The funds raised from that feed-barn fashion show were graciously, and somewhat surprisingly donated back to us by the cotton farmer we raised them for.  Sally Fox asked that we take those (humble) funds and instead of having them directed towards one small piece of cotton processing equipment, she guided us to develop ‘a more permanent organization‘.  Fox saw the need for  organizational architecture that would support a lasting union between artisan and farmer.

Sally Fox and Rebecca Burgess walking through an old cotton field ready for grazing by Fox’s merino sheep

After some inspired and long conversations it became increasingly apparent to us all that it was time to create ‘Fibershed the Organization.’  A non-profit that could take on the larger mission of re-building fiber systems, developing community relations between rural and urban sectors, and also delve into the needed area of skills training, and public education focused on the ‘true cost of our clothes.’  And henceforth, the quest began to take what began as a community based project, and provide it an appropriate organizational shelter. At this same time… at that same aforementioned fashion show, we met Matt Gilbert– a Mendocino based sheep shearer with a life long dream to start a wool mill.

Matt Gilbert shearing a Shetland sheep in the Capay Valley

Fibershed began to work with Matt Gilbert in early 2012 to assist him with his development process.  We worked with Matt throughout the year, connecting him to designers, MBA’s, a few consulting investors… all to say, he now has a compelling and well thought out plan for how to create fine gauge yarns from our local wool resources.  We are very hopeful that Matt will receive the round of funding he is seeking from a public (county based) and private source (individual investor) so that we can see fine gauge processing emerge on the California landscape.  This wool mill plan would serve to process up to 18,000 pounds of fine fiber each year, and offer a range of local designers a yarn fine enough for some circular knitting frames, and most flat bed knitting frames.

Matt and Sarah Gilbert share a roundtable discussion with Rebecca Burgess and Sally Fox at Fox’s farm in Yolo County

The ‘Mendocino Wool Works‘, as Gilbert has coined his future mill, has been informed and sculpted by multiple conversations with the both designers and farmers, as well as an engineer from Canada.  Some of those planning conversations were had between Sally Fox and Matt Gilbert, and were focused on how to blend our regional biodynamic and organic cotton with our local wools to create a Viyella yarn.  Gilbert is Fox’s shearer, and the two know and respect one another greatly.  We so look forward to Viyella yarns some day– Gilbert’s mill will be able to handle a range of new fiber blends that our region has never seen.  And in the meantime, as we excitedly anticipate this new ‘yarn kitchen’, Fox is working ardently on re-starting her breeding program after almost a decade.  It is these relationships and interactions between farmers and shearers, visioning a functioning fiber system that are the lifeblood of our future here.

And yet, even with yarn milling projects like Mendocino Wool Works, and those that currently exist like the Yolo Wool Mill,the new Mill Creek Fiber Works, and carding mills like Aunt Janet’s and Morro Fleece Works, we will only be processing approximately 1% of the wool grown in California, and approximately 2% of the wool raised in our small Fibershed.  Knowing that there is still so much wool to be processed, was one of several reasons that our non-profit organization has taken on the larger challenge of creating a vision for fiber processing that is fully inclusive, and serves the needs of all of our farmers and ranchers who are faced with few options for their wool.  With California being a net importer of wool products, we know that our own fiber resources could serve the needs of our own population– there is an obvious match between supply and demand, the question is how to build that bridge? The current global commodity prices range between $.80 and $2.00 (in most cases that we are finding), and ranchers are only paid upon the sale of their wool at large auction houses (payment can take up to a year).  Many farmers do not find this enough incentive to drive their wool to drop off points, and are in turn, composting, or worse, landfilling their wool.

Fine Merino sheep in Mendocino County

Thanks to the vision and support of those like Lorene Arey of the Clara Fund, Don Shaffer of the Rudolf Steiner Foundation, Sara and Evan Williams, The Whitman Institute, and Heather Blackie and the Blackie Foundation; Fibershed has garnered the foundational support needed to create the first ever qualitative, quantitative, and land management survey of California wool and a feasibility study for its processing needs.  The wool censuses of the past greatly under represented the small producers who do not fill out paperwork for government subsidies, nor take part in wool sales– thus they are completely ‘off the grid’ in terms documentation. We felt it was important to start taking account of these numerous small producers.  Our work in the month of January, February, March and early April of 2013, includes total immersion in the details and nuances of our wool supply.  Working with UC Davis interns from the ASI program, we are capturing data related to all scales of wool production, from the smallest to the largest flocks in our state.  We met our sample size population goal in early March, and are seeking to double that number by early June when shearing season comes to a close, and our micron sampling will thus be complete.  Based on initial results, the wool supply is far exceeding our expectations.  Due to the pronounced microclimates in our state, the wool breeds vary greatly, and in great numbers.  At first we were told by many in the industry that the supply was not high enough quality, and too ‘rough’ for most production needs.  This story seems easy enough to believe considering there is no economic force supporting good breeding for fiber; however from our direct analysis of the supply we are finding this is not the case.  Our wool resources are sizable enough to justify a range of value-added processing, (more details on that to come). All of our supply data and findings will be published after inventorying and collection commences in early July, and our feasibility study will be complete in the fall of this year.

We thank all of you–our readers, the farmers, the makers, and the foundations supporting our work.  You are providing us the opportunity to lay the foundation for a comprehensive, ecologically sensitive, and community minded fiber system. We love this work and take so much joy in seeing our collective dream manifest. We will soon see the day when you can dress, sleep, and find nurturing comfort in the soft fibers of our landscape.

More soon…. (we promise).  And, in the meantime, if you would like to support this feasibility study, and the prototype development we will be taking on as phase III of our project, please consider becoming a member of Fibershed.

Brilliant blue skies and vibrant fields of alpine herbs are home to the Amdo Tibetans of Zorge Ritoma, the local fibershed of Norlha, a textile workshop meshing modern and traditional fiber practice.

Zorge Ritoma on the Tibetan Plateau is home to Norlha, a textile workshop that specializes in creating gorgeous textiles from khullu, the soft insulating layer of Yak fiber. Akin to Fibershed ideals, Norlha has cultivated relationships with local nomadic herders, from whom they directly purchase Yak and sheep fiber. The workshop employs a group of approximately 100 persons from the village, offering well-paying, local employment for both women and men. Not only does Norlha have beautiful fiber in their products, but they also offer a path to continue sustainable traditional Tibetan livelihoods and culture.

Yaks are plentiful on the plateau as nomadic herding is the traditional lifestyle of Tibetans in the region. The yak is a dietary staple and a source of traditionally felted clothing. Norlha offers an additional market for yak husbandry.

 A sample of Norlha’s yak fiber processed by Marcel Deshaies while developing custom machinery for the workshop. Yak khullu is an ultra soft and durable fiber similar to qiviut from Artic muskox. The best fiber is shed from 2-year-old yaks. Khullu’s staple length is short; it is just spinnable on a feather-weight drop spindle or with a deft hand on a floor wheel.

In the spring of 2011, Fibershed founder Rebecca Burgess introduced me to Kim and Dechen Yeshi, a mother/daughter team who founded and run Norlha respectively, via Marcel Deshaies. Dechen was looking for a knitter with some spinning skills to help expand their primarily woven activities to hand knits. I jumped at the chance to learn about such an intriguing group of people in what I consider to be one of the most mystical places on the planet.

 Two women in modern traditional dress at a local horse race; a Buddhist temple near Zorge Ritoma.

So in June 2011, I boarded a plane for the interior of China with two suitcases full of knitting supplies. A little background: Zorge Ritoma is in the Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in Gansu Province, China. It is a small village with maybe 50 houses — the first one was built in the 1960s — recall that this is a traditionally nomadic culture. The largest nearby town is Hezuo (~30 minutes by car on a rough mostly dirt road) and the largest city is Lanzhou (~ 4 hours away on major highways). This is the Amdo Tibetan region, one of the three major Tibetan cultures; Kham and U-Tsang being the other two. U-Tsang is also known as the Tibetan Autonomous Region whose capital is Lhasa. The area around Zorge Ritoma is an interesting mix of Han Chinese, Hui people who are descendants of Arabs and Persians that traveled the Silk Road, and Amdo Tibetans. Once in Zorge Ritoma, I undoubtably felt Tibetan culture.

Sheep grazing on the open plateau outside of Zorge Ritoma.

Two aspects of Norlha, Zorge Ritoma, and the Tibetan culture especially resonated with me. First is the seamless link between the people and the Earth. Unlike common American culture or even the urban Chinese cultures that I observed in Hezuo and Beijing, there is little infrastructure masking the interdependencies. Large portions of foodstuffs are sown/raised/collected within a family, pigs roam the roads, clothes are washed in the stream, the roads are dirt. This is a double-edged sword as such close connection to nature is a difficult existence on may levels. But there is something beautiful about knowing exactly how you are connected to natural cycles and also fulfilling in a way that I find lacking as I spend much time manipulating zeros and ones. A close connection to the land flows through Norlha’s processes despite their use of some modern equipment. Some fiber is hand-spun; dyes are chosen carefully to be as minimally disruptive to the environment as possible; the fabrics are hand-woven on floor looms; and all products are meticulously hand-finished. Norlha’s hand-spinning process is truly amazing, as the spinners use a custom-made (by Norlha craftsmen) spinning wheel that is similar to the charkha. Norlha is evidence that a successful and sustainable business model can be cultivated in close connection with the surrounding ecosystems.

Traditional and modern culture intermingles in many aspects of life. This yak was the first prize at a local horse race that the many in the village used motorcycles to attend.

The second aspect of my visit that touched me deeply is the community. Community as I know it in America, and I have wonderful family, friends, and colleagues, is not quite an accurate description. The people of Zorge Ritoma live as a community to survive. I don’t know the intricacies and complexities of the entire structure, but I observed relationships and situations that inspire. One of my favorite experiences during my 3.5 week trip was being invited (twice!) to help make fry bread. A group of ~4-5 families, some related and some neighbors, joined together in this process. In the morning, several women prepared the dough — an entire flour sack full, one of the 50 lb bags! Seven women and I knelt for several hours rolling, cutting, and shaping the dough while three men fried it in an oil-filled stone basin that had an oven below. The basin was built into a small room in a house, and it was the only one amongst the group. A pile approximately the size of 2 round bales of hay was produced during each session. The first night of work supplied the bread for one family’s contribution to their two son’s boarding school at a nearby monastery. The second night’s effort was distributed amongst the families and would last for many months. The community of people surrounding Norlha were extremely generous with each other and with me. Meals were shared, transportation was shared, laughter was shared. My involvement with Fibershed here is growing towards the community I witnessed in Zorge Ritoma and Norlha.

Some of the women that invited me to make fry bread. It is still quite chilly in early summer.

I was lucky to be in Zorge Ritoma during one of the largest festivals of the year — the English translation of the festival is unclear. The several day event included a large flag monument, each family and village contributing their colors; a series of horse races; singing concerts; and various sporting competitions. Dechen and her husband introduced me to the largest remaining Tibetan monastery, Labrang, in neighboring Xiahe. A beautiful, intellectual, and holy place. I tasted a wide variety of cuisine from elaborate Chinese restaurants, where you have a private dining room, to local noodle shops to homemade Tibetan fare. My favorite by far was the yak milk tea and boiled bread for breakfast at the workshop — delicious!!

The main flag monument during construction.

Men gather to observe the festival activities amongst a shower of prayer flags. 

Labrang Monestary is nestled amongst the hillside in neighboring Xiahe.

A sacred goat marked by his ear flags; prayer wheels line the exterior of Labrang and see active use.

Despite the huge language barriers, I was able to communicate quite well with members of the Norlha knitting team: Kharmo, Ghati, Kyikoo, and Wan ma Tso. This was especially true once the team was able to understand my ill-pronounced tonscha (knit) and shemsh (purl). Much thanks to several of the Norlha management (Dhunko and Seru, along with Dechen who offered more advanced translations). Kyikoo and Wan ma Tso were relatively new knitters, but as the younger members of the team, they were anxious and quick to learn. Kharmo and Ghati were experienced knitters — able to make items without pattern and with complicated technique. Their ability to knit pattern-free was at the crux of setting up the knitting program. Items needed to be somewhat standardized in order to be marketable. So we focused our efforts on matching gauges by developing a swatch library augmented by blocking techniques. We prioritized pattern writing and reading. It was a whirlwind, intense, and extremely satisfying teaching and learning experience. And I’m happy to report that Norlha just released its first knitting collection (pdf) this year!

Ghati and Kharmo discussing a step during pattern reading. Photo: Dechen Yeshi.

Wan Ma Tso and Kyikoo.

The Norlha knitting team and me, framed by a sample of Norlha’s woven scarves. Photo: Dhunko.

Norlha symbolizes what is possible in a complicated landscape of tradition and modernization: maintaining local connections to the land and integrating sustainable modern practices to produce truly fantastic textiles. It is my hope that Fibershed and Norlha can continue to learn from each other as sister fibersheds increasing the sustainability of human culture.

The 150 mile wardrobe challenge was a process of invention, innovation, risk and problem solving that existed and continues to exist under an umbrella of unknowns that perseveres in birthing both deeply beautiful garments and equally in depth questions about our material future.

The Fibershed project that sponsored the 150-mile wardrobe is now a non-profit organization that continues to push towards bioregional ownership of ‘soil-to-skin’ processes.  In our community where thousands of pounds of wasted fiber has been growing each year for decades, (smack-dab in the backyard of Northern California’s own Bay Area), it’s clear that we have what it takes to grow a large portion of our clothes in more intimate supply chains, (for more on that subject of growing our clothes- click here for our latest Symposium details).

These first glimmers of a more beautiful and reverent textile culture came from the hardworking hands and minds of our local farmers and artisans.  It was their collaborations that spawned the jaw-droppingly beautiful garments that have lifted our visual senses, and inspired us to understand what is possible when we bring our talents together.

 The pokeberry and japanese indigo dyed sweater was made from 100% merino wool from a sheep named Reba, a sixteen year old ewe from Jean Near’s Utopia Ranch in Redwood Valley, Mendocino.  The piece was designed and knit by California College for the Art’s graduate Sachi Henrietta– a designer who’s developed a certain notoriety for that sought after combo of brilliant-design-eye mixed with an ability to get the job done.

Sachi’s knitting and design skill was noticed by her CCA professor Lynda Grose, who referred me to Henrietta to assist  in the building of the localized wardrobe.  Henrietta’s enthusiastic and welcoming character was immediately evident, as she agreed to meet with me in a basement classroom in between finishing up a final project and dashing off to her evening job.  I walked into a room filled with a luminous collection of very brightly colored yarns and storyboards covered in the latest trends…I carried with me a jar of pokeberries and a skein of yarn from Reba.  Henrietta offered a wide smile, and we got right to business.  She drew, measured, and created her vision right there on the spot with a sense of gentle confidence.

Henrietta grew up in Hawaii with the great expanse of the ocean existing as the backdrop to her childhood experience. The immense blue water horizon, and the even keel climate provided a foundation for Henrietta that you can still detect in her character of unwavering consistency and earthy friendliness.  “The ocean feels like home and I do love to surf…” she said, as we chatted in her upper Haight St. San Francisco apartment.

Henrietta moved north of San Francisco to Marin County in her early childhood, and by this time she had already begun to take an interest in fiber art and sewing. “My aunt is a fine artist who makes sculptures from paper, I received a lot of inspiration from her, and I even began working for her, helping her at shows, and all sorts of logistics.”  After working with her aunt, Henrietta began to look to expand her educational horizons, and as part of her exploration she attended a summer program led by textile professor Lynda Grose.  ”The workshop I took with Lynda is what led me to my commitment to study fashion.”  We did exercises where we looked at the connections between the Iraq war, the environment, and how and what people wear in response to these conditions, it was a total systems thinking moment…I’d never been in a dialogue like that before.”

Professor Lynda Grose at home–sharing her fingerless glove patterns with our photographer Paige Green

“After that class, I realized fashion needed me, my vision for the health of the environment had a place in in this world.”  And that it did, Henrietta’s taken internships with Margaret O’Leary, Abercrombie and Fitch, the Nice Collective in SF, and she is now off to New York.  During a recent phone conversation about her move, Henrietta asked if there were Fibersheds on the east coast, and if she might be able to volunteer for  one. We discussed the fact that two Fibershed projects are emerging in New York State, and we know Henrietta’s skills could be a huge asset to our Atlantic sister projects.

(Beyond Volunteerism: Someday soon we can forsee that a design graduate like Henrietta will not just volunteer a few hours a week for the regional community Fibershed, but actually find a vertically integrated fiber system that needs them, and can provide fairly paid employment that has the ability to launch a formidable design career.)

 It’s now becoming evident that region after region is asking to ‘own their fiber’.  As we have seen with the food supply…. so follows the fiber supply.  As more communities take ownership and responsibility for how we are clothed and fed, jobs will certainly follow.

A wool washing lesson from Jean Near of Utopia Farm

If you look closely at the story of the pokeberry sweater it went through a process of ranching, farming, designing and knitting, and it is these traditions of skilled labor that are responsible for all of our garments and yet we rarely think about the fact that someone took the time to farm, design, and knit or weave our clothes, even though that is the foundation for most of our wardrobes.  In each of these stages there are jobs and livelihoods associated with the work.  Today, we rarely see anyone in our own communities go to work at the local textile mill or get on their horse to shepherd the flocks, it’s become a way of life that we have temporarily exported and off-shored.

  Re-introducing a connection between ranching, farming, and knitting has given us a view into what a vertically integrated textile system would look and feel like.  In the case of the pokeberry sweater, the wool was grown on the back of a merino sheep raised 100 miles from San Francisco over a one year cycle, the wool was then transported 55 miles to the place where it was washed, carded and spun, it then travelled another 40 miles to where the dyes were grown and processed,  and a final trip of 20 miles to where the sweater was knit.

This entire process required 220 miles of transport within our Northern California Fibershed–  a trip that included back and forth transportation between a rancher, a mill owner, a dyer, and a knitter.  (Certainly beats the 6,788 mile minimum distance between wool products coming from New Zealand & China to their San Francisco based consumers.)

Darcey (good friend of Sachi’s) wears the Pokeberry sweater to capture photos for Henrietta’s design portfolio

We know that travel miles are a small fraction of the overall ecological footprint of a garment (around 2-5%), there is a much greater impact made by the wearer once the garment becomes a part of a typical person’s wardrobe.  Washing and drying our clothes over their lifespan is where the greatest energy use takes place.

The ecological impact of caring for my pokeberry sweater has been defined by the following:  The wool used in this piece was gently processed with mild soap so that the lanolin can still be felt in the yarns, the scales of the wool fibers were left on and not removed with harsh acids.  For all of these reasons the sweater is naturally resistant to body odors, moisture (a.k.a. liquid stains) and due to the natural dye variegation– you can not see the effects of wear and tear.  After 18 months of use the sweater has yet to need a washing.

With this example of garment production we can identify key attributes that would define a future regional supply chain. 1) The wearer could see the process of creation and could insist on the highest ecological and socially equitable standards for production  2) Regional supply chains would be flexible and could respond instantly to the demands of the wearer .

Prior to the 150 mile wardrobe I was never able to source clothing that was a full match to my personal set of values.  It was only when I began working with local farmers and artisans that I found out what it meant to ‘wear what you value.’  The free market (for all the choice it claims to offer), provided no existing supply chain and thus no existing textile product that could hold a close second to the systemic beauty provided to me through the Fibershed prototypes.

Wearing the garments is a constant reminder of the processes that were undergone for their creation, as well as a constant reminder of the great contrast between what I wear daily and what I see on the backs of my friends, neighbors and colleagues.

I assume I’m not alone in my commitment and desire to see our culture last beyond being a simple ‘flash in the pan,’ that is now headed towards the dust bin of history.  Many civilizations have come and gone (we wouldn’t be the first of course)…. textile traditions like that of the Minoan societiy lasted 1,600 years before they disbanded from the effects of earthquakes and volcanos. We would be fortunate to have the opportunity to even attempt to initiate a textile tradition as formidable as what our ancestors have manifested over the millennia.  We can start our commitment to this great challenge of creating a lasting and aesthetically rich garment culture by beginning with a question (or two):  When you get dressed tomorrow, ask yourself where  did your clothes come from? If you know the answer to that question you can then ask yourself the second part to that question: Could the system that produced these clothes last for even 200 years to clothe my future great great great grandchildren?

For those who can answer both of those questions we then must ask ourselves how we begin to take textile production off the list of industries degrading the planet, and onto the list of industries that are charged with regenerating it.  (A lofty project that involves us all– farmer, maker, and wearer.)

Thank you Sachi Henrietta for your incredible commitment in making the pokeberry & indigo sweater, and Paige Green for photographing the development of its making, and Jean Near for kindly raising your sheep for the last 55 years in such a beautifully humane manner… and thank you pokeberry and indigo plants for your amazing hues.

Windrush Farm in Chileno Valley, California stands as one of our communities most endearing fiber and farming hubs.  Founded in 1995 by Mimi Luebbermann, the farm grew from an intention of living simply, farming fiber, and functioning as a quiet space for Luebbermann’s longstanding writing career.  The farm has since become a destination for Bay Area spinning and knitting groups, seasonal craft fairs, and during the summer the place is transformed by Luebbermann and her son Arann Harris, into the “best home-grown, grass-fed, tree-climbing, organically-run, farm camp around“… for a host of children from the surrounding area.  Luebbermann’s community calendar of events and private writing time, have woven together amongst a bustling schedule of impromptu visitors, and hungry animals.

Luebberman’s exposure and love of agriculture developed in her very earliest years, during her families operation of an east coast farm.  This formative period growing up in an agricultural setting inspired Luebbermann’s love for animals, provided an exposure to fiber, and immersed her in the rhythms of farm life.  Her adult writing career carries the threads of these early impressions; with book titles such as, “The Heirloom Tomato Cookbook,” and “My Garden, A Five Year Journal.”

With twenty two book titles, and a majority of them based in the art of raising food and gardening, Luebbermann’s writing reflects her connection to natural processes and cycles.  The rearing of sheep, and the cycles of wool are another example of the regenerative processes that inspire her.  ”I spent a year in Australia, and dreamed of becoming a chef for the sheep shearing crews, getting up at 6am, cooking breakfast for the camp, and then moving on to the next station.”   Now on Luebbermann’s own Windrush farm she cares for a bustling flock of 22 Shetland, 22 corriedale crosses, and 10 llamas and alpacas.  She rents a neighboring retirement pasture for 25 sheep that have been taken out of the breeding program.  ”These older girls have a wonderful life with lots of pasture and no breeding stress,”  said Luebbermann.

This care for her animals is one of many ways in which the fiber arts community is endeared to Luebbermann’s wool and incredible yarn.  In line with her commitment of care– Luebbermann invites Johnny Sanchez to her farm annually for the great shearing process.  ”He is so skilled and careful with the sheep.  I like to have him shear early in the year, there are less flies bothering the sheep once they have their coats removed,” she said.  Sanchez grew up on a sheep farm just northwest of Windrush, and over the years has become well known in the community for his precise and careful work.  This year’s shearing will take place on Sunday, February 26th, everyone is welcome to come and observe the process.

Luebbermann’s flocks produce some of the region’s loveliest mid-range wools, fibers that are ideal for performance and outerwear, socks, and clothing that needs a heartier raw material to sustain its function over the longterm.  ”The most well known wool varieties, like merino, are loved for certain properties– however, wool is like ice-cream, there are many flavors to choose from.”  Bringing an awareness of wool breeds and the first and best use of their fiber is one of Luebbermann’s most critical educational points.  “If you want to make garments that last, start by choosing a wool that is best suited for the job.”  In line with this sentiment, the Fibershed wardrobe experimented and compared varieties of wool within one sweater.  Handspun corriedale cross roving was made into a chunky artisanal yarn, and knitted alongside a similar gauge handspun merino yarn.  Merino ranges from 18-24 microns and corriedale ranges from 25-31 microns, (according to a chart provided by the Wild Fibres publication).

The results after a year’s wear and tear show that the corriedale cross to have pilled less, and remained smoother and even cleaner in response to the external elements.  This casual form of research did prove to us that the mid-range wools were and are a very good choice for outerwear garments.

Luebbermann wears a locally grown sweater designed and hand knit by Marlie de Swart

This first outerwear experiments for the Fibershed wardrobe were followed by many other inspirations from Luebberman’s flock– most importantly the creation of the wardrobe’s three pair of socks– (the socks were, and are extraordinarily sturdy), and are still in use even after constant and almost daily wear.  When you only have three pair of socks, they have no time to rest….

As the socks aged, darning and repairing occurred, and the soles felted under the pressure and heat of walking feet. This created an even stronger sock, as it morphed slowly into what looked like a soft shoe. Conventional wool socks sold in the marketplace are often pre-washed in strong synthetic acids to de-scale wool fibers, and the wool is then blended with plastic based polymers allowing them to be washed and dried in a typical washing and drying machine without felting.  The hand knit 100% wool sock is another animal all together, and one that has become well-loved and deeply appreciated within the Fibershed wardrobe.  They contain no plastic fibers, and are truly representative of the natural wool fiber, with the scales left in tact.  The felted soles are an attribute, and have created a surprising level of comfort.

Luebbermann’s wools are not just sturdy, they also carry an identifiably unique and beautiful natural sheen that makes them a shoe-in for botanic based dyes, and for that reason there is much natural dye processing done on the farm.  ”I primarily offer my natural colored wools, with an accent of my own naturally dyed skeins,” said Luebbermann.

A collection of skeins are held together to show the repertoire of the naturally generated plant colors.  Many of these skeins can be found at Luebbermann’s farmers market stand, and Black Mt. Weavers storefront in Point Reyes Station. The range of subtle colors Luebbermann achieves is due in part to the variation between wools within her flock. Different wool types, and their subtle natural color variation make for a beautiful foundation for natural dye work.

Luebbermann had cultivated a relationship with plant dyes, fiber varieties, and processing techniques for years, even before her move to the farm.  ”When I first moved to the East Bay, our community had a store called Straw Into Gold– it was an amazing fiber inspiration, and the man who created a lot of the equipment for the store– Alden Amos was also a very big inspiration of mine,” said Luebbermann during our lunchtime conversation. (Alden Amos continues to inspire many with his custom spinning equipment, that he produces at his home Dragonfly Farms.) Luebberman’s inspiration for hand spinning has strengthened and grown over the years, and you can find her alongside business partner and friend Marlie de Swart teaching spinning classes at Windrush Farm.  The next series of classes begin on March 4th of 2012.  For more details on spinning classes check with Marlie at BMA@sonic.net.  You can also check out the very popular Sheep to Shawl series at the Regenerative Design Institute, starting on March 10, 2012.

Luebbermann shares her hands on knowledge readily with the community so that everyone has an opportunity to access the skills to make their own yarns. She also makes her new yarn collaboration “Local Pastures,” available to the general public.  The yarn design is done by both Luebbermann and de Swart and the fiber is processed in small one-of-a-kind lots, each lot is milled at the nearby Yolo Wool Mill.  ”Our yarn varieties are made in just enough quantity so that some fortunate knitters will have the opportunity to make full size garments, each lot is comparable to a fine batch of wine or artisan cheese– it is unique and very high quality,” said de Swart, owner of Black Mt. Weavers in Point Reyes Station.

100% Shetland wool was used for Local Pastures “Shetland Tweed” yarn

The subtlety of the natural sheep’s wool is the emphasis of the Local Pasture’s line.  ”Everything you see is straight from the animal’s own color scheme,” said de Swart.  These colors are what the sheep create from metabolizing their surroundings, the grasses, alfalfa, water, and air–they are a true reflection of the earth’s natural color creation processes.  Luebbermann and de Swart now offer the local pastures wool as an offering to knitters everywhere– and the reception to this new line has been strong, “People are enjoying these yarns, we’ve sold out of several lots already.”  The collection can be found at de Swart’s own shop, Black Mt. Weavers, as well as the Fibershed Marketplace.

Working with Luebbermann and de Swart has been an on-going inspiration for the Fibershed project.  Through their care, support, and passion–not only have garments been made for the one-year wardrobe, but they’ve carried the torch for local fiber farming long before Fibershed was even a word.  They’ve spearheaded issues regarding fiber education, processing, and sales.  They are actively engaged in every sphere of this community, and have consistently and tirelessly made themselves available for the cause of local agriculture and artisanship.  While this is a reputation to be proud of…..It should not go unmentioned– Luebbermann has just recently been made  the proud grandmother of her first grandson, Harper Albi Harris.

The reason for this mention is not simply to congratulate, but to also let you readers know that this little man’s momma–is our awesome and well-loved Paige Green (the famous Fibershed photographer who makes it all so vivid and alive).  So…. if the degrees of separation need more clarifying–Luebbermann is the mother-in-law of the well-loved photographer, and she is also the mother of the well-loved musician Arann Harris.

Arran and Paige are cornerstones of the community– just like their mom… they’ve consistently offered their talents and time to the Fibershed project and many other non-profit efforts in our community– and for that we say thank you to the whole incredible sheep loving family!

You’re wonderful!

And don’t forget to visit the crew on February 26th at Windrush Farm for Shearing Day!

Born of water, wool, soap and human hands– felt is the most immediate textile that can be created from the back of a sheep.  The directness of the process, and utility of the finished product has found its way deep into the heart and soul of our kindred featured artisan, Katherine Jolda, a woman whose creative life has manifested fundamentally crucial garments for the 150 mile wardrobe.  She has been deemed ‘a brilliant inventor, natural philosopher, and felt athlete,’ by those who have both observed and worn her work.

 Jolda’s sensibility-for-utility was honed during her six year sojourn on the Navajo reservation, a region she gravitated to and made her home after college.  Her initial work focused on food system and public health issues.  ”I was re-invigorating the work of growing food, and eating that which we grew.  It was a diabetes intervention strategy,” she recounted during one of our first meetings.

During this time on the reservation, Jolda’s interest was peaked by the Navajos’ flocks of churro sheep.  ”The sheep are living symbols of the good life, in fact, the sheep = life.”  The Navajo don’t appreciate numerous questions regarding their cultural practices–to become involved with the sheep, meant ‘doing’ versus ‘taliking.’   Jolda’s athleticism, and ‘can-do’ way of being fit right into this cultural paradigm.

The remoteness of the Navajo Nation, combined with ongoing water rights issues spawned by foreign mining entities, stimulated the residents including Jolda, to manage their resources with an intricate efficiency.  ”You can’t drive elsewhere to acquire things… for instance, you don’t buy feed for your sheep, the flock relies on the surrounding pastures completely.  This makes ground water extraordinarily precious to the people, and makes the use of it for mining coal all the more irresponsible.” she said during a recent presentation on the subject.

Jolda’s felting process is representative of her years of participation with a culture that has for reasons of necessity, lived within its ecological confines.

Returning home and to the city of her birth in the last 24 months, Jolda has begun the process of weaving together the culture of her Oakland roots, with the strong impressions and lifestyle shifts she made while living with the Navajo people.

She has brought her earth-based practicality to the city where she now resides, “I was curious how my (felting) practice would manifest itself in my homeland, this region, that I had primarily known to be urban and metropolitan. I was delighted to find not only people similarly engaged in the teaching and learning of fiber arts, but the passionate application of these skills and relationships to common political and economic concerns, such as ecological health, global environmental justice, manufacturing and trade policies, livelihood, and social relationships.”  

Jolda is actively engaged in an ongoing process of teaching and learning– her contributions to the Fibershed project reflect that cycle.  From teaching one of our artisan re-skilling days, to the felting of some magnificent ready to wear garments, she has shared her talents graciously with the entire community.

“I am interested in offering my unique gifts and strengths in ways I enjoyed before my mind got clouded with notions of what I ought to be doing. Intertwined with this is giving others the courage to cultivate and offer themselves similarly. I seek more opportunities to work with young people, as their worldview is developing, I intend to help people connect to deeper cycles.”   Jolda teaches felting classes throughout the region and beyond, and is working towards becoming a credentialed teacher.  Jolda’s wool processing classes always include the presence and operation of her most re-known invention– the Cyclocarder™.

Jolda’s invention was awarded first place at the Maker Fair this year

The Cyclocarder is the key to processing Jolda’s fiber once it is shorn from the sheep and after it is washed.  Combing wool is the first step in the life cycle of any wool garment whether it is felted, knit, or woven.  Jolda’s work approaches wool processing in a revolutionary manner– relying on human-power, while remaining efficient.  The standard tools for cottage industry work prior to Katherine’s invention relied fully on hand-cards and hand-powered drum cards.  For a felter working to make full size garments– these tools are slow and cumbersome.  The bicycle powered drum carder creates on average 6oz. of combed wool in 4-5 minutes.

Jolda’ s interest is to see a cultural shift towards 100% natural fiber garments.  ” I would like to see the current trend towards plastic-based outdoor gear transition into a renewable fiber base.”  With tens of thousands of pounds of wool being discarded annually in our Fibershed– along with the recent research published on the effects of our plastic clothing on our oceans, Jolda’s work is very timely.

 ”My main goal is to stop wool from ending up in the compost pile, at least as long as we are wearing clothing from synthetic and industrial materials. All forms of life offer gifts to us humans that match our needs and desires. I want to make durable and beautiful felt items in which the origins of all materials are unmistakable, and help represent the story of our land, wild and cultivated.”

Jolda has brought the story of our region’s fiber to the forefront with her designs.  She has engaged with several of the regions farmers to collaborate on her creations.

The first piece Jolda made from our region’s wool was a fedora– an incredibly useful and beautiful tool for shading the face.  The wool came from just 44 miles north of Jolda’s Oakland hub, from the Bodega Pastures sheep.  The band used to tighten the hat is made from Jolda’s brain-tanned buckskin.

Jolda’s most recent creation is a perfect fusion of beauty and function.  Utilized daily for just about everything– food, laptop, wallet, keys– this bag is well constructed from one pound of Bodega Pastures wool, bound together with locally tanned leather straps, sewn into the fiber with brain tanned buckskin.  This bag is a complete hit, and a popular item in the Fibershed Marketplace!

This 147 mile winter coat was Jolda’s first and flawless attempt at felting alpaca, her felted pieces were then composed and sewn by Mali Mrozinski for this gorgeous piece that provided warmth and comfort through a long winter.

Katherine’s experiences traveling through the Fibershed have brought her closer to the resources of her home land. “I believe that there is a whole lot of insight revealed when we tell the story of how an item came into being. We always have a feeling about what we are telling others, if it is something we are excited and delighted to tell, or something we feel bad about telling, and that feeling can guide us to become involved in the story, and work so that it becomes something we are delighted to tell.”

Jolda has inspired many within the Fibershed and beyond this year to become active authors of their own fiber stories, by giving us the vision and tools to become our own creators…. more specifically, to become our own ‘mini-wool mill.’  Her inventiveness was born of necessity, and is now being assimilated and incorporated into a community that for all its wealth– has little access to equipment and manufacturing.  The drum carder is as needed on our farms and studios as it was on the reservation.

It is our hope to empower more communities in towns and cities everywhere to cultivate their own stories of place through the act of creating with what you have.

To meet Katherine in person, and see her inventions and incredible garments you can go to her upcoming events page.

Thank you to Katherine Jolda, Mali Mrozinski, Julie & Ken Rosenfeld, Paige Green, and Bodega Pastures for making this story a reality… your skills are gifts to our community.

]]> http://www.fibershed.com/2011/11/01/mother-of-invention/feed/ 8 http://www.fibershed.com/2011/09/14/1564/ http://www.fibershed.com/2011/09/14/1564/#comments Wed, 14 Sep 2011 16:00:06 +0000 ecologicalartist http://fibershed.wordpress.com/?p=1564 It has been a year since the one year challenge began… no bells and whistles went off, not even a sense of subtle satisfaction reverberated through me, the most apparent reality was that I, and this project are really just in process.  There is no going back to slapping on the old jeans, [...]]]>

It has been a year since the one year challenge began… no bells and whistles went off, not even a sense of subtle satisfaction reverberated through me, the most apparent reality was that I, and this project are really just in process.  There is no going back to slapping on the old jeans, and white T-shirt before working at the farm…

But we have come a long way.. and the ‘we’ really became a ‘we’.  This image is a reminder of this journey– it all started with Heidi Iverson, Paige Green, and the love of natural dyes.  It grew into a community 30 times that size.  On our one year anniversary we bring the original team back together with a twist.

Here’s a Heidi Iverson hand-knit Sally Fox cotton tunic in two layers, dyed in indigo– worn by me at the dye farm, picture taken by Paige Green… thanks ladies, we wouldn’t have been able to do this without you.

This way of living is about walking forward down the path.  The questions that now reverberate through me are ones of agriculture, land, mills, jobs, water, wool, carbon, cotton and community, and until those explorations and solutions are carried out and found… I and the many other’s involved keep going.

Thanks for reading this little interlude.. more on this beautiful journey soon…

Meet Kacy Dapp, a modern day artisan whose life has been consciously crafted to balance the needs of the individual with the reality of the times we live.  Her personal passions are carved from a value system of self-sufficiency, community building, and a quest for simplicity.

Weaving, knitting, sewing, spinning, guitar and dyeing are all skills Dapp has explored in increasing and varying depth.  Her bicycle is her chosen mode of transportation– unlike the average weekend journeyer, or commute-to-worker… Dapp goes everywhere on her favored two-wheels, including a weekend ride she made through several counties to get to a natural dye workshop.

‘I mostly cycle for the purpose of joyful transportation.  The longest distance I’ve gone has been to Big Sur, and although the trip was incredible, I mainly did it because I was in love with my company.’

Dapp holds the first handwoven piece she made on a floor loom during a class at the Richmond Art Center

Dapp grew up in Los Angeles, and moved to San Francisco as a young adult to study.  ’In 2005, I moved to San Francisco to attend SFSU, majoring in apparel design and merchandising.’  Dapp then moved to New York City for an internship and within a short period of time had opened the doors of her first shop.

‘The project of my business, ‘Scales’ is to focus on dimensions. There are many worlds on this Earth in which we can live. Opening the store was an attempt to live naturally and with the community among the industry of New York. The ethos was that it would demonstrate skill and ability within the community, would support local businesses,would be educational and would be an attempt to live in my favorite manner in an urban setting.’

Dapp gave classes in how to construct one’s own clothes, as well as offered ready and handmade goods, ‘I offered free workshops.  I did and do not want commerce to mean commercialism.’   Down to the very nails, the store was constructed with local materials and local labor.

Dapp returned to the Bay Area in July of 2010 to continue to develop her skills and her life as a whole, ‘I am not as interested in mastering anything as much as I am in acquiring a foundation upon which to live sustainably and with self-reliance. I live seeking splendor, which translates for me into thriving, being without fear, and making contributions. In so far as “mastering” sewing, I have been working on building a complete wardrobe and pairing down and cleaning up my patterns to be easily replicated with simple stitches and seams.’

Dapp’s quest for a complete and paired down wardrobe was a perfect match for the Fibershed project.  ’When I realized the scope of the Fibershed project, I knew I wanted to take part not just because of the clothing, but because of the community and how the project is bound to the Earth.’

As we constructed the year’s clothing from our local fibers and dye plants, we were  managing our resources with extreme care, there were only so many available skilled hands– and each pair of them needed to be focused on ‘just the right pieces’.  At the point at which Dapp became involved, the need for a specialized wool shirt was becoming increasingly more evident– and not just any wool top, but one that could function as an insulating base layer.

In Dapp’s characteristic positive and generous way, she took on the challenge of a fitted wool base-layer, without hesitation.

Dapp was paired with Solano County Rancher, Robin Lynde, who runs a flock of Jacob’s sheep in California’s Central Valley.  The two met at a Lambtown natural dye event that Robin generously hosted on her land, (this was the same dye event that Dapp rode for two days to get too!).  Lynde has a long history of not only raising her sheep, but in processing and weaving their wool.  She is also famed for playing a large role in her region’s agricultural community.  This combination of artisan and farmer all in one, seemed like a natural match for Dapp’s Renaissance-woman skill base.  The two have a lot in common.

  As the day closed on the original natural dye event where Dapp, Lynde and I were all present… so many months ago, the discussion of including Dapp’s knitting skills into the Fibershed project were just taking hold– it seemed like the best way to get moving on the collaboration was to take a look at the yarns that were right there at the farm…. so Dapp and myself made a journey into Lynde’s studio to check out her range of raw materials.

Lynde’s heirloom herd, with their modeled black and white fleeces create some of the most uniquely beautiful spun yarns– the echos of the black and white spots appear as a speckled gray to the onlooker.  It was this strong patterning, and perfect softness that drew Dapp and I to settle on these raw materials.

As knitter and farmer shook hands, (so to speak), the yarns were passed from their source at the farm, to Dapp, and her Oakland studio, a short distance of 53 miles.  In their new home, they would be recreated into a wearable garment with Dapp’s knitting needles.

Dapp describes her relationship with the process, ‘Knitting is euphoric. It feels endless and what better way to live and end a life?! There is rhythm and power in the action. One essentially makes fabric for most uses in a portable, social, practical, natural, creative and simple manner.  There will always be something else to make as it will wear out or need darning. It has reinvented my concept of time that I’ve applied to many areas of my life.”

Dapp combined the idea of a shirt with that of a sweater, drawing from multiple inspirations– including the wisdom of knitting legend Elizabeth Zimmerman.  The length was carefully constructed to be long enough to fit over the waist and to the base of the hips– an important characteristic of a cool-weather garment, which you need to cover your midsection even as you bend and twist.

This is the type of garment that you want with you at all times….you can wear it under a larger coat or sweater, or it can function on its own.  It exudes function and beauty at every level.

Dapp and Lynde’s sweater wears perfectly under this fennel dyed vest

When Dapp was asked what changes had occurred for her during her work on this garment, her response was one of transformation.

‘Through working with Fibershed,  I recently had the epiphany that I don’t necessarily need the materials I initially envision for a project. There are an abundance of ways to complete a project and I’d rather look at what’s available rather than what I desire as the process of completion is just as exciting as the finished piece if I allow it to be. I also love the reassociation with clothing that the project gives me.

I cherish that I have the opportunity to buy groceries at the farmer’s market each week and I know who grew my oranges and broccoli but I never met the people involved with my waxed cotton jacket. When I knit with a friend’s wool the project and how I care for it afterwards takes on a new dimension. Clothing and the things we buy should be more approachable. My initial hesitation over working with Fibershed was that the idea was farfetched or disconnected from reality when actually the community, culture and resources were already there waiting to be pieced. This is often the case.’

When Dapp was asked what her future would look like with Fibershed, she responded, ‘It would be satisfying to expand upon the idea of the multifunctional knitted shirt/sweater and make more garments that easily transform (ie: a jacket that becomes a bag).”

She also suggested how the project could encapsulate a whole life approach, ‘Ideas for the future would be to consider recycling materials, food and shelter in the paradigm as that would make a complete circle.  I’d also love to discuss the animals involved  and how they can be treated to ensure the project is not only healthy for people, but for the land and the animals themselves.

I am intrigued by the Nicasio Grass Ranch (carbon sequestering ranch), and the role it plays in harmony and sustainability. The Fibershed project has created open space for me, physically and cognitively. Having grown up in suburban and urban settings, I rarely saw farmland except along the highway which didn’t seem appealing. With space and the outdoors as being part of a community, so much becomes a possibility. This has made a great impression on me and now I sleep better outside or when the window is open.’ 

Thank you Kacy, Robin, Paige, and the many Jacob’s sheep who lent their efforts to the creation and documentation of this story… and this garment.

Believed to be a gift from Pachamama, the sacred earth mother– alpaca have been present during the rise and fall of many human civilizations from the point of their domestication 6,000 years ago.  As the lives of the alpaca and humans became increasingly and intricately woven within ancient South American culture, they became revered and honored for their integral place in pre-Colombian society.  The people of the Andes developed an exquisite language of gratitude for the animals who became a vital source of food, fiber, fuel and skins.

The people and their herds co-existed peacefully until the 1500′s, until the alpaca, like the Incan culture as a whole was met by the invasion of Spanish colonists.  The animals were massacred by the millions by militia members who saw them as the linchpin to the Incan empire, and did everything in their power  to decimate all aspects of the indigenous culture.

The alpaca were relegated to high mountain plateaus– where they remained safe and protected from modern European weaponry.  Today less than 4.9 million alpaca exist.  They are a species whose numbers are still recovering from 500 years of history.  There are few farms that we have visited within the Fibershed who carry the knowledge and responsibility of  this historical narrative like the Rosenfeld family of Mt. Aukum, California.

Julie and Ken Rosenfeld are stewards for a most extraordinary flock of alpaca.  While visiting their solar-powered ranch in the eastern most stretches of our Fibershed, we were introduced to these four-leggeds–better known as Kachina, Celeste, Blackberry, Guns N’ Roses, and Jesse James (just to name a few).  Taking a virtual tour of their herd on the families website, one can see the carefully organized family tree that is the well hewn work of an extensive breeding program.

“It is so important to be making careful breeding decisions that improve the strength of the species.  This animal has now, for numerous reasons, been put in our care… we owe it to them to do this right,” said Julie Rosenfeld during our interview.

“So often bred for cuteness, or simply for the softest fiber, there must be other considerations that take into account the health of these animals.  Too many decisions are made lightly.  I’ve seen a lot of herds mismanaged and it is really sad.”  

Breeding is about honoring the overall health of the animal, fiber being one facet of the alpaca’s overall genetic make-up.  Julie’s husband Ken started his career as an OBGYN in Boston years ago, his original training in the sciences and in the birthing process has assisted the couple’s ability to deal with the complexities of breeding.

Renaissance Ridge is both a model for good rearing as well as good land management.  The electricity for the ranch is generated from a solar grid, the pastures are well covered with organic feed, no signs of erosion or over-grazing exist anywhere.  The herd looked perfectly at home standing on the rock studded oak and pine woodlands that make up the topography of Mt. Aukum.

The fiber from this flock averages 17 microns, including the “old gals”, and the “old guys”.  This is an above average quality for a herd– and not just slightly above average.  When the Rosenfelds had the fiber tested from their male sire- Guns N’ Roses, the follicle density surpassed all internationally documented standards.  (This means a lot of fiber per square inch of skin.)

“The beauty of Guns N’ Roses is that all his progeny carry this trait.  He has become a household name in the alpaca circles, we share him with a woman on the east coast now.  He lives here half time, and travels east to do what he does best.”

Those who raise and rear alpacas are drawn to the work for a multitude of reasons– fine fiber being one of the foremost mentioned…and there is good reason for this–  it has become hailed as the “new cashmere” by many in the garment industry.  The fiber has a hollow core and few scales, allowing it to be very warm and extremely soft simultaneously.  Because it is hypo-allergenic many people are able to wear it who find wool irritating to their skin.  The fiber has no lanolin, or “grease” and thus does not have to washed in the way that wool does, saving massive amounts of fresh water resources.

“The other benefit to raising your own alpaca and utilizing their fiber, is to have access to the colored fleeces.  Commercial alpaca yarns and garments come from huge herds of white animals, and their fiber is dyed chemically to achieve black, gray, and brown.”

Rebecca Burgess with Tempest, one of the animals whose fiber makes up the waterproof coat

This handcrafted black coat was felted by Katherine Jolda and sewn by Mali Mrozinski.  The fiber was generously donated by Blackberry (not pictured), and Tempest (seen above).  We wanted to illuminate the stunning options that can be created from the colored fleeces– without utilizing black, gray, and brown chemical dyes.  (Synthetic dye applications are typically the most carbon intensive processes of the conventional textile supply chain).

 And yet, utilizing non-synthetic and botanic based dyes on the white fleece creates an exquisite foundation for  fennel, horsetail, and toyon dye baths, (all naturalized or native species to our California floristic province).

Each of the animals that came close enough to smell the fibers gave the garments a sniff and a nudge– showing signs that there was something familiar in regard to what I was wearing.

Alpaca fiber has an incredible sheen, it takes the dyes more lightly than wool, and tends to enhance the pastel-like quality of all the botanic colors.  The drape that the fiber creates within a finished garment is sought after by those looking to make clothes that will flatter the contours of the human body.  The lace weight Victorian-Era inspired shawl (worn in the above picture) was created by Gale Ulvang of San Anselmo.  Her work and patterns are featured on Ravelry…. search for “galeu” for more of her knitwear.

We didn’t stop with the lace weight shawl, or jacket… we couldn’t help but to continue to make use of this world class fiber… the experiments continued…

 This piece was designed and knit by scientist and knitwear designer Danielle Svehla– no dye work necessary.  The carmel and dark brown colors are a product of the natural alpaca fibers. This is the most ideal sweater I could have asked for… it is warm, soft, and purely insulating.  The weight of the sweater is what catches you– it is heavy– but that weight is grounding and comforting, like being hugged all day long by Kachina, (the most friendly of all the animals in the flock).

Given how amazingly warm, gorgeous and completely functional this piece has proven to be for me over the last year… we have been inspired to offer the pattern and yarns to all those who want to make their own Fibershed sweater.  The intricate details are just now being worked out and the DIY local clothing kit will soon be available in our marketplace.

There is nothing like wearing a garment from an animal that you have be-friended. The reality of the sweater takes shape– it is no longer a layer of cloth next to the skin, but a part of the living, breathing daily life– supporting you, reminding you of your connection to the seasonal, annual and longer life cycles that define you and your engagement with all that lives.

If these animals are beginning to intrigue you… I completely understand– I haven’t been the same since my visit to Renaissance Ridge.  Life is different once you cross paths with the alpaca.  Their gentle and curious way slows you down and wakes you up in a manner incomparable to other encounters.

If you dream of starting your own alpaca herd… the Rosenfelds are available to answer your questions.  They are often called upon to help people discern if alpaca rearing is the right path.

 ”We consult people all the time about the totality of the alpaca raising process… it is a long life commitment.  These animals live for 25 years or more.  Their gestation is 11 months.  They require a type of care and love that you have to be both passionate and well prepared for.  It is a choice we made that has defined our lives completely….I am so happy– for me, this is as good as it gets.”

Pokeberry and Indigo were dipped in merino wool that was graciously donated by “Reba” a sheep from the Potter Valley in this sweater tunic designed and knit by Sachi Henrietta.  The piece was worn atop Foxfibre buffalo brown cotton leggings.

Fibershed Fashion came alive for the community during our first ever benefit celebration.  One hundred and eighty individuals from throughout Northern California came together during a sold-out celebration to raise money for our first solar powered community based mill.

All food and fiber were carefully sourced from within our region.  Sally Fox harvested lamb for the stew, the goat was brought in from Rossotti Ranch, the corn tortillas made just north of us.  The bread from Brickmaiden Bakery– was adorned with Carmody cheese from Bellweather farm, Foggy Morning rounds from Nicasio Valley Cheese, and Cowgirl Creamery’s St. Pat.  The nettles, douglas fir tips, and wild mustard were harvested by my dear friend Mia Andler.  My brother Michael made a rose, and gogi berry flavored kombucha, Wild West Foods made an original dandelion, nettle and cleaver ale, Molly Myerson baked the strawberry rhubarb pies. Eamonn made the chocolate and vanilla cheesecakes, local vintners Lou Preston, Porter Creek, and J-vineyards provided amazing Pinot Noir, Syrah, and Chardonnay.  The local apothecary made a blend of medicinal “dye tea”.  The entirety of the meal was composed and brought to incredible life by John Murray– a talented San Francisco based chef, who poured love into every detail.

The rose, gogi, and original kombucha was a complete hit.  Everyone who imbibed in this drink, had words of praise for its maker– who was also the bartender.

The fiber menu was as exciting as the food!  Pria wears a handspun and handknit merino short from Merry Meadows Farm– an “old-style” bathing suit bottom.  (the idea came from my great-grandmother’s era.. she flaunted a wool bathing suit back in the 20′s, it was all the rage prior to synthetics)

Kacy Dapp wears a pair of earrings made by Dyan Ashby, constructed of Sally Fox’s cotton dyed in oak galls, and felted wool beads.  Her sweater was made by the Black Mountain Weaver’s collective of Point Reyes Station, the wool is from the farm of Mimi Luebbermann and Martha Cant of Starbuck Station.

The models for our event were all amazing community members, a group of women whose beauty shined from the both the in- and outside.  June wears a jacket designed by Amber Elandt, made of Sally Fox’s french terry cotton, dyed in a light iron and oak gall combo.  Her lovely scarf was hand knit by Gale Ulvang in Renaissance Ridge alpaca yarns– I dyed them in horsetail, fennel, and toyon.

Lily (top of stairs) wears a handwoven Viyella dress (cotton and wool blend), designed and created by Susan Hayes, of Susan Hayes Handwovens, the cardigan was hand knit by Heidi Iverson using three of Sally Fox’s yarns together– one strand dyed in Mt. Barnaby indigo.  Jalena (far right), wears a Kacy Dapp hand knit piece made from Robin Lynde’s natural colored Jacob’s sheep wool.

Sally Fox welcomed the Fibershed community together… asking every weaver, knitter, farmer, and seamstress to stand and be recognized for their skills, and for their commitment to creating this movement.  ”We are the Fibershed,”  she said to a full house of inspired individuals.

Dyan Ashby elegantly walked the straw bale runway– wearing a Viyella shirt made of black wool and cotton, and a Foxfibre woven skirt– all pieces she made specifically for the show.

Sierra Reading wears her amazing Sue Reuser Cormo wool vest that she hand knit, felted, and dyed in onion skins and iron.  A beautiful piece, whose color and texture are reminiscent of a wild moss covered tree.

Eden Trenor was just the right fit for the Mt. Barnaby indigo dyed capri pants made of Foxfibre flannel, sewn by Kerry Keefe.  Zara Franks knit the shawl from Kenny Kirkland’s flock of mixed breed sheep.  The shirt was made of a buffalo brown light weight Foxfibre knit.

Stacie Shepp illuminated the playful aspects of the evening, as she danced down the runway wearing a piece that was hand knit and designed by Marlie de Swart of Black Mountain Weavers.  ”I’m so proud of this piece,” de Swart said with a smile, “All the wool is from Windrush Farm.”  The sweater received many “wows” from the textile loving crowd.

Darcey Swanson wore the Renaissance Ridge hand felted and hand constructed alpaca jacket made by Katherine Jolda and Mali Mrozinski.  The pants are foxfibre flannel, sewn by Kerry Keefe.  (The jacket  has magnetic closures… so clever)

Elizabeth Shelhart makes her runway return wearing a perfectly fitting color-grown cotton flannel jumpsuit adorned with a stunning green cotton shawl, (when the cotton is boiled the shade darkens into this rich and deep shade of green.)

Dr. Sara Gottfried walked the catwalk like a pro, she wore Heidi Iverson’s two-layered hand knit foxfibre and Mt. Barnaby indigo piece with the vigor it so rightfully deserved.

Dyan Ashby is shown here wearing her own hand-constructed and designed naturally dyed foxfiber jewelry.  An exquisite compliment to the Fibershed offerings.

The night was brought to a new level of beauty with the music of Tim Weed– a wondrous local musician whose sound enhanced the feeling and experience of handmade.

We paid homage to the animals who make our clothes possible… some of them were kind enough to share the evening with us.  These are Guanacos from Royal Fibers farm.

Here is the map of our Fibershed.  Each farmer and artisan is documented for their contribution– thank you to each and everyone who has made the journey possible, and continues to evolve the Fibershed into a functioning supply chain for which we can all participate in.

We’ve begun the journey to re-weaving the community cloth… may the mill’s construction be swift, and come with ease and grace.. and may we all have the ability to wear local and regenerative clothes once again.

 There is a story in each garment, a living history of our collective experience resides in the implications and realities of our clothes.  The wool in this tunic comes from the homestead of Kenny Kirkland.  His flock is small in comparison to the flocks that live north and west of us– where 1,000 sheep per ranch is considered normal.  In our current system the meat from these animals brings the highest margins, and yields vital wages and income.  However, many resources lay wasted in the process of procuring this “one” economically viable product.  Making something from the wool is time consuming and proves unaffordable for many ranchers.

I wondered…. “At this moment..the great irony and tragedy is that it is too “expensive” to use our own resources…. but in a drastically re-organized economic system which we are entering…… will this remain the case?”

What happens when we can’t get everything we need from somewhere else?

The sheep are here.

So many of them in fact….that we are throwing away, and or, store-housing 22,000 pounds of wool annually, in my county alone.  We haven’t seen so much as a sock available from our own “meat sheep” wool.  Let alone the obvious and easy applications you would expect to see– duvet fill, mattresses, and housing insulation.  Instead of making a mattress, we wanted to prove you could make something even more visually exciting– a garment so beautiful you don’t want to take it off.

This tunic is made with the wool of a sheep named Saturday, spun and knit by the hands of local artisan Nance Ottentstein, dyed in the summer and fall harvested plants of black walnut, Japanese Indigo, coyote brush, and eucalyptus.  This garment is a living symbol of what can be created when we focus on what is here and what is now.

To see this garment in person, and all of the other Fibershed pieces, you’re invited to our benefit dinner and show… a celebration to bring the first solar powered farm-based mill into existence.

We look forward to seeing you.