The Brush Factory in Brighton
Attention Fashionistas, The Brush Factory at in Brighton is getting set to re-open its doors on December 11th. No, the factory is not re-opening and taking brush orders. The only brushes you will find were left behind when the former owner of the 100 year old Cincinnati Brush Manufacturing Company closed his doors several years ago. You will, on the other hand, find hand crafted and custom designed fashion created by locale designers and artisans in a revamped and funky former factory complete with vintage brush décor that harkens back to the space’s former manufacturing glory.
The Brush Factory is the brainchild of owner Brittany Rose Kovacs who is a graduate of UC’s College of Design, Art, Architecture and Planning (DAAP). The boutique is located at 2019 Central Avenue in Brighton and is intended to be a cooperative store and studio space for local emerging designers and will showcase women’s and men’s clothing, handspun luxury yarns and other artisanal accessories.
Rose is passionate about the prospect of The Brush Factory being a vehicle to help revitalize the boutique’s rundown neighborhood in addition to bringing more to Cincinnati’s economic table. By bringing commerce to the Brighton area, she hopes to encourage other businesses to move in to some of the other vacant properties on Central Avenue. Also, Rose hopes that The Brush Factory will be a place to enable the Cincinnati creative community by encouraging artisans to produce high quality and inspired goods, and promote higher expectations and work ethics. Additionally, proceeds for all clothing alterations brought into the store will be donated to local charities. Rose and The Brush Factory will remain committed to working with other local charities as well.
Pia is pleased that Fiori del Campo Suri Alpacas will be presenting a line of hand spun Suri alpaca yarns, in addition to novelty yarns which include but are not limited to fibers like Mohair, Cashmere, Angora and Yak, in addition to wools like Merino, Romney and Icelandic. Other designers slated to present work at the Factory Lynda Lucas, Chris Kittrell, Brittany Rose (Poncho Rose), Jennifer Sult and Lacey Voss. Rose would eventually like to carry garments from additional independent designers from the Midwest as well.
The Brush Factory is scheduled to open on Friday, December 11th. Watch our website and blog for further information on this event and The Brush Factory in general.
Pia’s Spring Classes at the Weaver’s Guild of Greater Cincinnati
Pia is pleased to announce that she will be teaching more fiber arts classes at the Weaver’s Guild of Greater Cincinnati, 4870 Gray Road, Cincinnati, Ohio 45232 as part of their spring programming schedule. Class descriptions and registration information can be found at the Weaver’s Guild website at http://weaversguildcincinnati.org
.
.
Intro to Wet Felting
Saturday, April 10
Sunday, June 6
12 – 3 PM
$20 members, $45 non members, plus $25 materials fee payable to instructor
Intermediate Wet Felting
Sunday, April 18
Saturday, June 12
12 – 3
$20 members, $45 non-members + $25 materials fee payable to instructor
Nuno Felting
Sunday, March 28
Saturday, May 8
12 – 3
$20 members, $45 non-members + $25 materials fee payable to instructor
Hairpin Lace
Saturday, March 20
Sunday, May 16
12 – 2
$20 members, $45 non-members + $25 materials fee payable to instructor
Spontaneous Freeform Spinning with Suri Alpaca
Saturday, March 6
12 – 3
$20 members, $45 non-members + $25 materials fee payable to instructor
Pia’s Winter Classes at Clifton Cultural Arts Center
Pia will be teaching a series of knitting classes at the Clifton Cultural Arts Center as part of the Center’s winter programming series. Initially, two classes will be offered, Beginning/Not-So-Beginning Knitting, and Intermediate/Advanced Knitting. Each class will run for four weeks and cover material and assignments appropriate to each individual’s skill level. CCAC is located in the Old Clifton School at 3711 Clifton Avenue, Cincinnati, Ohio 45220. Dates and times to be announced this week! 513/497-2860. www.cliftonculturalarts.org
October 2009 Alpaca Fiber Symposium
I just returned from an amazing weekend at the October 2009 Alpaca Fiber Symposium held at the Embassy Suites in Denver, Colorado. The weekend was full of wonderful energy, exchanges of ideas, dissemination of new information, and lots and lots to take home and digest as we all figure out where it fits in to the future development of the North American Alpaca Fiber industry. In attendance as participants and presenters were various groups that are already making and marketing products out of alpaca fiber and those involved in the wool and cotton industries on a large scale. Their representatives shared their background, how they go about doing what they do with alpaca fiber, and their expectations and hopes for the future of the industry.
On Friday we had the opportunity to tour the Yocum McColl Laboratories and learn about the services they provide to the wool industry, as well as the particular testing that they provide for us alpaca breeders. Then that evening, participants were treated to a Meet and Greet where we were all able to meet, chat, network and meet new friends.
Saturday was a long and exhausting day for me since I was being exposed to a lot of information that was new to me. I was intent on absorbing every little detail, which coupled with my jet lag made me quite tired; not because it was boring, but because it was such pertinent and timely information and I was experiencing “brain overload! The morning sessions were filled with presentation by representative fiber groups, include AFCNA and NAAFP (two of the larger alpaca fiber co-ops), the Alpaca Blanket Project (producers of American alpaca blankets), Back to Back Fiber Products (specialists in alpaca batting and felt), The Shepherd’s Mill (who is doing some wonderful weaving of Huacaya and Suri fabric and garments), the Suri Network (us Suri breeders’ affiliate organization) and Rocky Mountain Weaving Company (producers of woven alpaca blankets and scarves. It was these presenters’ jobs to tell us about their businesses, how they developed and where they are going. The afternoon sessions showcased a number of Featured Speakers. David Schmidt, President of Kraemer Textiles and Jack Donovan of Jack Donovan and Company which represents Kraemer Textiles for 100% wool carpet yarn spoke first. The focus of their presentation was the production of yarns on a
large scale. Following them, Dr. Merle Rhoades of the spoke about the importance of business planning as the key to a successful business. Next Scott Grey of Jagger Brothers, a custom sales yarn spinner, spoke about fiber procurement, the importance of quality sorting and further processing into a worsted combed top for spinning.. Finally, Sam Buff of the Gaston College Textile Technology Center talked about the importance of textile testing.
Sunday was another great day of learning as we listened to more informative Featured Speakers. Dr. Catherine Keske, a specialist in agricultural economics, discussed repositioning products along with opportunities and risk management. Dr. Keske was followed by Ron Cole of Cole Consulting which functions as a consulting firm for the American Sheep Industry Association and Steve LeValley, a sheep and wool specialist from Colorado State University. They discussed marketing wool today and the use of co-ops, and how we can learn about large scale alpaca fiber production from the wool industry. These speakers were followed the symposium’s Keynote Speaker, John Anderson, Director of the Textile Technology Center at Gaston College. He offered his marketing point of view on how the alpaca community can establish alpaca as the “hot new fiber” for apparel on one hand, and how teaming up with technical fibers might be the route to holding onto value for producers in technical markets.
Then a panel discussion followed focusing on “Learning From the Wool Path”, and featured Dr. Keske, Mr. Cole, LeValley, Anderson, Bob Woodbury and Angus McColl of Yocum McColl Laboratory. The panel took a number of excellent questions which involved some spirited dialogue. And finally, the attendees participated in an open forum which mainly focused on key learnings, next steps, the future of the Alpaca Fiber Symposium, and the value of continuing symposiums like this one.
I am very glad that I was able to attend this Alpaca Fiber Symposium, and do regret having missed the previous Symposium that took place this past April. Unfortunately I missed the information that was presented at that time, as it is the intention of the Steering Committee that each subsequent Symposium builds on the learnings of the last Symposium. The Committee did an excellent job of organizing the event; it was very “tightly” run, all sessions began and ended on time, and for all intents and purposes the ladies seemed to pay a great attention to detail. I do hope to be able to attend the next Symposium, and would be very appreciative if more information specific to the Suri alpaca and Suri breeders be included in the weekend.
