New Beginnings

As I was looking over my website, it occurred to me that it’s been a REALLY long time since I’ve posted any type of blog update.  It was approximately two years ago (my how time flies and life happens) when I was spinning for Spinzilla and wrote the blog post about the healing wonders of wool and spinning yarn for my dad’s hat.  It’s been a couple of years of ups… and downs… and ups again.  Here are the highlights…

• We moved into my other half’s family cabin.  A one bedroom, much smaller than I’m used to, home that needs a bit of work.  I call it “our little cabin in the woods,” and we’re making progress.
• I began writing for our local newspaper, the Blackfoot Valley Dispatch.  In all honesty, it’s probably one of the biggest reasons I’ve been so lax on this blog… because when you (meaning me) write a column, along with one to three additional articles for deadline each week, you (again meaning me) have very little energy to write one more thing.  Realizing this, I’ve decided to only write my column for the paper, called “From my Perspective” and taking a break from writing articles so that I’m able to focus more attention on my fiber arts business, including this blog.
• In addition to writing for the paper, I also began teaching more classes at fiber festivals.  This has been a dream of mine for a long time and I’m so grateful for it to have come true!  In 2019, I taught at the Grazing Hills Fiber Festival in Idaho (www.ghsfiberfest.com), the Copper K Fiber Festival (www.copperkfiberfestival.com), Fiberfest Eureka (www.eurekafiberfest.org), and the Prairie Handspinners Fiber Festival (www.prairiehandspinnersfiberfest.com), all in Montana, and at the Southeastern Animal Fiber Fair, a.k.a SAFF, in North Carolina (www.saffsite.org).  In 2020, I was scheduled to teach at 11 festivals, including the ones above, as well as the Montana Association of Weavers & Spinners (www.montanaweavespin.org), Estes Park Wool Market in Colorado (www.estesparkeventscomplex.com/wool-market.html), Trailing of the Sheep in Idaho (www.trailingofthesheep.org), and my first-ever week-long Fleece to Fashion class at our new local folk arts school.  Then, COVID happened and every festival, except two, cancelled and I found myself waiting tables to make ends meet.  The sheep and I still need to eat J.
• I met Richard and Elizabeth Ashford of Ashford Wheels & Looms (www.ashford.co.nz) and collaborated with them on a project for their upcoming issue of their “The Wheel” magazine (due to release next month).  I’ll share more about this in a separate blog post, so stay tuned!
• I gained and lot a few sheep in the flock, so in the upcoming weeks there will be updates to the “Meet the Sheep” page of the website, so make sure to check back.
• I’ve gone through, and am still going through a lot of emotions pertaining to my dad’s passing, and while I miss him more than words could ever explain, I feel a little bit stronger every day.
• I’m still moderating the 52 Weeks of Sheep” Facebook group, along with fellow sheep and spinning enthusiast friend, Marilyn.  The premise of the group (now in its 4^th year), is to learn about and spin a different breed of sheep/fiber each week.  We’re getting ready to start planning for 2021.  Here’s the link to the group in case you want to check it out for yourself. (www.facebook.com/52weeksofsheep)
• Spin Together is the new version of Spinzilla, run by totally different people.  Goldieknots Montana sponsored a team last year and we were lucky enough to have Heaven Branco who spun 4,028 yards on her drop spindle and won the drop spindle category.  I’m heading a team again this year and I’m happy to report we have a full team of 25.  The competition begins Saturday, October 3^rd.

There have been many more things that have happened over the last couple of years but those are the highlights.  I look forward to getting back to the blog and getting to know more of you better.  Plan to see a new blog each week highlighting new things fiber-related, sneak-peeks into the behind the scenes at Goldieknots, and sometimes into personal updates, a heads-up on upcoming classes, anecdotes about the sheep, and more.  I hope you’ll join me each week!

Hugs, and Happy Fibering!

Tammy