Redwood Guild of Fiber Arts
Sustainability Includes Livelihood: An Update on the Fibershed Co-op and Marketplace
January 5, 2022 | Zoom Details to Members
Past Events
2021 Annual General Meeting of the North American Shetland Sheep Breeders Association
Virtual Presentation
November 6, 2021
Flag Wool & Fiber Festival 2021
Virtual Keynote
June 6, 2021 | Details TBD
Nimbus Arts
Reading, lecture and fiber sampler
649 Main St., Saint Helena, CA 94574
November 24, 2019 | 11 AM-1 PM
2019 Livestock Conservancy Heritage Livestock Conference
Panel: Recreating a National Fiber System
October 26, 2019 | 11 AM-3 PM
Fiber Circle Studio
Reading and Yarn Sampler
Fiber Circle Studio
8099 La Plaza Suite H, Cotati, CA 94931
September 14, 2019 | 10 AM-12 PM
Black Sheep Gathering 2019
Linn County Fairgrounds
Albany, OR
July 5-7, 2019
AWP 2019 Panel Discussion
Back to Basics: Untangling Environmental Stories
Portland, OR
March 27-30, 2019
Ana Maria Spagna, Summer Brennen, Sharman Apt Russell, Marlenia Myers, and I will talk about environmental writing. Writing about the “environment” often means writing about basic needs–food, water, clothing, and shelter—but doing so also means tackling more complicated issues of history, politics, race, gender, and work. This panel addresses how creative nonfiction writers can craft compelling stories that embrace complexity. Panelists will address issues of cultural appropriation, scale and scope, the role of the personal, and the possibility of hope.
Hudson Valley Textile Project Summit
Keynote | New Paltz, NY
March 20, 2019
Woolyn
Reading, Q&A and Fiber Sampler
Woolyn
105 Atlantic Ave., Brooklyn, NY 11201
March 17, 2019 | 12-3 PM; Reading at 1 PM
I’ll be doing a reading where I do my yarn shopping when in New York, and am so excited about that. Please join us starting at noon, when local spinner and phenomenally creative fiber artist Amanda Solomon will demo her handspun yarns. You’ve probably seen Amanda’s super popular batts and yarns at Vogue Knit Live, or maybe you follow her on Instagram (@asolomon018). Fortunately for all of us, Amanda will have some of her terrific hand spun yarns and batts for sale.
Tatter NYC
Reading, Q&A and Fiber Sampler
BLUE: The Tatter Textile Library
505 Carroll St., Suite 2B, Brooklyn, NY 11215
March 16, 2019 | 3-5 PM
The Ruby SF
Member Event
Private Location
April 30, 2019
A Verb For Keeping Warm
Reading, Signing and Q&A
6328 San Pablo Ave., Oakland, CA 94608
March 10, 2019 | 3-4:30 PM
Treadles to Threads Spinning Guild
Reading and Q&A
Thurman G. Casey Library, 2661 Oak Grove Rd., Walnut Creek, CA 94598
February 27, 2019 | 7-9 PM
I’ll read a brief selection from my book, and answer any and all wool and shearing questions.
Avenue Yarns
Reading, Q&A, and Spinning Circle Chat
1325 Solano Ave., Albany, CA 94706
February 11, 2019 | 6 PM
Holistic Management Canada
Fibershed Presentation | Russell, Manitoba, Canada
February 2, 2019 | 1:30-2:30 PM
Presentation on what a Fibershed is, how soil-to-soil textile processes serve the triple-bottom-line holistic goal, and how a Fibershed connects farmers who practice carbon farming with clothes-wearing citizens and manufacturers who care about humane animal treatment and materials traceability.
ImagiKnit
Local Wool Taster | 3897 18th St., San Francisco, CA 94114
January 23, 2019 | 6:30-8:30 PM
I’ll talk about the humane handling and shearing of sheep, answer any and all wool-related questions, and teach an introductory wool classing session with samples of raw, local wool from rare sheep breeds in our region.
Bay Area Crochet and Knit Guild (BACK)
Reading, Shearing Talk and Q&A | San Leandro, CA
January 13, 2019 | 5 PM
I’ll read a brief selection from my book on shearing sheep, answer any and all wool-related questions, and share samples of local wool in raw, roving and spun yarn forms. I look forward to knitting with you!
Books, Inc. of Berkeley
January 8, 2019 | 7 PM
Reading, Signing and Q&A | 1491 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley, CA 94710
I’ll read a brief selection from my book on the ecology of regenerative agriculture, carbon farming, soil carbon sequestration, and natural fibers. I look forward to your questions and a lively discussion.
Mendocino Wool & Fiber
With the Gilbert Family
Mill Open House, Reading & Discussion | 676 S. Orchard Ave., Ukiah, CA 95482
December 15, 2018 | Time TBD
Please visit for a wool mill tour, reading, and conversation with Sarah and Matt Gilbert, whose story of starting a wool mill from scratch is a significant, gut-wrenching story in Raw Material. Roving and other fiber and textile goodies will be available for sale as well, just in time for holiday giving. Shop local and see where your fibers come from.
Miles City Public Library
Reading, Signing and Q&A | 1 S. 10th St., Miles City, MT 59301
December 4, 2018 | Time TBD
I’ll read a brief selection from my book (which includes Miles City local, Ralph McWilliams, critical supplier of sheep shearing equipment and invaluable advisor). Please bring your questions and any knitting, spinning or fiber WIP.
Get Lit at Yarn Bar
Reading, Signing and Q&A | 1940 Grand Ave., Billings, MT 59102
December 1, 2018 | 1 PM
I’ll read a brief selection from my book on shearing and enjoy your questions and a lively discussion. Be sure to bring your fiber WIP!
Eileen Fisher Renew
with Kathy Hottari of Botanical Colors
and Lilah Horwitz of Renew
Reading and Conversation | 4860 Rainier Ave. S, Seattle, WA 98118
November 29, 2018 | 7 PM
Join us for a book signing and discussion, in conversation with Botanical Colors founder Kathy Hattori, and Renew’s Lilah Horwitz. We’ll talk about the origins of raw materials and natural dyes, and enjoy some wine and lite bits. Arrive early to shop gently worn Eileen Fisher clothes and Botanical Colors dye kits to start your own journey towards kitchen dyeing and a more sustainable fashion future.
Kindly RSVP to Amy DuFault at amytropolis on Instagram and @gmail.
Third Place Books – Seward Park
with author Ana Maria Spagna
Reading, Signing and Q&A | 5041 Wilson Ave. S, Seattle, WA 98118
November 28, 2018 | 7 PM
Join me for an evening with Ana Maria Spagna and as we present our newest books, Uplake: Restless Essays of Coming and Going and Raw Material: Working Wool in the West.
For many years, Ana Maria Spagna has stayed put, mostly, in a small mountain valley at the head of a glacier-carved lake. You’re so lucky to live there, people say. She is lucky. But she is also restless. In Uplake she takes road trips, flies to distant cities, fantasizes about other people’s lives, and then returns home again to muse on rootedness, yearning, commitment, ambition, wonder, and love. These engaging, reflective essays celebrate the richness of it all: winter floods and summer fires, the roar of a chainsaw and a fiddle in the wilderness, long hikes and open-water swims, an injured bear, a lost wedding ring, and a tree in the middle of a river. Uplake reminds us to love what we have while encouraging us to still imagine what we want.
Bird & Beckett Books
Reading, Signing and Q&A | 653 Chenery St., San Francisco, CA 94131
Sunday, November 18, 2018 | 2 PM
I’ll read a brief selection from my book, and answer questions about sheep shearing, wool, and the textile supply chain. Hope to see you there!
Warner Mountain Weavers
2 Days, 2 Events!
Readings, Book Signings and Q&A | 459 South Main St., Cedarville, CA 96104
November 15, 2018 | 5-7 PM
November 17, 2018 | 10 AM – 12 PM + Potluck
I am so delighted to be reading in one of my most treasured places in the West, featured on the inside and outside of my book. Warner Mountain Weavers has so much to see: an indigo vat, California fabric, a dye garden – come on out! Please note that the Saturday event will be followed by a potluck. Bring your favorite dish to pass, and your fiber project to share.
Fibershed Wool Symposium
Fibershed Wool Symposium
Book Signing and Wool Taster Class | Dance Palace, Point Reyes Station, CA
November 10, 2018 | 9 AM – 5 PM
I’ll be signing books sold by the fabulous, generous Point Reyes Books and teaching wool classing–with a beautiful assortment of fleece from our region–during the lunch break. Come on out, say hi, and support the vendors who will have goods for sale, many of whom are featured in my book!
ImagiKnit
Reading, Book Signing and Q&A | 3897 18th St., San Francisco, CA 94114
November 7, 2018 | 7-9 PM
I’ll read a brief selection from my book, and answer questions about sheep shearing, wool, and the textile supply chain. Learn more on the ImagiKnit website.
Ann Arbor Public Library
Reading, Q&A and Knit-and-Spin-Along | 343 S. Fifth Ave., Ann Arbor, MI 48104
November 5, 2018 | 7-8:30 PM
Graciously co-sponsored by Spun yarn shop and Bookbound. I cannot wait to visit the town where I used to live (near Washtenaw Dairy) and work (the old Borders Books headquarters). I may have to read the excerpt about Zeilinger Wool in Frankenmuth on principle. Bring your knitting and spinning wheels!
University of Detroit Mercy
Reading, Book Signing and Q & A | Detroit, MI
Private Event | November 1, 2018 | 2 PM
I am deeply honored to return to my alma mater with book in hand, after earning an English degree and Certificate of Women’s Studies here.
Source Booksellers
Reading and Q&A | 4240 Cass Avenue, Suite 105, Detroit, MI 48201
November 1, 2018 | 6 PM
I am thrilled to be reading on Cass Ave., my old stomping grounds of Zoot’s and the Gold Dollar (RIP), with its own rich literary history.
Diablo Weavers Guild
Reading & Sheep to Sweater Presentation | Walnut Creek, California
October 26, 2018 | 10 AM
I’ll do a brief reading and share the story of how wool makes its way from sheep through the fiber processing chain, and into our hands as batting, roving and yarn. Learn more about the Diablo Weavers Guild here.
ImagiKnit Open House
ImagiKnit | 3897 18th St., San Francisco, CA 94114
September 22, 2018 | 6:30-9:30 PM
Meet Twinkie Chan, author of Crocheted Abode A La Mode; Julie Weisenberger, author of Cocoknits Sweater Workshop; Carson Demers, author of Knitting Comfortably; Kyle Kunneke, author of Urban Knit Collection; and little old me whose book won’t even be out yet. But I will be signing bookplates, offering a 30% discount code for pre-ordering my book, and raffling off some of the local yarn I teach and write about. Come on out for a fun Saturday night during Vogue Knitting LIVE!
Valley Stitchers Guild
Sheep to Sweater Presentation
September 4, 2018 | 10 AM – 12 PM
Pleasant Hill, California
I’ll share shearing tales and the story of how wool makes its way from sheep through the fiber processing chain, and into our hands as batting, roving and yarn. This event is open only to Northern California Quilt Council (NCQC) members, and any members of guilds that are members of NCQC. Learn more about the Valley Stitchers Guild here.