The 2015 Bothwell International Highland Spin-In and Fibre Festival which starts today is another great example of a Tasmanian community celebrating its history and providing a rich experience for visitors and tourists.
The event runs from today until Sunday and is celebrating its 37th anniversary.
The event is held every second year and celebrates fibre arts such as spinning, weaving, dyeing, felting, knitting and allied fibre crafts.
It consists of many activities including presentations, demonstrations, mini-workshops, parades, and competitions as well as a variety of interesting displays.
It was founded by a Bothwell local Barbara Fowler who was awarded an OAM in 1992 for her contribution to the community of Bothwell for her efforts regarding the International Highland Spin-In.
The festival is an important event to the Bothwell community and surrounding areas by supporting the local economy and attracting interstate and international visitors to the region.
This year's festival is featuring an international guest – Florence Jaukae Kamel, a Bilum fibre artist from Papua New Guinea. Bilum fibre is the unique fashion fabric from Papua New Guinea. Ms Kamel's designs have been featured, along with other women designers, at the United Nations New York headquarters.
The Bothwell Spin-In is the home of the Guinness Book of Records listed Longest Thread Competition that attracts entries from across the world. A new feature of the 2015 event will be the introduction of an Alpaca section.
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