Fiber Art Experiences and Heritage in Asheville, NC

By Janet Moore
Weaving Wonders: Get a Feel for Mountain Fiber Arts in Asheville
The natural fiber tradition runs deep in Western North Carolina. Spinning, knitting, weaving and felting are literally part of the region’s fabric.
Some say that the tradition of selling functional weavings began 40 miles north of Asheville at a Presbyterian mission located on a remote crossroads near the Tennessee border. It was here in 1897 at Allan’s Old Stand that a hand-woven coverlet inspired the formation of Allanstand Cottage Industries. Today, you’ll still find Allanstand weavings at the Southern Highland Craft Guild’s Folk Art Center on the Blue Ridge Parkway. FOR MORE
Welcome to Local Cloth in the River Arts District of Asheville
Our Blue Ridge Mountains Fibershed, roughly within a 100 mile radius of Asheville, NC, encompasses the rural mountainous region of Western North Carolina, parts of East Tennessee, and Upstate South Carolina. Our region of Appalachia has a deeply rooted history in handcraft and textiles, but also in economic struggle and resilience. FOR MORE
Photo Credit: Amanda Heyn