The tagline for Binding Tales is From Farm to Bookshelf. I love to know that the wool I use in the artwork made for my book illustrations is sourced from healthy sheep living happily on Maine farms. Whether time is spent visiting farms, roaming fairs, or a smattering of both – supporting the local Maine fiber community is good for the economy and the environment! Plus, it’s so much fun to visit farms!
Fairs and festivals are spectacular opportunities to shop local and meet the farmers and stewards of our local fibershed.
If you’re not familiar with Fibershed, I encourage you to check out their website. If you’re here in Maine, be sure to check out the Maine Fibershed website. When you’re at a local fair or fiber festival, you can browse the fleece tent and process a full fleece on your own. I’ve done this once, with a fleece I purchased last year at The Common Ground Fair.
My favorite way to shop is to browse the tables that look like Diantha Turner’s from Mooncrazy Fibre Arts. Those fluffy bags of unspun dyed wool are right up my alley as a felting artist. I am the fair patron who leaves for the day with big bags of fluffy wool magic! There are several beautiful colors of wool from Diantha in the illustrations for Flock of Rock.
Or Marie Brace from The Wheel & The Anvil of Birch Branch Farm with such vibrant colors! One of her orange braids caught my eye at Fiber Frolic, and I transformed it into my new needle felted Binding Tales sign!
Marty Elkin and Mary Ann from A Wrinkle in Thyme Farm wandered over from their booth during a walk around the fair and it was so special to share a moment with them. My very first felting project was a daffodil felting kit from their farm that Adam gave me as a gift. He and I then visited the farm and I purchased more supplies… and then I went for an afternoon of group felting… the kids went with me for shearing day… we’ve chilled in the pasture with the flock (and lots of sheep hugs)… we adopted a lamb one spring (Kate stayed on the farm)… I’ve had dye classes (that I now refer to as dye days)… I have done marketing work for them to support their business… Marty taught me how to blend batts on an electric carder (now I have one of my own)…
I am so grateful to Marty and Mary Ann for being such an important part of my fiber artist origin story. Thank you.
In whatever way you explore the fiber community in Maine, at fairs, farms, or festivals, I hope you will support our fiber farmers! Not in Maine? Be sure to support your local fiber community!