Mid Valley Fibers

1. What is your website?
midvalleyfibers.com
midvalleyfibers.etsy.com

2. Your Ravelry username?
linspins



3. What do you make?
Handspun yarns from local alpaca and wools; handknit accessories including shawls, scarves, neckwarmers, fingerless mitts and hats; angels from unspun wool and knitting patterns and kits.

4. How did you get into making stuff?
I've been knitting since the age of 8. My elegant, tall, gorgeous aunt taught me. I wanted to be just like her. I achieved the knitting goal, but the didn't make it to 6' tall and thin! Oh well, I love the art of knitting and added spinning about 20 years ago so that I could go from their backs (the animals) to mine.

5. What is your favorite thing about the local fiber community?
I've met so many people through fibers in the last few years. Through my local knit groups and fiber guilds I've had a chance to share techniques and learn so many new techniques that I did not have access to when I was a solitary knitter for so many years. I've also met many fiber producers and really enjoy learning more about the animals and what it takes to make a good yarn from the farm. I have any fiber producer friends and let them know that as a fiber consurmer I really appreciate the hard work it takes to produce good fiber fleeces.



6. How does what you do/make influence the rest of your life, and vice versa?
Seven years ago my grandson was diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis. I had the chance to be his primary daycare provider and daytime caregiver. Since he slept so much, I had the chance to knit furiously and after gifting so much I turned to offering my handknits to public. I donate a portion of the proceeds to Cystic Fibrosis research in honor of my grandson, Noah. (He's doing quite well with all the new respiratory therapies, drug therapies and new preventative regimens that have been developed in the last 15-20 years.) In addition to the CF aspect, I've had the chance to develop patterns and teach both knitting and spinning in the last two years and look forward to more opportunities for these.

7. Any funny stories, words of wisdom, something else to share about you or your business?
I fell in love with alpaca several years ago when I made friends with a local alpaca producer. She got me involved in a new fiber guild, invited me to help out when they sheared their animals and just generally encouraged me to work with alpaca fiber. Since then I've become involved with the Maryland Alpaca Breeders Association and have made many friends through this group. The educational seminars that groups like this put on are invaluable to fiber artists and I highly recommend and encourage others to make friends with fiber producers of all types. The more you learn about the fiber and how it is produced, the better you understand the fibers and how to create yarn and garments appropriate to those fibers.