valley Fiber Festival Sept. 11-12 at Macungie Memorial Park, 50 Poplar St., Macungie. The free festival, which draws 5,000 people annually, is designed for serious artists and new hobbyists alike, with something for everyone at the event.

“COVID-19 has changed so much in our lives and we all need a creative, relaxing and meaningful respite more than ever,” says Lehigh Valley Fiber Festival Co-Founder Allison Mackenzie. “The practices of fiber are well known to be good for our spirit, mental clarity and dexterity.

“We believe in promoting quality, handmade work made by artists from our region, with a focus on the farm-to-finish philosophy. This year, we’ll have more than 45 artists offering a large variety of hand-dyed yarns, fabrics and more for purchase. We’re excited to be back for 2021 and know the region’s artists and fiber fans will be too.”

The 2021 Lehigh Valley Fiber Festival features many returning festival favorites, as well as a number of new artists. Among the vendors appearing for the first time are:

Kathy Bachofer of Nature’s Dye Studio, Allentown, PA – Specializing in traditional fiber techniques including weaving and quilting using natural dyes.

Margit Braeunig of Highland Hills Farm, New Jersey – Braeunig raises alpacas and uses their wool to knit beautiful, warm gear to keep winter’s chill away.

Emily Gargiulo of High Point Homestead, Kunkletown, PA – Gargiulo creates beautiful yarns from the wool of angora rabbits. 

Sarah Madden-Cox of Storms End Homestead, Lehighton, PA – Madden-Cox designs fun and creative fiber works including her scrappy pets collectibles, upcycled dream catchers and ‘whatever bags.’

Jennifer Larrabee of Jeneric Bags, New York – Larrabee is a gifted quilter who utilizes bright colors to create dynamic works of art.

Lisa Micheels of Very Eclectic, Massachusetts – Creates stunning scarves, buttons and fabric flowers.

Watching artists create their own yarns and products has always been a staple of the Lehigh Valley Fiber Festival and this year is no exception. Attendees can observe spinning demonstrations, metalworking and learn directly from farmers who raise the sheep and alpacas that provide the yarns available at the festival. Whether you are new to the fiber arts, or you’ve been enjoying them for years, this is an opportunity to discover tips and techniques for knitting, crocheting, weaving, spinning, paper quilling, latch hooking, quilting, sewing and more.

Other highlights of the 2021 Lehigh Valley Fiber Festival include food provided by Girl Scout Troop 6030 of New Tripoli and the return of the Stash Bash, where attendees can donate yarn that will be transformed into hats, gloves and blankets for local veterans, persons experiencing housing and food insecurity, cancer patients and others in need. This year’s community partner is the Lehigh Valley Chapter of Pink Heals, the nonprofit that supports people in our community who are affected by health issues by supporting local fundraising efforts and providing home visits.

The Lehigh Valley Fiber Festival is free to attend. Please note that the festival will follow any recommended state COVID-19 guidelines in place at the time of the event. Festival hours are Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., and Sunday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. For more information, visit lvfiberfest.com.

Information provided to TVL on behalf of Lehigh Valley Fiber Festival by:

Mark Demko

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