The 2025 Ann Arbor Fiber Arts Expo (AAFAX) takes place on Sunday, February 9 from 10am to 5pm at the Downtown Library!
Our call for vendors is closed.
This fiber-filled day will have a full slate of demos and presentations, with a lobby full of local vendors. This year we're focusing on the history and origin of a variety of fiber arts. Drop-in for a sampling of fiber arts projects and hands-on quilting, spinning, and weaving activities.
Vendors will be on hand selling accessories, patterns, books, dyes, and all things fiber related!
2025 Schedule of Events
Vendors | First Floor Lobby
10 AM - 5 PM
Stop by to chat with and buy specialty supplies from our fiber arts vendors!
11 AM - 11:45 AM | Fourth Floor Meeting Room
Visible Mending: Lecture by Jason Krick
Jason Krick presents the history, importance, and basic techniques of visible mending, focusing on the sashiko running stitch. Jason will demonstrate how to get started with a project but this is not a hands-on workshop.
12:15 PM - 1 PM | Fourth Floor Meeting Room
From Flaxseed to Fiber with the Michigan Fibershed Project
The Michigan Fibershed facilitates the connections needed to build the regional supply chain around their local fibershed project. A fibershed is a geographic region, similar to a watershed or foodshed, that holds the "soil-to-soil" cycle linking all the components of regional fiber production—from raw material production (plant and animal fiber), processing, natural dying, spinning, weaving, garment making, and eventually composting back to soil. They'll talk about the Michigan Fibershed and their regional Flax-to-Linen community grow project in Ann Arbor, as well as demo flax processing.
1 PM - 4 PM | Secret Lab
Drop-In Open Crafting
Join us for drop-in crafting as we offer a sampling of fiber arts: straw loom weaving, stitched postcards, and pom poms.
1 PM - 4 PM | Multi-Purpose Room
Hands-On Demos
Try your hand at spinning on a wheel with a local spinner, working on a quilt square and machine sewing with the Ann Arbor Modern Quilt Guild, and weaving on our giant floor loom.
2 PM - 2:45 PM | Fourth Floor Meeting Room
The History of Color: Lecture by Megan Croft
Meg Croft, a fiber historian and owner of Woven Art Yarn Shop, traces a delightful history of color through the ages. She looks at historical dyeing processes, how natural dyes like Tyrian purple and cochineal have influenced society, and the role that color has played in our lives from flags to fashion.
3 PM - 3:45 PM | Fourth Floor Meeting Room
Lines to Design: Lecture by Debbie Grifka
Join Ann Arbor textile artist Debbie Grifka on her journey as we follow her (not always straight) path from new quilter to modern quilter to quilt designer and author and to her current life as a textile artist! The presentation includes a slideshow and actual quilts.
2025 Vendor List
Angelica's Embroidery Shop offers handmade embroidery art, embroidery kits, and crafting accessories inspired by nature, books, and culture.
Ann Arbor Embroidery Guild a community group of stitchers who share classes, projects, and techniques.
Ann Arbor Fiberarts Guild is an educational social club for fiber artists founded in 1956. Fiber techniques from members include Basketry, Beading, Crochet, Doll Making, Embroidery, Felting, Garment Design and Construction, and more.
Bellwether Farm Artisan Fiber, from sheep to skein. Our local yarn is spun from the wool of our Shetland sheep. We’re a microfarm in Chelsea, just minutes away from Ann Arbor.
Blossoms's Blanket Sweaters Sweaters sewn from custom woven tapestry blankets!
Chiryx Creates is the creative enterprise of Lyxander Denoyer. Their work is inspired by nature, table top role playing games, and nerdiness in general and handmade in Michigan. They make a variety of items, including scarves, pin banners, and dice bags.
Comfy Chameleon Handcrafted knits by Mary Sue; made with attention to detail that will inspire old-fashioned creativity in children and self-expression in adults.
The Conscious Needle provides custom embroidery by both hand & machine. I am incredibly passionate about my work and love bringing creativity to life with thread!
Copper Bear Shire Mary Clipner is the co-founder/operator of Copper Bear Shire, where she and her husband, David, produce various traditional handmade goods and teach heirloom homesteading skills.
Danni Little Handmade with Love Danni Little is a self-taught, independent, self-published author & Detroit based creator whose poetry books focus on Healing & Wellness. Known for her gritty and candid literary style and extreme crafting, Dani continues to make original books by hand.
Daughter of Trees creates wearable art and home decor with eco-printed textiles using real plants and natural dyes. Eco printing is a fusion of plant, mineral, textile, water, and fire to transfer the intricate shapes of plants into textile fibers to create a permanent design.
Ember Waves Design creates handmade fiber art for your home, exploring all the squishy textures and color. Find something that makes you smile!
Faun Louise Michigan made small batch indie-dyed yarns and fibers for your scrumptious consumption.
Fox & Fig Knits A boutique knitwear design business owned by Melissa West. Melissa loves drawing from her experience in the automotive industry to build her designs with mindful construction, attention to every detail, and, of course, plenty of pretty embellishments. She looks to create something beautiful, inspiring, and joyful to make—something you’d want to knit again and again. Her patterns aim to teach and empower with comprehensive instruction and guided modifiability.
Greenshields Macrame Macrame goods, plant holder kits, etc. for sale since 2018.
Happy Little Whales is dedicated to crochet for good, crafting handmade crochet marine amigurumi animals, and donating 10% of each purchase to marine conservation.
JFSMade is a collection of brands and creations from JFS clients, who are primarily small business owners and refugees.
We have clients who create handmade African woven baskets, purses, coin purses, African dresses, and a variety of other handcrafted products.
Kelly Darke is a fiber artist creating one-of-a-kind products including hand-spun yarn, art batts for spinning, scarves, wall art, and more. Kelly uses new and repurposed fiber, from processing 100% wool fleece to recycling commercial yarns and fabrics into something new.
Lair of the Llama offers a delicious selection of hand-dyed yarn and fiber with a rainbow of colors ranging from subtle pastel, to warm & happy vivids. We feature a wide variety of fiber types and breeds, including several sourced locally here in Michigan.
The Michigan Dyer Mom artist dedicated to the artistry of natural plant dyeing. By transforming vintage textiles into beautiful, eco-friendly fashion, she upholds the principles of sustainability, ethics, and slow fashion through her use of responsibly sourced materials.
Mich Mitts Original Texting Mittens made from wool and cashmere sweaters. FREE THE FINGERS!
Michigan Fibershed is a community based organization seeking to unite all involved with Michigan based fiber, textile, and garment production. We focus on networking local and regenerative production systems.
Ohmi Fibers sells hand-dyed fiber chains, batts, yarn, tapestries, and rugs. In addition to those items we carry "how to kits" - weaving kits and needle felting kits. My daughter Heather has helped me with this venture and we enjoy spending the time together spreading knowledge of fiber arts!
PLAIDhats Adding a little whimsy to life with handmade crocheted hats! Perfect for infant or young child photo shoots, or older kids to add some fun to their winter wardrobe. I offer a variety of seasonal hats, animal-inspired hats that make excellent additions to Halloween costumes, as well as traditional handmade hats. With sizes ranging from infant to adult, there is something for everyone.
Quétarshé Textiles Design Studio Sheila M Palmer is a fiber & print designer and works in different fiber and textiles across markets from wearables, home decor, architectural and branding for private residential and commercial projects. Much of her work is a reflection of education, travel, research and natural talent in creating one-of-a-kind pieces.
Rosemarine Textiles is a sustainable fiber studio based in Hamtramck that works exclusively with plant dyes. They offer classes and kits for plant dyeing, sewing and other fiber crafts.
Spooky.toot is an illustrator and fiber artist that combines printmaking, free motion embroidery, and recycled materials to create one of a kind art pieces- both wearable, and to hang on your walls!
Stitches by Anastasia is a self-owned and operated crochet business selling crochet plushies and accessories. Anastasia use the softest yarn possible to assure that their plushies are comfortable for cuddles!
Stitch Crafted Yarn by Sumayya Handmade knit and crochet accessories including hats, scarves, baby dresses, shawls, ponchos, baby blankets, hair accessories, ear and neck warmers
Taneko Says Hello encourages you to play with your food—and words and animals. Through plush friends and art, the Taneko brand seeks to share a moment of joy (or multiple moments, an extra large helping of a moment—ideally, several significant scoops) with you. Sometimes, it’s a harsh, hard world we live in: it wouldn’t hurt to nurture ourselves with a bit more softness.
WoollyMammothDesign Multi media fiber art with a primary focus on embroidery featuring the natural world; and with a focus on creative reuse and sustainability.
Woven Art Yarn Shop specializes in natural fibers, American sourced yarns, and indie dyers, and teaches classes on knitting, crochet, spinning, and weaving. Located in downtown East Lansing, the shop also works with regional artists and small businesses to carry interesting tools, gifts, and accessories for crafty people.
Yarn and Charm crochets scrap yarn into sustainable, whimsical pieces designed to stand the test of time. With Mother Nature as her muse, Rachel's rich and bold stylistic choices are always coupled with a commitment to making her craft as eco-friendly as possible.
Yarn Nerds At Yarn Nerds, we are devoted to the artistry of hand-dyeing yarn, infusing each skein with vibrant colors and unique patterns. Our yarns are crafted with love and meticulous attention to detail, resulting in one-of-a-kind creations that inspire endless crafting possibilities.