Meet The Fibre Week Team
Fibre Week Coordinators
Otto Pahl - Olds College Coordinator
After
spending over 30 years as an educator in Alberta schools, Otto has been
enjoying his position as a continuing education coordinator at Olds
College. The rest of his time is spent on other activities such
as interacting with his four grandchildren and pursuing a variety of hobbies. He has recently published his second book entitled "Ere Their Story Die" which along with his first one, "The South Side of the Haystack", is attracting wide reader interest. He lives with his wife Karen on the
sunny side of a quiet street in Three Hills, Alberta.
Michelle Boyd - Fibre Arts Program Coodinator 2011/2012
Michelle Boyd is a Master Spinner and fibre artist living and working in Fort McMurray, Alberta. Trained as a graphic artist, she began working as a custom handknitter while at home with her small children. As her children grew, so did her passion for fibre and textiles, leading her to explore spinning, dyeing, felting and weaving. She now combines all of these techniques in her work, which has been exhibited in the VAAA Gallery in Edmonton and at the Gibson’s Landing Fibre Arts Festival. Michelle has also taught spinning and knitting workshops at a number of regional conferences and festivals and is currently designing a series of knitting patterns for handspun yarns. You can follow her fibre adventures on her blog www.whorlspins.blogspot.com
Leanne Sept - Alpaca Fleece Show Coordinator
Leanne grew up on a mixed farm just outside of Mayerthorpe, AB, after only a few years of living in the city she knew it was time to get back to the country.
In 1998, Leanne & her husband Kevin bought an acreage. Leanne began researching alpacas and it wasn’t long before they purchased their first animals and Sunnyhill Alpacas was born, www.twofarms-onevision.com. After a move to a larger farm just south of Rollyview, AB, Leanne & Kevin along with family members decided to take their business one step further, they purchased a mini mill to do custom fibre processing and in July of 2002 Twisted Sisters & Company Fibre Mill opened it’s doors for business. Sunnyhill Alpacas continued to add to their herd and Leanne realized that they needed an outlet to sell their own alpaca yarn and finished products; in 2004 Twisted Sisters Store opened its doors, www.twistedsistersmill.com. Leanne is an alpaca addict and is dedicated to the industry and volunteers wherever she is needed!
Crystal Gilbertson - Cashmere Show Coordinator
Crystal always intended to live out in the country. So for those who know her, it wasn't a big surprise when she started her ranch, Heaven's Mix Ranch shortly after completing a Bachelors in Psychology from the University of Alberta, Augustana Faculty. A fibre quest sparked by the cute English Angora rabbits she started raising during university led to the discover that cashmere comes from goats. Goats provided her a hardy, versatile livestock and well, they just match Crystal's personality all too well. Fibre arts take up her time when she's not working with her animals or with at-risk youth in the Grande Prairie, AB area.Crystal has been with the Canadian Cashmere Producer's Association board since 2008 and is the current president.
Lorraine Guyn - Llama Show Coordinator
Eagleview Farms, Calgary, Alberta
Lorraine and her husband, Lee, have been llama breeders for over 20 years at Eagleview Farms south of Calgary, Alberta. Lorraine has multiple titles for judging including being a Certified Alpaca/Llama Show Association (ALSA) judge for 15 years, a Certified Alpaca Owners and Breeders Association (AOBA) halter judge and an International Alpaca Judging School (IAJS) certified judge. Lorraine has judged throughout North America and has had the opportunity to view hundreds of llamas. Lorraine was raised on a cattle ranch and grew up understanding that whatever the species, herd selection to enhance ones breeding program is essential. The llama is a highly versatile animal and whether you raise your llamas for pack, carting, guard, companion, fibre or show correct conformation is essential.
Laura Lee Henderson - Mohair Show Coordinator
Linda Toews - Wool Show Coordinator
Heather Sjostrom - Merchant Mall/Fashion Show Coordinator
Donna Faulkes - Silent Auction Coordinator
Lisa Boykiw - Variety Spin-in Coordinator
Judi Dixon – Volunteer Coordinator
Ever since learning to spin with a “door knob” spindle several years ago, Judi has been hooked on fibre. She has participated in a wide variety of fibre venues both as an organizer and as a volunteer. Always on the lookout for a new fibre adventure, Judi enjoys exploring the back roads of Alberta, photographing old barns, buying fleece, and looking for cheap eats. An online journal of her adventures can be found at www.sheepless.ca .
Instructors/Presenters/Judges
Deb Behm
A long time spinner, knitter and weaver, Deborah combines her knowledge of fibre arts with yoga and meditation practice. Deborah has her Master Knitter Certificate from The Knitting Guild of America and was the Resident Fibre Artist at the Neil Balkwill Arts Centre in Regina for over 20 years. She has been published in SpinOff magazine, Fibre Focus,The Canadian Tapestry Network Newsletter and other publications.Deborah currently teaches fibre arts and studies yoga therapy. Follow her blog at wwwheartlikeawheel.blogspot.com.
Jen Black
Jen learned to knit at the age of 5 and quickly realized that she was able to collect an audience when she had needles and yarn in her hands.She completed the requirements for the Master Spinner Certificate in the spring of 2009.Jen’s in-depth study was designed to spin the most suitable cotton yarn to accentuate stitch definition in cabled hand knitting.This has resulted in an obsession for spinning cotton, in addition to her previous addictions to spinning other fibres and her well-known addiction to natural dying.Jen has taught spinning, spindling and dye classes for the Edmonton Weavers Guild and taught at Fibre Week in 2009.
Ruth Blazenko
Kristine Brooks
Kristine Brooks is the owner/artist of Curious Creek Fibers, a hand-dyed yarn company. She has been dyeing yarn, spinning fibers and fabrics for over a decade and enjoys teaching in order to share all of her knowledge so the art of dye-works will be advanced and not lost.
Sharon Costello 
Sharon Costello started as a fiber artist twenty-five years ago with a small flock of sheep and a love of creative experimentation. She has been a full time, professional feltmaker since 1995. She is well known for her prize winning needle felted art dolls and felted vessels. She has studied feltmaking in the US, Turkey and Scandinavia and shares her knowledge of the craft teaching workshops through national and international conferences, fiber and doll guilds, art centers and colleges. She also sponsors “Felters’ Fling”, a bi-annual conference that brings instructors from around the world to introduce new techniques to American feltmakers. Sharon has produced two teaching videos; one on her felt doll making techniques and one on featherweight felting methods. Her work has been featured in several books:1000 Artisan Textiles (Quarry Books), Uniquely Felt (Storey Publishing), How We Felt, (Interweave Press), 500 Handmade Dolls (Lark Books), Needle Felt (Felt Crafts), Yet More Felt in the Kitchen and Felt Figures Great and Small (Ewa Kuniczak).She has written articles on feltmaking and been featured in several magazines such as Shuttle, Spindle and Dyepot (Handweavers’ Guild of America), Fiber Arts, Spin-off and Felt (Interweave Press), Echoes (International Feltmakers’ Association), North American Felters’ Network, Cloth Doll Magazine, Soft Dolls and Animals Magazine, Hudson Valley Magazine, and a wide range of fiber guild and doll makers newsletters in the US and abroad. Her work has been featured in one woman and group shows from New York to California, as well as on the Home and Garden Television Network. Sharon is a member of The International Feltmakers Association, North American Feltmakers and Original Doll Artists Council of America (ODACA). Her feltmaking business, called Black Sheep Designs, specializes in kits and supplies for needle and wet feltmaking. Sharon has a design degree from Syracuse University and an MBA from the State University of New York at Albany.
Jean Curry
My interests include weaving, spinning, dyeing, quilting and embroidery and most recently knitting – manipulating cloth to make a statement. My work is mainly concerned with surface; colour and texture. I received diplomas from both Cariboo College, Kamloops in Visual Arts, and from the Alberta College of Art & Design in Calgary.
Being passionate about promoting the craft of weaving, I have served on the boards of the Hand weavers, Spinners and Dyers of Alberta, Alberta Craft Council, and the Association of Northwest Weavers. Most recently I have been actively involved in integrating the HWSDA Weaving Certificate material into the design of the Master Weaver Program for Olds College.
Donna Druchunas
Donna Druchunas escaped a corporate cubicle to honor her passions for knitting, world travel, research, and writing. She is the author of six knitting books including Arctic Lace, Successful Lace Knitting, and Kitty Knits, and she has just finished writing a book about knitting in Lithuania. She teaches workshop in North America and Europe as well as online at Craftsy.com. Visit Donna's website at sheeptoshawl.com.
Stephenie Gaustad
For nearly 40 years Stephenie Gaustad has taught classes in the textile arts: spinning, weaving, dyeing. Her articles have been published in Handwoven, Shuttle, Spindle and Dyepot, Spin.Off and Textile Artists Newsletter. She has illustrated “The Big Book of Hand Spinning” and has another book in process.
Rosemary Harris
After far too many years as a research technologist Rosemary opted for early retirement and time for the important things in life. A knitter since a young age, in the 1990s she became captivated by llamas and their fibre, which led to getting a Master Spinner certificate and learning all she can about Camelid fibres. Rosemary now teaches in the Master Spinner program and is currently working on revising the student manuals. And she still has time to enjoy her llamas and their fibres.
Tracy Kuffner
Tracey Kuffner is a graduate of Olds College. She currently lives in Brooks AB with her husband, two children, 150 sheep and a handful of llamas. Tracey has been a felt maker for 17 years and has taught at Olds College for the past 7 years during fibre week as well as the International Fibre Festival in Abbotsford B.C. and the Alberta Spinners, Weavers and Dyers Conference. She has designed clothing most of her felting years. Seven years ago Tracey wrote and illustrated her first children’s book featuring hand felted wool illustrations. She now has three children’s books and has toured over 200 schools conducting curriculum based felt making workshops to children across Western Canada as well as teachers through the many conferences she presents at.
Jani Meyers
Jani Meyers had been knitting and crocheting for longer than she can remember, teaching at Calgary Public Library and Olds. See her work at janientrelac in Raverly and her blog at Knitting behind your Back. She can knit behind her back but would rather teach you to knit or crochet with verve and pleasure.
Andrea Mix
Andrea is an instructional designer in the Learning Enhancement Services department at Olds College.She received her B.Ed. from the University of Regina, and recently completed her M.Ed. through the University of Calgary, with a specialization in Workplace and Adult Learning.Her involvement with Fibre Week 2012 includes leading a two-day instructor skill workshop, where those interested in improving their teaching skills are given the opportunity to practice lesson planning and delivery in a safe and non-threatening environment.Throughout the year, Andrea is also involved with the editing and design of the modules used in the Master Spinner and Weaver courses.Although she really has no background in the fibre arts, Andrea has learned a great deal about spinning and weaving after editing the modules and working with the very passionate and dedicated writers! Andrea and her husband and their two young children reside in Olds.
Dianna Mullens
Dora Mushka
Dora graduated from the Old’s College Master Spinner Program in 2009 and has been spinning for about 10 years. Her goal as a spinner is to create imaginative yarns by using the qualities of different fibres to make interesting colour and texture combinations. Dora is an active member of the Regina Weavers and Spinners Guild.
Coleen Nimetz
Coleen is a Master Spinner who has been spinning and dyeing since 1985.She has taught spinning for the Saskatchewan Institute of Applied Science and Technology, as well as workshops in the United States and Canada. Her work has appeared in many juried shows and has received numerous national and international awards.In 2006 she received the Saskatchewan Craft Council Award for Excellence in Textiles.Coleen and her husband make their home in Regina, Saskatchewan.
Birgit Rasmussen
Birgit Rasmussen is a master spinner, knitter and weaver living in Gibsons,BC. She has a Master Spinner Certificate from Olds College, Alberta. Birgit has taught spinning, knitting, natural dyeing and weaving workshops in Alberta and BC, including teaching in the Master Spinner Certificate Program at Olds College, at ANWG and HWSDA conferences, at fibre festivals in BC, in knitting stores, to guilds, and individuals. She has also taught fibre-arts workshops to groups of women in Kirgizstan and Bolivia.
Deborah Robson
Margaret Sjostrom
Margaret has been knitting for 45 years, spinning for 35 years (Master Spinner Certificate, Olds College and weaving for 8 years.An avid enthusiast of all fiber arts, Margaret has realized a life dream in the operation of Celeigh Wool, a spinning, knitting and weaving equipment and supplies retail outlet.Sharing the many art forms through teaching and learning new things from others is an ongoing process.Promoting Canadian fibers with Rare Breeds Canada and other Canadian producers such as Silver Valley Fibres is a driving force in her shop.Margaret lives in Millet with her husband Grant, Shetland Sheep, Star the Guard Llama, Tia the Border Collie and two elderly cats Penny and Rob.
Jane Stafford
Gayle Vallance
Gayle Vallance’s interest in sheep was sparked by a 3-year stay in Scotland. Upon returning to Canada she purchased a small flock of Corriedales and her enthusiasm for spinning began. She achieved a Master Spinner Certificate at Olds College in Alberta and Level I of the Certificate of Excellence (Spinning) through the Handweavers’ Guild of America. She now teaches regularly at Olds College Fibre Week and at workshops around the U.S. and Canada. Her interest lies in experimenting with colour and texture to create unique yarns for use in knitted and woven projects, making the best use of fibres, dyes, and spinning, weaving and felting techniques.
Linda Wendelboe 
Linda has been knitting sporadically since childhood but it was as a young adult that she first spread her fibre wings and learned to spin, weave and knot. After a brief foray into Shetland knitted lace, she has returned to spinning and rug making as her present fibre niches. She lives at Fibre Works Farm, located a half hour’s drive west of Olds, near the town of Sundre. She raises purebred Shetland sheep and Blue Faced Leicester crosses, bred for fine, soft handling coloured fleeces, both for her own use and for sale. She has taken numerous courses and workshops on evaluating fibre and is recognized by the North American Shetland Sheepbreeders Association as a Shetland Wool Judge.
Linda Wilson
Linda Wilson was born and raised in Montreal, Quebec. After taking some courses in fashion design and merchandising, she worked in the textile dye lab of Ciba-Geigy for almost 10 years.
In 1978 she moved to Fort McMurray, Alberta and quickly became involved in the craft community serving on the executive of Tarsand Weavers, The Fort McMurray Arts and Crafts Guild and eventually as the president of the Handweavers Spinners and Dyers of Alberta. During this time, Conroy Software was formed to market weaving software and handwoven goods. She began teaching weaving in 1980 and has completed the Basic portion of the Canadian Weavers Guild tests.
When the Amiga computers were no longer being manufactured, Linda obtained a diploma in Merchandising and Display and finally an Education degree with a Human Ecology major (new term for Home Economics). Presently she teaches full time in a business program at a local college in Edmonton. When time allows, she teaches weaving related courses for Edmonton Weavers Guild and throughout Alberta and British Columbia. This year she will also offer two courses online for a British Guild. For more info please check out www.sargasso.ca
