MEET THE TEAM
Withoutourteam,noneofthis wouldbepossible!
FounderEllen Zawada; OwnerofWoolandFiberArtsLLC
Wool and Fiber Arts Show Program
Editor in Chief
Graphic Design
Ellen Zawada
Vendor Team - Heather Campbell, Lorna Violet (Mentor Program), Jean Story, Danielle Lefor Wallace, Candice Smith
Customer Team -(anything that happens publicly in WAFA) - Erika Lindgren, Heather Campbell, Molly Richter (craft-along), MAry Dillon, Katelyn Dunn, Candice Smith, Jessica Holt Pack, Amy Olshewski Bowling
Marketing Team - Raven Reynolds (social Media) Ellen Zawada, Tedi Jansen
Inclusivity Team - Liza Q Wirtz, Alaura Pittman, TeDi Jansen, Vidya Gopalakrishna Travis, Maddy McLendon
Education TeamTeDi Jansen, Alanna Wilcox
Tedi Jansen
Vendor Schedule
Pages 6-11
An Interview with Becky Hammond
Page 12
Columbia Sheep
Page 20-21
A Guide to Inventory for Insurance Coverage
Pages 28-29
Vendor Guide
Page 38-44
Annie Morton DesignsPalette of the Month
Dunn Spunn Hidden Pasture Photo by Rachel M Post AriBo Arts Greenwood Fiberworks Zephyr Creek FarmTOUR DE FLEECE
AreyoureadytotakeyourTour de Fleece journey to the next level? Look no further than WAFA Swag, your ultimate companion for this exhilarating spinningadventure!
JointheWAFATourde Fleececommunityfor encouragement, competition,andgiveways fromouramazingvendors.
FIBER FESTIVAL
Flannel Cakes Fibers
True Creations Woodturning
Forget me Knot Farm & Fibers
AriBo Arts
Fairily Fiber Fun
Jubilee Farms
Annie Morton Designs
D n D Fibers
Willow Oak Farm and Fiber
JessieJavete Fiber Arts
Mulch and More Crafts
Macedo's Mini Acre
Mitten State Sheep & Wool
Lair of the Llama
Sheridan Flats
Schedule Saturday's 24th 24th
FIBER FESTIVAL
Hens-n-Chicks
Create
3:30 PM 4:00 PM 4:30 PM 5:00 PM 5:30 PM
4:30 PM 5:00 PM 5:30 PM 6:00 PM 6:30 PM
24th 24th 6:30 PM 7:00PM 7:30 PM 8:00 PM 8:30 PM
5:30 PM 6:00 PM 6:30 PM 7:00 PM 7:30 PM
Faith
Leaf
Stitched By Mama Witch
Yarn By Kate
Sheepishly
& MCS
WHITEFIREWEEDFARM
Fairbanks, AK
Becky is a lifelong Alaskan who grew up in Juneau and has been interested in art and animals all her life She didn’t really get interested in fibers until she learned to spin. Once she got her first fiber animal it was a natural passion to combine her love of art and critters into loving raising her own fiber animals and creating from their fiber A natural marriage of love of art and critters!
In 1984, she moved to Fairbanks and learned to spin and knit from Laura Lee Deluca While she loved all the fibers, it was clear that mohair was an early favorite. A wheel was bought, followed by the all-too-familiar 20-year gap of work getting in the way. It wasn’t until 2000 that an angora goat at the fair set Becky off the path she continues to this day Becky bought a goat and got reacquainted with the spinning wheel. With support from Susan Miller at A Weaver’s Yarn, Becky began spinning her own mohair.
White Fireweed Farm, Becky’s home in Two Rivers, is named for a patch of white fireweed that was on her property. Becky raises satin and giant angora rabbits, angora goats, and merino sheep on her farm and specializes in producing fiber and finished products all from her own animals. She does her custom dyeing in house while also showing animals statewide and selling fiber and products in bazaars, fiber festivals, and stores across Alaska
by TeDi JansenHowlonghaveyoubeenIn business?
Ihavebeenraisingfiber animalsfor30years
Whatisyourbusiness'sgoal?
We are a very self sufficient business. The fiber I sell is from animals I raise on the farm. I do fiber processing and dyeing as well Aside from spinning, everything I do is self taught. There is such a feeling of satisfaction when customers like our products because I am so involved in the process.
Doyouhaveafavorite fiber?Whatisspecial aboutit?
Mohair and satin angora as satin angora is like spinning a cloud of silky, satiny fluff. Also, I prefer to lockspin my mohair keeping the integrity of the locks
WhatmakesWAFA specialforyou?
It is a way to meet people from all over the country and world, I just love the community It also gives
me a place to offer my products since there aren't very many venues In Alaska
White Fireweed Farm
Offering products from our farm in Fairbanks, Alaska. We raise angora goats (mohair), merino sheep and satin and giant angora rabbits all in both white and coloreds. All of our animal fibers come from the animals we raise on the farm. This month we will be offering raw and washed mohair, merino and angora fibers, hand-dyed fibers, batts, rolags and millspun yarn. My passion is raising and offering our animals gifts to others. We hope you can come join in the fun we have offering our products to you.
StephinoStitches
2 B Ewe
LIVE Friday at 7:30 pm eastern
Botanicallydyed fibersand yarns
Beautifullyfunctionalfibertools
Come
COLUMBIASHEEP
byAnneSammonsofLEAFLIVESTOCK
Columbias are an #American made sheep breed. They are attentive mothers and they have some pretty sweet fiber. This is an outstanding breed to raise!
We started raising Columbias about 10 years ago when our natural coloreds needed great mothering qualities, and we wanted to breed to hopefully add attractive spotted up animals to the flock. What we didn’t know at the time was how excellent their wool was!
ANNESAMMONS
The Columbia breed was developed in the US Department of Agriculture in the early 1900s. The ram used in the original breeding project was a Lincoln. The ewe was a Rambouillet. Everybody knows those are two really great wool sheep. Their offspring was excellent as a range animal with beautiful durable woolandsuperiormotheringqualities.
Themothersareexcellent,theyraisetwins with ease. They are protective and attentivetothepointthattheystompand appear threatening when we get into the pen with their newborns. It’s believed that becausetheywerebredfortherange,the moms had to be super protective of the elements and predators. We have witnessed our curious dog be rammed by anewmotherprotectingherlamb.
The animals are rather large. Mature ewes weigh as much as 250 LBS and the rams weigh closer to 300-350 LBS! This hinders some people from being able to raise the breed, however. There are advantages of their size! Columbias have largerlambsforalargerprofitatmarket.Theyarealsoexpectedtohaveafleece weighing between 10 - 15 LBS of wool per adult shearing. It takes 2 of us to haul awayaColumbiafleeceonshearingday!Sometimesourshearerwillshearhalfof theanimalandallowustotakeawaythewool,andthenhe’llsheartherest.
Thewoolisevaluatedtohavebetween22and30microns.DidImentionthestaple length??Ourgalsproducefleecestapleofnolessthan4inches,oftenexceeding5 inches. The fiber has cool crimp from the Lincoln origin and has next to skin soft qualitiesfromtheRambouilletcontribution.Columbiawoolcanbebrownorgray. Sometimes that color gene pops and a natural colored lamb is born. Most of the Columbiaflocksarewhite,however!
Something really special about the Columbia breed is their association. They run their National Show in early June that is supportive and family friendly. The week feels more like a family reunion. There are activities for kids, a JR show, friendly competitions, fiber arts demos, a wool show and sale. Seriously friends, if you want to raise a new breed check into Columbias!
We started with 2 boys over 16 years ago. We now have a variety of color in our herd - solid white to solid black, patterns and shades of grey or brown! Our focus has been on fiber from the beginning. The ranch name comes from the miniature horses that we had prior to owning alpacas. We added an alpaca to update the logo. We’ve recently sold our miniature horses to concentrate on fiber, alpacas and llamas. We added Belfast Mill equipment to our ranch about 3 years ago, so now are able to make rug yarn as well as create batts and rovings. Dryer balls remain one of our hottest sellers - Larry makes abut 8,000 a year.
Knitspinisafamily-ownedbusinessthatsellshigh-qualityhanddyedfibersandhomespunyarn.AsanEtsyFounderbusiness, Knitspinhasbeenoutfittingcustomerswithfinefibersandyarn forover18years.Comeandvisitusthroughthefollowinglinks: www.knitspin.com.
Safeguarding Your Yarn and Fiber Tools: A Guide to Inventory for Insurance Coverage
For avid knitters, crocheters, and fiber enthusiasts, the value of a cherished yarn collection and essential fiber tools cannot be understated. However, unforeseen events like natural disasters or house fires can pose a significant risk to these valuable assets It is crucial to be prepared for such circumstances by creating a comprehensive inventory for insurance purposes. This article will guide you on how to inventory your yarn and fiber tools to ensure proper coverage from your insurance company in case of an unfortunate event.
Document Your Yarn Collection:
Begin by documenting your yarn collection thoroughly. Create a spreadsheet or use inventory management software to organize the information effectively Include the following details for each item:
a. Yarn Name: Mention the brand, color, weight, and fiber content of the yarn.
b Quantity: Specify the number of skeins or balls you possess for each type of yarn
c. Purchase Information: Record the date of purchase, the price paid, and the store or online platform from which you acquired the yarn
d. Special Details: Note any limited edition or discontinued yarn, as well as any sentimental or high-value items.
2 Inventory Your Fiber Tools:
In addition to yarn, it is essential to inventory your fiber tools, such as knitting needles, crochet hooks, looms, spinning wheels, and any other equipment you use for your fiber crafts Follow a similar approach as above:
a. Tool Description: Clearly describe each tool, including the brand, type, size, and any distinguishing features.
b Quantity: Note how many of each tool you own
c. Purchase Information: Record the date of purchase, price, and where you obtained the tool
d Accessories: Include any accessories or attachments that are relevant to the tools, such as interchangeable needle tips or different-sized weaving shuttles.
3. Take Photographs and Keep Receipts:
Accompany your inventory with clear photographs of your yarn collection and fiber tools Take pictures from multiple angles, capturing any unique characteristics or distinguishing marks Additionally, keep copies of the purchase receipts or invoices for your records, as they serve as proof of ownership and value.
4. Valuation and Appraisals:
To accurately determine the value of your yarn and fiber tools, consider seeking professional appraisals or obtaining estimates from reputable sources. This is particularly crucial for high-value or antique items Provide these valuations and appraisals to your insurance company, ensuring that you have the necessary documentation to support your claim in case of loss.
5 Off-Site Storage:
To safeguard your inventory documentation, photographs, and receipts, it is advisable to store digital copies in a secure location outside your home. Consider cloud storage or physical copies kept in a safe deposit box or with a trusted family member or friend Having backups ensures that you can access your inventory information even if your home is inaccessible or damaged
Taking the time to inventory your yarn and fiber tools f insurance coverage can save you considerable stress and financial burden in the event of a natural disaster house fire. By thoroughly documenting your collection keeping records of purchases, and obtaining valuation you provide your insurance company with the necessa information to process your claim efficiently Rememb to update your inventory regularly as you acquire new yarn or fiber tools Safeguard your passion for fiber crafts by ensuring you have the proper coverage to protect your cherished collection.
LIVE Sunday at 1:30 pm eastern
At Forget Me Knot fibers we love fuzzy things. We specialize in llama, alpaca, and angora rabbits.
NEW WAFA EXLUSIVE
Tour de Fleece spin kits! Kim is passionate about sourcing rare breed wool from local Georgia farms and transforming it into SE2SE spinning or felting fibers, felted items, and spinning or felting kits
www.fairilyfiberfun.com
VENDOR GUIDE
fiber, garments, and jewelry