Introducing Fiber Expo's

Fiber Artists, Instructors & Lecturers

Kathy McMinn

Kathy started weaving baskets over 25 years ago.  She has owned The Basket Sampler in Highland, Michigan since 2007.

There are many styles of baskets that interest her, from simple pencil baskets to more complicated twill patterns. She often

incorporates yarn and fibers into her baskets.  She teaches all age groups from preschool to senior citizens.  You can see

some of her work on her website.  Www.thebasketsampler.com

Kathy Moskal

Kathy learned to knit in childhood, and took it up again after moving to a farm in Chelsea, Michigan in 1998.  She volunteers at WaterlooHistoricalMuseum demonstrating spinning on a wheel and drop spindle, felting and weaving.   She raises fiber animals: alpacas, llamas, angora goats and angora rabbits on her small farm.  Kathy is a member of Spinners Flock in Chelsea, MI.  She is also co-owner of Criations by Leslie, Custom Embroidery and their web-site is   http://www.criations.com  

Sue Schalk 

Sue learned to crochet from her aunt when she was a young girl. From there her interest in fiber and textiles has grown over the years and you can often find her doing demonstrations or at the local farmer’s market in Saline.  Sue works with natural fibers from beginning to end, hand processing, spinning, dying, knitting or crocheting items, as well as weaving.  She has won several awards for her weaving, hand spinning, and crocheted items from the Saline and Michigan State Fairs.  Sue and her husband own Two Branch Ranch in Saline, MI and raise alpacas; she often holds classes at the farm on a variety of fiber related topics.  Sue is also a member of the Spinner’s Flock hand-spinning guild in Chelsea, MI.  Contact Sue at sueschalk@gmail.com 

Katja Szarafinski

Born in 1959 Katja came to the USA in 1980 to work in the spa industry.  She home birthed and home educated five awesome people who all learned at least knitting and spinning if not becoming fiber artist outright.  She owns and operates Allen Day Spa with her daughter, Liese, and they fill many spare winter hours with mostly local wool and friends of wool. In 2000 she learned to spin on an antique wheel she inherited from her native central Germany.  She has taught informal spinning ever since, mostly in the beginners circle at Spinners Flock in Chelsea, Michigan and at East of Edon LLC Fiber Arts Days. She taught spinning formally at Homberg Community College in Germany in 2015.  katja@allendayspa.com

Liese Szarafinski

Liese has been a fiber artist for over 20 years with an emphases on wet felting.  During winters since 2008 she has taught felting and other fiber techniques at East of Edon LLc Fiber Arts Days in Allen, Michigan, and at Gallery 49 in Jonesville Michigan in 2017.  For more than ten summers now she can be found in the East of Edon LLC booth at the Hillsdale County Farmers Market where she sells her fiber art and her farms's produce and spins with the children of shoppers. liesemz@gmail.com

Julie Verhelst

Julie Verhelst owns Sunny Meade Alpacas,Ltd. with her husband Bill.  Their farm, home to 29 Alpacas is located outside of Toledo, Ohio in Swanton.  Julie has been breeding and showing huacaya alpacas for almost 21 years.  As a professional graphic designer, it was natural for her to expand the farm focus to include fiber arts.  She has a fiber arts studio in the barn where she creates one of a kind alpaca products like scarfs, purses, pillows, rugs and frameable art.  She teaches needle felting classes where individuals can come make their own unique creations.  Her fiber arts studio has been utilized by area artisans and alpaca breeders as a place to come and make items for their shops and farm stores.     https://www.sunnymeadealpacas.com 

Elizabeth Whitton

If you are interested in teaching a class or workshop, please use the link below to sign up Today!!

Class/Workshop Proposal CLICK HERE