Pledge Drive Saves Fiber Arts Workshop

A last-minute pledge drive that raised more than $100,000 means that the Springwater Fiber Workshop will remain open.

The Alexandria-based nonprofit workshop houses a store and a school devoted to teaching fiber arts, including knitting, weaving and spinning. Springwater is supported by grants from the Alexandria Commission for the Arts, Virginia Commission for the Arts and various foundations, but it became apparent last month that the financially struggling shop would have to close.

An outpouring of support after the announcement of the closing, however, persuaded workshop officials to begin a pledge drive to raise money. By Tuesday, the organization had received $105,000 in pledges.

"It was clear we needed money, and we just didn't have it," said Ann Liddle, president of the Springwater board. "And it was a terrible, wrenching decision. It just wasn't working, and we didn't know how it could without a big infusion of money."

Springwater opened 22 years ago and moved several times before ending up at 808 N. Fairfax St. Its goal was to provide education in the fiber arts, Liddle said. The store grew out of a mutually beneficial relationship: Students needed to buy materials, and shoppers were enticed by the classes.

There are two classrooms, and the school offers a variety of courses, including spinning, weaving, felting and fabric dyeing; spinning and felting are the most popular classes. Tuition varies based on the length of the course and whether it is taught by a visiting artist.

"It's calm, it's comfortable, it's nice to be around people doing the same type of things," said Gillian Van Brakle, an Alexandria resident who has been visiting the workshop for eight years. "It's a good fiber arts community in here."

Liddle said the organization has had "financial difficulties" in recent years. "It's been on the edge for most of its life," she said. "It's always been a struggle."

One of the workshop's problems has been that more people are shopping online for fiber arts materials than in stores, said Amy Gallagher, executive director of the workshop.

Springwater had started its liquidation sale when Liddle came up with the idea of the pledge drive after seeing the outpouring of support. Officials determined the shop could stay open if they were able to raise $100,000, but Liddle didn't think it was possible. "I thought $100,000 was totally out of the ballpark," she said.

The drive began Nov. 16, with people making pledges, rather than donations, so Springwater would not have to return any money if it fell short of its goal. In slightly less than two weeks, it had raised $93,000 in pledges.

"We'd never even just directly asked for money," Liddle said. "That was a first. We thought it wouldn't fly. We are just astounded."