The 2021 Conference Marketplace has gone virtual!
Visit our virtual marketplace for vendors selling yarn, fiber, tools, equipment and other items that complement the weaving, spinning and dyeing classes taught during the conference. Check out the special vendor coupons just for conference attendees. During the conference be sure to visit the vendors with interactive virtual booths.
Here’s our current vendor list.
Go to the Attendee Hub. Visit the Vendors tab. To find vendors with interactive Zoom booths, look for the “Virtual Booth” tag. Virtual booth hours are posted on their detail pages.
If you have any questions, email the Vendor Coordinator at vendors@mafafiber.org.
MAFA is grateful to our Marketplace Sponsors:
Marketplace Demos Schedule – Included in the Conference Pass
Check back before the conference as we continue to add demos. All demo sessions will be accessed through the Attendee Hub.
| Time | Demo | Description | Speaker |
|---|---|---|---|
| Saturday, June 26 | |||
| 10:00 a.m. | How to use Fiberworks on a computer-assisted loom | Learn about the connection to the loom and the Weave menu in Fiberworks. There are several elements that can be set up for your weaving. | Maryse Giroux, Seguin Looms |
| 10:00 a.m. | Warping Helpers | Warping Helpers designed for floor looms and can be adapted for table looms. Learn how these adjustable straps hold the lease sticks to make warping much easier. | Margery Erickson, Opalessence |
| 10:30 a.m. | Tapestry Design Basics and Beyond: Planning and Weaving with Confidence | I will talk about my soon-to-be released book, Tapestry Design Basics and Beyond: Planning and Weaving with Confidence. Published by Schiffer Books. | Tommye Scanlin |
| 10:30 a.m. | Vävstuga Band Loom Demo | Becky will demonstrate several features of the Vävstuga Band Loom including a foot treadle which facilitates weaving plain weave bands efficiently, and the pattern spreader allowing you to weave bands with pattern pickup easily. the section of this film is from Becky's Vävstuga Basics Class video series which is available for streaming, visit our website. | Becky Ashenden, Vävstuga |
| 11:00 a.m. | How to spin using a drop spindle | Always wanted to learn to spin? Learn how easy it is to spin by hand. | Sheila Bosworth, Bosworth Spindles |
| 11:00 a.m. | Drum Carding: 5W & H | In this brief introduction to drum carding, Roy Clemes of Clemes & Clemes will explain what a drum carder does, who might want to use one, and when and where in a project they are ideally suited. Basic use - the how - will also be covered, as well as why a fiber artist might want to process their own fiber on a drum carder as opposed to purchasing processed fiber or sending their fleece to a mill. | Roy Clemes, Clemes & Clemes |
| 11:30 a.m. | TempoWeave | Overview of TempoWeave – New Weaving Design Software | Dawne Wimbrow, LoftyFiber |
| 11:30 a.m. | SprangLady Explains | Carol James has been exploring ancient low-tech methods for cloth production for more than 30 years. Her SprangLady website, books, DVDs, and on-line classes are designed to support you in your explorations, and to bring this amazing technique back into common practice. | Carol James |
| 2:00 p.m. | How to use Fiberworks to create your drawdown | Learn the basics of using Fiberworks to create a weave pattern. | Maryse Giroux, Seguin Looms |
| 2:00 p.m. | The Coptic Textiles, Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, Collection of Mediterranean Antiquities | Coptic textiles have been collected and studied widely for their artistic value, but the cultural import of their technical and textural features has been under-examined until recently. Weaver and scholar Landry brings to bear her deep weaving experience to illuminate Coptic weaving practices in detailed analyses of this small textile collection. Published by Brill. | Wendy Landry |
| 2:30 p.m. | Tips for Spinning Hand-Dyed Fibers | How you spin hand-dyed fiber can make a huge difference in the appearance of your yarn. This demo will discuss how to evaluate fiber and determine how to spin it to get the results you want. Will include different approaches to spinning self-striping yarns as well as how to predict when those lovely colors might turn muddy when spun and how to prevent it. | Melissa Ricks, Wild Hare Fiber Studio |
| 2:30 p.m. | Multiple Ways to Use Dyed Warps | I will discuss various design possibilities using dyed warps alone and in combination with other warps and also how the choice of weft will make a difference. | Mary Waite, Weaver & Dyer |
| 3:00 p.m. | What's This? The Cotton Version | Learn the difference in yarn sizes, twist types, and treatment; discuss counts, plies and mercerization to help people identify and use cotton yarns. | Michele Belson, Lunatic Fringe Yarns |
| 3:30 p.m. | TempoTreadle | Demonstration of the features of TempoTreadle and how it can help you weave error free. We’ll demonstrate on table and floor looms and discuss the setup. | Dawne Wimbrow & Barry Duncan, LoftyFiber |
| Sunday, June 27 | |||
| 10:00 a.m. | Charkha spinning demonstration | What is a charkha and how do you spin with it? Charkhas are used primarily for cotton though they'll spin any fiber that can take a high twist. Our Book Charkha ratio is about 70:1 and the Attache Charkha ratio is about 110:1. Charkhas are good for silk, very fine wools, and many of the luxury fibers like cashmere, angora, camel, and qiviut. If you have questions, contact Jonathan in the Bosworth interactive virtual booth. | Jonathan Bosworth, Bosworth Spindles |
| 10:00 a.m. | Velvet on my Mind, Velvet on my Loom | For over one thousand years, velvet textiles were woven by hand with great ingenuity and artistry. Velvet expert Landry analyzes the origin and spread of this weaving technique and the technological innovations that accompanied it. Published by Schiffer Books. | Wendy Landry |
| 10:30 a.m. | Fail Quickly to Build Creativity: Using Inkle Designer 1-2-3 to Iterate on Ideas | Creativity is a skill we can all learn. We build our creative skills by learning something basic, then iterating on it. With an app like Inkle Designer 1-2-3, we can create many iterations quickly before committing the 3+ hours it might take to weave even a plain weave band. | Karen Greene, Inkle Designer 1-2-3 |
| 10:30 a.m. | Blending Boards: Prepare Fiber For a Fun and Fancy Weft | In this brief introduction to blending boards, Roy Clemes of Clemes & Clemes will demonstrate how to use this relatively new tool to create rolags, which are ideal for spinning weft yarns. Color blends and whimsical add-ins for texture will also be covered in this blending board primer. | Roy Clemes, Clemes & Clemes |
| 11:00 a.m. | Weaving with Linen | Tips for weaving with linen and an overview of our Euroflax yarn lines, including new multicolor and boucle. We’ll show different projects and make those patterns and WIFs available for MAFA participants. | Dawne Wimbrow, LoftyFiber |
| 11:30 a.m. | Circle Weaving | Circle weaving is a fun and easy way to weave and a great way to use handspun and left-over yarns. This demonstration will show how to warp and weave on a Weave-a-Round Circle loom and also show what you can make with woven circles. | Melissa Ricks, Wild Hare Fiber Studio |
| 2:00 p.m. | Exploring Rug Hooking, Rug Punching and Punch Needle Embroidery | A brief tutorial on the differences and similarities in technique and equipment between rug hooking, rug punching and punch needle embroidery. This is aimed at people who are intrigued with this branch of fiber art but don't know what to look for or acquire to get started. | Robin Nistock, Nistock Farms |
| 2:00 p.m. | Sketch with Yarn on the SketchLoom | Learn how to take a doodle and turn it into a colorful weaving. Using the small adjustable SketchLoom and scraps of yarn from your stash | Bill Crawford, SketchLoom |
| 2:30 p.m. | Spinning Textured Yarns | Ready to spice up your spinning? Thick and thin, spiral ply and bee hives are three techniques that both lots of fun are a great introduction to textured 'art' yarns. See how to get started in this instructional demo. | Melissa Ricks, Wild Hare Fiber Studio |
| 3:00 p.m. | Weaving Gamps | What the Heck is a Color Gamp and Why Would I want to Weave One? | Michele Belson, Lunatic Fringe Yarns |
| 3:00 p.m. | How To Use a Lucet | Everything you wanted to know about using a lucet to make cord. Starting, stopping, error-fixing, right-handed, left-handed, different yarn types, variegated color and more! | Stephen Willette, Stephen Willette Fiber Arts Tools |