PROCESSING AND HARVESTING ABUNDANT PLANT FIBER

A workshop with LB Bacchus, fiber artist and Kudzu Culture organizer.

The alchemy of fiber processing is deeply woven within humanity. Long ago, people learned from other animal weavers and papermakers such as mice, birds, and paper wasps. Then people experimented and learned throughout millennia how to extract archival fiber from plants. Thankfully there are people around the world continuing these deep traditions.

In this hands-on workshop we will learn about The Best of the Bast (bast is a layer of fiber in plants!). We will review a general history of various bast fiber cultivation, harvesting and processing traditions from around the world, and handle a few bast fiber plants that grow in abundance locally: kudzu, banana, and paper mulberry. Participants will go home with a fiber tassel charm made from kudzu and banana, and a beaten barklace bookmark made from paper mulberry.

Suggested $20 donation (any amount is appreciated and no one turned away for lack of funds). Capacity is 20 people.