Portland Fiber Gallery
Circa 2002 - 2013

For a number of years this was the website for the Portland Fiber Gallery.
Content is from the site's 2002 - 2013 archived pages and other outside sources.

The new owners of this site's domain have retain a historcial look back of the site's original content when the gallery was owned by Melodi Hackett.
If you have inadvertently ended up here while searching for the Portland Fiber Gallery....it has been reincarnated and is now known as PortFiber**. The new owner is Casey Ryder. The new website is found at: https://portfiber.com/

c** PortFiber was established in 2013. It is the reincarnation of the Portland Fiber Gallery & Weaving Studio. On September 30, 2013, former owner Melodi Hackett sold the business to long-time employee Casey Ryder. The focus of the shop remains the same--to support and inspire the fiberarts community with quality supplies and amazing classes taught by local instructors. Fiberarts is in our collective blood. It's a connection to our past, to our ancestors, to the earth and its fiber producing creatures. It is the aim of PortFiber to embrace those connections and make new ones with those who share the love of wool! Fiber folks, be welcome!

Portland Fiber Gallery
50 Cove Street
Portland, ME 04101

Portland Fiber Gallery & Weaving Studio

Committed to the development & support of the fiber arts community through inspiration, education, & quality supplies.

Welcome to the Portland Fiber Gallery

Located in the Bayside area of Portland, we strive to provide an encouraging community for fellow fiber-lovers by offering classes and carrying supplies for weaving, spinning, wet felting, needle felting, and dyeing. We also carry a selection of handmade garments, blankets, rugs, and items for the home. Stop in and let us help you on your merry fiber way!

About Us

The Portland Fiber Gallery and Weaving Studio was founded in the summer of 2000 by owner Melodi Hackett. It was formerly located on Stevens Ave. in Deering Center. Focusing mainly on weaving to begin with, it began to extend to other areas of the fiber arts including felting, spinning, and dyeing. The store moved to Congress Street in January 2005. In December 2011, we relocated again! We're now located at 50 Cove Street. Bigger space + parking = happy workers and happy customers!

Melodi Hackett graduated from UNH with a degree in Anthropology. She and her husband Rick moved to Maine from Ithica, NY in 1978 and started a family. It wasn't until her two daughters were old enough to stay home alone that Melodi began weaving, first taking a class at a shop in Scarborough. During the early 90s, Melodi was seriously addicted to knitting and was working part time at Martha Hall, a knitting shop in Yarmouth. In the late 90s she and some other artists opened Central Square Studios on Stevens Ave., a multi-artist stuido and gallery. This shop eventually became what is now the Portland Fiber Gallery & Weaving Studio.

Casey Ryder learned how to knit when she was in middle school. Her Meme taught her the two basic stitches, but nothing ever really came of it until college where she gave it another try. She became more involved in the world of fiber arts when she began interning at the Fiber Gallery in the Fall of 2008. It was here that she learned how to spin, felt, and weave. In addition to working at PFG, Casey also works at Sew Portland and does a bit of side-promotion for the New England Fiber Arts Retreat at the Medomak Retreat Center in Washington, Maine. She is very grateful to be living the fibery life!

Originally from Louisville, KY, Dana Fadel moved to Portland to pursue her love of weaving through an internship at the Portland Fiber Gallery. She's been weaving for four years and continually inspired to weave more. She also loves to embroider and crochet, but has yet to learn how to knit.

Rachel Bingham is back! She worked at our Congress and Washington St. location from 2008-2010 teaching classes in spinning, needle felting, and dyeing. She returned to us this past September as a dyer, creator of art batts, Etsy lister extrodinaire, and general shop helper. Rachel is a self-taught knitter, spinner, and natural dyer and has been working with fiber for twenty-two years! She lives on Peaks Island and works at her own studio dyeing, spinning, knitting, weaving, and painting. She is happy to talk to you about your fibery projects and offer any help you may need! Check out her Etsy shop, too: 44clovers.

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SUPPLIES

SPINNING

FIBER:

Undyed & Hand-dyed Top:
- alpaca/wool, alpaca/silk, bfl, bfl/silk, mixed bfl, mixed bfl/silk, superwash bfl, camel/merino/silk, cashmere/silk, corriedale, falkland, merino, superwash merino, merino/silk, superwash merino/cashmere/nylon, merino/yak/silk, polwarth, polwarth/silk,silk caps + squares, wensleydale
Undyed & Hand-dyed locks
Commercially dyed Top:
- merino, merino/silk, silk, romney, corriedale, Peace Fleece
Angelina

EQUIPMENT:

Spinning Wheels For Sale Or Rent:
- Louet S10 & S51
- Ashford Traveler, Traditional, & Kiwi
- Schacht Ladybug & Sidekick
Bobbins
Russian Drop Spindles
Schacht Hi-Lo Spindles
Hand Cards
Swifts
Ball Winders
Jumbo Lazy Kate

ACCESSORIES:

Ashford Niddy Noddies
Spinning Wheel Oil
Handy Andy

WEAVING

YARNS:

Wool, merino/silk, cotton, silk, merino/tencel, tencel, linen, rayon, rayon chenille

LOOMS FOR SALE OR RENT:

Rigid Heddle Looms
Table Looms
Floor Looms
Warping Boards

FELTING

SUPPLIES:

Needle Felting Wool
Needle Felting Foam
Needle Felting Needles
Multi Needle Felting Tools
Needle Felting Kits
Merino Wool
Silk Gauze for Nuno
Felted Soap Kits

DYEING

SUPPLIES:

Un-dyed fiber and yarns
Individual Greener Shades Dyes
Greener Shades Dye Kit (all 9 colors)
Botanical Colors Aquarelle Liquid Indigo Dye Kit
Botanical Colors Aqarelle Liquid Natural Dyes

KNITTING

YARN:

Hand-dyed yarns
Brown Sheep Worsted Weight, Bulky Weight, & Nature Spun
The Yarn Co. Acadia & Terra

NEEDLES:

HiyaHiya Circular Needles
HiyaHiya Interchangeable Circular Needles

2013

During 2013 the ownership of the Portland Fiber Gallery transitioned from Melodi Hackett to the most capable and long-time employee Casey Ryder.

Portland Fiber Gallery
50 Cove Street
Portland, ME 04101

Classes 2013

Registering for Classes

Pre-registration and payment is required to hold your spot for a class. Please call us with your credit card information. Or you may pay in-store with cash or check. Class fees are non-refundable unless a class is cancelled due to insufficient enrollment. If this happens, you will be refunded in full.

Tuesdays | 2:00pm-4:00pm | Rag Rug Weaving or Rigid Heddle Weaving with Dana Fadel

Wednesdays | 5:30pm-7:30pm | 4-Harness Weaving or Rigid Heddle Weaving with Melodi Hackett

Thursdays | 12:00pm-5:00pm | PortSpinners--social gathering meets weekly to spin. Join us!

Jan 26 | 2:00pm-4:00pm | Needle Felted Tomte (Gnome) with Anne Thomes

Jan 31 | 5:00pm-7:00pm | Needle Felted Heartscapes with Kathleen Gerdes

Feb 8 | 11:30am-1:00pm | Spinning 101 with Casey Ryder, first of four sessions

Feb 9 | 2:00pm-3:30pm | Wet Felted Vessels with Bristol Ivy

Feb 23 |10:00am-4:00pm | Core Spinning with Jackie Ottino Graf

March 2 | 1:00pm-5:00pm | Dyeing 101 with Casey Ryder

March 23 | 9:30am-4:00pm | Fiber Preparation with Robin Russo

March 24 | 9:30am-4:00pm | Spinning Exotic Fibers with Robin Russo

Weaving Classes

4-Harness Weaving or Rag Rug Weaving:

Learn to warp a loom and produce a scarf or table runner using color and pattern variation based on tabby threading. Or create a rag rug out of your old clothing or fabric. This class meets for six sessions. Cost is $275 and includes materials and loom rental.*

4-Harness Weaving on Wednesdays, 5:30pm-7:30pm

Rag Rug Weaving on Tuesdays, 2:00pm-4:00pm

*Loom rental is included for the 6 sessions of class. Additional time needed to finish a project past these 6 sessions will require that the student pay $10/week in rental fees. Also note that the student may use their rental fees towards the purchase of a new loom.

Rigid Heddle Weaving:

Make a scarf or table runner while learning the basics of weaving on a small rigid heddle loom. The first session is 2-3 hours with the option to take your loom home. The second session is 1-2 hours, learning how to finish your project. Cost is $110 and includes materials and loom rental.

Wednesdays, 5:30pm-7:30pm

Tuesdays, 2:00pm-4:00pm

Dyeing Classes

Dyeing 101

Delve into a world of color and learn two different dyeing techniques: hand-painting and sumbersion dyeing on wool. Cost is $70 and includes dyes and use of equipment. Bring your own washed and undyed fiber and/or yarn or you may purchase them here. Each student will dye four 4 oz. lots. *Max of 4 students.

Saturday, March 2nd; 1:00pm-5:00pm

*Please bring an apron and/or wear old clothes.

Spinning Classes

Spinning 101:

In this 4-session class, you will learn the mechanics and drive systems of different spinning wheels, how to handle different wools, and how to create a plied yarn. You will also learn about fiber preparation methods and how these affect your finished product. Cost is $180 and includes materials* and spinning wheel rental**. Sign up with a friend, and the cost is $165.

Fridays, February 8, 15, 22, & March 1; 11:30am-1:00pm

*Throughout the class, students will spin a total of 1lb of various fibers including corrieldale, falkland, bfl, polwarth, mixed bfl/silk, alpaca/wool, alpaca/silk, camel/silk, merino, merino/silk, merino/yak/silk, superwash merino/cashmere/nylon, polwarth/silk, and kid mohair. Woah!

**We credit wheel rental fees towards the purchase of a new wheel. You may rent a wheel regardless of whether or not you're taking a class for $10/week.

Core Spinning with Jackie Graf:

Have you seen the beautiful "art yarns" out there? Ever wanted to learn how to make them? If so, sign up for our core spinning class with core spinning pro, Jackie Ottino Graf of Dyemamma Woolworks. (Her first place yarn at this year's Fiber Frolic pictured right.)

Fiber and drum carders will be provided to create one of kind batts, which will then become the outer fiber of our corespun yarns! Cost is $75 and includes fiber to create a batt. *You must know how to spin on a wheel.

Saturday, February 23rd; 10am-4pm

Please Bring:

-Your spinning wheel (or you may use one of the shop wheels, but let us know ahead of time)

-250 yards of core yarn wound into a center pull ball or ona cone. Mohair is the best, but anythiing will do. The bulkier your core yarn, the bulkier your finished yarn will be.

-Lunch--we'll take a lunch break!

Fiber Prep with Robin Russo:

Well prepared fibers spin easily into beautiful yarns. This class covers both drum-carding and hand held combing of fine, medium, and coarse wools; color blending; luxury fiber preparation; and separation of guard hair from undercoat. We will also spin the carded and combed preparations so that we can view the difference between woolen and worsted yarns. This class will also help you have a greater understanding of all types of fibers and their properties. Must be able to spin and ply on either a drop spindle or wheel. Bring a wheel or spindle or rent one for the day from the shop.

Cost is $150 + $12 materials fee

Cost is $250 with Spinning Exotic Fiber class (see below) + $27 materials fee

Saturday, March 23; 9:30am-4:00pm

About the Artist:

Robin Russo lives in Bradford, Vermont where she teaches spinning, dyeing, felting and working with exotic fibers. Since the 1980’s, she has taught at numerous gatherings of spinners, weavers, felters, knitters and historical societies. She has also been writing for Interweave Press for 10 years and has had articles published in Interweave Knits, Spin Off and Interweave Felt. A fiber enthusiast for more than 40 years, she takes every opportunity to explore its potential.

Spinning Exotic Fibers with Robin Russo:

This is a spinning class that covers cashmere, yak, camel, qiviut, llama, alpaca, mohair, pygora, angora, and silk. We will discuss each animal's geography, history, and fiber properties and will spin from raw fiber, commercially prepared fiber, and our own fiber preparations. We will cover wheel adjustments, spinning techniques, and fiber preparation as well. Please bring your wheel or drop spindle.

Cost is $150 + $15 materials fee

Cost is $250 with Fiber Preparation class (see above) + $27 materials fee

Sunday, March 24th; 9:30am-4:00pm

About the Artist:

Felting Classes

Felted Landscapes with Kathleen Gerdes

Just in time for Valentine's Day! Needle felting is a fun way to express your artisitic side! Come learn the basics and create a 2-D needle felted heartscape. Cost is $35 and includes materials--a foam pad, a felting needle, and wool materials. Does not include a frame.

Thursday, January 31st; 5:00pm-7:00pm

About the Artist:

Kathleen L. Gerdes is a fiber artist who became interested in needle felting after many years of enjoying work with fabrics and yarn. She spends most of her time in her home studio creating colorful wool designs such as fiber wall hangings, wet felted wool vessels and other 3 dimensional sculptures. Her needle felting work can be seen at The Alpaca Shed in Portland, Maine. Kathleen lives in Falmouth, Maine and when she's not working with wool, she is a decorative painter, a potter, and an avid hiker and bicyclist.

Needle Felted Tomte with Anne Thomes

A tomte is a mytical creature from Scandinavian folklore who would look over a farmer's home and family, especially at night, and protect them from misfortune. Come learn how to needle felt and create a tomte of your own! Cost is $35 and includes materials: fiber, foam pad, and felting needle.

Saturday, January 26th; 2:00pm-4:00pm

About the Artist:

Anne is a mulit-media artist. She works in various areas of the fiber arts as well as in watercolor painting and calligraphy. She began needle felting in 2004 at the International Quilt Market, learning to flat felt on scraps of wool fabric. Over time, she progressed to 3-D sculptural work. Anne began writing needle felting instruction booklets in 2009, celebrating the four seasons. A fifth booklet is in the works about a Maine sea gull named Lawrence.

Wet Felted Vessels with Bristol Ivy

Ever wanted to take your fiber into three dimensions? We'll combine wool, soap, water, a resist, and some elbow grease to create a one-of-a-kind wet-felted bowl or vase. No experience needed. Cost is $30 and includes materials to make two vessels.

Saturday, February 9th; 2:00pm-3:30pm

About the Artist:

We're excited to have Bristol Ivy back in the shop. A former PFG employee, Bristol is pursuing her career as a knitting designer. Her patterns have been published with Quince & Co., Brooklyn Tweed's Wool People, and Twist Collective. When not spending every waking moment designing, she works behind the scenes for Brooklyn Tweed and dabbles extensively in weaving, spinning, dyeing, needle felting, and wet felting. Bristol lives in Portland.

PORTLAND FIBER GALLERY AND WEAVING STUDIO AND FIBER GIVEAWAY!

by THE SPINARTISTE on SEPTEMBER 21, 2012

Publisher’s Notes: It is with great pleasure that I introduce this week’s Featured Artist: the group of artists that make up the Portland Fiber Gallery and Weaving Studio. The group comprised of Melodi, Casey and Dana have been tremendoulsy supportive of Spin Artiste (advertiser, Spin Quest vendor, Leather and Lace Challenge Collection host location) and I am delighted to lift back the curtain so we all can learn more about their terrific enterprise!

Spin Artiste (SA): Hello ladies of Portland Fiber. Tell us how Portland Fiber Gallery and Weaving Studio came to be?

Portland Fiber Gallery (PFG): After a year as a multi-artist studio gallery, I (Melodi) took over the space myself in 2000. Other artist friends encouraged me to keep it just fiber so I recruited about 30 consigners, some teachers, borrowed some looms and bought a wider variety of materials and we were off. We offered weaving, needle felting, knitting, and book-binding. After a couple of years, the spinning bug thoroughly hooked me so I started buying wheels, better fibers for spinning (as opposed to needle felting) and then we also started doing some dye workshops.

PFG: Melodi is the owner and is in charge of buying. She also teaches classes in 4-harness weaving, rigid heddle weaving, drop spindle spinning, and some felting classes..

Casey is the shop manager. She does the bulk of the hand-dyeing; teaches classes in wheel spinning, needle felting, dyeing, and carding; and is the “oiler” of our fiber shop machine—trying to keep everything running smoothly.

Dana teaches weaving classes and fills in at the shop on occasion.

PFG: The original vision was a multi-artist studio/gallery space based on a shop I visited on a trip to Arizona. It wasn’t to be just fiber arts. It was me and 2 painters. After a year we parted ways and I took over the space myself.

SA: Casey and Dana, How did you get your opportunities to intern at PFG, and how would you describe your experience as interns?

Casey: I first wandered upon the PFG 3 years ago while walking around town looking for yarn. I ended up being roped into wheel spinning lessons and loved it! My favorite part was the class on hand-carding. Rolags are fun!

A few months later, I signed up to take a dyeing class with Bristol Ivy who worked at PFG, but is now an up and coming knitwear designer. I was floored to be able to spin something that I had also dyed myself! After my dyeing class, I was asked if I’d like to intern at the shop. My response: “Uh…YEAH!”

I really enjoyed my whole intern experience. Sometimes I would be in the dye kitchen, other times I’d be threading heddles for a chenille scarf. I’ve learned so much about running a business while working here and I love the problem solving nature of it all. How to get your name and product out there is both challenging and exciting.

Dana: I wanted to move to Portland, Maine, from my hometown of Louisville, Kentucky to learn to weave, and I simply “googled” weaving and Portland. Melodi and I began emailng each other about the internship and I was psyched. During my internship, she gave me free reign over the studio by letting me experiment with different patterns, yarns, and looms, and I wove most days and into the night. In exchange, I would make things to sell at the shop. I loved my life as an intern with the Portland Fiber Gallery!

SA: Casey, you seem to have your hand in many outlets of the fiber world, from PFG to your work with the New England Fiber Art Retreat. What would you say you have taken from each avenue?

Casey: The first thing that comes to mind is the people. I have made connections with so many talented, wonderful people–from ten-year-old needle felters, to artists displaying their work in galleries, to knitters who are looking to try something new. But the thing that binds us all together is the love of wool, the need for artistic expression, and the desire for community. And I sure do love this community.

SA: Dana your weaving is amazing. You mentioned that you are always inspired to make more woven pieces. What drives you to keep weaving?

Dana: I couldn’t quite put my finger on what drives me to keep weaving, but never in my life have I had so much vigor or excitement over something. After choosing amazing colors and textures to wind into a warp, there’s nothing more fun than daydreaming about what it will look like once I’m finished. For one thing, weaving has taught me patience, something I never thought I’d learn!

SA: Tell us about the gallery?

PFG: In January we moved to our 3rd location. It’s probably 2.5 times the size of the original studio. It’s a more commercial (as opposed to retail) location so there is always plenty of parking. We have a large retail space that can also accommodate the spinning groups that meet there. There’s a weaving room with 6 floor looms, many table looms and rigid heddle looms. Our dye kitchen is huge by comparison to our previous space.

Our gallery of finished goods has diminished over the years. We’re having so much fun teaching and supplying folks with the raw materials, we have less time for production. We are more inclined to consign hand-made tools for felting and spinning. Locally produced fibers are also more prevalent.

SA: What piece of equipment is most coveted at the gallery?

Casey: My favorite toys are the spin dryer and the drum carders. We use the spin dryer as the last step in our dyeing process. After the hand-dyeds have been washed, we put them in the spin dryer to spin out the excess water before they hang up to dry. Our old spin dryer just broke and the new one we ordered is three times as big! Woah!

We have two drum carders—one electric and one hand crank. I’ve been drawn to the non-electric one lately and applying fibers directly to the big drum for some real textured batts. OH! And the Supwash Merino/Cashmere/Nylon is my favorite fiber base to spin. It’s heavenly!

Dana: The Macomber Loom is divine!

SA: I know Portland is an up and coming place for arts of all kind. How has your location influenced your work?

PFG: We used to be located on Congress Street on the East End, but recently moved to a less trafficked area of town, the Bayside area. It has been a bit of an adjustment to not have as many walk-ins; however, our regular customers really appreciate that we now have parking. We also moved into a building that has 20-30 other artists renting studio space. So it has been nice to be in a space where creative ju-ju surrounds us.

One of the artists who shares our building has taken a real liking to needle felting, creating beautiful, abstract, and inspiring landscapes.

In the past we’ve had interns from the Maine College of Art. Our most recent intern, Victoria, is currently studying painting at MECA, but she’s artistic in many mediums. It’s always an eye-opening experience to have someone new do what you’ve been doing and see how he or she does it differently. Victoria is a very talented dyer and we had fun working with her.

SA: How would you describe your group dynamics?

PFG: When we are all in the shop, we’re usually all working on different projects, but we have fun together. We find inspiration among each other and we’re always bouncing ideas off one another, whether it be in regards to something we are making, a class we’re teaching or want to teach, or ideas on how to make an aspect of the business better.

We all really care about this place. It’s special to each of us.

SA: When teaching your students, what have you found you learned for yourselves?

Casey: I have learned how to meet students where they’re at. I’ve “written” my lessons in certain way; however, everyone comes from a different place—different learning styles, knowledge they already bring to the table, maybe some preconceived notions of how they want their finished product to look. My job is to quickly assess these things and tailor my lesson to work for them. I feel like this is something that will continue to get better with practice.

Dana: Many of my students have taught me to be absolutely free with my creativity, that is, with my choices of colors and patterns. I tend to fall into a rhythm of using certain colors and weaving a purely symmetrical piece, but the most beautiful weavings exhibit the freedom from overthinking

Melodi: People can be so hard on themselves. I encourage students to have fun and not try to be perfect.

SA: If the walls of PFG could talk what would they say?

PFG: Whatever they said, it would probably be hard to understand because the walls are covered in wool.

SA: If you all were a super hero troop what would be the team name?

PFG: The Wooly Wonders!

SA: No doubt! Thanks so much to all of you for giving us a peek into your world. I hope someday to see your studio on person and hope that the readers can too.

And, now, the moment you’ve been waiting for…THE GIVEAWAY! Whoever gets this fiber is going to be thrilled — I handled a lot of PFG’s fiber for Spin Quest and it was breathtaking. This particular batt, Mountain Fairies, is 4.3 oz. of natural Maine Alpaca, hand dyed Maine wool, Corriedale, Merino, Superwash Merino, Nylon, Sparkle and Silk. So, if you want to get in on the action, leave a comment below and let us know what your favorite combo of fibers is in a batt. Extra entries for sharing on Facebook, Twitter, etc. — just leave a comment letting us know you did. Winner to be picked via random number generator after 5 pm EST this Sunday. In the meantime, make sure to check out the Portland Fiber Etsy shop — lots of nice items to choose from! Until then, all the best, Arlene

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Fall + Winter 2012

Registering for Classes

Pre-registration and payment is required to hold your spot for a class. Please call us with your credit card info or mail or drop off cash or a check. Class fees are non-refundable unless a class is cancelled due to insufficient enrollment. If this happens, you will be refunded in full.

**Many of our fall classes have not been set as we are short on instructors at the time. Please continue to check back for updates. Thanks for your patience.

A Note About Class Times

We understand if the times listed below do not work with your schedule. If you're interested in the weaving or spinning sessions, please contact us and we will try to work with your schedule. For other classes, you may arrange for a private lesson or wait for the next set of classes to roll around.

Bronze Metal Clay for Fiber Artists with Ray Cooper

Have you ever wanted a special set of buttons or a shawl pin for that special fiber project, but you just couldn't find the right one? In this class, you will learn to design and make your own buttons or shawl pin using Fast Fire Bronze clay, a new and easy-to-use prduct. No previous metalworking experience is required, just your enthusiasm and design ideas. If you are not sure what to make, there will be plenty of examples in class to help you on your way! Cost is $70 and includes materials.

Please bring a notebook and pen or pencil and your design ideas if you have them. Bring a knitting project if you'd like to knit while pieces are fired in the kiln.

Saturday, October 27th; 10:30pm-4:00pm

About the Instructor: Ray Cooper is a fiber and metal clay artist from Buxton, Maine. He started in crafts as a fiber artist over 40 years ago and still enjoys spinning and dyeing yarn, knitting, and weaving. About eight years ago, Ray took his first of many classes in metal clay and became a certified metal clay instructor in 2006. Ray has studied with many of the masters of metal clay including Tim McCreight and Fred Woell. In 2010, Ray was the TA in a metal clay class at Haystack taught by Donna Penoyer.

Weaving Classes

Beginning 4-Harness Weaving:

Learn to warp a loom and produce a scarf or table runner using color and pattern variation based on tabby threading. This class meets for six sessions. Cost is $275 and includes materials and loom rental.*

Wednesdays, 5:30pm-7:30pm

Tuesdays, 2:00pm-4:00pm

Rigid Heddle Weaving:

Wednesdays, 5:30pm-7:30pm

Tuesdays, 2:00pm-4:00pm

Dyeing Classes

Introduction To Dyeing:

Saturday, November 17th; 1:00pm-5:00pm

*Please bring an apron and/or wear old clothes.

Spinning Classes

Core Spinning with Jackie Graf:

Saturday, November 10th; 11am-5pm

Please Bring:

-Your spinning wheel (or you may use one of the shop wheels, but let us know ahead of time)

-250 yards of core yarn--mohair is the best, but anythiing will do. The bulkier your core yarn, the bulkier your finished yarn will be.

-Lunch--we'll take a lunch break!

Drop Spindle Spinning:

This is the most basic and most portable form of spinning. In this two-session class, you will learn drafting and spinning techniques on a Russian drop spindle. Cost is $65 and includes a spindle and fiber.

Tuesdays, November 13th, 20th; 1:30pm-3:00pm

Wheel Spinning:

Thursdays, November 29, Decmber 6, 13, 20; 11:30-1:00pm

**We credit wheel rental fees towards the purchase of a new wheel. You may rent a wheel regardless of whether or not you're taking a class for $10/week.

Felting Classes

Felted Landscapes with Kathleen Gerdes

Create a 2-D felted landscape while learning the basics of needle felting. You may choose to create one of Kathleen's desings or bring an idea or photo along with you to work from. Cost is $35 and includes materials.

Thursday, November 15th; 5:30pm-7:30pm

About the Artist:

Winter Whimsy with Anne Thomes

The autumn season is upon us! That means pumpkin patches, corn mazes, and beautiful fall foliage. Drawing upon the beauty New England during this time of the year, come learn how to needle felt a pumpkin along with other autumn veggies! No experience is necessary. Once you learn the basics of needle felting, you'll be on your way to creating your own one-of-a-kind pieces! Cost is $40 and includes materials and instructional booklet.

Saturday, December 1st; 2:00pm-4:00pm

About the Artist:

Wet Felted Vessels with Bristol Ivy

Saturday, December 8th; 2:00pm-3:30pm

About the Artist:

2011

Portland Fiber Gallery & Weaving Studio
229 Congress Street
Portland, ME 04101

Fiber Arts Supplies, Classes, Gifts, and More!

Home Accessories / Eclectic Wearables / Learn Weaving, Knitting, Spinning, Feltmaking and more / Spinning and Weaving Supplies

Woven Jackets and more

Our Mission: To develop and support fiber artists by providing materials, education, and inspiration.

We are dedicated to the appreciation of fine fiber arts. We carry a unique array of fine wearables and accessories for the home, made by our teachers and students, who come to us from all over Maine and New England. Come see us today to find the perfect one-of-a-kind gift for that special someone in your life.

Or, if you prefer to make your own gifts, we have an extensive offering of fiber related classes and workshops. We offer weaving, knitting, spinning, needle felting, wet felting, natural dyeing, fabric painting, shibori dyeing and more. Our spinning and felting classes are held at our 229 Congress Street location, and our dyeing and weaving classes are held at our studio at 68 Washington Avenue, just around the corner.

We feature a broad range of products from the following companies:
	Silk City™ Jagger Bros™ Harrisville Designs Louet Wheels & Looms Ashford Looms & Wheels Ashland Bay Unicorn Books & Crafts Skacel Yarns Kraemer Yarns	Black Sheep Designs Grafton Fibers LeClerc Interweave Press Henry's Attic Schacht Spindle Company

Our Products Include:
	Chenille Scarves Beaded and woven accessories Blankets Ponchos Shawls Silk Scarves One of a Kind Jackets Hats Bags and Purses Cards We also have Gift Certificates!

Visit Portland Fiber Gallery & Weaving Studio today to see our unique selection of handmade gifts, clothing, and home decor items;vibrantly colored and hand crafted natural fibers: rayon chenille, cotton, wool, and silk. These unique items are handcrafted by local artisans using time honored spinning, weaving, and knitting techniques.

Learn to Knit, Weave, Felt, and Spin!
Portland Fiber Gallery & Weaving Studio provides instruction in weaving, felting, spinning, and dyeing, as well as a variety of fiber related crafts. Classes are available for adults and children ages 9 and up. Our workshops are taught by local artists who teach one day classes on their fiber art speciality. Contact us today to find out more about our upcoming classes and discover just how much fun fiber arts can be!

We also do custom work. We can create a truly one of a kind scarf, wrap, tallit or other garment. We work closely with you to make sure every detail is to your liking.

Here are just a few items for sale in the shop. If you are looking for a particular weaving or spinning tool or piece of equipment, call or e-mail us. We just might have it and our prices are excellent.

1) A great selection of spinning wheels from Ashford, Louet and Schacht. Call for more info or better yet come in and try one.

2) We've currently got more looms than space. There are a range of widths, harness capacity. See the equipment page for details or call us with questions.

3) Many cones of weaving yarns in cotton, rayon, cotton/linen and wool. Samples available on request.

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Winter 2011 Classes at Portland Fiber Gallery

Pre-registration is required to sign up for a class or workshop. Call us with credit card info or mail/drop off cash/check. Class fees are non-refundable unless a class is cancelled due to insufficient enrollment.

Spinning Classes

Drop Spindle ClassLow tech but very portable.

January 22nd and 29th, 2:00-3:30pm

Cost $65 includes spindle, fiber, and a copy of Spin It.

Wheel Spinning

Tuesday Evening Classes5:30-7:30

Cost: $120 includes fiber and 6 hours of classes

*Spinning Wheel Rental: $20/month.

Call to set up a start date for this class and specify you interest in either the Introduction to Spinning Class or Intermediate Spinning Class.

Introduction to Spinning This class will give you an introduction to handling fibers and take you through making plied yarn.

Intermediate Spinning This class will work with different fibers, from silk hankies, to bamboo, and talk about how you might approach each one. We'll also talk about Navajo-plying, cabling, and different techniques for producing the yarn you want.

*Renting a spinning wheel enables you to take it home between class meetings to practice. We want you to try several wheels to find the right one for you. If you decide to buy a wheel, we will credit your rental fees.

Weaving Classes

Tri-Loom Weaving Tri-loom weaving is done on a triangular wooden frame and uses a continuous strand of yarn. There is no warp to set up. The warp and weft are created simultaneously. In this class, you will create a 3' shawl/scarf. You may choose to bring your own yarn or use ours. If you do bring your own, bring between 150-200 yards of DK/sport weight to aran weight yarn.

January 26th and February 2nd, 5:30-7:30pm.

Cost $70.

Weaving on a Rigid Heddle Loom Weave a scarf on a small folding rigid heddle loom. Take your loom home for the interim to complete your weaving and we will show you how to finish off your project in the second class. We will have yarn to purchase for warping. You can bring yarn from your stash for the weft.

Cost: $100, includes two weeks rental of your loom.

Call to set up a time for this 2 session workshop.

Introduce Me to Weaving Try your hand at 4-Harness weaving. We’ll do the hard part and put the warp on for you. You’ll try out color and pattern variations based on a tabby threading. This class meets for four sessions.

Wednesday – 5:30-8:00 OR Thursdays 2:30-5:00

Cost $120 and includes materials.

Beginning 4 Harness Weaving Learn to warp a loom and produce a scarf or table runner using color and pattern variations with a 4 harness loom and a tabby threading. This class meets for 6 sessions.

Wednesday 5:30-8:00 OR Thursday 2:30-5:00

Call to set up a start date for this 6 week class.

Cost $235 and includes materials.

Felting Classes

Felted Soaps

Wet felt wool onto a bar of soap to create your own loofa with built in suds!

December 18th, 2-3:30

Cost $25, includes materials to make 2 bars

Needle Felted Fairies Create a whimsical fairy or two and find out just how fun needle felting can be!

January 14th, 2-4

Cost $35, includes materials.

Needle Felted Veggies Come learn the very addictive craft of needle felting! No experience is necessary.

February 12th, 2-4.

Cost $35, includes materials.

Nuno Felting
Learn to make a delicate and beautiful wool and silk scarf with this interesting twist on wet-felting.

February 19th, 12-5.

Cost $80, includes materials.

Dyeing Classes

Dyeing by the Seat of Your PantsCome to a dye class where your own ideas of color and fun rule. Learn the basics of proper handling and safety and then we’ll toss the measuring cups out the window and improvise to make one of a kind dyed yarn or fiber. Bring an apron and a sense of adventure. Bring your own animal fiber or silk materials, or purchase fiber or yarn from us!

January 28th, 1-5pm

Cost $85

Summer Programs For Kids 8 & Up

The time is almost here for our Summer Workshops for Kids ages 8-up! Our first session starts July 12-23 for 2 weeks from 9-3pm for $400. It will be a great time to collect plants for dyeing along the Eastern Prom, set out jars of wool and Koolaid, learn to weave, spin and felt, and make new friends.

The rest of our sessions are as follows:
July 26-30 1 week 9-3pm for $225
August 2-13 for 2 weeks 9-3pm for $400
and August 16-20 for 1 week from 9-3pm for $225.

The 1 week sessions will be sampler sessions with plenty of time to create a variety of projects from each discipline. The 2 week sessions will allow for deeper exploration of each discipline.

Extended care is available for an additional fee if needed until 5pm.

To sign up please give us a call or pop in and reserve your spot. We ask for a $50 non refundable deposit per session and ask for full payment 1 week prior to the session you've signed up for.
207-780-1345

2004

Portland Fiber Gallery & Weaving Studio
463 Stevens Avenue
Portland, ME 04103-2635

Special Events, Classes and Workshops

WEAVING

Floor Loom
6 Thursdays, January 15-Feb, 27, Any 2 hours between 12:30-4:30 pm
6 Wednesdays, March 17-April 21, 6-8 pm
$125 includes materials for one project

Tapestry
3 Saturdays, February 7, 14 and 28. 9am to noon
$75 plus $15 for materials, $15 rental fee for loom.

Inkle Loom
4 Thursdays, March 11-April 1, 3:30-5pm
$55 plus $5 for materials

SPINNING
Intro to Spinning
4 Tuesdays, January 20-February 10, 6-8pm
For ages 12 and up
$70 plus $5 for materials, wheel rental $5/month

KNITTING
Basic Knitting
4 Tuesdays, January 20-February 10, 6:30-8pm
$65

Fair Isle Knitting
Wednesdays February 25-March 17, 6:30-8pm
$55 plus $5 for materials

WORKSHOPS
Dying Wool and Silk Saturday, January 31, 9am to 3pm
$45 for wokshop, Materials list upon registration

Felting
Saturday, February 7 OR Saturday, March 6
2 part workshop. 2 kinds of felting
8:30-noon, needle felting
1-5pm, nuno felting
$40 plus $10 for materials, supplies list upon registration

Call us at 207-780-1345 for more information, to register or
to be added to the mailing list.

More Background On PortlandFiberGallery.com

Long before Portland, Maine became nationally recognized for its thriving arts and culinary scenes, it had already established itself as a welcoming destination for makers, craftspeople, and artisans. Among the businesses that helped cultivate this creative identity was Portland Fiber Gallery & Weaving Studio, a specialty fiber arts shop that served the region from 2000 until its transition into PortFiber in 2013.

Rather than functioning solely as a retail yarn shop, Portland Fiber Gallery developed into an educational center, community gathering place, artist showcase, and supplier of professional-quality equipment for fiber enthusiasts throughout Maine and New England. During its years under founder Melodi Hackett, the gallery became known for supporting traditional textile arts while embracing contemporary approaches to weaving, spinning, felting, dyeing, and knitting. Its legacy continues today through PortFiber, which maintains many of the same educational and community-focused values established by the original business.

Origins and Founding

Portland Fiber Gallery & Weaving Studio was founded during the summer of 2000 by Melodi Hackett. Before opening the gallery, Hackett had developed a passion for weaving after raising her family and taking classes in southern Maine. Her interest quickly expanded beyond weaving into numerous textile disciplines, eventually inspiring her to create a business dedicated entirely to fiber arts.

The gallery's beginnings were modest. Initially located on Stevens Avenue in Portland's Deering Center neighborhood, it evolved from Central Square Studios, a multi-artist cooperative that Hackett had established with other artists during the late 1990s.

After operating the cooperative for about a year, Hackett chose to focus exclusively on fiber arts. Encouraged by fellow artists, she recruited approximately thirty local consignors, assembled weaving looms, expanded inventory, and began offering educational workshops. This decision transformed what had been a general arts space into one of Maine's premier fiber arts destinations.

Growth Through Multiple Locations

As customer demand increased, Portland Fiber Gallery relocated several times to accommodate expanding inventory, classroom space, and workshop facilities.

The gallery's evolution reflected its growing importance within Portland's creative economy:

2000: Stevens Avenue in Deering Center
2005: Congress Street in Portland
2011: 50 Cove Street in Portland's Bayside neighborhood

Each move represented more than simply acquiring additional square footage.

The final Cove Street location provided significantly larger teaching areas, dedicated weaving studios, an expanded dye kitchen, retail space, and plentiful parking—an improvement frequently appreciated by students and returning customers.

Its location within the Cove Street Arts Center also placed the gallery alongside dozens of working artists, reinforcing collaboration among painters, printmakers, sculptors, book artists, and textile professionals. This environment fostered interdisciplinary creativity while introducing new audiences to fiber arts.

Founder Melodi Hackett

Melodi Hackett became widely respected throughout Maine's fiber community not only as a business owner but also as an educator and advocate for traditional textile crafts.

Her academic background differed considerably from her eventual profession. After graduating from the University of New Hampshire with a degree in Anthropology, Hackett moved to Maine with her husband Rick in the late 1970s.

Her initial interest centered on knitting, including employment at Martha Hall, a knitting shop in nearby Yarmouth. Eventually weaving captured her attention, followed by spinning, dyeing, felting, and textile design.

Hackett often emphasized that perfection was never the objective. Instead, students were encouraged to experiment, learn through practice, and appreciate the creative process. That philosophy became one of the defining characteristics of Portland Fiber Gallery's educational approach.

A Mission Centered on Education

One of the defining characteristics of Portland Fiber Gallery was that education was never treated as an afterthought. While many yarn shops offered occasional demonstrations, the gallery built an extensive curriculum designed to introduce beginners to fiber arts while helping experienced makers expand their skills.

Its mission was consistently expressed as developing and supporting fiber artists through materials, education, and inspiration. That philosophy shaped nearly every aspect of the business, from inventory selection to classroom design and instructor recruitment.

Students could enroll in multi-week courses, intensive workshops, or single-session classes covering virtually every major fiber discipline.

These included:

Four-harness weaving
Rigid heddle weaving
Rag rug weaving
Wheel spinning
Drop spindle spinning
Fiber preparation
Wet felting
Needle felting
Natural dyeing
Hand painting yarn
Core spinning
Exotic fiber spinning
Fabric dyeing
Children's fiber arts programs

Rather than teaching only finished projects, instructors emphasized understanding the underlying techniques, equipment, and materials so students could continue creating independently.

An Extensive Selection of Fiber Arts Supplies

The retail side of Portland Fiber Gallery reflected the needs of serious fiber artists rather than casual hobbyists.

Customers could purchase both beginner equipment and professional-grade tools from respected manufacturers including Ashford, Louet, Schacht, Harrisville Designs, LeClerc, Jagger Brothers, Silk City, Henry's Attic, Ashland Bay, and Interweave Press.

Its inventory covered virtually every stage of textile production.

Spinning

Spinners found one of northern New England's broader selections of raw fibers, including:

Merino
Falkland
Corriedale
Blue Faced Leicester (BFL)
Polwarth
Romney
Alpaca
Camel
Cashmere
Yak blends
Silk
Mohair
Wensleydale
Luxury fiber blends

Equipment included:

Ashford spinning wheels
Louet wheels
Schacht wheels
Drop spindles
Hand cards
Drum carders
Ball winders
Swifts
Lazy Kates
Bobbins
Fiber preparation tools

Many expensive spinning wheels were also available for rental, allowing newcomers to experiment before investing several hundred or even several thousand dollars in equipment.

Weaving

The weaving department carried yarns suitable for both beginners and professional textile artists.

Popular fibers included:

Wool
Cotton
Linen
Rayon
Rayon chenille
Silk
Tencel
Merino blends

Customers could purchase or rent:

Floor looms
Table looms
Rigid heddle looms
Warping boards

The ability to rent looms was particularly valuable because it lowered the financial barrier to learning weaving.

Felting

Felting supplies ranged from beginner kits to advanced materials.

Products included:

Needle felting wool
Merino wool
Silk gauze
Foam work surfaces
Specialty felting needles
Multi-needle tools
Felted soap kits
Complete beginner kits

Dyeing

Natural color exploration became another hallmark of the gallery.

Students and customers could purchase:

Undyed yarn
Undyed fleece
Greener Shades dyes
Botanical Colors dye kits
Natural indigo products
Liquid botanical dyes

These products supported both workshop participants and independent fiber artists working at home.

A Community Rather Than Simply a Store

Perhaps the greatest reason Portland Fiber Gallery became so highly regarded was that it functioned as a gathering place.

Visitors often stopped in simply to ask questions, work on projects, browse new fibers, or spend time with fellow makers.

Weekly gatherings such as PortSpinners encouraged experienced and novice spinners alike to work together, exchange ideas, troubleshoot projects, and develop friendships.

This type of informal community learning has long been part of textile traditions around the world.

Historically, spinning circles, quilting bees, and weaving guilds served not only practical purposes but also social ones. Portland Fiber Gallery continued that tradition in a contemporary setting, helping preserve knowledge that otherwise might have disappeared.

Casey Ryder later described one of the shop's greatest strengths as the people themselves. She observed that customers ranged from young children discovering needle felting to accomplished exhibiting artists, yet they shared a common appreciation for wool, creativity, and community.

Supporting Local Artists

Unlike chain craft retailers, Portland Fiber Gallery maintained close relationships with local artists throughout Maine and New England.

Teachers frequently exhibited their own work while also selling handcrafted tools, dyed fibers, woven garments, and home décor.

The gallery featured products created using traditional techniques, including:

Handwoven scarves
Shawls
Jackets
Blankets
Rugs
Hats
Bags
Home accessories
Fiber art wall hangings

Rather than relying primarily on imported manufactured goods, the gallery emphasized locally produced handmade items whenever possible.

As the business evolved, owner Melodi Hackett noted that finished gallery pieces gradually became a smaller portion of the operation because increasing numbers of customers wanted to learn how to create their own work. Consequently, educational programming and raw materials became the gallery's primary focus.

Distinguished Instructors

The quality of instruction helped distinguish Portland Fiber Gallery from many hobby shops.

Classes were taught by practicing artists and nationally respected fiber professionals, including:

Casey Ryder
Melodi Hackett
Dana Fadel
Robin Russo
Jackie Ottino Graf
Bristol Ivy
Kathleen Gerdes
Anne Thomes

Several instructors later became widely recognized within specialized fiber communities.

For example, Bristol Ivy went on to establish an international reputation as a knitwear designer whose patterns have appeared through Brooklyn Tweed, Quince & Co., and other respected publishers.

Robin Russo became known throughout the fiber arts world for teaching spinning, felting, dyeing, and exotic fibers while contributing articles to Interweave publications.

By inviting recognized specialists to teach workshops, Portland Fiber Gallery provided Maine students with access to expertise that otherwise might have required traveling significant distances.

The Transition to PortFiber

One of the most significant moments in the history of Portland Fiber Gallery occurred in 2013, when founder Melodi Hackett transferred ownership of the business to Casey Ryder, a longtime employee who had grown alongside the shop and become one of its primary instructors.

Rather than representing the end of the gallery, the sale marked the beginning of its next chapter.

On September 30, 2013, Casey Ryder officially became owner, and the business was reintroduced as PortFiber. The transition was intentionally designed to preserve the values that customers had come to appreciate over the previous thirteen years. Ryder retained the emphasis on education, quality fiber supplies, and fostering an inclusive fiber arts community while modernizing the business for a new generation of makers.

Today, PortFiber continues to operate from Portland, Maine, offering classes, fiber supplies, hand-dyed fibers, weaving equipment, spinning tools, and specialty yarns. Many longtime customers view PortFiber not as a replacement for Portland Fiber Gallery, but as its direct continuation.

Reputation Within the Fiber Arts Community

Although Portland Fiber Gallery never sought national recognition in the way large retail chains or online craft stores often do, it earned an excellent reputation within the highly connected fiber arts community.

Its reputation developed primarily through:

Word-of-mouth recommendations
Returning students
Regional fiber festivals
Local weaving and spinning guilds
Maine artisans
National fiber instructors
Specialty fiber publications
Online fiber blogs

Because fiber artists frequently travel considerable distances for respected instructors and quality supplies, the gallery attracted visitors from throughout Maine and neighboring New England states.

Many students first visited to attend a single workshop but later returned repeatedly for additional classes, equipment purchases, or weekly spinning gatherings.

Media Coverage and Recognition

Rather than receiving coverage from mainstream newspapers, Portland Fiber Gallery was most frequently featured in publications and websites devoted specifically to fiber arts.

One particularly detailed feature appeared in Spin Artiste in 2012. The lengthy interview introduced readers to Melodi Hackett, Casey Ryder, Dana Fadel, and the gallery's educational philosophy.

The interview highlighted several defining characteristics of the business:

its collaborative working environment;
commitment to teaching rather than merely selling products;
encouragement of experimentation;
support for interns and emerging artists;
appreciation for traditional craftsmanship alongside innovation.

The article portrayed Portland Fiber Gallery as a creative workplace where instructors constantly learned from one another while adapting lessons to individual students.

Rather than emphasizing commercial success, the interview focused on community building, artistic exploration, and helping people discover confidence in their creative abilities.

Reviews and Customer Experience

Because much of Portland Fiber Gallery operated before today's review-driven social media environment, relatively few modern online reviews survive.

However, archived comments, blog posts, and interviews consistently describe similar experiences.

Visitors frequently praised:

knowledgeable instructors;
welcoming atmosphere;
patient teaching style;
exceptional fiber selection;
high-quality spinning equipment;
locally made products;
inspiring workshop environment.

Many students noted that instructors encouraged experimentation instead of perfection.

This educational philosophy reduced the intimidation often associated with learning technically demanding crafts such as weaving or wheel spinning.

The availability of equipment rentals further distinguished the gallery by allowing students to practice at home without immediately committing to expensive purchases.

Influence on Portland's Creative Community

The gallery's importance extended beyond fiber arts alone.

Its various locations placed it within neighborhoods that were becoming increasingly recognized for independent businesses, artist studios, galleries, and creative entrepreneurship.

The final Cove Street location proved especially significant.

Situated within a building housing approximately twenty to thirty artists' studios, Portland Fiber Gallery became part of a broader ecosystem where painters, sculptors, printmakers, textile artists, and designers regularly interacted.

This environment encouraged interdisciplinary collaboration while exposing visitors to multiple artistic disciplines during a single visit.

Internships with students from the Maine College of Art further strengthened these connections.

According to gallery staff, each intern brought fresh ideas and different creative approaches, benefiting both students and instructors alike.

Cultural Significance

Portland Fiber Gallery represents an important chapter in Maine's continuing tradition of textile craftsmanship.

Long before industrial manufacturing, spinning, weaving, dyeing, knitting, and felting were essential domestic skills throughout New England.

Although these crafts gradually shifted from necessity to artistic expression, businesses such as Portland Fiber Gallery helped preserve techniques that might otherwise have become increasingly rare.

The gallery also reflected broader developments within the American fiber arts revival.

Beginning in the late twentieth century, renewed interest in handmade goods, sustainable materials, natural fibers, and traditional craftsmanship encouraged many artists to revisit historical textile practices.

Portland Fiber Gallery became part of that movement by connecting contemporary makers with centuries-old techniques while introducing younger generations to spinning wheels, floor looms, natural dyes, and hand-felting.

Its emphasis on education ensured that knowledge continued to be shared rather than remaining confined to museums or historical demonstrations.

Legacy

Looking back, Portland Fiber Gallery accomplished considerably more than operating a successful specialty retail store.

It became:

an educational institution;
a community gathering place;
a showcase for local artists;
an incubator for future instructors;
a supplier of professional-quality equipment;
a steward of traditional textile knowledge.

Many instructors who taught there continued successful careers elsewhere, while numerous students went on to become accomplished fiber artists themselves.

The transition to PortFiber ensured that this legacy did not disappear with a change in ownership.

Instead, the original mission established by Melodi Hackett—to support fiber artists through education, inspiration, and quality materials—continues to guide the business today under Casey Ryder's leadership.

PortlandFiberGallery.com serves as an important historical record of one of Maine's most influential independent fiber arts businesses. Although the original Portland Fiber Gallery officially became PortFiber in 2013, its contributions to the regional fiber arts community remain evident. Through comprehensive educational programming, exceptional supplies, support for local artisans, and an unwavering commitment to preserving traditional textile techniques, the gallery helped thousands of students and makers discover—or deepen—their appreciation for fiber arts.

Its story illustrates how a small, locally owned specialty shop can have an outsized cultural impact. Rather than measuring success solely through expansion or commercial growth, Portland Fiber Gallery built its reputation by fostering creativity, encouraging lifelong learning, and cultivating a welcoming community where beginners and experienced artists alike could explore weaving, spinning, dyeing, knitting, and felting. More than two decades after its founding, its influence continues through PortFiber, ensuring that the spirit and mission of the original gallery remain woven into Portland's vibrant artistic landscape.

PortlandFiberGallery.com

Portland Fiber GalleryCirca 2002 - 2013

Portland Fiber Gallery & Weaving Studio

About Us

SUPPLIES

2013

Classes 2013

Registering for Classes

Weaving Classes

Dyeing Classes

Spinning Classes

Felting Classes

PORTLAND FIBER GALLERY AND WEAVING STUDIO AND FIBER GIVEAWAY!

Fall + Winter 2012

Registering for Classes

Bronze Metal Clay for Fiber Artists with Ray Cooper

Weaving Classes

Beginning 4-Harness Weaving:

Rigid Heddle Weaving:

Dyeing Classes

Introduction To Dyeing:

Spinning Classes

Core Spinning with Jackie Graf:

Drop Spindle Spinning:

Wheel Spinning:

Felting Classes

Felted Landscapes with Kathleen Gerdes

Winter Whimsy with Anne Thomes

Wet Felted Vessels with Bristol Ivy

2011

Winter 2011 Classes at Portland Fiber Gallery

Spinning Classes

Weaving Classes

Felting Classes

Dyeing Classes

Summer Programs For Kids 8 & Up

2004

Special Events, Classes and Workshops

WEAVING

More Background On PortlandFiberGallery.com

Origins and Founding

Growth Through Multiple Locations

Founder Melodi Hackett

A Mission Centered on Education

An Extensive Selection of Fiber Arts Supplies

Spinning

Weaving

Felting

Dyeing

A Community Rather Than Simply a Store

Supporting Local Artists

Distinguished Instructors

The Transition to PortFiber

Reputation Within the Fiber Arts Community

Media Coverage and Recognition

Reviews and Customer Experience

Influence on Portland's Creative Community

Cultural Significance

Legacy

Portland Fiber Gallery
Circa 2002 - 2013