Tallying the comments.
This year we asked you for your thoughts, suggestions and feedback…we appreciate that it was overwhelmingly positive and almost everyone said they planned on coming back next year…often with more friends which is absolutely what we were hoping for. We wanted to know what you thought about the classes, the vendors, the physical set up and where we could improve…the comment sheets were anonymous so we can’t tell you who said what but this is what we heard.
Color Stranding with Mary Jane was Excellent…enthusiastic. Good techniques and ability to let us play…very helpful.
What Fiber to spin…nice balance of science/math and skill. Very good at imparting knowledge.
Hand carding~ Finally got it! Thank you!
Classes in general~ always informative, always fun…this is my 4th year of attendance…thanks!
Vendors were good, might have been nice to see more, really loved the animals.
My son LOVED the woodworking tents
I met fun people and saw new things~learned a lot
The carding class was excellent. Instructor was friendly, knowledgeable and encouraging.
Would love to come back~great college~affordable~great atmosphere~super fun!
Artist in Residence work was wonderful~ I enjoyed talking to him about the carving…he was very generous with his knowledge
Can’t wait for next year~you do an excellent job!
The museum reception was really appreciated. Their staff was very gracious and informative. Tom’s presentation was wonderful! He was interesting.
I intend to come back next year! I’ll take advantage of the opportunity to sample new crafts and learn more about crafts I already do…just for the fun!
Bay windows was wonderful! fun, well organized but could have been longer
Entrelac class wasn’t nearly long enough. Kelly was wonderful but the entrelac knitting was a complicated project and really needed a longer time frame. She wisely cut the pattern down from a shawl to a scarf and that helped. Would love to see her do more classes.
Rudy’s spinning classes were very helpful. He was so knowledgeable and patient. Lots of good information.
Rush fiber seat weaving with Gus and Ellen was great!
Just enough vendors…had time to browse and enjoyed all that I saw.
Museum reception and talk with Tom Cote was the highlight for me. I liked it so much that I came back on Sunday just to chat with him more at his booth.
I was particularly grateful for the helpers who drove the golf cars. I arrived with a chair at the far end of the parking lot. The driver gave me a ride to the class meeting location.
Parking studs and popcorn made my day!
In short, THANK YOU !!!!!!
I am so empowered by this weekend. I want to buy a camera and printer to make my own fabric. I have tons of ideas for quilts that will be quite different.
The lasagna was superb…very thoughtful to have veggie options at every meal. Having wine and cheese at the museum was just enough to take the edge off.
Where can we improve?
more publicity, bigger pics on website describing the classes
put “open to the public” on the banners and more prominently on the website, wouldn’t have known I could come if I hadn’t read the story in the Midcoast Beacon
Have different classes on weekend~ I would have liked to try spinning but couldn’t due to schedule
Not enough vendors, should have been more fleece, roving etc.
Stamp hands for re-entry
More and varied food vendors
provide map of the grounds
advertise on Ravelry
More demonstrations
This was the first time I went to Fiber College. It was fun! I wish I could have stayed on the campground~ could you build some more cabins please? Or a dorm for a bunch of ladies~
Creative Stitchery would have been improved with a simple diagram printed on the cloth to make it easier to do. Maybe the instructor could have held up the stretched fabric to actually demo the steps.
Natural dyeing could have been more welcoming with more basic explanations for terms like pre-mordants
Need more vendors with a larger selection of spinning fibers and tools
More basket making classes and advanced spinning
I only heard about you by chance through a friend. Spread the word better through the news media, any merchant who sells related products and/or supplies also via art classes and senior citizen centers.
Fabric vendors were missing
Add instructor’s first names to the cream schedule brochure
There were enough vendors. If you did add, maybe 4-6 more but that’s all. Maybe beads.
More food choices (same vendor) how about some cold food-wraps, salads (quicker to serve than hamburgers and hot dogs) better for you. More drinks~ ice tea, juice, de-caff coffee…this would be nice for the “day-trippers”
Enjoyed the museum rooms and exhibits, hospitality. Tom was great. glad it wasn’t too detailed due to the hour. Good humor and spirit.
I was expecting more vendors. I completely agree with your decision to only have vendors that relate to fibers and fiber supplies. Could you have had more live animals? That’s always a draw for shoppers and locals to come for the day.
It would have been nice to see some fall decorations around (especially at the registration desk) Colorful mums, pumpkins, corn stalks, etc. Mums could have been given to teachers at dessert goodby on Sunday as a thank you.
A fire in the rec hall on Friday night would have been appreciated…to take the dampness out of the air.
Have a coffee and tea station available throughout the day.
Have two registration rates…one for those who just want to take one class and one for those who intend to come for the weekend.
What classes would you like to see next year?
Collage with fabric, fiber & paper
Papermaking
Rag Rugs
Basket Making
Gloria Buntrock’s bobbin lace class…she does a very good job with beginners. (committee note: Gloria has taught in the past and was over committed this fall…we’ll ask her again next year)
Have Jackie Fee and Gudrun come back!!!!!
Definitely have Linda Whiting teach a dyeing class
More classes like Fiber Gumbo!
A class on all the different plying techniques taught by Rudy
Please note: If anyone wrote a specific suggestion for a specific instructor or class for improvement that was lengthy, we passed these along privately through a photo copy of your comment sheet. If you haven’t sent us your thoughts, we’d still love to hear them and we’ll add them to the tally…e-mail them to create@fibercollege.org
This total impact is the economic impact sum of: craft consumer tourism, craft artisan direct sales, craft gallery and shop sales, craft educators, craft orgainzations and the craft supplier and publisher impacts.
Susan, Nick, Larry, & Dick
