We are honored and humbled by our amazing community that nominated us as business of the year! We won! What an experience this has been. From our humble beginnings we’ve always had the same goal, to be enrich the lives of those around us and share the joy of our art. Thank you!

Here is the write up from the Craig Chamber of Commerce: “Yampa Valley Fiberworks has woven a tapestry of success in our community. Their dedication to preserving craftsmanship and fostering a love for fiber arts has not only enriched our cultural landscape but has also provided a community for all artisans. Through their array of unique class offerings, Fiberworks has become a hub for creativity, skill development, and connection. In a world that often moves at a rapid pace, Yampa Valley Fiberworks reminds us of the beauty found in the slow and deliberate art of craftsmanship. Yampa Valley Fiberworks is truly a thread in the fabric of our community’s creative spirit.”

We’re looking forward to many more years to come!

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Our friends at FingerPlay have planned a lovely knitting retreat, here is the info on it!

Come play with us in Craig, Colorado!  We only have space for 22 community members so reserve your spot today with a $75 non-refundable registration fee. (please see the retreat terms and cancellation policy prior to booking your place) If you register early it’s only $375 for your total registration fee! Registration starting March 1st, is $425. So sign up early!

After you’ve saved your spot, we will send instructions on how to pay the remainder of the retreat fee balance.

You can learn all about this awesome event and complete registration on their website.

http://www.fingerplaystudio.com

We hope you can join us.

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Thanks to Lance and Kip from Moffat County Proud for featuring us!

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You can read the article in the news right here:
//www.craigdailypress.com/news/2016/sep/29/craig-prepares-yarn-mania-spinzilla/

You can learn all about Spinzilla right here: www.spinzilla.org/

Happy Spinning!

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http://taoswoolfestival.org/
Kit Carson Park in Taos, New Mexico
Saturday and Sunday, October 1st & 2nd
9:00-5:00 on Saturday
9:00-4:00 on Sunday

Oh and best of all… It’s Free!

The post We’ll be at the Taos Wool Festival! appeared first on Yampa Valley Fiberworks.

Some of our classes:
Drop Spindle
Sock Saturday
Scarves
Needle Felting
Quilting
Knitting
and much, much more!

Come join us for tea, coffee, good company and learn something new.

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Knitting the Fabric of the Future
Source here: http://www.envisionjournalism.com/archives/6003
Re-posted here with permission. Article by Derek Maiolo, Images by Jennifer Maiolo

Caring for the land has always been at the forefront of Lorrae and Lewis Moon’s lifestyle. Longtime ranchers and residents of Craig, a small mining and farming town perched in the high deserts of Northwest Colorado, the couple has depended upon the environment to provide them with healthy cattle and prosperous harvests.

“I’ve been a rancher and a steward of the land my entire life,” Lorrae said.

That is why when the couple decided two years ago to divert their attention from ranching to open Yampa Valley Fiberworks, a fiber mill, environmental sustainability was a top priority.

“I have always been sensitive to what goes in the ground,” Lorrae explained. “I’ve done whatever I can do to be kind to the earth.”

Lorrae Moon puts a load of freshly cleaned wool through the picking machine which will fluff the fibers and prepare them for the spinning process.

The small herds of alpacas, goats and sheep surrounding their operation is a testament to their insistence on sourcing local fibers and promoting surrounding ranchers. The diversity in nearby livestock provides a wide range of fibers that the Moons process into various colors and blends of yarn.

Turning raw animal fibers into fine yarn is a careful and meticulous process. The first step is to wash the fibers. Wool from sheep can be especially hard to clean, but Lorrae insists on washing the fibers by hand using only water, vinegar, and biodegradable soap made by local artisans.

“We are an all natural mill so no chemicals are used to take out the dirt and grime,” Lorrae said.

Once clean, the natural fibers go through an orchestra of machines which dry, fluff, comb and eventually spin them into their desired patterns and colors. Oftentimes, fibers from different animals are blended together to create a certain texture. The Moons sometimes mix cellulose fibers like bamboo into the animal wools to make them softer or more colorful. The entire process uses only biodegradable soaps and liquids. “The harshest chemical we use in the entire mill is white vinegar,” Lewis explained.

Northwest Colorado is notoriously dry during the summer and fall, and having sufficient supplies of usable water for crops, let alone drinking, can be difficult. Lorrae said, “Water is very important in Northwest Colorado.”

Because the gray water from the mill is environmentally safe, the Moons have been able to recycle it for use on their vegetables. In the spring, they plan to use the water to plant a row of trees near the mill to prevent erosion.

Fiberworks also adds fuel to the movement to support locally sourced products and small businesses — something Lorrae says is especially important in her area in order to keep small livestock ranchers operational.

Alpacas and sheep live well together. Pictured above, the Moon’s herd grazes on alfalfa in the Colorado snow.

“Wool for ranchers hasn’t been big business,” she explained.

Craig’s economy has been especially hard-hit in recent years. The town relies heavily on revenue from its coal mining operations, but changing energy policies have left many without jobs and many more questioning the town’s future. Craig’s struggle to adapt to the modern shift toward renewable energies has created a polarization between the conservative northwest and the liberal Front Range counties in the Denver area to the east.

Most recently, claims made this summer by the Denver chapter of the WildEarth Guardians, an environmental activist group based in New Mexico, accused a local coal mine, Colowyo, of failing to adequately complete a 2007 environmental assessment. The resulting court order that a new assessment be completed threatened to shut down the mine and put 220 local residents out of a job.

By September, the Department of the Interior determined that the mine was in line with environmental regulations and no further legal action was taken. However, the case created a clear divide amongst Colorado counties. Craig’s liquor stores and many residents went so far as to boycott New Belgium and Breckenridge breweries from eastern counties which supported the WildEarth group.

Faced with uncertainty, many Craig residents have opted to find work elsewhere; those considering a move to the town have cited concerns over the community’s sustainability.

While Fiberworks remains a small operation, it has already begun to rebrand the town of Craig as well as improve its relationship with outside communities.

The Moon’s sheep herd keeps close for safety and warmth in the subzero temperatures of Northwest Colorado.

Fiberworks has recently helped connect a Southern Colorado ranch with a fiber dyer based just south of Craig and a yarn company based in Denver. Fiberworks also showcases local artisans’ work—from watercolor paintings to pottery— which has helped grow local art and craftwork. The growing popularity of the business has attracted customers from across the state and even the nation.

Susan Dohmer, who teaches classes at the mill and sells some of her own knitwork at the shop, believes this network has greatly helped the town.

“There are a lot of artisans out there whose businesses are growing,” she said. “And it’s growing the community.”

The classes she and Lorrae teach focus on educating others to source products and services from their own home. Topics range from fermentation to sock knitting, and Dohmer has witnessed a growing interest and enrollment in the courses.

“There’s an awakening of people who are beginning to see local is good, natural is good. They want to learn how to knit, how to spin and have a little peace and quiet in their lives,” she said.

With eyes bent toward the future, the Moons hope to expand their client base and continue to help struggling ranchers. Already, they are getting orders in from small livestock farms in states like North Dakota and Oregon. Lorrae also hopes to continue promoting local businesses and creating a positive image for Craig while maintaining the priority of sustainability.

“I want to create jobs and allow people to take care of themselves,” she said.

With just a few balls of yarn and some knitting needles, she’s doing just that.

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“Inside their small warehouse outside of Craig, Colorado, Lorrae Moon and her husband Lewis spend their days turning dirty, oily, scratchy wool into fine yarns. Inside the wool milling room at Yampa Valley Fiberworks and the first thing you notice is the humidity.” “That’s just one of a handful of careful tricks needed to make the yarn-making process run smoothly.” You can read the full article on their site here: http://kun.cr/1IsSW55

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