HOME- SPUN HAPPINESS

By Kim Malakowsky

www.ockhardtphoto.com

Beginnings

When long-time knitter Chris Armbrust decided to purchase her first four Alpacas and spin the fiber to make her own yarn, she didn’t know it was the beginning of a journey into the world of an old cottage industry.

Demand for her hand-processed products soon came from friends and fellow fiber enthusiasts. And, when the Alpaca shearer suggested she open a mill, Armbrust took the suggestion to heart.

“Glory be to God. I prayed about it,” said Armbrust. “He has plans and I will do whatever he wants me to do.”

Undaunted by the enormity of starting a business in the fiber industry, Armbrust set about acquiring the financing, then moved on to the real core of the business. Understanding the uniqueness of the industry, she engaged the services of a textile engineer from England who sourced the specialized equipment and set up the mill. Eight months after the first inklings of the endeavor, Dakota Fiber Mill was ready for business.

Family Life

It’s easy to see the joy in Ambrust's life on the quaint little farm with the yellow house, the mill, and the store, not far from the small town of Kindred, North Dakota. Varied hues and varieties of flowers grace the yard, while a luscious garden sits quietly at the back offering a bountiful fall harvest.

Though Armbrust does most of the day-to-day millwork, it’s a family affair in many ways. Her husband, Steve, maintains the vast equipment. Fascinated with the inner workings of the machines, he often tinkers and tweaks them and improves their performance.

Daughter Katie, a nursing student, and son Dustin, a lineman, are all involved in helping out at the business when things get busy.

Meet the Herd

Armbrust smiles widely when describing “the herd.” The herd keeps residence in the pasture and barn at the edge of the farmyard. Each adds a personality of their own, greeting visitors with inquisitiveness and a little nibble here and there.

The herd consists of a Bactrian camel named Abraham, two Tibetan Yaks (Bert and Tara) whose mother came from Tibet, three Angora goats (Larry, Moe and Curly), eight Alpaca (three Suri and five Huacaya), ten sheep of various breeds, and eight Angora rabbits.

“Abraham is a two-humper,” said Armbrust of her prize camel, “he is the same breed the wise men used for transportation. The Tibetan Yaks were bottle-fed for four months and needed to be tamed.”

Each member of the herdstock provides unique qualities of fiber. From the softness of Alpaca to the curls of the Mohair, each has its own appeal and purpose. Some fibers are used alone, while others are blended with additional fibers. Many knitters and fiber artists will seek out very specific fibers for creative projects.

Some of the more unusual fibers Dakota Fiber Mill has seen for blending are possum, dog, cat, and highlander cattle.

At Your Service

Amidst the hum of the mill you’ll find a onewoman operation with Armbrust paying close attention to every detail of the process. Self described as “a pinball machine” she moves expertly between equipment with a watchful eye on the operation.

It all begins with boxes upon boxes of fiber coming in for processing from all around the United States. Armbrust inspects the fiber and performs what she refers to as “monkey picking.” This is the act of removing debris in the fiber by hand.

From there the fiber is washed and dried then moved on to the more specialized processes such as separating, carding and spinning, along with additional stages, before it is finally wound on large wooden spools.

Each order is meticulously cared for and the end results, ready to return to customers, are extraordinarily beautiful rovings and yarns ready to use for knitting, felting, weaving or a multitude of other projects.

Armbrust takes pride in knowing each order is handled with care and keeps in contact with her customers from start to finish.

The Store

The Wood and The Wool is a store and classroom at the mill where yarns and rovings from the herdstock are sold. Knitting supplies and finished pieces are also among the offerings. Other specialty items include felting fluff and bird beds, which allow Armbrust to utilize every bit of fiber.

In the future, plans are in place to offer felted products such as shoe insoles, and saddle blankets.

Steve creates expertly crafted custom framing from wood and metal specializing in reclaimed North Dakota barn woods. “He is the ‘wood’ part of The Wood and The Wool,” explained Armbrust.

Education

Armbrust advocates education and conducts tours of the operation for groups and individuals. It’s quite an interesting experience to see the complete process from acquiring fiber from the herd to seeing the finished product in the store.

Classes are offered throughout the year bringing teaching experts in for a valuable learning experience. You’ll find knitting classes from basic to advanced along with needle felting and other specialty classes. A favorite among knitters is Dakota Mill's “knitting with the herd” where the class takes place in the barnyard with the animals watching, sniffing or napping among the knitters.

Classes are posted on the website and on the facebook page. Dakota Fiber Mill also maintains an email list for those who would like to be notified of upcoming events.

For More Information

or to sign up for the email list visit Dakotafibermill@gmail.com.