IN THE delicate threads that weave through the fabric of our history, the roots of fiber arts run deep, connecting generations and cultures in a rich tapestry of creativity. Fiber arts are an enduring expression of human ingenuity, from the basic instinct to craft warmth and protection from the elements to the artistry of intricate lace and vibrant tapestries. As strands of yarn intertwine, so do the stories of communities, each stitch a testament to necessity and artistry.
The gentle hum of a spinning wheel and the rhythmic click of needles echo the importance of fibers in shaping the very fabric of our society. In the heart of this tradition lies a local fiber guild. Skilled women gather to breathe life into these age-old practices, celebrate their artistic passion, and extend a thread of compassion into the community by creating handmade treasures for charitable causes.
In 2006, Judy Thelen and Janet Cavna attended an alpaca show in Shelbyville that demonstrated ways to use the alpaca’s fibers. Owners appreciated the beauty of the fibers but often stored them away, unsure of what to do with them.
Thelen said, “We went to lunch and had a margarita, and we decided to put a sign-up sheet out to see if anybody was interested in starting a fiber guild. And that’s how we started. That was in March, and we had our first meeting in April. We got several local people and some great people who had just moved to the area, who had alpacas and were interested in learning about the fiber. So we all learned together.”
Fleece on the Duck Fiber Guild grew from there.
Thelen, guild member and unofficial program director said, “People wanting to spin and weave and learn what to do with the fiber is what started it, and then we transitioned into the fiber shows.”
Those shows demonstrate spinning and creating with the fibers, the earliest of which was at the Tennessee State Fair.
“We had five hours to pick it, card it, spin it, and weave a 70-inch shawl. It’s hectic, but it’s fun. We had usable yarn to our weaver in 45 minutes,” said Thelen.
A guild member, Susie Henderson, said, “The Tennessee Agricultural Museum invited us to farm days that they host twice a year. We had a lot of kids to come through for that. And we were invited last year for the first time to come to the Hermitage, where we had 300 kids come through in three hours.”
Once a month, meetings expanded the group’s knowledge, and the group added fiber festivals to their agenda. They’ve demonstrated at the Halls Mill Sourghum Squeeze, Piping on the Green in Tullahoma, and Dickens of a Christmas in Franklin, where they dressed in period attire.
“We would sit with our spinning wheels and spin, and people are amazed. We drew new members that way. And, when we were in Fiber in the ‘Boro, we saw a need to have a children’s table, so we got some crafts together for the kids, and the moms would drop them off and go shopping. We did the table for about 10 years. We want to teach and pass on the skills to as many people as possible, and we figure that when we go and sit with those children, we’re planting seeds,” said Thelen.
But why fiber arts?
“I’ve come from a long line of women who were good with their hands. Besides being able to grow — you know — food outside or flowers and things like that, they were very good at sewing and quilting. And then my grandmother taught herself how to crochet and taught me how to back in the ‘70s. It comes from a long line of women who like making things,” shared Henderson.
Charitable projects are often on the guild’s agenda. They’ve crocheted and knitted blankets for the Shelbyville Police Department and Bedford County Sheriff’s Department, preemie hats for babies, and scarves for elementary school children. The most unusual project, Knitted Knockers, produces knitted and crocheted prosthetics for patients undergoing mastectomies and lumpectomies.
Their work reaches near and far, and some stand 10 feet tall!
Frank, the fiber art nutcracker, was the guild’s entry in the 2023 Festival of Trees at the Fly Arts Center. Although not their original design, he’s a testament to the spirit of the group’s members. Their 7-foot snowman, Frosty, built in 2012, stood watch in First Community Bank’s airport branch during the last holiday season.
They’re fulfilling their mission to promote fiber arts and skills preservation by educating, sharing, demonstrating, and encouraging at public venues.
The local fiber guild celebrates the time-honored techniques that have traversed generations and serve as a vibrant bridge between the past and the present. They weave an unwavering commitment to preserving fiber arts and skills into each piece they craft, and the guild’s endeavors are ambassadors of a cultural legacy as they knit the knowledge of their craft into the fabric of the community. Through public venues and within the close-knit circle of guild members, the gentle hum of the spinning wheel continues to resonate, echoing a timeless melody that stitches together the diverse threads of our shared heritage. The local fiber guild spins a narrative that intertwines the past, present, and future, stitching the community together with a thread of enduring creativity and compassion. GN
