CAPE MAY – Historic Cold Spring Village is featuring all things fiber arts at the 28th annual Cape May Quilt and Fiber Show, Saturday and Sunday, June 28-29. Sponsored by the Chatlos Foundation, the event will be held from 10 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. both days and will feature demonstrations and vendors of quilting, textiles, knitting, crocheting, lace making, basket weaving, broom making, wool dyeing, sheep shearing and more. Visitors are invited to take part in a “yarn bombing,” the newest expression of public art, which will be held at the Village Gazebo. Guests are encouraged to knit or crochet a section.
On Saturday, visitors may vote for their favorite quilts in the Welcome Center at the Viewer’s Choice Quilt Show, and on Sunday continue to enjoy the display and see the winners. A rare wedding quilt, c. 1714, handmade by Cape May Countian Sarah Spicer, will be on display in the Welcome Center for its annual appearance. The quilt was restored in 2012 through a grant from the Cape May County Culture and Heritage Commission.
Regional vendors are attending with quilting and sewing fabrics, yarn, baskets, supplies, and equipment to help inspire the creation of an heirloom project. The Corson-Hand House, home to fiber arts demonstrations at the Village, will feature use of the “Great Wheel” which will be used along with wool preparation and dyeing. Bobbin lace making and tatting will also be demonstrated by a fourth generation artisan. Seasoned knitters and newcomers to the craft alike will learn from these discussions and demonstrations.
Opened in 2012, the Needle Arts Coop, located in the Villages Octagonal House, serves as a learning center for interactive lessons and information on handmade crafts and skills. Take-home kits and supplies will be available for purchase along with specialty items made by local and Village artisans.
Historic Cold Spring Village is a non-profit, open-air living history museum that portrays the daily life of a rural South Jersey community of the Early American period. It features 26 restored historic structures on a 30-acre site. From late June to early September, interpreters and artisans in period clothing preserve the trades, crafts and heritage of “the age of homespun.” Fun and educational activities for children are featured Tuesday through Sunday, with special events every weekend through mid-September.
The Village is located on Route 9, three miles north of Victorian Cape May and a mile and a half west of the southern terminus of the Garden State Parkway. Admission during the season is $10 for adults and $8 for children ages 3 to 12. Children under 3 are admitted free. Unlimited free admission is available with Village membership. As a member of the national Blue Star Museums program, Historic Cold Spring Village is proud to offer free admission to active duty military personnel and up to 5 family members. The Village Nature Trail at Bradner’s Run is open to the public for free self-guided tours. Visit the Country Store, Needle Arts Coop, Bakery, Ice Cream Parlor and Cold Spring Grange Restaurant. For more information on events, membership, volunteering, or booking private affairs, please call (609) 898-2300, ext. 10, or visit the Village website at www.hcsv.org.