Did you know that the UN declared this the "Year of the Fiber"?
"Since the 1960s, the use of synthetic fibers has increased dramatically causing the natural fiber industry to lose much of their market share. In December 2006, the United Nations General Assembly declared 2009 the International Year of Natural Fibers (IYNF) a year-long initiative focused on raising global awareness about natural fibers with specific focus on increasing market demand to help ensure the long-term sustainability for farmers who rely heavily on their production."
This apparently encompasses many different fibers.
Go to keepthefleece.org and read about the longest scarf in the world which is raising money to create the world's largest fiber flock.
It seems like it would be a good time to write your congress members or the White House and begin a movement to promote the manufacturing of fiber and fabric in our own country once again. Tell them we would love to see some stimulus packages to farmers to raise sheep, grow bamboo, hemp, cotton? And from there, lets revitalize all of those abandoned mills...manufacturing is what made this country great. Please forgive the politics but at least it is related to our common love of fabric and fiber....right?
WOOL FLOSS! It is about to return on our website. As soon as we receive the newest colors we will make it available once again. It is made from merino wool and is quite lovely. It is about the same thickness as the Medicis was and sews beautifully. It will be more expensive than the Medicis but nearly twice the yardage.
A little late for this year but for those graduates in the future...stitch up either our Big Bag or any of the smaller bags from our On The Road Again patterns Part 1 and Part 2. Several of my friends and myself, found them to be wonderful graduate gifts. You have likely seen them already on the web site but if not, here is a peek at the patterns and also the unique way my friend Terry stitched up the Big Bag....
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I am always delighted to receive your pictures and stitching stories. Allyson Baldwin from Missoula Montana sent this picture taken at their Garden Walk Quilt Show.
Our I Love To Stitch Pattern
inspired them...in a big way it seems. Click on the picture to see an enlarged photo with quilts included and read her wonderful story.
Once again after the Folsom Quilt Show, splendid as always, I taught a class at the heavenly Tin Thimble in Newcastle. We did one of the pincushions from our Baskets Full pattern. I received this picture from a student who was a beginning sewer...but not new at all to creativity. Don't you agree?
I wish I had pictures of all the students' pincushions...each one indeed a creation beyond the pattern.
