Local wool begins with sheep and the land and shepherds that care for them. But to go from sheep to fiber to finished textiles, shearing must occur.
Read our recent photo article, Shearing Day, to learn more about the process of shearing as it occurred on two TRF steward farms in the Winter/Spring of 2023 and discover the community, skill, and care for animals that is involved in every step along the way.
In 2023 Three Rivers Fibershed is focusing programming around the concept of From Sheep to Shawl. The programming aims to engage community members in exploring the lifecycle of textiles by creating a shawl made entirely with local fiber, local natural dyes, and local labor.
To enhance community engagement in the programming, TRF is looking for 3 Makers who will commit to making a shawl entirely with local fiber, dyes, and labor in 2023; documenting their project along the way; and sharing it with the wider TRF community.
Makers will be compensated with a $250 stipend. Makers must provide their own supplies, but mutual aid funding is available to assist with the purchase of local fiber or dye products for the project.
Makers will commit to:
Making a shawl completely from local fiber, local dyes, & local labor by October 2023. Fiber and natural dyes must be sourced from TRF Stewards.
Documenting the process through photos and video & sharing these on individual social media accounts, tagging Three Rivers Fibershed.
Completing a set of survey questions each season (June, August, October) to answer brief questions about how the process is going & provide a few photos.
Attend at least one virtual or in-person event to speak about their project
Promote From Sheep to Shawl programming throughout the year within their community.
TRF will review all applications and select Makers with the aim of diversity based on shawl type, experience level, techniques used (spinning, natural dyeing, weaving, knitting, crochet, etc.), and location within TRF's strategic geography. We hope the Makers will, as a group, represent a diverse range of skills, techniques, and experience.
