New P.E.I. Fibre Festival 'like a playdate' for fibre artists

The first P.E.I. Fibre Festival aimed at those whoknit, crochet, weave, hook, quilt or felt is coming to the Island this fall.

The festival will be held in Charlottetown the last weekend of September.

"It's always a joy when we all can gather in one place. Sometimes you just walk into a hotel and it looks like a knitting room," said Shirley Paden, one of the featured presenters lined up for the festival.

"It's like a playdate for us."

Paden gave up her day job selling computers to turn pro as a knitter 30 years ago. She is the author of several books and travels the world giving workshops at knitting and fibre festivals.

"She really is one of the pillars of the knitting industry and we're just thrilled to have her be visiting up here and playing with us," said festival organizer Kim Doherty-Smith.

But the festival will be about more than knitting, said Doherty-Smith.

"We're celebrating all things fibre," said Doherty-Smith.

"We're really pleased with the diversity of options that we're able to feature."

The festival will include a marketplace with more than 30 vendors, some offering items not seen for sale before on P.E.I., she said.

Paden, who has never visited the Island, is looking forward to seeing P.E.I. in autumn. The timing of the festival works for other reasons as well, she said.

"It's a time when knitters also begin to do their holiday knitting," she said.

"It is just going to be a really wonderful event. It looks like a gorgeous setting."

The festival will run from Sept. 23 to 25 at the Delta Hotel.