Hi all,
There has been some interesting developments over the past couple of weeks.
From last post, my plan was to spend the summer spinning a whole bunch of different colors of cashmere, so that we’d have truckloads of it in time for the fall’s first cold front. Unfortunately, the mill that we use to spin our cashmere (which just happens to be the only fiber mill in all of Texas) has had a unforeseen catastrophe… they’ve lost their milling equipment for the summer!
Needless to say, this changes up Yarn Harvest’s plans for the summer as well. I won’t be able to produce any cashmere during the summer. Fortunately, the mill is getting new equipment installed towards the end of the summer, so I’ll be able to get my cashmere line back up and running without too much delay. I’m still very optimistic for when the cold weather returns.
Speaking of optimism, I feel very strongly for what the owner/operator of the mill, who goes by the name Red, is trying to accomplish. Red sees a bright future in locally sourced, locally produced, and locally enjoyed fiber arts. At a time when it seems like everything is made in China, she is trying to buck that trend and keep alive the tradition of Texas made yarns. Did you know, something like a a third of the world’s production of sheep’s wool comes from Texas? It makes no sense to ship that out somewhere far away, only to have to pay for it coming back in as a finished product.
This locally focused, sustainable dream is something that resonates with my beliefs and what I’m trying to do with Yarn Harvest too. That’s why I am going to stick with Red as she goes through this tough patch. I’m not going to take my spinning else where. And I’m going to put my Yarn Harvest yarns in her retail space to help her make it through the summer.
If you want to see what grit, determination, and hard work looks like, go to Sustainable Fibers in Elgin, TX. It’s an easy trip from Austin and they’re open Tuesday through Saturday. And did I mention their yarns are fabulous?
I’m in your corner Red.
Best,
Greg
Keeping it local Greg. Way to go! I didn’t know there was a fiber mill practically in my back yard. That’s awesome.
Totally! You should go check it out :)
And I didn’t know until I got to know Red, but Elgin has one of the few still operating cotton gins in the state too. Pretty cool…