In many ways, the most sustainable textiles are the ones we already have. Join Bobbie as she begins working through The Sustainable Closet Audit guidebook from Fibershed.org, re-examining the clothing she owns, and planning for future purchases or projects to…
For one of our Fall Skill-building Challenges, we encouraged you to learn about rare breed sheep. Many sheep producers in our area raise mixed breed sheep, crossing different breeds to encourage different characteristics for meat production or temperament. Some farmers,…
Continuing on from our Summer 2024 challenges of sewing and working with raw fibre, we now have some final challenges for Fall. We’d love you to take on these challenges to learn new skills and become more comfortable sourcing your…
While I do love the natural whites, greys, and browns of undyed fibre, sometimes I like to add some colour. In this piece, Amy Crook gives us an overview of how to dye fibre with a common roadside weed –…
Continuing on from our Spring 2024 challenges of sewing and working with raw fibre, we now have some new challenges for Summer. We’d love you to take on these challenges to learn new skills and become more comfortable sourcing your…
No part of a sheep’s fleece needs to be waste. The dirty bits when it’s first sheared make great garden mulch. Then you can comb or card the best parts for spinning into yarn. And then, if you are Bobbie,…
We already have a lot of textiles on Vancouver Island, most imported from outside our region. While we don’t currently have commercial fabric production here, our closets and thrift shops are a great source of materials just waiting for creative…
Are you seeking inspiration for the VIF Winter challenge of re-purposing a textile? Read this story below by Bobbie Williams, weaver and spinner and all-round champion of wool, to see how she took cotton scraps and old clothing and made…
Are you participating in the Vancouver Island Fibreshed’s skill building challenges this quarter? Below, see Christi York’s musings on working with flowers for natural dyes. Maybe you’ll get some new inspiration? by Christi York Even if you have zero experience…
Let’s celebrate the incredible diversity of creativity and production talent in our region and explore new ways to work with what we have here! For 2024, we are proposing a year-long skill-learning challenge with a different focus each season. Will…