Story by Chloe Vieira

If your license plate frame reads, “My other wheels spin colored cotton,” you fit in perfectly with the crowd who gathered at Studio Channel Islands Art Center’s Wearable Art and Jewelry Show on Saturday, Oct. 15.

Skilled craftspeople, artists, weavers, spinners and curious community members shared wearable art at more than 31 tables covered in a rainbow of fabrics. Vendors including Slipped Stitch Studios, Mimi’s Needle Basket and RedFish Dye Works, set up booths in the grass between the artist’s studios in Old Town Camarillo.

The art center and the Ventura County Hand Weavers and Spinners Guild collaborated on the show. Weaving artist Deborah Jarchow has been in residence at the art center for seven years and is also a member of the guild. She said the shared event showed how much the art center and the guild have in common.

“I love to bring new members along to the guild and introduce them to weaving,” Jarchow said. She teaches weaving classes for beginners of all ages. Students can leave her six-hour class with a completed scarf. Jarchow says weaving is often faster than knitting.

“It’s like driving. Once you know how you don’t have to think about it,” she said.

Cathe Bodie, who took her first weaving class from Jarchow, raises alpacas and weaves their hair into scarves, hats and gloves. She sat at her wheel as it twisted tufts of hair into a long strand.

“The fiber suits scarves because it has good drape,” Bodie said.

Other booths on the lawn were strewn with yarn ball winders, drawstring bags, knitting needles, dyed threads of every color, scarves, hats, bags, jewelry, looms, bowls and vases.

Weaver and guild member Glenda Clift spun her wheel in her stocking feet. Without shoes, she could use the pedal more easily.

“You can spin from sheep’s wool, alpaca fibers, rabbit hair, yak, llama, dog, buffalo and even camel hair,” Clift said, “It’s just millions and millions of hairs twisted together.”

Nearby, Suzi Spooner and her mother showed off their handmade jewelry and rugs. The Spooner family sells crafts and uses the money to support two adopted children in Uganda.

“I wanted to do something to help them,” said the teen.

Spooner said her brother and sister weave rugs; her mom makes felted bags and her sister-in-law sews denim bags.

Spooner’s mother, Monica, has been a weaver for 22 years. She says the guild was a place for her to meet other weavers, share ideas and get inspired. “We all have fiber in common, and we all have yarn hidden under our beds,” she said.

On one table sat a collection of wooden weaving and spinning contraptions with odd names like small skein winder, lazy Kate and Inkle. Each has a unique purpose in the weaving process, said guild member Mary Jane Trifiro.

“Weaving was big in the 1960s and ‘70s and there has been resurgence in the last few years,” Trifiro said.

During the event, other artists in residence welcomed guests into their studios. Artist Carol Henry is hosting later this month “Art for Fun Nights,” an opportunity for non-artists to enjoy wine, mingle and experiment with paint.

“I never let people use erasers, that way they’ll keep moving on,” Henry said of her approach with newcomers.

At the event’s raffle drawing, winner Pat Netzley took home two huge baskets full of spinning and knitting supplies, notebooks, lotions, jewelry and more.

“I get teased at guild meeting for winning the raffles all the time,” Netzley said.

Those interested in joining Jarchow’s weaving classes can contact her at djweaves@earthlink.net. Contact Henry for more information about “Art for Fun Nights” at carolhenrystudio@gmail.com.