From the fine-haired faunae to fabulous fleece, luxurious fibers are the culmination of an intricate, unique and multi-faceted process. The hard work and technique employed in raising the alpaca, sheep and llamas to shearing, spinning, dying, felting and weaving--fiber arts are an attestation to patience, skill and environment. Witness the process from start to finish or drop-in somewhere along the way, for a fiber-focused Colorado vacation. www.colorado.com
Graze and Raise
Whether in cool temperatures at high-elevation in the Rocky Mountains or bountiful feed in the low-lying glacial valleys, Colorado’s climate is ideal for raising curious fiber-producing camelid and bovidae species. Start with an “all-about-alpacas” introduction and learn the details of their unique and luxurious fiber with a tour at C Squared Alpacas in Colorado Springs, SunCrest Orchard in Palisade, Pleasant Journey Alpacas in Hesperus or Shambalah Alpaca Ranch in Franktown. Cuddle with cria (baby alpacas) and learn about raising alpacas and their lush fiber during your ranch visit. Discover new tours offered at Chimera Ranch and Tall Grass Farms in Bennet or Mayberry Farm Alpacas in Byers. On a visit to Desert Weyr meet the herd of endangered Black Welsh Mountain Sheep and take a tour of the ranch with Oogie & Ken McGuire.
Counting Sheep
Spend more time mingling with the herd on an overnight farm stay at Alpaca Angel Acres in Rush or Horse and Hen B&B in Hayden. Jefferson Farms shares care and information about Paco Vicuñas (the alpaca’s adorable, smaller cousin) and now offers an overnight farm stay. Inspired by Wensleydale sheep and Angora goats, De GoatsnSheep Ranch in Bayfield combines a ranch stay with classes on spinning, knitting and felting. In Craig, pick your site for a sheep wagon vacation complete with sheep shearing and working dog demos at the Villard Ranch. Once you’ve mastered camelid-cultivation 101, turn your eyes, ears and hands towards the next phase: harvesting the fleece.
Shear and Mill
When you appreciate the challenges of raising happy, healthy, fiber-producing stock, the next step is the fleece retrieval and milling. An “all-in-one” experience at SunCrest Orchard Alpacas offers shearing classes, agritourism lessons about the mini-mill and a rentable dye station. For custom milling, knitting classes and high-quality Colorado yarn made from wool, alpaca, llama, mohair and angora natural fibers, make a stop at Yampa Valley Fiberworks for a mill tour. Once you’ve begun to understand the milling process, take your roving and curiosity to the crafting stage.
Crafts and Class
You’ve arrived at the final and arguably craftiest stage along the fiber-line. All the raw materials – the beautifully dyed and expertly spun fibers— are at your disposal. Classes at Mountain Flower Goat Dairy in Boulder send you home with a hand spindle and llama yarn you prepared and spun yourself. Treat yourself to a day of spinning, knitting, dying, fiber animals and fun at Wool Day at the Lyons Farmette. Visit Table Rock Llama Fiber Arts Studio in Black Forest and enjoy a spindle spinning or cobweb felt scarf workshop. Incorporate relaxation into the process with a felting retreat at Outback Fibers in Coaldale. Classes at Entwine in Colorado Springs cover everything from Beginning Knitting to Zoom Loom or Finishing Techniques, and on the Silver Thread Scenic Byway outside of Creede, pause for a workshop with talented fiber artist Teri Inman at Bristol Yarnworks Studio.
Fiber Festivities
In late summer and early fall, festivals across the state celebrate all things fiber. Mark your calendars for these fiber festivities:
- August 9-10: The Bead and Fiber Show in Fairplay. A long-standing festival with more than 13 years under its belt, the Bead show is incorporating fiber this year in acknowledgement of the common collaboration between the two arts.
- August 1-16: A road trip for adventurous and inspired fiber lovers, Hot August Knits Yarn Crawl challenges you to pile fiber-loving friends into a car and travel around northern Colorado to participating yarn stores.
- August 22 - 30: Yarn Along the Rockies is a 9 day yarn crawl with a Passport Tour of 24 participating yarn shops across the front range of Colorado.
- September 11-13: Sheep Wagon Days in Craig celebrates the history of sheep ranching with shearing demonstrations, sheep wagon tours, craft vendors and more.
- September 12-13: Head to the Salida Fiber Festival at Riverside Park for engaging and fiber-filled activities. Vendors pack the park and classes promise to evolve your fiber process.
- September 25-27: The 3rd annual Ouray County Sneffels Fiber Festival descends upon Ridgway Colorado with vendors, food, demonstrations and workshops, including entrelac, mosaic and brioche rib knitting, a Nuno scarf workshop and more!
From the very beginning, the fiber experience is compelled by creativity and passion. It begins with the care of the herd and shifts to shearing when the season comes. Next is the process of separating and carding, drawing, spinning, plying…followed by knitting, weaving, felting, festivities and more. The distinctive experience invites beginners and novices alike to perfect an art only limited by the creator’s imagination and dedication. Fiber arts are the crafty finish to a complex process and we invite you to discover Colorado’s fiber from fur to festival on a fiber-luscious vacation.
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ABOUT COLORADO
Colorado is a four-season destination offering unparalleled adventure and recreational pursuits, a thriving arts scene, rich cultural heritage, flavorful cuisine, and 25 renowned ski areas and resorts. The state's breathtaking scenic landscape boasts natural hot springs, the headwaters of seven major rivers, many peaceful lakes and reservoirs, 11 national parks and monuments, over 850 visitor-friendly farms and ranches, and 58 mountain peaks over 14,000 feet. For more information or a copy of the 2014 Colorado Official State Vacation Guide, visit www.COLORADO.com or call 1-800-COLORADO. Follow Colorado on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Google+, Foursquare, Flickr, Tumblr and YouTube.
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