Fibershed’s Community Building program has a track record of establishing successful working relationships between artisans and farmers throughout the region, and currently implements opportunities to connect these artisans and farmers with individuals, students, and school groups in order to establish a strong social network that can provide learning opportunities that ensure the passing down of essential skills and knowledge.
The community building program is designed to promote a sustainable social web through events, workshops, and symposiums that are designed to share, disseminate, and innovate best soil to skin practices within our Fibershed.
Future events and opportunities will include:
• Skill Share Days
• Fiber Symposiums
• Farm & Studio Days
• Fibershed Fashion Shows
A Report on the first Fibershed Wool & Fine Fiber Symposium
The symposium that took place on November 17th in Point Reyes Station was well attended, and the feedback we have received is very positive. If you would like contact information for the symposium presenters, here’s a downloadable PDF: speakers-list. We are grateful to Juliet Braslow of the University of California Cooperative Extension for publishing the following article and video about the symposium.
Fibershed bringing ‘farm-fresh’ clothing to the region
by Juliet Braslow
Many of us are familiar with the concept of a foodshed (the region where food is produced and the paths it travels to its final consumer), and the importance of buying local food in order to support local farmers, businesses, and resilient local economies. Marin has a thriving foodshed with many strong local linkages, but few of us apply this local logic and purchasing power to the clothes we wear every day. This is where Rebecca Burgess and Fibershed step in. Like a food or watershed, a fibershed is a geographic region where all the fibers and dye plants for garments can be sourced. Burgess believes that “fiber will follow food” into the public’s consciousness. Read more…
I would like more info. on the Wool Symposium in September. I would love to go and learn more about wool since I just got the sheep.
Thanks
Hi Robin!
What would be great is if you could sign up for the mailing list (its at the bottom left of the homepage)– that way when we send out our one email about the symposium you will receive advanced notice that it’s coming! We are working on an October date, and we look forward to meeting you! Do you have some info about your sheep or farm you could share with us (maybe a website), perhaps you would like to be on the panel? Many thanks!
Rebecca
I would love to come as well. I have 4 sheep and use their wool to mix with my Angora rabbit fiber and make hats. Can you send me more info?
Hi Marnie, Thanks for your interest. We will be opening registration for the Wool Symposium sometime in August, and will send out an announcement to our mailing list. If you would like to be on the mailing list, you can sign up below.
Dear Rebecca,
I am so interested in your project, and would love to donate my time. Do you have any need for knitting instructors or dye assistants for your wool symposium in November? I am signing up for your mailing list now.
Best Wishes,
Amy
Hi Amy!
We could certainly use a volunteer with your skills, we won’t be dyeing or knitting formally the day of the symposium, but there are many other opportunities that arise! Can you come and introduce yourself at the symposium, we’d love to meet you!
Hi Amy!
Your work is incredible. We could certainly use some volunteer hours with our wool symposium– the volunteer work is really in the preliminary- pre-symposium hours and days though. Let us know if you are interested, in a few hours of work this month? Many thanks!
Where can I buy some Wool?
Hi Suzanne, Take a look at our Producer’s Directory: http://www.fibershed.com/producers/directory/. Under the category “Fiber Farmers” you will find a list of people (raising sheep and other fiber animals) that you can contact to purchase wool.
Hi Suzanne,
There is a small amount of very high quality raw wool for sale at http://www.fibershedmarketplace.com
We will have more raw wool for sale on the site in several weeks time, if you are interested in other colors. Did you see our producer directory on the website? Most of those ranchers can be contacted directly for wholesale prices and for a range of lovely colors.
I have a Knitting machine ( Genie ) , a friend got from an Aunt , they could not figure it out , so I told her if I get it to work for me I would buy it from her , but there is no instructions , do you know where I can go and learn how to run this ? I have six Suri Alpacas and trying to start a Ranch and while working a full time job and run a home . I am also learning about Alpacas as I go also , I keep them where I bought them and that is an hour away from me now and the Ranch I am building is in Geogia six hours away. am sorting my fleece for shows and using the necks and bellys for felt . I am learning to wash it , pick it and make roving with it . Then I will figure who is best to send it to get spun into Yarn . I have a little electic sinning wheel and I will attempt to do that , later.
Hi Tamie,
There is a woman named Nancy Roberts who lives in the east Bay in California who teaches knitting machine skills. I’m not sure of your location, but you can contact here at 510 559 9473. The alpaca project you are working on sounds awesome! Thanks so much for letting us know about your work!
Thanks maybe I will call and ask what to do next .