12th Annual Oxford Fiber Festival to Return In-Person and Online

The Oxford Fiber Festival will be returning in January with more than 20 in-person vendors, featured speakers and more than 36 classes, workshops, games and more.

The event will be held on Jan. 21-23 at the Powerhouse Community Arts Center.

The opening reception will be on Jan. 22 from 5-7 p.m. and will feature the Combat Quilter Andrew Lee of Loudon, Tennesse.

Lee is a 20-year military veteran who turned to quilting after suffering from PTSD. He now shares his work with the Quilts of Valor and other groups speaking about the healing qualities of quilting and making.

“We are delighted to bring back the Show and Tell hour on January 22nd from 5-6 (p.m.),” said new Program Director Stacey Sanford. “We are encouraging participants to bring in something they have quilted, felted, sewn, woven or knitted. Then our opening panel will speak from 6-7 (p.m.).”

While the core of the festival is over the weekend, the kick-off event will be Storytime at the Lafayette County and Oxford Public Library on Jan.14 at 10:30 a.m.. Families are welcome to come to listen to stories and participate in a hands-on craft. Afterward, “Take and Make” bags with a different craft will be available for the public. 

New this year are online classes and workshops including a Meet the Maker with New York-based artist Anja Riebensahm and includes a giveaway of one of her tea towel prints.

Then later in the week, there will be a “Sit and Stitch: Your First Tea Towel” sister program. Another program will available to teach others how to create their own custom fabrics.

“We tried to really curate our curriculum this year and round out our programming in person and online,” Sanford said.

Classes include: Meet the Maker: Anja Riebensahm (online); Your First Tea Towe (in person); Custom Fabrics, Spoonflower and YOU (online).

Registration is open at OxfordFiberFestival.com. 

“We have worked very hard to bring in new artists and new ways to participate,” Sanford said. “We have built a new website and we are encouraging participants to share these online classes with friends or family far away. Fiber arts are often passed from person to person, so maybe someone in Oxford wants to take the online Journal Your Craft Class, but they learned how to scrapbook from a family member who lives far away. They can still both enjoy that workshop together because it is online.”

Returning participants will be happy to see that many vendors from previous years have also returned. 

“The Oxford Fiber Festival is grateful to SPARKLE Studios, Jems Lux Fibers, the Tutwiler Quilters, Three Creeks Farm, Buckmaster Family Farm, CWSG-Co-Op, DeSoto Arts Council and more for their continued support. It feels like a family reunion,” Sanford said.

With so much to see and an extended calendar, the Oxford Fiber Festival has created a complete journal with calendars, schedules, and information. These can be picked up at the Powerhouse Community Arts Center or at Visit Oxford. They can also be mailed by contacting OxfordFiberFestival@gmail.com.

Staff report