Out Our Way: Fiber Arts Show, cornucopia dinner and dance coming

Colleen Slater

Out Our Way

HARVESTFest on the Key Peninsula on Oct. 3 will feature a full day of interesting and fun events: Nine farms for touring, specialty foods available at local restaurants, the second annual Fiber Arts and Antique Tractor Shows at the Longbranch Improvement Club, and a Cornucopia Ball at the Key Peninsula Civic Center in the evening.

“Fiber Arts: Threads Through Time” will be open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The show will assemble a varied display of the gamut of fiber arts, from artistic to utilitarian, traditional to modern.

Local and regional fiber artists will display their work, demonstrate and explain techniques, and they’ll have finished items for sale.

Returning artists include Jan Buday, Kumihimo (Japanese braiding) and fused glass bead designs; Donna Daily, Tote-It-Around; Arlene Egan, weaving, felting and knitted silver jewelry; Delaine Gately, fiber historian and quilter; Robin Gould, sail maker and canvas bag designs; Lois Henderson, weaver, knitter and owner of Allyn Knit Shop & Spinning Supply; Elsa Leyden, owner of the Longbranch Fiber Farm; Peggy Viney, lace making, needle work and owner of Krazy Kat Fiberhaus; quilters from the Key Center Library Group and the Wednesday Troublemakers.

New artists will include: Denise Hays, “integrating fiber and paper into creative sentiments;” Julie Higgins, well known for theater costume design, will show wedding gowns; and Cinda Peterson, needle felting — specializing in custom sculptures of dogs.

The quilt designed for The Mustard Seed fundraising raffle will be displayed, and raffle tickets and Mustard Seed Project information will be available.

A corner will be set aside for a “knit-in” for elementary-aged knitters — The Knit Wits at Minter Creek and the After ’Ours knitting group at Evergreen, as well as adults who knit for hospitals.

Jim Larson and David Wiley will display and demonstrate knot tying and rope making.

And there’s still space available for demonstrators and exhibitors.

For more information, contact Carolyn Wiley at 253-884-9157 or by e-mail at c.wiley@mac.com.

Fred Leenstra’s antique tractors will be on display outside the Longbranch Improvement Club building, and other antique tractor owners are invited to bring theirs along, too.

Food and beverage service will be offered in the meeting room.

Dr. Roes Down Home Band will welcome guests at 5 p.m. for the Cornucopia Dinner and Dance at the Key Peninsula Civic Center, 17010 S. Vaughn Road in Vaughn.

Chef Oliver Coldeen will repeat his feat of last year and serve a special dinner will feature locally produced foods. Trillium Creek Winery will provide a free glass of wine to each dinner guest.

The promoters have lined up a good variety of items for a silent auction.

Little Bill and the Blue Notes, the Northwest’s favorite blues band, will provide dance music until 10 p.m.

“This community event celebrates the bountiful harvest on the Key Peninsula,” said Edie Morgan of The Mustard Seed Project. “It is the perfect way to end the day after the third annual Key Peninsula HarvestFEST Farm Tour. We invite everyone to come out and have a community ball!”

Tickets are $35, and attendees must be 21 or older. Tickets are available at Sunnycrest Nursery in Key Center, the Key Peninsula Civic Center, The Mustard Seed Project office in Key Center, Trillium Creek Winery in Home, Ellis Accounting on state Route 302, or at Framers Workshop in Gig Harbor.

Tickets may be sold at the door, depending on availability.

All proceeds the cooperative fundraising event will benefit Key Peninsula Civic Center, The Mustard Seed Project and the Key Peninsula Farm Tour Board.

For more information or to volunteer, call 253-884-1205 or 253-884-3456, or e-mail kpciviccenter@centurytel.net.

On the Web

To preview the 2009 “Threads of Courage” quilts that will be on display at the Lonbranch Improvement Club, visit www.gigharborquiltfestival.org.

Out Our Way columnist Colleen Slater writes a monthly column for the Neighbors page. She can be reached by e-mail at cas4936@centurytel.net.