A model displays the colorful wearable art at the 2021 "Uncommon Threads" fundraiser. Fine Line's event will be held Sunday, Oct. 16, at Abbington Distinctive Banquet in Glen Ellyn. Courtesy of Fine Line

Models show off the "Uncommon Threads" at last year's fundraiser. This year's event will be Sunday, Oct. 16, at a new location, Abbington Distinctive Banquet in Glen Ellyn. Courtesy of Fine Line

Fine Line's annual "Uncommon Threads" fundraiser is a celebration of wearable art, which this year will see artists from 15 states converge under one roof for a day of wearable art.

This year's event on Sunday, Oct. 16, is at a new location, the Abbington Distinctive Banquet, 3S002 Route 53 in Glen Ellyn. This location offers easy access for attendees, ample parking and wheelchair access.

The doors will open at 10 a.m., and attendees can browse the artisan boutique area.

There will be a range of jewelry and fiber items including scarves, jackets, dresses, and more. All items from the boutique and the runway show will only be available for sale on the day of the show.

Laura Nicholson-Tom is one returning local jewelry artist who creates stunning one-of-a-kind pieces from silver and semiprecious gemstones. Her pieces made a bold statement when added to any outfit. Andrea Krause, another returning artist, creates jewelry has a delicate refinement in its style, perfect for everyday wear.

Sharing booth space with Krause will be Jane Cooper-Hong. Cooper-Hong will have a gorgeous selection of necklaces, many of which are reversible (a specialty of Cooper-Hong's) with a view to the back of the stone provided by decorative piercing, often positioned to reveal a flower or animal that she sees "hidden" in the stone.

Diane Drish often uses Fordite in her jewelry pieces. Fordite, also known as Motor City Agate and Detroit Agate, is a unique automotive enamel material created by the now-extinct practice of hand spray-painting multiple cars in big automotive factories. The over-sprayed paint in the bays gradually built up on the tracks and skids on which the car frames were painted. Over time, many colorful layers built up there. These layers were hardened repeatedly in the car bodies' ovens to cure the paint. The result is some colorful pieces that become unique jewelry items in the hands of Drish.

One of this year's new artists is Lori Kirsch from Arizona, who weaves, stitches, and wraps vintage buttons, beads, elements, and objects into bright, colorful, fun pieces.

Another new artist this year is Ashley Lohr from Alaska. Lohr's range of powdered enamel jewelry is heavily influenced by the colors of the Alaskan landscapes she sees daily.

Donna Batman-Masini is an Illinois fiber artist whose work includes hand-dyed silk, re-purposed fabrics, and scraps of silk or wool incorporated into the material to create texture. Batman-Masini strives to complete unique pieces that will be treasured for years.

Another new artist is Karen Stockwell. Stockwell focuses on dyeing fabric, mainly silk scarves using acid dyes, fiber reactive dyes, and natural dyes and sometimes incorporates block printing or marbling into her work.

The "Uncommon Threads" raffle will be on display between 10 a.m. and noon.

Attendees can purchase raffle tickets in the days leading up to the event. This year's prizes include pottery, glass, hand-woven, knitted items, and a new Bernina 325 sewing machine, thanks to Bernina of Naperville. Winners will be announced after the runway show.

At midday, a three-course lunch will be served, after which the fantastic runway show will begin.

This year, 21 artists will be showing collections of 3-5 garments/ensembles including artists Laura Tanzer, Caryne Mount and Cynthia Boudreau.

Laura Tanzer is a new runway artist based in Arizona. Tanzer makes one-of-a-kind and limited-edition wearable art. from sustainably sourced natural fabrics of cotton, linen, silk, wool, and hemp. This year, Tanzer dressed two-time Grammy Award nominee Linda Chorney for the 2022 Grammys.

While Chorney, nominated for the Best American Roots Song, lost out to Jon Baptiste, she looked terrific in her Tanzer dress.

Another new runway artist is Caryne Mount from Oregon. Mount produces wraps/shawls and coats, usually reversible, made of vintage kimono and obi fabrics. Mount loves working with kimono fabric, valuing the layers and amount of work that went into each one.

Cynthia Boudreau from Illinois is one of the returning runway artists. Her inspiration for her collection is well-known modern abstract artists like Henri Mattisse and Keith Haring. Using beautiful merino wool, Boudreau had felted bold colorful geometric patterns onto black silk chiffon.

Garments by these artists and the other 18 runway artists will be modeled by Fine Line volunteers, who will have spent weeks perfecting the show. All items are available for purchase once the runway show has ended.

The boutique area reopens after the runway show allowing for a second chance to browse the array of unique items. It's also an opportunity to see the runway garments up close as they will all be in the boutique area, where they are all available for immediate purchase.

"Uncommon Threads" is the ideal place to begin the holiday season and find the perfect jacket, handbag or piece of jewelry.

It is a great place to find one-of-a-kind items to enhance your wardrobe in time for the coming holiday season and have a fun time in the process. Grab your girlfriends, aunts, mother, and grandmother and join the fun!

Proceeds from ticket sales benefit Fine Line Creative Arts Center a 503(c)3 nonprofit organization founded in 1979. Fine Line offers year-round adult art classes and experiences for the artist in everyone.

If you're unfamiliar with the center, stop by to visit and learn about this beautiful place.

Tickets to "Uncommon Threads" are $85 per person, which includes entry, a three-course meal, and the runway show. Purchase your tickets at Fine Line by calling (630) 584-9443 or visiting www.fineline.org.

"Uncommon Threads" is a fundraiser for the Fine Line Creative Arts Center in St. Charles. This event has been made possible in part thanks to generous sponsorships. For a list of sponsors, visit the fine Line website at: Uncommon Threads -- Wearable Art Runway Experience -- Fine Line Art.

Artists participating in "Uncommon Threads"