The SFFA is a loosely connected group of individuals and guilds in the Southeast that is the umbrella organization for the conference which is called "the Southeast Fiber Forum".
The Fiber Forum is a conference offering educational workshops and seminars to fiber artists throughout the Southeastern Region of the United States. The first Fiber Forum was held in Aiken, South Carolina in 1986. The formal organization of the SFFA did not take place until after the 1991 Fiber Forum hosted by the Yonah Mountain Guild in Helen, GA.
The association was established to foster cooperation among individuals and organized guilds in the fiber arts in the Southeast region and to encourage creativity and excellence of craftsmanship in the Fiber Arts. It obtained its not-for-profit, 501 c3, status in 1994 and is an educational, no-profit, non-commercial and non-political association. The states that comprise the area of SFFA are: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia. Membership for individuals is $5.00/lifetime membership; and for guilds - $25.00/lifetime membership.
The present board is made up of eight people: Four "at-large" members, one of whom is elected treasurer, three Fiber Forum chairmen, representing hosting guilds; and a secretary.
Elaine Aldous elainealdous@bellsouth.net
Gloria Corbet is from Florida and has been a spinner since 1991. She learned to weave in 1994, and joined the Weavers of Orlando the same year. That guild has a subgroup called the Lazy Kates. She has been a member of SFFA for about 3 or 4 years and attended her first forum at Black Mountain. At that forum she was elected a member at large. Subsequently, she attended the conference put on by our guild and was delighted to find so many wonderful people putting on a terrific conference. (She took the "Build Your Own Little Great Wheel" class and had a great time, ed.) She can be reached at GJCorbet@comcast.net
Nancy Kahrs, Baton Rouge, LA says, "My first love is spinning but I am easily side tracked by dyeing, knitting (I have 1 scarf pattern and 1 dishcloth pattern), weaving-especially off loom, rubber stamping, paper making, crochet, Tamari, paper folding and, most obviously if you could see my home, yarn and fiber collecting. In other words, I love to play and to teach. I have been involved with one fiber craft or another since 1978. I am currently the Chair for the HGA spinning LX and the founder of the January Spin-in held in Destin, FL each year." She can be reached at fiberforum2005@yahoo.com
Cheryl McWilliams, Houston, Texas, has been involved in fiber activities since early 1970's as weaver, spinner and dyer. Her passion lies in natural and chemical dyes. She currently serves on Handweavers Guild of America Board of Directors as Educational Services Chair. She is on the Steering Committee for 2004 Denver Convergence, serving as Volunteer Coordinator. She served as president of Contemporary Handweavers of Texas, 1997-99. Cheryl has authored several articles on various fiber techniques, conducts regional lectures and workshops. She can be reached at cherylmcw@mindspring.com
Jan Quarles learned to knit at age six and the fiber fever never went away. She's been weaving, spinning and knitting on and off since the 70s and recently opened her small fiber dyeing business, Daily Fibers. In another life, she's a professor and writer. She spins with an informal guild and works on Middle Tennessee's fiber events. She can be reached at Jan Quarles
Kim Wall is from Atlanta and has been involved with various crafts (crocheting, knitting, embroidery, needlepoint and tatting) since she was a child. She learned to spin and joined the Peachtree Handspinners Guild in 1988. A few years later she added weaving to her list of crafts (and started adding even more stuff to her extensive stash). Her first fiber forum was in 1989 in Atlanta. She has missed only a few forums since then. She loves taking workshops and reading books about various crafts, even though she already has enough projects to keep her busy for the next 100 years! She can be reached at klmwall@bellsouth.net.
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