Flag Wool & Fiber Festival :: 2017

My felting assistant (Libby) and I enjoyed giving a felting demo yesterday at Flag Wool & Fiber Festival. Lots of great questions from the audience as well as interest in our fall workshop at the Grand Canyon. The festival keeps growing and getting richer and more exciting under the visionary leadership of Andrea Greene (of Spinup Yarns) and her impressive team. Thanks for all who came out this weekend to support the fiber arts, crafts, and traditions in the Southwest!

2014 Flagstaff Fiber & Wool Festival

A darling little Navajo Churro sheep waiting to be sheared.

Great book on crochet by talented and sweet Yumiko Alexander.

Kind and thoughtful Jacque Howell had some lovely mohair, angora, and llama fiber for sale. 

This gentle shearer learned the trade at the age of 8 from watching his grandmother. He shared his wonderful stories with the crowd while taking small breaks from his hard work. 

Photos © Mike Buchheit
This year was truly an exceptional one for Flagstaff's Fiber & Wool Festival. We spent a few hours and lots of dollars at the event: beautiful fiber artist, Yumiko Alexander, autographed her book of original crochet designs for us — and we gobbled up bags of gorgeous mohair roving from Jacque Howell (Arivaca Angora Goats) including some of her award-winning curly mohair locks. My husband and I look forward to this event every year not only to purchase local fiber, but also to meet the wonderful people who work with fiber at various stages in the process: from sheep, llama, alpaca, and goat herders to spinners, weavers, and other artisans. Loretta Flatrock and Vanessa Begay-Lee were just two of the amazing weavers we chatted with, and two artists who may be collaborating with me on future fiber workshops (felting and weaving) — so stay tuned!

2012 Flagstaff Fiber Festival

Burying hand-dyed, handspun Churro wool yarn from artisan Loretta Flatrock.

Gorgeous Churro sheep.

Gently sheering an alpaca.

Local smiley spinners (right: Kari Usher, Dancing Weaver).

Photos © Mike Buchheit
Had a fabulous time at the Fiber Festival in Flagstaff, AZ yesterday! Bought some scrumptious Churro yarn from some talented ladies including Betsy Miller, Loretta Flatrock, and Zuni Ishikawa (Wanowa Studio, Flagstaff, AZ). My husband and I so enjoy talking with the interesting people that participate in this annual event — we learn so much and are so grateful to them. The festival ends today at 4 pm so get on over there if you're in the neighborhood (learn more).

2010 Flagstaff Wool Festival

Photography by Mike Buchheit

Despite the 90 degree temps, the 19th annual Wool Festival in Flagstaff, AZ this past weekend was a hit. Handspinner Melanie Sharp had lots of her gorgeous acid-dyed skeins for sale. The friendly people of Purl in the Pines showed off their lovely wares (if you're a local, you must visit their up-to-the-minute yarn store!). Many weavers, artisans, herders, and spinners were selling their natural fibers including Kari Usher (Dancing Weaver) and Stephanie Rockford (Crazy Sexy Wool). And, of course, there were several shorn four-leggeds (Churro sheep, alpacas, and llamas) on display looking too cute for their own good.

We left the event arms loaded with Suffolk wool, Llama, and Churro wool roving, as well as three different colors of hand- and acid-dyed Rambouillet wool bats. Winter can't come soon enough!

Mark Your Calendars

Photo © Mike Buchheit
2010 Flagstaff Wool Festival: June 5-6, 2010 at the Pioneer Museum, 2340 N Ft. Valley Rd., Flagstaff, Arizona; 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. This is an event I look forward to every year! Great prices on wool and interesting people who generously share their stories and know-how. If you're in the area, you won't want to miss this.

2009 Flagstaff Wool Festival

Photos © Mike Buchheit

I spent the morning at the 18th Annual Wool Festival in Flagstaff, AZ. A fabulous event despite the unseasonably chilly weather. Shearing, carding, dyeing, spinning, and more were demonstrated by experts; llamas, alpacas, and Churro sheep mugged for the cameras; luxurious fibers of all stripes, as well as handmade knitted and felted items, were on sale at amazingly-low prices. I picked up some beautiful Cormo wool roving and a few tips on dyeing it myself using Kool-Aid — that alone was worth the $1 price of admission! If you're in the area tomorrow, you won't want to miss this. ~Kim

Wool Festival in Flagstaff

Churro sheep come in many flavors: cream, beige, brown, black.


Dropped by the Wool Festival in Flagstaff over the weekend! Watched two Navajo women expertly hand-shear a Navajo-Churro sheep. ~ Kim

Photos © Mike Buchheit