In Our Own Backyard: a journey from sheep to woven fabric in NYS 

Thursday, Sept. 23^rd from 7:00 - 8:30 pm (online)

NYS has a vibrant community of animal fiber producers and manufacturers making everything from textiles to artistic creations from wool grown in 'our own backyard'. Join the Cornell Cooperative Extension (CCE) Animal Fiber Team, together with three folks who are part of this amazing supply chain, on Thursday evening September 26^th from 7:00 - 8:30 pm for an online event hosted by New York State Textile Month (NYTM) to hear their stories (followed by a Q&A).

Attendees will learn from a farmer, mill owner, and weaver how locally sourced and processed textiles are created in our own backyard.  Paula, Mary Jeanne, and Tegan take fiber from their own sheep and local farms to create yarn and woven products.  Learn from their journey how they work with sheep to create the wool we want to wear, how they take that fiber through the milling and dyeing process, and how it's woven into designs for the home and wearable fabric - all in New York State!

Farmer, Paula Kucera, owns White Farm Barn in New Paltz, NY.  Paula raises a flock of Cormo sheep from which she creates and hand dyes beautiful roving and yarns for the hand spinner and knitter.  Mary Jeanne Packer owns Battenkill Fibers Carding and Spinning Mill. Mary Jeanne founded Battenkill Fibers in 2009 to provide value-added, custom carding and spinning services for fiber farms and makers; and to manufacture yarn and fiber products for wholesale and retail markets. The mill produces 100-150 lbs. of artisan quality natural-colored and dyed semi-worsted yarn daily using refurbished traditional milling machinery.  Tegan Frisano, of Comfortcloth Weaving, LLC specializes in producing heirloom quality, hand woven products for the home, as well as yardage for the fashion and accessories industries using locally sourced and processed fiber.

The CCE Animal Fiber work team's mission is comprised of Cornell faculty, CCE educators, and industry stakeholders. Together they work to develop programming, educational opportunities, and identify areas of research that will improve the sustainability of the NYS animal fiber community. The animal fiber work team is a sub-committee of the CCE Livestock program work team.

NYTM is now in its 6^th year. Founded by Lidewij Edelkoort NYTM's mission is to bring textile heritage, tradition & knowledge, back into the hands of those working and creating in fiber arts.

Join the 'In Our Own Backyard' conversation on Thursday Sept. 23^rd from 7:00 - 8:30 here https://tinyurl.com/ourownbackyard.

Please do share the FB event posting with your family & friends so they too can learn about this amazing event https://fb.me/e/1LUibNKHb.