Mountain Niche Studio

What started as an investigation of homesteading and the various farm related possibilities ended up with choosing colorful Shetlands as my first venture. This led to learning the fiber arts of spinning yarns, dyeing fiber and yarns, weaving and exploring wet felting.

What started as a flock of multi-colored lovely Shetland sheep, gradually morphed into what seemed like 3 flocks of heritage sheep. We had Shetlands, Navajo-Churros and Leicester Longwool as my interests included weaving and rugs were my favorite. Shetlands produced that lovely longer stapled, easily spun, soft yarns so suitable for knitting all kinds of accessories. The Churros are a hardy breed, also double coated and known for the historic textiles of the Navajo Nation and the generational textiles of the Spanish Colonizers for several hundred years. Like Shetlands, Churros come in a range of lovely, natural colors. The difference is the tightly spun Churro fiber can be tough and works well as a warp and rug weft. The Leicester Longwool were by and large, jumbo white sheep with a long lustrous fleece that dyes brilliantly. The three types of sheep are all distinct in their fiber types, their personalities and their way of enjoying life. While Shetlands might eat some, play some, sleep some; the Leicester Longwool were only focused on eating with a capital E. Churros were more survivalists and focused on learning their environment and eating. All in all a wonderful adventure that has changed into a hobby flock and interesting memories.

In order to support my sheep, I have gone into offering wool in its various forms! We offer raw fleece from remaining sheep, washed wool, carded batts, dyed batts, spun yarns done by machine or hand. Hand dyed yarns are also sold at the Gallery 505 in Toledo, WA.

I have been involved with Twisted Strait Fibers since 2012. A cooperatively owned local fiber processing mill will create an opportunity for those shepherds who do not have time to market their own wool. A cooperatively owned local fiber processing mill will offer those shepherds who are interested in roving and yarn a less expensive alternative for adding value to their raw fiber. And a cooperatively owned local fiber processing mill will create a community for our geographically diverse fiber producers and fiber artists.

Twisted Strait Fibers can improve the economic sustainability of our fiber producers and encourage more individuals to participate in this wonderful industry. We can speak to the advantages of natural fibers over manufactured fibers. We can brag about the carbon neutrality of both wearing natural fibers and raising them.
I am now retired from sheep shearing and have just two sheep and two goats left in my pasture. Several years ago, I learned to weave and now manage a weaving shop in Port Gamble where I teach weaving. Nothing brings me more satisfaction than to create a rug or a blanket that is made from local wool. My love for fiber and my concern for the fiber industry continues.