2012 Fiber "U" Instructors

Special thanks and appreciation go out to our wonderful instructors for 2012 Fiber “U”. This event would not be possible without them graciously sharing their talents and knowledge with all of us. So that you may get to know them a little better, below please find a short bio on each.

Bonnie Ahrens (Martinsburg, MO) Bonnie is the owner of ABC Ranch Naturals Fiber Mill and has been felting for twenty years. Her training has been with some of the leading felt makers from the US and abroad. She does some fiber processing, felt classes and makes her own pieces for sale and exhibition. She has exhibited in several galleries in MO, TN, WI, AR and Scotland. She is a member of MO Fiber Artists, Best of Missouri Hands, Columbia Weavers and Spinners Guild, St. Louis Weavers Guild and the International Feltmakers Association.

Judy Allread (Springfield, KY) Judi has been knitting and crocheting for over 40 years. She is accountant by profession, and her alpacas are her passion! She has an endless supply of yarn right fro her own animals so she almost always has something ‘on the needle’! She and her husband Ron own Serano Alpacas & Yarns in Springflield, KY where they have a herd of 22 Huacaya alpacas, and recently opened their farm store specializing in USA Made handcrafted items and decorative collectibles.

Diana Armes Wallace (Alton, MO)- Diana’s former life consisted of lots of computer technical workings, but what she dreamed of was one day, owning a farm with fiber animals. After “retiring” from computers, going halfway across the country, the opportunity came about to buy a farm, load it with Icelandic Sheep and a wild, enjoying ride has ensured.

Nancy Barnett (Alton, MO) Nancy lives in the Missouri Ozarks and has been spinning and raising sheep for 27 years and Angora Rabbits for 24 years. Nancy raises Shetland, Border Leicester and Blue Face Leicester Sheep and French, English, Satin and German Angora Rabbits and sells breeding stock and processed rovings. She is a popular teacher at many fiber events throughout the year in the Midwest. She is the winner of two Sustainable Agriculture Grants, one of which is for her Angora/Wool socks. She lives with her husband, Bill, in a 1935 rock schoolhouse constructed by the Civilian Conservation Corps.

Daryl Bergmann (Moscow Mills, MO) Ms. Bergmann has been knitting and designing Irish Sweaters and accessories for 40 years. In addition to Irish/Fisherman knits she enjoys lace and Victorian knitting, spinning, weaving, felting and caring for her alpacas, Pyrs, chickens and goats when not meeting the demands of her full-time healthcare job.

Marian Bounds (Springfield, MO) Marian is a self-taught needle tatter with over 10 years of experience to share. She would have more if she had known about tatting using a needle earlier in life, since she had tried to unsuccessfully learn shuttle tatting many times before! Previously a crocheter and cross-stitch embroiderer, she now exclusively tats and sells her creations at local Ozark craft and fiber shows-perhaps also on-line sometimes later this year. She’s experimenting with using fibers other than the common cotton or silk and with mixing media such as tatted lace with beadwork or with paper, such as on note card or on photo mats.

Carol Leigh Brack-Kaiser (Columbia, MO) Founder of Carol Leigh’s Specialties (1982) and Hillcreek Fiber Studio (1986) received her Masters’ degree in Textiles from the Univ. of Missouri-Columbia with research in the historic use of natural dyes. Her hoe-based family business provides weaving, spinning, dyeing and felting supplies, equipment and tools, book and instruction to fiber artists around the country. She is best known for developing techniques using the Continuous Strand Weaving Method on triangle, square and rectangle frame looms which her husband and son build. She has self published a 468-page book and co produced a 90-minute video for triangles and a 35-minute video for rectangles on the subject. Her great interest is in studying weaving and dyeing practices of other cultures.

Jeanette Campbell (Louisburg, KS) Jeanette learned to knit when she was 8 years old in her native Scotland. Growing up with wool as the yarn of choice, she has always known about alpaca as a luxury fiber. Many years later and in a continent away, she and her husband have been raising alpacas since 2005. From the beginning, she has been concerned with improving both the fleece and yarn quality from the alpacas on her farm. This led to going to Canada in 2007 to take Ruth Elvestad’s sorting and grading course at Old’s College. After successfully completing both academic and sorting requirements she was awarded her Camelid Fibre Sorter Certification in 2009. After further study she gained her Classer Certification in 2010. She is happy to share her knowledge and help other breeders make the best use of their annual clip.

Leslie Carroll-Bartlett (Nevada, MO) Leslie is the Hand Weavers Guild of America representative for the State of MO, List Administrator for the weavers list (over 900 members) She weaves on the rigid heddle loom as well as 24 harness AVL compu dobby loom. She also co-chairs Fiber Retreat in Jefferson City MO each year. She teaches rigid heddle weaving with the quick warp method, Navajo weaving and many spinning classes including blending fine fibers and flax spinning. She is a partner in jwrayco LLC, a hand painted yarn company, where she does color design and webpage development.

Judy Crouch (Auroa, MO) Judy is a retired Paramedic with a desire to continue helping people. This time helping them to learn new fiber arts such as spinning, weaving, felting and dying. She has been working with fiber arts for over 20 years and has learned from some of the most amazing teachers.

Tammy K. Eastburn (Springfield, MO) Tammy, also known as DarthKnitter on Ravelry, is a knitter, spinner, weaver, designer and host of The Proverbial Knitter videocast. She learned to knit in 2005, and has been obsessed with the fiber arts ever since, especially socks. She has a passion for learning, and for sharing that knowledge with others.

Dawn Flickinger (Uniontown, MO) Dawn co-owns Tower Rock Ranch Alpacas and 4 years ago with her mom started Happy Alpacas as a way to utilize her fleeces. Her mom taught her how to knit and crochet when she was around 8. She chained stitched for many years- miles and miles of chain and nothing else. In the years since she moved on up to more useful object. She soon discovered that all the neat patterns were knitted and enrolled in a 6 week college class and much to her surprise, her hands remembered what her mom taught her. She started knitting with beaded yarn as a way to add some “bling” to her projects and has expanded her knitting skills to include pattern design and more complex dying patterns.

Elyse Hargis (Springfield, MO) Elyse has lived in the Missouri Ozarks for all her life. She was taught at the young age of 6 to crochet by her grandmother. She worked for St. John’s Paramedics for over 15 years and during that time she was introduced to spinning and the wonderful world of wool. Working full time and raising 7 children, Elyse wasn’t able to delve into her passion like she would like to until after 2007 when she was in a accident sustaining life threatening injuries. After a long recovery and the children being raised, despite being disabled now, Elyse has the time to explore the fiber arts she loves. She has had over the years several different breeds of sheep. And learned that each breed has it’s own distinctive gift to offer. She presently has Rambouillet, Karakus X, Romney X, Border Leicester and Wensleydale Sheep. She also have 4 different breeds of Angora rabbits – French, English, French Blue Eyed White and Satin- that she hopes to start showing soon. She carries fiber from her own animals in her booth as well as fiber related tools. One thing she has learned being around fiber animals is there is always something new that can be learned which is something that makes the fiber arts so enjoyable and exciting.

Ginger Hayes (Goodman, MO) Ginger, owner of Art of the Ranch Studio, has been an artist all of her life using pencil, oils, acrylic, leather and fabric. She is now transferring these skills to the fiber world of felting, spinning and polymer clay, which is her newest passion. Ginger loves exploring technique and mixed media to find new uses for regular things. Her newest exploration is in incorporating items made from polymer clays to felted pieces, making functional new creations.

Stacy Heydt (Marshfield, MO) Stacy has been working with alpaca fiber since she purchased her first alpacas over 10 years ago. Her background in art and design was easily incorporated into her award winning fiber art products. She currently gives seminars and teaches classes at Ozark Technical College and at her farm, White River Alpacas, on spinning, weaving, felting, dyeing and fleece preparation. She is also a Spin Off judge and a member of AOBA’s Raw Fiber Products Committee.

Barbara Johnson (Rolla, MO) Barbara has been making baskets since 1988. She also teaches classes in weaving, felting, lace-making, rug hooking, knitting, crocheting, papermaking, printing and more. A resident of rural Missouri for 36 years, she is the mother of 4 adult children and has 3 fabulous grandchildren. She is the Director of Shannondale Craft Camp held annually each spring at Timber Lodge, south of Salem, MO.

Lily Kerns (Marionville, MO) Lily is a retired art teacher and co-founder of QuiltUniversity.com where she has been teaching design and creativity oriented classes since 2000.

Christine Long Derks (Overland Park, KS) Christine is known as TreasureGoddess on ravelry and etsy. She’s recently gone from corporate drone to full time crafter that gets to play with yarn all day long! Her sweet back porch dye lab, spinning wheel, family and crazy yarn girl adventures keep Christine hopping. She designs patterns to help you knit up that fabulous handspun yarn you’ve got stashed about! Her patterns are designed to allow the colors, textures and artistic diversity of handspun yarn to shine through. Knitting with art yarns and textured yarns are her very favorite way to spend the day. Christine teaches techniques for knitting with art yarn at various Midwest fiber festivals, her local guilds as well as one-on-one by appointment.

Shawn Malloy (Springfield, KY) Shawn and his wife Lori began their fiber odyssey in 2003 with Suri Alpacas and opened their own fiber mill, Flaggy Meadow Fiber Works in 2006 in Maine. Now located in Springfield, KY the Malloy’s developed their own products including Surino yarn line and their clothing line. Shawn recently started a new collaboration called Royalty Fiber Farm and developed a sock line featuring alpaca and silver technology for antibacterial and antifungal properties. It is a venture that takes them another step forward in their vision of a new farm economy and the future potential of the natural animal fiber industry.

Ann Mayes (Auxvasse, MO) Ann owns Alpacas d’Auxvasse and has been raising alpacas since 2003. Starting with three Suris, the herd has now grown to forty alpacas, both Huacaya and Suri. Her main business focus has always been on fiber production and her goal is to use every bit the beautiful fleece the animals produce. Her yarn and roving is carried in local yarn stores, and sold at fiber festivals throughout the year. Ann is dedicated to producing the best yarn and roving possible in a rainbow of colors for the pleasure of fiber artists worldwide.

Kay McCoy (Sabetha, KS) Kay learned to knit from her grandmother and shares a fiber passion with her sister, Sally Brandon and their mother, Virginia Hopson. The three of them own the retail portion of The Shepherd’s Mill. Kay is also a spinner, weaver, felter, painter, and dyer but in her forced real life is the mother 3 kids and a loan officer with the USDA. She has fallen in love with Knooking and is contemplating leaving her needles behind.

Lorry McDonald (Odessa, MO) Lorry is an avid spinner who is enrolled in the Master Spinner program at Olds college in Alberta, Canada. She is a member of several fiber Guilds and just plain loves fiber! Creating works of art with fiber is a passion of hers and includes both wet and needle felting along with spinning. She lives on a small farm with her Icelandic Sheep, Alpacas and Angora goat wethers.

Donna McFarland (Union, MO) Donna and her husband, Gary, are co-founders of Dewberry Ridge, a Fiber Art Company. She has a Masters’ degree in Sales and Marketing from Maryville Univ. and has been a member of the fiber arts community all of her adult life. Dewberry Ridge is a home based business where they design and manufacture fine, handmade looms, knitting needles, crochet hooks, Niddy Noddies, drop spindles and many other high-quality fiber arts tools. Donna designs hand-painted yarns and weaves clothing from her floor looms, the beautiful Dewberry Ridge Adjustable Triangle Loom and the entire line of pin looms. She writes and publishes patterns and techniques for the looms. Donna and Gary are both Master Craftsmen at the Silver Dollar City Fall Festival in Branson MO.

Darlene Megli (Lamar, MO) Darlene lives in SW MO on a farm raising Romney and BFL sheep along with a couple of Alpaca fiber boys. She is a retired RN and after working in the medical field for 50 years! She has a small fiber business, A Twist In Time, with her best friend Judy Crouch and they travel to a few shows each year and teach classes both at shows and at home. She mostly spins and weaves, but also knits and crochets. She has a circular sock machine she is currently learning how to use-she’s named it Harold! She loves to share her knowledge of the fiber arts with others and hope they enjoy it as much as she does.

Missouri Trout Fisherman Association - Kansas City Chapter (MO)- A group of die-hard fishing folks who excel at sharing their passion for the amazing art of fly tying with natural fibers. Besides fishing whenever they can, these true artists educate any and all who choose to learn in and around the region.

Liz Mitchko (Lebanon, MO) – Liz has always been a “crafty” person preferring to make things even as a kid. She became interested in fiber and fiber arts when faced with an overflowing closet full of alpaca fleeces from their herd of Huacaya Alpacas at Whirlwind Ranch that she owns with her mom Linda. She soon took a dyeing class and was hooked- enjoying the endless colors options- that more than stimulated her creative side- and sharing that by teaching dyeing classes at their farm and at other fiber events. Her absolute favorite is incorporating her hand-dyed creations into award winning weavings and selling them to customers who truly appreciate them.

DeAnna Neale (Warsaw, MO) DeAnna is a spinner, weaver and soap maker, living on a small farm in Missouri where she raises a small “fiber” flock, consisting of Alpacas, Angora rabbits, sheep, and goats, both dairy and Angora. She enjoys using the fiber from her own animals to create one-of-a-kind items. A former classroom teacher, she loves to share the knowledge she has gained. She teaches classes on many of the processes she uses, including the twining board, a heritage process which makes use of rags and cast-off clothing to make rugs and placemats.

Janice Robinson (Arcadia, OK) Janice with her husband John have raised Huacaya “fluffy” alpacas since 2002 in central OK. She has always been involved in “crafts that feel good”. Her journey in exploring alpaca fleece renewed her interest in knitting. Knitting took her to fleece prep, spinning, dying, weaving and the list goes on! She has an active fiber store promoting her own yarns and products made from the fleeces of her and others alpacas. Recently her creative skills have turned to exploring the many uses of the electric needle felting machine for the artisan. She is the past chair of the AOBA Fiber Committee and continues to be involved in promoting all avenues of alpaca fleece.

Tammy Taylor (Odessa, MO ) Tammy has always lived in a creative atmosphere were hand crafting and creating is a way of life. She has worked in many fiber/fabric mediums, but her love of strings and colorful threads brought her to a special love of Kumihimo. Always learning new techniques, she is especially happy when she is able to share her knowledge and encourage other people to learn this beautiful art of Japanese braiding.

Tao Weilundemo (Fulton, MO) After several years of studying natural building, sustainability, and self-sufficiency skills, Tao has spent the last 3 years putting that knowledge into practice at Maya Creek Ecovillage near Fulton, MO. He is a certified permaculture designer growing significant amounts of food, living off-grid on renewable energy, and is in the final stages of completing a straw bale house.

Gail White (Durant, OK) Gail has been involved with “fiber” since 1980, when she started hand spinning the angora fiber from her daughter’s bunnies. She just couldn’t throw it away. From hand spinning, she branched out to knitting, machine knitting, weaving and raising Targhee sheep and then in 1995 was able to purchase their first mill equipment from the Green’s, Pat and Paula, when they lived in WA. They converted half of the sheep barn into their first mill. In 1996, they moved to MO so her DH (Jim) could help her brother with a family business. They spent 12 ears there running Ozark Carding Mill. The mill evolved form the Green equipment to a McDermott card, a commercial pin drafter, spinner and twister. Today they process all types of fibers and blends from the raw material to yarn in Durant, OK. Jim has always supported Gail and the mill now works full time with her. Gail is a certified wool classer with ASI, and has judged fleece shows in WI, MO and NC. She has taken fiber related classes from Judith McKenzie, Lane Goldsmith and Diane Varney.

Jerry Wilson (Salem, MO) Jerry graduated from SIUC in ’64 and spent the next 29 years teaching high school at Sparta, IL. Illinois offered early retirement package and as I was kind of burned out on teaching I took it and for the next 16 years I worked for the MO Dept of Natural Resources. Two years ago I retired again and Sue and now live west of Salem on what we call the Ten Acre Woods. Jerry got interested in natural dyes because his wife Sue is a fingerweaver and does sashes and such using only had spun and naturally dyed yarn. She was having a hard time finding the colors she needed so he volunteered to learn the art. Notice he said art, not science because with natural dyes you are often surprised at what you get.

Susan Wilson (Salem, MO) Susan started out by getting a degree in computer science and working as a programmer/analyst for a number of years. When the company downsized she got to fulfill a dream of being an archaeological assistant (a.k.a. “shovel money”) for a year. After that, she and Jerry married and she became a full time mom while honing her skills as a fingerweaver and spinner of yarn. Now, 20 plus years later, Susan has many blue ribbons to show for her skills. Her fingerweaving is part of the permanent collections of six museums. She won Best of Show for her fingerweaving in two consecutive years at the World Sheep Festival in Bethel, MO. She has designed and fingerwoven two shawls-something that she was told could not be done! To her knowledge there is no one else fingerweaving shawls. Not content to “just fingerweave sashes and scarves”, Susan has come up with many innovative ways to use this art.

Janet Wray (Nevada, MO) Janet has been knitting since age 5, she does not count the years! Partner with Leslie Carroll for hand painted yarns and fibers. She is a Certified teacher from CYCA and has a Little Yarn shop on premises. She is also a retire nurse practitioner, former owner of the Cherry Street Market & Coffeehouse, and big into renovating old buildings.