After being put on pause for two years due to the pandemic, Fiber Fun In The ‘Sip will be returning with all the entertainment, classes, vendors and excitement that made the event a success.

“It’s really great to be back,” said Fiber Fun In The ‘Sip organizer Judy Busby. “And it will be fun to see past attendees and meet new attendees.”

The inaugural event, which highlighted several areas of fiber craft including knitting, crochet, spinning, weaving and dying, was held in 2018 at the Vicksburg Convention Center and followed by another successful year in 2019. Unfortunately, it was canceled in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

This year, the festival will once again be held at the VCC, 1600 Dr. Briggs Hopson Blvd., and will kick off at 9 a.m. on Friday, Aug. 26 and run until 5 p.m. and continue Saturday, Aug. 27 from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m.

Fiber arts shows are hosted throughout the United States, and Busby said while they, too, are fun to attend, the show in Vicksburg is unique.

“We have live music and a sit-and-knit area,” she said, and as in the two years past when the festival was held, a signature drink will also be available.

“This year we will be serving the Dropped Stitch,” Busby said. The Mojito-style cocktail was given its name, she said, with the warning that if you have a couple, “you might drop a stitch.”

In addition to the signature cocktail, Busby said, to offer a bit of Southern hospitality on Saturday morning, Mimosas and Bloody Marys will also be available for sale along with beignets.

“When we served beignets in 2019, they sold out,” Busby said, and more had to be made.

Live music will be provided by Blues musician Kimble Funches from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. on both days of the festival.

Busby said Funches has performed with some of the nation’s greatest artists including Mavis Staples, the O’Jays, Paul Overstreet and Wilson Pickett, B.B. King, Pine Top Perkins and David ‘Fathead’ Newman.

Classes offered during the festival will run from 9 a.m. until noon and from 1 until 4 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.

The cost of a day pass to the festival is $5 or $7 for a weekend pass.

Busby said Fiber Fun In The ‘Sip is being paid for in part with grants from Visit Mississippi and the Vicksburg Convention Visitors Bureau.

For more information and detailed information about classes and the event, visit fiberfuninthesip.com.

 

Schedule of classes and instructors:

Friday, Aug. 26

• 9 a.m.-noon
  • Donna Peyton — Entrelac, knitting technique used to create a textured diamond pattern; Intermediate skill level; $37
  • Beverly Anglin — Finishing Fun, finishing techniques for knitting; Intermediate skill level; $37
  • Jonee Davis — Diagrams Made Easy for Crocheters, simple and way to learn how to read a pattern; Intermediate skill level; $52
  • Jennifer Miller — Design Your Own Shawl Without Charts or Math, learn the geometry of shawls and how they are constructed; Intermediate skill level; $52
• 1-4 p.m.
  • Katie Clark — Double Knitting, a fun technique that produces a two-color, double-layered fabric with reversible design; Intermediate skill level; $52
  • Bex Oliger — Continuous Strand Weaving on a Frame, a technique for creating triangles, squares or rectangles of woven fabric that can be joined together to make shawls, scarves, pouches, rugs, pillows, etc.; Beginner skill level; $37; materials, $20
  • Gina Levesque — Introduction to Natural Dyes, the art and history of fabric dyeing using lightfast and colorfast natural dyes; Beginner skill level; $65
  • Marla Morris — Embroider Your Knitting, introduction to using embroidery stitches to embellish your knitting; Beginner-Advanced skill levels; $50
• 1-5 p.m.
  • Jonee Davis — Crocheted Socks, learn to crochet socks; Intermediate skill level; $52

Saturday, Aug. 27

• 9 a.m.-noon
  • Beverly Anglin — Zoom Loom Weaving, learn the basics of pin loom weaving; Beginner skill level; $37; materials; $45
  • Jennifer Miller — Decorative Cast-On and Bind-off Techniques: Whimsical Touches for your Knitted Projects!, fun class with some innovative ideas for starting and finishing your knitted projects, including shawls, hats, mitts, scarves and more; Intermediate skill level; $47
  • Donna Peyton — Fair Isle Hat Knitting, learn the Scandinavian technique of stranded knitting; Intermediate skill level; $37
  • Katie Clark — Learn Continental Knitting, Learn and practice how to comfortably hold your yarn and “pick” your stitches the right way to continental knit; Advanced beginner skill level; $52

• 9 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
  • Jonee Davis — Learning to Twine, Learn how to weave a rag rug or placemats without the expense of buying a loom; All skill levels; $52

• 1-2 p.m.
  • Marla Morris — Spot Me Now Scarf, make a silk scarf with a sprinkling method; Any skill level; $27

• 1-4 p.m.
  • Bex Oliger — Toe-Up, Two-At-A-Time Socks, learn how to make socks from the toe up and two at a time; Intermediate skill level; $37 materials, $30
  • Donna Peyton — Beginning Drop Spinning, learn the basics of spinning on a drop spindle; Beginner skill level; $37
  • Beverly Anglin — Tunisian Crochet, learn the basics of Tunisian Crochet; Intermediate skill level; $37; materials, $15
  • Gina Levesque — Indigo Magic, learn how to prepare a stock solution and indigo dye bath and how various fibers take the dye; Beginner skill level; $65
  • Katie Clark — Making a Sweater the Fits For Knitting or Crochet; Intermediate skill level; $52