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| Tom's Fiber Journey |
My first attempt at working with fiber was at a felting class that Greta MacIntyre had for our llama group. I made a felted llama picture. I didn't really do anything else with the fiber other than shear it off until I went to the Midwest Challenge show in 2001. I took a needle felting class and made a Santa. I really enjoyed that, came home and made several more. I have also starting making felted llamas to share with children that visit our farm. With the second cuts from shearing I am making the "Good News Llama" herd to take to schools and other outings to show the different colors and type of fiber. The kids really enjoy touching the fiber and saying "this smells like a stuffed animal".
I have been experimenting with some different items for forms, such as thin wire and pipe cleaners. The needle felting is easy to learn but can be trying too; you have to watch out for those sharp points. I'd like to learn weaving. After a visit to check out looms, I borrowed a Navajo loom from Billie Bannerman and am in the process of building one. I think with my Native American blood that Navajo loom will work just fine. I am excited about trying it out. I hope this will be a good start for me to get involved in the fiber area. I figure if Jack Moore can learn to weave so can I. After all I can't let my girls get ahead of me in the fiber game. We have some llamas with very nice fiber. We have shared some of the raw fiber and handspun that Judy and Mitzi have done when we do our public relations appearance. I hope that we share the fiber with people now, and they will get as much enjoyment out it as they do with spending time with our llamas.