Linen Festival 2012 on Saturday August 11

The 2012 Linen Festival takes place on Saturday August 11th from 10 am to 5pm at Joybilee Farm.

This is the only Linen Festival in English Speaking North America.  While it isn’t a huge event, it is a unique event that celebrates organic agriculture, homesteading, sustainable clothing, and our regional fibershed.  When we started the Linen Festival 6 years ago, we hoped it would grow into an event that attracted those who like to make things with their own hands, and in tune with organic, self-reliance, and with respect for ourselves and the environment.   We hoped it would be a catalyst for beautiful, fashion, that is healthy, and hard wearing — a symbol of enduring fashion — the antithesis of our throw-away, just-in-time consumer culture.

Someday, we hope to have a fashion show that demonstrates meaningful, clothing design from the local, fibershed.  But until then, we present you with the Joybilee Farm Linen Festival.

Where’s Joybilee Farm?

Where’s Joybilee Farm?  12025 Hwy. 3, near Greenwood, BC, Canada —

How to get here:  From Vancouver drive to Hope, pick Hwy. 3 and travel toward Grand Forks, you’ll see us about 9 km. past Greenwood, on your right hand side.  Its a 6 hour drive from Vancouver.  From Spokane, head toward Colville, take the Laurier Border Crossing and travel West on Hwy. 3, past Grand Forks, we’re just 20 minutes West of Grand Forks.  From Castlegar, Trail or Nelson, go to Nancy Green Lake Park, travel West on Hwy. 3 past Grand Forks, and go another 20 minutes west into the cool of the Mountains.  You’ll see the farm on the Left hand side marked by an Artisan “A” sign, and “Fiber Artists”.

Admission by Donation

We have an exciting lineup of activities for the family so you’ll want to be here all day.  This year we won’t have anyone collecting admission at the gate.  Admission is by donation and the whole family is welcome.  In previous years admission has been $7 per person or $25 per family, but we don’t want to keep anyone away, so come and share in the festival.

11 am:  History of Linen and Doukhobor Linen in the Boundary — Talk by staff of Boundary Museum – FREE

Once again we’ll have antique linen garments on loan from the Boundary Museum, representing the area’s Doukhobor heritage.  I’ll also have on display, my own growing collection of historic linens, some amazing pieces with a story to tell.  Staff from the Boundary Museum will be here to talk about the history of linen in the area.

10am to 5pm Hands On Linen Scutching Party  FREE

I’ve got linen retting in the upcycled bathtub, so there will be ample linen for you to break, scutch, and hackle.  Everyone in the family can participate.  Then take your treasure to the craft table, weave a table runner, or a mat.  Make tow paper, learn to spin linen.

10am to 2pm Spinners Circle (refreshments are nearby)  FREE

10am to 5pm Craft Table Open  FREE

Handwoven matts using linen thread and hackled tow

Linen Paper

Linen Jewellery with Paper Beads

12pm to 2pm Linen Project Community Presentations (FREE):

If  you or your group are working on a linen project or linen research,  and you’d like an opportunity to display or present, you are most welcome to come and set up an outdoor display.  You can also sell from your booth space.  Space is limited so please contact me to reserve your spot.  If you’d like to do a presentation as well, let me know and I’ll reserve a time between 12 noon and 2pm for your talk.

1 to 2pm Learn to Spin Linen at the Spinners Circle (FREE)

Drop Spindle spinning of linen using a low tech tool with high fun factor.  Suitable for ages 12 and up.  Very dexterous 10 year olds will also be successful in this mini-workshop.

Pine Needle and Linen/Hemp Basket Weaving Workshop 2pm to 5pm ($5, please RSVP)

In the afternoon we’re having a pine needle basket weaving workshop, where you can learn to use bast thread like linen, nettle, or hemp to weave pine needle baskets.  Cost  is $5 per person and covers instruction and supplies.  If you plan to participate in this part of the Linen Festival, please RSVP by leaving a comment on this post, by emailing me using the contact form, or by phone (toll free) 1-866-965-9665, so I can be sure to have enough materials for you.  This workshop will begin at 2pm and go till 5.  Participants will create a small pine needle basket to take home.

Volunteers Needed

Volunteers needed to help make coffee and tea, and to supervise the craft table, to help with the spinning workshop, and help with the scutching party.  If you’d like to help, we’d be very grateful.  Thanks in Advance.

Want to know more about the Linen Demonstration Garden at Joybilee Farm?  Check out our Linen page.

Columbia Basin Culture Tour

This is also the first day of the Columbia Basin Culture Tour.  Joybilee Farm is the #1 stop on the CBCT Tour.  The Tour takes place Saturday and Sunday, August 11, and 12th, and goes from Joybilee Farm through the Kootenays, all the way to Castlegar, Trail, Nelson, and through to Cranbrook and Revelstoke, will all towns in between.  If you like original art, this is a great weekend to visit Joybilee Farm and stay through Sunday to take in the inspiring studios on the Columbia Basin Culture Tour, as well.  The tour is completely free, and Tour maps are available at Joybilee Farm.