Delight Gartlein is gearing up for the festival. Photo / Ben Fraser
Delight Gartlein is gearing up for the festival. Photo / Ben Fraser
Knitting needles at the ready - the Creative Fibre National Festival of Fashion, Fibre and Fun is coming to Rotorua this weekend.
Vendors from all over the country will be arriving in the city to display wares including fleeces, carded wool, silk fabric and fibre, and spun yarns.
For thosewanting to get stuck into some stitches of their own, the foyer of the Sir Howard Morrison Performing Arts Centre will be playing host to fibre-themed activities such as knitting on giant needles, two-person knitting, carding, and fleece sorting.
It's a boom time for fans of fibre in Rotorua.
The festival arrives hot on the heels of Whiria, a weaving exhibition on show at the museum.
Festival organiser and Creative Fibre Rotorua member Delight Gartlein said art forms using fibre had a unique appeal.
"It's very tactile, you want to touch it. Some people use water colours, some people use cameras, but we do our art with fibre. It's a different medium."
And she was keen to point out that, yes - fibre can be good for you.
"I think that these different ways of using your body are good for your brain. Weaving requires a lot of brain work to get patterns right."
The festival kicked off last night with a welcome ceremony for Creative Fibre members which will include a whakatau by Mauriora Kingi, a kapa haka by the Sunset Primary School, and an appearance from Rotorua mayor Steve Chadwick.
Doors open to public at 9am.
Perhaps the weekend's biggest drawcard is the Saturday night runway fashion show at the Blue Baths.
Other classes and workshops are being held at the Performing Arts Centre and the Arts Village during the weekend.
Creative Fibre groups in the Bay of Plenty has been working towards staging the festival for last two years, and it will be the first time the National Festival and Exhibition has been held in Rotorua.
"It's very exciting," said Delight Gartlein. "We have such beautiful venues here."
Details What: Creative Fibre National Festival of Fashion, Fibre and Fun •Where: Sir Howard Morrison Performing Arts Centre •When: Friday 9am-5pm. Saturday 9am-5pm. Sunday 9am-4pm. •How much: Day Pass only $20 per person (14 and under free). •Day pass and a ticket to the afternoon Runway Show - $60 per person •For tickets call Pam Porter on (07) 576-8670 or email her at pamporter@xtra.co.nz
