Mentors for 2010 Retreat
Sharon Costello is an accomplished fiber artist who has worked in hand-spinning, weaving, and knitting as well as having raised her own flock of sheep. Once she discovered feltmaking, however, it quickly came to dominate her fiber fixation. These days, Sharon's work focuses on soft-sculpture dolls and one of a kind and limited-edition wearable art... hats, jackets, bags, boots, etc. While she sells her work at juried crafts shows, her primary focus currently is on teaching. Sharon is an accomplished feltmaking teacher. She has several instructional videos/DVDs available. She has studied modern and ancient feltmaking techniques both in the US and in Turkey. She has also completed special works for clients such as Celestial Seasonings Teas. Feltmaking is the most ancient form of fiber art dating as far back as 6,300 BC. In the 19th century, there was a thriving feltmaking industry in Rensselaerville, NY. One can still find the remains of the Huyck Felt Mill just over the footbridge within the Huyck Nature Preserve. It is quite fitting that a new breed of feltmaker would make her home in this historic village of Rensselaerville.
Inge has been weaving for 26 years. It was her in-depth study of Iron Age Textiles from Northern Europe that earned her the title of Master Weaver from the Ontario Handweavers and Spinners. As a result of this study she became interested in tablet (card) weaving. She teaches throughout the U.S. and Canada and enjoys sharing her weaving techniques through her workshops and seminars. Inge creates unique garments which incorporate her tablet weaving and other embellishments. She has taught at HGA/Convergence, Ontario Handweavers and Spinners (OHA), and Mid Atlantic Fiber Association (MAFA), to name a few. She has won many awards for her work and many of her articles have appeared in Weaver’s; Handwoven; Shuttle; Spindle & Dyepot; Fibre Focus; and other publications. Inge resides in Ontario, Canada.
Debbie Knelly has been working with fiber since childhood, learning from her mom and grandmother. As she grew older she discovered basket weaving and found her passion. Primarily self taught, she expanded her knowledge by attending workshops and absorbing all she could about basketry. Debbie began teaching at local shops and in her home in 2005. Recently she has begun designing her own patterns and teaching at local guilds, conferences and conventions. She sells her baskets on her web site and at craft shows and fiber festivals. Debbie also has a love of wool fiber. She spins, knits and crochets, and incorporates her handspun into her basket designs. Debbie belongs to The Susquehanna Valley Spinners and Weavers Guild and is a founding member of the Spins and Needles Art Through Fiber Guild. She lives in Berwick, PA and participates in spinning and weaving demonstrations throughout the state.
Judith demonstrating a plying technique to students at Fibre Fallout 2008
Judith McKenzie, world renowned fiber artist, teaches throughout the United States and Canada. Her expertise ranges from the breeding of fiber animals through every related aspect, including but not limited to fiber preparation, dyeing, spinning and weaving. She is a frequent contributor to Interweave Knits, Spin-Off, Handwoven and PieceWork and has authored several books. Due to her extensive textile knowledge and expertise, Judith was called upon to repair a carpet for the king of Afghanistan.
Merike, who currently owns Liisu Yarns, says she lead a "double life" - Estonian and American. Born in the United States, she lived in a remote area and didn't learn English until she attended kindergarten. She grew up with American weekdays and Estonian weekends and summers. She learned to knit and create other needlecrafts in the Estonian style. Merike earned a degree in Studio Arts and concentrated in fibers for her last year. She raised sheep for 15 years. The owner of Liisu Yarns, her specialty is dyeing and painting yarns but after that, it's teaching, or as she prefers to call it - sharing - that she enjoys most. She shares her explorations in color, yarns, techniques, spinning, knitting, felting, lockerhooking and so much more. Her patterns have been published in national magazines and her shop, Liisu Yarns was featured in the book Handpaint Country. Merike lives in Meadows of Dan, VA with her husband Dane, her Pomeranian and two cats.
Patsy Z, as she has come to be known, enjoys creating with handspun yarns. She has enjoyed every facet of textiles since learning sewing as a 4th grader and weaving as a new bride. Over twenty years ago, she taught herself to spin and has been spinning ever since. Patsy earned her COE Certificate of Excellence in Handspinning from the Handweavers Guild of America (1985), plus a Master's Certificate (1987). She is constantly exploring and refining her spinning techniques.
A widely-traveled lecturer and teacher, Patsy presents fiber classes internationally at various venues including many appearances at SOAR ('88, '95, '97) and Convergence ('90, '92, '96, '00, '02,'06). Fiber magazines, in the USA and abroad, often feature her articles and she also has several spinning videos and DVDs on the market. An accomplished textile artist and seamstress, Patsy also creates unique liturgical weavings and appliques for use by churches across the nation. In 2002, Patsy and her family moved to Elk Grove Village, Illinois, a Chicago suburb.