Handspun and handwoven Eastern European linens on sale at Le Marche, Vancouver

If you want to eat at a great cafe and get a look at some great linens, you only need to go as far as 28th and St George. I was taken there by a friend this week.

Le Marche cafe has a collection of towels, tablecloths and tea towels for sale, all in natural flax colour or bleached. If you want to get a feel for what you can produce with your flax, this is the place to go - the food excellent too!

(photograph courtesy of Le Marche)

http://www.marchestgeorge.com/2011/08/linens.html

Penny

Flax and linen day at Joybilee Farm, Greenwood, August 10th

If you’re planning a trip this August but haven’t decided where to go, you might consider going to Greenwood, BC for Joybilee Farm’s annual flax day http://kettleriverartsfestival.com/events/joybilee-farm-linen-festival/.

You get a chance to see them processing last year’s flax crop, see this year's flax fields http://joybileefarm.com/about-joybilee-farm/linen-demonstration-garden/, spin some flax, make pine needle baskets with waxed linen thread and look at some of the lovely linen clothing grown and made in Grand Forks by the Doukhobor community. The historians from the Boundary museum (well worth a visit if you get time), will also be at Joybilee talking about the history of flax growing in the area.
For those living sustainably , there is a Greyhound bus from Terminal Avenue Greyhound Station, leaving at 6.30 am, that gets to Greenwood at 3.40pm. There is a daily bus from Greenwood at 9.10 am that goes straight past Joybilee farm, but appears to stop 6.4km past the farm entrance. I did ask Joybilee if they had any more information about the bus and where it stops, but they tell me they've no idea as they never use it.

Or you could try this - about 10km short of Greenwood, is Mile 0 on the Kettle Valley Railway Trail. This is the jumping off point to take the trail to see the rebuilt Myra Canyon trestles. So if you’re coming by bus, bring your bike along, bike the trail to see the trestles. The next day you can take the Greyhound on from Midway to Greenwood and bike the 7.8km from there to the farm.

Penny

Monday night: Sticks and Strings

Monday  night: Sticks and Strings:

Bring along your project in progress; spinning, knitting, crochet or sock darning- whatever you feel like working on.

Be inspired by others projects, share ideas, techniques and if there is something new that is fibre-based you are hoping to learn,  you might just find the people who can help you learn!  Some nights may even find a dye pot on the go…Your hosts (in various combinations) include: Penny Coupland, Sharon Kallis, Karen Barnaby and Martin Borden

Mondays, 8, 22, 29 6-8.30pm ( note no  class April 15)

The start of spring means winter clothes get packed away: bring along any sweaters that need some mending and lets see what colourful collective mending options we can  find. Some wool provided. We will also be starting dye pots of cherry and  empress wood bark from spring tree pruning, so  bring along  some wool bits for pre-mordanting and dying! Of course, general knitting, crocheting and other hand projects are welcome and encouraged.

     

Special events: The studio will be closed for drop-in on Monday, April 15th.