This northern Ontario fibre festival weaves farmers and crafters together

For the second year, the northeastern Ontario community of Desbarats is hosting the Algoma Fibre to Fabric Festival.

The festival will gather 38 vendors who sell clothing, textiles and the raw fibres such as wool or cotton to make those items.

It will also include 13 crafting demonstrations on everything from knitting and crocheting to spinning fibre and basket weaving. Attendees can also sign up for five workshops on a variety of topics about working with natural fibres.

Festival chair Kit Purnis-Koivisto is also a sheep farmer with a property just outside of Desbarats.

She says farmers in the area, along with the owner of a local yarn store, decided to host their own fibre festival after attending similar events across the country.

Purnis-Koivisto makes items like socks and rugs with her wool.

"I just love that connection to the animal," she said.

"For me personally, like anytime I label any of my products for sale, I always have at least one picture of the sheep that's involved in that and their name."

Although last year's festival was planned in only six weeks, Purnis-Koivisto says it proved to be a success.

"We did have a very good turnout last year,and it sounded like, from the feedback, that everyone was quite happy with how the day had gone," she said.

For its second year, the festival is adding a children's craft area and some crafting circles where people can bring projects they're working on and get some help or feedback on them.

The festival will take place on Aug. 10 at the Johnson Township Community Centre in Desbarats.