Many local fiber folks have been involved in the Blue Ridge Blanket Project, providing hands-on, organizational, and teaching contributions.  Now we invite everyone in the community to participate in the first round of blanket popularity contests.

Come down to Local Cloth, touch, and see the new blankets.  Then, vote on your three favorite Blue Ridge Blankets!  You don't have to be a member of Local Cloth. The voting will determine which designs and colors we put into production in 2023.

The first series of samples woven from the Blue Ridge Mountain Blend (wool, mohair, alpaca blend) has been dyed using natural dyes, the design weaves generated, and the samples woven  (see previous BRBP blogs). They are now on display at Local Cloth, 408 Depot St. Asheville, NC.  Come in the door and continue towards the back and you will see them on the right.

You will also get a sneak peak at the second wave of sample blankets woven from Shetland wool, although these are not included in the first voting sessions for the best Blue Ridge Blend blankets.

To decide which colors and design weaves should move forward into projection next year, the blankets from the first test blankets (Blue Ridge Blend fiber) are on display with area appropriate names (you'll see!).  

Please come on down and vote!  This is the ballot that you will find:

This is the table on which they sit:

There is also a bag into which your finished ballot can be placed:

Our next phase is to take the sample blankets "on the road," with more voting.  If you can suggest venues for display, contact judi@judijetson.com. Here are some events for display that have been lined up so far:

• October 13-16 at the Southern Highlands Craft Guild Fall Fair (probably a selection - not all of them)
• October 21-23 at the Southeastern Animal Fiber Fair (SAFF)
• December  2022 & January 2023 at the I-26 welcome center located north of Mars Hill
• February 16 - 20, 2023 at the Grovewood Gallery - in conjunction with the National Arts & Crafts conference

Below is a picture gallery of a some of the blankets:

Weaverville

Vale

Black Mountain

Barnardsville

Swannanoa

Mills River

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