Valley Fiber Arts Guild Workshop Series
Last year the VFAG put on a sheep breed study learning about 9 northern European
sheep breeds, and the characteristics of their wool. It was widely enjoyed and
accompanied by a deeper understanding of processing and preparing raw wool for use
in fiber arts and textiles. The reaction was so positive, something similar was requested
again this year.
This year we will be embarking on a Unique Fiber Study in which we work with
commercially prepared plant based fibers sourced from the UK. Since these are
commercially prepared fibers, they did all the work and we get to have all the fun!
This year’s study will follow the same guidelines and members can purchase a
subscription for either Plan A or Plan B for the year. Plan A is $48.00 and includes 1
ounce of fiber each month other than March which is ½ ounce. Plan B is $72.00 and
includes 2 ounces of fiber each month other than March which is 1 ounce. March has
less ounces because Pineapple fiber is quite expensive at double the cost.
In this study we will procure 8 unique fibers from the UK that are not readily available in Alaska. These fibers are plant based and generally made from a chemical process similar to how viscose is made. You can research how viscose and other unique fibers are made online, like this video:
These fibers are commercially prepared, meaning they are prepared by machines for mass production so they are spin ready. This study will allow us to contrast the natural wool we prepared and spun in our sheep breed study so we can learn to recognize the difference between roving and top, hand prepared vs commercially prepared fiber, and worsted vs woolen preparation methods.
To offset the procurement costs for these fibers, which are more expensive than wool fleeces, the workshop will be funded through a subscription program for guild members. Each guild member can chose their subscription and either pay monthly or once for the year.
| Month to Month | ||||
| VFAG Mtg Schedule | Fibre* Description (*UK spelling) | Weight Opts | Subscription Cost | |
| October 2025 | Pearl fibre | 1 ounce | $6.00 | Plan A |
| made by infusing natural cellulose fibers with powdered pearls | 2 ounce | $9.00 | Plan B | |
| November 2025 | Lotus fibre, or Lotus Silk | 1 ounce | $6.00 | Plan A |
| made from stems of the lotus plant | 2 ounce | $9.00 | Plan B | |
| December 2025 | Rose fibre | 1 ounce | $6.00 | Plan A |
| made from rose petals and stem bark | 2 ounce | $9.00 | Plan B | |
| January 2026 | Ingeo corn fibre | 1 ounce | $6.00 | Plan A |
| bioengineered from corn starch | 2 ounce | $9.00 | Plan B | |
| February 2026 | Ramie fibre | 1 ounce | $6.00 | Plan A |
| made from stalks of the Boehmeria nivea plant from the nettle family | 2 ounce | $9.00 | Plan B | |
| March 2026 | Pineapple fibre | 1/2 ounce | $6.00 | Plan A |
| made from pineapple plant leaves | 1 ounce | $9.00 | Plan B | |
| April 2026 | Banana fibre, or banana silk | 1 ounce | $6.00 | Plan A |
| made from banana plant stalks or pseudostems | 2 ounce | $9.00 | Plan B | |
| May 2026 | Mint fibre, or mint viscose | 1 ounce | $6.00 | Plan A |
| made from mint leaf extraction waste and viscose | 2 ounce | $9.00 | Plan B | |
| Annualized Subscription Cost | ||||
| Plan A total | $48.00 | |||
| Plan B total | $72.00 |