September is a fiber lover's month here in Maine. Cool breezes remind us that we need to get ready for the upcoming cold weather, and there are many local events in the area this month that showcase fiber and yarn -- and the animals that produce it!

We have the events listed below following the news from the shop. Enjoy all the beauty this month gives us.

We loved being mentioned by Michele Wang, who's an amazing designer. It's fun to watch the whole video, but if you don't have time, at about 8 minutes she starts talking about Belfast, at about 11 minutes she reviews Fiddlehead Artisan Supply, and at about 15 minutes she reviews us.

This is also the time of year when we get so much new yarn and we have no place to put it. So we have to make more room by offering some yarns at too good a deal to pass up!

So starting on Saturday, September 3 (Labor Day weekend), we will be having a big sale on selected yarns and other items. The sale will run through at least the weekend.

	Rowan Magazine No. 59 (click to zoom)

This is a great time to pick up yarns at 40% or more off the suggested retail price. You can make great gifts or give the skeins unworked to the knitter as a gift. Some of the yarns in this sale include, but are not limited to:

Wool
Berroco's Boboli Lace: A wonderfully versatile wool/acrylic/viscose blend. But we need room! 350 yards of sport weight beauty! Was $15.95, now $9.56.

Berroco's Colora: A 70/30 wool/acrylic blend, soft and subtly variegated. This light worsted/dk weight yarn is great for accessories. Was $8.95, now $5.37.

Lana Gatto's Tonale: A chunky self-striping yarn in a black base with a variety of colorways. We have a great headband knit in it as a store model. A great gift at a great price! Was $8.50, now $5.10.

Louisa Harding's Cassia: A dk weight, machine washable, 75% wool/25% nylon yarn that was the base for the popular Indulgence sock yarn that we once stocked. Use it for solid-colored socks or for children's garments. We have children's pattern books for this yarn. Was $7.95, now $4.77.

Louisa Harding's Orielle: A dk weight yarn, 97% baby alpaca and 3% sparkle! Use it as an accent, but it is subtle enough to use on its own. Was $10.95, now $6.57.

Manos' Lace: A baby alpaca/silk/cashmere kettle-dyed yarn. Just beautiful. 439 yards. We have a one-skein model for you to check out. Was $18.95, now $11.37.

Schachenmayr's Extrafine Silky Soft 120: A merino/tencel blend spun to a light worsted/dk weight. There is a shine to this yarn that is less noticeable when knit. We have a sample that shows the great stitch definition of this yarn. Sweater quantities are available in some colorways. Was $8.50, now $5.10.

Sirdar Click: A 70/30 wool/acrylic blended dk weight yarn. Multicolored and machine washable with great yardage! Was $4.95, now $2.97.

Cotton
Berroco's Indigo: Made with 95% recycled denim and cotton, this yarn knits at 5 sts/inch. We have sweater quantities available and a store model for you to see how this yarn knits and feels. Was $10.95, now $6.57.

Cascade's Fixation: A stretchy cotton that comes in multicolors and solids, and is blended with elastic to make a stretchy accessory. Great for beanie hats -- adults or babies. Was $5.95 (multicolors) and $4.95 (solids), now $3.57 and $2.97.

Jil Eaton's Cotton (100% cotton) or Trendsetter's Lino (50% cotton/50% linen): Heavyweight worsteds (90 yards per 50 grams) that could be knit between 4-5 sts/inch depending on the project. Bright colors! Was $7.95 and $7.50 respectively, now $4.00.

Knit One Crochet Too's Cozette: A yummy-feeling silk/cotton/nylon blend, perfect for shawls -- and we have one made up for you to see the great drape. This yarn is sport weight, should you want to make a garment with it, but when making accessories, you can use a much larger needle. Our shawl was knit on a size 8 needle. Was $8.95, now $5.37.

Knit One Crochet Too's Niya: 100% silk knitting at a worsted weight. Great yardage -- 262 yards! We have a sweater model for you to see. Was $18.00, now $10.80.

Knitter's Pride's Karbonz Needles at 40% off: Yes, we have a full range and well stocked!

All Rowan Magazines (current and back issues) and all Rowan Books: $10.00 each.
All Noro Magazines (back issues) and Noro Books: $5.00 each.

Have extra yarn and needles? Please consider giving them a new home. Donations being requested for New Mainers. As people flee war, violence and other unrest in their home countries, they leave most of their belongings behind. Some resettle in Maine and establish their new lives and homes with limited support.

Many New Mainer women use knitting not only as a way to create things their family needs but also as a way to calm their minds, create community and enjoy a hobby. If you have yarn and needles you would like to donate, please drop them off at Heavenly Socks Yarns in Belfast, or mail them to Jennifer Gunderman, PO Box 304, Liberty, ME 04949. (Jennifer is a faculty member at the University of New England. She works closely with organizations assisting New Mainers transitioning to life in Maine.) If you have any questions, please email Jen at jgundermanking@une.edu or phone her at 207-505-1452.

Shibori and Friends: Techniques for the Indigo Dyepot -- Join Jackie Ottino Graf for an all-day workshop at Waterfall Arts in Belfast, exploring traditional methods of indigo resist dyeing, on Saturday, October 1, 10 am-3 pm, $75 plus $25 materials.

You will first learn how to clamp, tie, stitch and wrap fabrics to create a unique set of indigo-dyed napkins and a silk scarf. The second part of the class will focus on building an indigo vat and how to properly balance and maintain it. Dye fabric sets and anything else you wish to throw in there!

The materials fee of $25 covers all dye supplies, a set of four organic cotton napkins and a silk scarf. Participants may also bring along up to a pound of clean fibers to dye in the indigo vat. Clothes, yarn, fabric ... all will work.

Jackie is, first, a fiberholic, and second, a natural dyer. She loves spinning and knitting, and chemistry. She loves coaxing bold, striking colors from natural materials. For more information, find her on Facebook.

A biweekly knitting circle will be held, beginning this Friday, September 2 in the library of St. Margaret's Church in Belfast. The group meets the first and third Fridays from 4-6 pm. All are welcome. Bring any handwork project, or just yourself.

The seventh annual KnitMaine-ia fashion show will rock the Belfast Boathouse on Saturday, October 1 at 2 pm. Models will showcase local knitwear to raise money for New Hope for Women. Door prizes, live music, reception and more. Dig out your afghans to decorate the boathouse walls and don't be shy. We want all your submissions of knit and crochet work. Afghans, clothing and accessories are welcome, and will be returned promptly after the show.

The theme this year is the four seasons, and the submission deadline is Sept. 16. For submission forms and more details, visit Knit the Community, phone Sara at 978-325-0045, or email Jillian at jillianliver@gmail.com. And don't forget to find them on Facebook, where you will find photos of past shows and knitting news.

Please join the Maine Alpaca Experience in their grand opening and ribbon cutting on Saturday, September 3, 10 am-6 pm.   

Shop luscious soft hypo-allergenic alpaca clothing, gifts and dog apparel. Get introduced to their beautiful new Shopping Gallery and Alpaca Education Center. Enjoy local homemade ice cream, available from Stone Fox Farm Creamery. Indulge your senses with Wild Maine Photo Gallery with photographer Pam Wells. Tantalize your taste buds with a wine tasting from Younity Winery. And meet some alpacas in person!

Location/mailing address: Maine Alpaca Experience, 608 Atlantic Highway, Northport, ME 04849. For more information, phone 207-356-4146 or find them on Facebook.

Fiber College of Maine is celebrating its ten-year anniversary on September 7-11. This is an annual fiber festival that celebrates the sharing of fiber arts in all forms. This year, there is a gamut of nearly seventy textile and fiber classes varying in length from two hours to two days: Knitting, weaving, sewing, embroidery, tatting, dyeing, surface design, felting, rug hooking, spinning, book binding, chainmail, woodworking and papier-mâché.

For more information, visit Fiber College, the Fiber College blog, email create@fibercollege.org or phone 207-548-6059.

Friday Fiber Fiesta and Makers' Market
Calling all people who make things they'd like to sell, those who have tools or materials to peddle, and anyone who enjoys searching for crafted treasures, music, food and fun!

Fiber College of Maine announces its second annual Makers' Market, a free event open to the general public, Friday, September 9, from 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm, at Searsport Shores Ocean Camping in Searsport.

With food, music, contests and an abundance of art activities, this year's Makers' Market celebrates creativity in all forms and promises fun for all ages. Admission is free and open to the public. Anyone wishing to sell their creations, crafting supplies, tools, equipment or other related items may reserve a space for ten dollars.

For more information, visit Fiber College and follow the clicks to register or phone Emma at 207-446-8357.

The Common Ground Country Fair will take place on September 23-25 in Unity, Maine. You will always find plenty of fiber, fiber animals and fiber demonstrations at the Fiber Marketplace, the Fleece Tent and the Wednesday Spinners Tent.

Art Opening
Artists Diane Green-Hebert and Victoria Pittman and poet Carolyn Locke invite the public to the Belfast Free Library on Friday, September 2 from 5:30-8 pm for a reception for their September Kramer Gallery exhibit and a multimedia show on which the three have collaborated for the past year. The slide show will begin at 6:30, and light refreshments will be served.

Sketch Group
On September 6, the Library's sketchbook journaling group, The Belfast Free Sketchers, with facilitator Rita Swidrowski, will begin meeting two times each month on the first and third Tuesdays from 2-4 pm in the Library's Abbott Room.  

For September 6, the subject is Materials; the group may go to Fiddlehead Artisan Supply to see their expanded art department.

Book Discussion
Beginning Monday September 19 at 6 pm, the Library will host a Book Discussion Series focused on the book Dawnland Voices: An Anthology of Indigenous Writing from New England (Siobhan Senier, editor). The series is free and open to the public, and will be co-facilitated by Cloe Chunn and Diane Oltarzewski.

Participants will focus on the portions of the book that include Native writers from Maine tribal communities, including the MicMac, Maliseet, Abenaki, Passamaquoddy and Penobscot. Guest facilitators for the final session on November 14 will be Sherri Mitchell (Penobscot lawyer and Executive Director of the Land Peace Foundation) and Margo Lukens (a professor of English at the University of Maine).

Of note: Belfast is the first town east of the Mississippi to replace Columbus Day with Indigenous Peoples Day.

For more information, phone the Belfast Free Library at 207-338-3384 ext. 10, or visit Library Programs or September Events.

Join Belfast Flying Shoes on Friday, September 2 for an evening of contra dancing at American Legion Post #43, 143 Church St. in Belfast. The evening begins at 6:30 pm with a community dance called by Chrissy Fowler. The contra dance begins at 8 pm and runs till around 11 pm.

This month's caller is Belfast's own Chrissy Fowler. Sharing the Flying Shoes stage with Chrissy will be Anadama, a Boston-based contra dance band. Anadama is Amelia Mason (fiddle), Emily Troll (accordion) and Bethany Waickman (guitar), who root their sound in the traditions of New England, Ireland, and Quebec.

Sound by Glen Loper.

For more information, phone 207-338-0979, email belfastflyingshoes@gmail.com, visit Belfast Flying Shoes or find them on Facebook.

Bridget Matros leads another family art-making session at Waterfall Arts on Saturday, September 3 from 10 am to noon. The theme for this edition of Art Together Mornings is Instrumental Collage: Everyone creates truly fabulous abstract art inspired by looking at, touching and hearing a collection of working musical instruments.

These parent-child art-making sessions offer memorable times together using fun materials without the stress of making a "perfect product." While working side by side, adults will learn ways to support creative thinking, problem solving and self-expression while getting some art therapy themselves.

The suggested donation for Art Together Mornings is $15 for one adult and child and $6 for each additional family member.

Waterfall Arts is located at 256 High St. in Belfast. For more information, visit Waterfall Arts, stop by or phone 207-338-2222.

You're invited to a free Community Supper on Saturday, September 3 at 5 pm at the Belfast United Methodist Church, 23 Mill Lane, East Belfast (Mill Lane is beside the Big Apple across from Perry's Nut House). Enjoy spaghetti and sauce, tossed salad, bread, and brownies with ice cream for dessert.

Join them in their celebration of God's loving kindness. They want to pass it on! 207-338-5575.

On Saturday, September 3, at 7 pm, Left Bank Books of Belfast will celebrate the release of the book Maine on Glass: The Early Twentieth Century in Glass Plate Photography, with all three of its authors: Kevin Johnson (photo archivist at Penobscot Marine Museum), W. H. Bunting (photographic historian and author) and Earle Shettleworth, Jr. (Maine state historian).

The authors selected the photographs from among tens of thousands of glass plate negatives created by the Eastern Illustrating and Publishing Company (EIC) of Belfast, which came into being in 1900. "Comparable to email, texting, or Instagram, the postcard was a new, informal way of communicating with brief text and an image," writes Johnson.
 
The 200 photographs (all 16 of Maine's counties are represented) are accompanied by text that is informative, well written and often funny.

To reserve a seat, please email leftbank@myfairpoint.net or phone 207-338-9009. For more information, visit Left Bank Books.

Waterfall Arts has a great printmaking studio equipped with traditional presses, but when artists want to make really big woodcut prints, they can go with the steamroller method. On Saturday, October 8, Waterfall Arts will hold a big outdoor Steamroller Print Party as part of BCC's Cultivate Farm and Art Tour.

To prepare for the Steamroller Party, there's a workshop on how to prepare woodcuts for printing on Thursday, September 8 from 5 to 8 pm. Learn woodcut techniques and get advice and assistance. Birch plywood wood blocks (24 by 30 inches) will be available for sale. Bring an image and some tools or use those available in the print studio.

After the workshop, the woodcuts can be worked on at home or during open print studio hours at Waterfall. Waterfall Arts is located at 256 High St. in Belfast. For more information, visit Waterfall Arts, stop by or phone 207-338-2222.

Please join Front Street Shipyard for a special evening in Belfast on Friday, September 9, 6-9 pm, as they celebrate the end of summer. The cost is $75 per person; proceeds will benefit charity care at Pen Bay Medical Center and Waldo County General Hospital.

Caribbean music by Flash! in the Pans Community Steel Band; catering by Trillium; and featuring Marshall Wharf Brewing Co. and Cellardoor Winery.

To RSVP (by August 31, please), phone 207-921-675 or email soiree@penbayhealthcare.org.

On September 9-18, the Midcoast Actors' Studio will present George Bernard Shaw's Arms and the Man, a classic comedy about love and war ... and chocolate.

Director: Wendy Wincote Schweikert. Venue: Troy Howard Stage, 173 Lincolnville Ave, Belfast. Days/times: Fridays and Saturdays at 7 pm, Sundays at 2 pm. Tickets: $15 for adults, $10 for students and seniors.

For more information, phone 207-370-7592 or visit Midcoast Actors' Studio.

Hospice Volunteer Fall Training 2016
Train to help support patients and families facing terminal illness and loss. Tuesday evenings, 6-9 pm, September 29 through November 15, plus one Sunday, October 2, 9 am-3 pm. Cost: $35, scholarships available.

Hospice Volunteers of Waldo County offers end of life and bereavement support to anyone in Waldo County at no cost. For more information, phone 207-930-2677 or email hvowcl@gmail.com. To find out more about their work, visit HVWC.

Grief Support Group
Grieving through the seasons: Thursday evenings, 7-9 pm. Nine weeks,
October 6-December 8. Belfast location. Pre-registration is required. For more information and to register, phone 207-930-2677.