The first weekend of October is festival time in Northern New Mexico. This year I was at the Taos Wools Festival in Taos the first Saturday of the month. I was there to enjoy the beautiful festival and to teach a three-day tapestry class. The festival was a riot of fiber and beautiful woven things, sheep, yarn, food, and lots of chatting among fiber lovers. The class was three packed days of weaving, learning, and laughing.
The small festival is held on the grounds of Revolt Gallery in the shade of some beautiful big trees, just a small skip north of the Taos plaza. Joe Barry who owns Taos Wools organizes this festival which he started when the original Taos Wool Festival moved to Santa Fe. Joe hated to see the popular festival leave, so he replaced it with an event that has a lot of soul as well as wonderful fiber fun.
Taos Wools Festival 2024
I’ll be the first to admit that when at a fiber festival I’m like those characatures of a squirrel—shiny thing, oooooo look!!!!, oh wow, what I couldn’t make with that… etc.
The very first booth I saw when arriving at the festival was this one from Cedar Mesa Ranch. Kendra and Andrew Schafer raise sheep, practice sustainable farming, and make some fantastic yarn from their churro flock. They’re right down the road from me in southwestern Colorado and I had seen their yarn at a local shop. It was fun to meet them in person and I hope to enjoy their products for many years to come starting with that yarn! (The squirrel in me was wowed by the pelts. I failed to get a photo of them but check out their website. They were so so gorgeous. What beautiful animals they raise in such good ways.)
Cedar Mesa Ranch from Dolores, CO
Pallet Farms from San Cristobal, NM brought their flock of churro sheep. This one seemed to be singing to himself, or perhaps howling not unlike my mini-dachshund does when there is a coyote chorus or she is upset she has been left behind.*
Pallet Farms churro sheep
Then this shiny thing caught my eye. Camel! Because who doesn’t want to know what camel fiber is like. The farmer lives in the San Luis Valley and seemed a little incredulous that I knew where Capulin is. But I lived in the SLV for quite awhile and who wouldn’t know where the famous Eppie Archuleta was from?!
See the poster top right in the photo below? That is one of the actual camels! And they have a guesthouse you can go stay in and MEET the camels (of which I think there are three). Who wouldn’t want to do that?! Also, she had soap. Camel milk soap. You can follow them on IG HERE and their website doesn’t seem to be running at the moment, but you can find that guesthouse on AirBnB HERE. I am already checking my calendar.
The Camel Chick is really Meghan Stalzer
I was so happy to fun into Adriana Martinez Conant of Desert Rose Weaving at her booth. I met her last year here and love her weaving. Check out that color gradation in the jacket she is holding! And her rugs and pillows are gorgeous. Many are dyed with natural dyes. She was working on a rigid heddle loom to make small products during the festival, but I’m pretty sure she weaves the rugs on a regular walking loom. Also, she is from Española, so I feel like we have common ground.**
Adriana Martinez Conant of Desert Rose Weaving holding one of her beautiful jackets. Find her on IG HERE.
Adriana’s rugs are gorgeous. There are more on her website!
Next time you’re in Taos or when you go to the Taos Wools Festival next year on October 4 & 5, 2025, look for the Barbie couch. It is nearby but not actually AT the festival… The Barbie couch is undoubtedly one of a kind and for a kid who didn’t have all the Barbie stuff, the riotous color was something to behold. The crown is also a must. There are several to choose from.
Have you been looking for a Barbie couch? Because I found one in Taos. Crown by artist Tera Muskrat (who is also a talented painter)
A big clue for your hunting… while singing any song from the Barbie movie, look for this shop… (They have some wonderful art! …not just Barbie. I bought a couple ceramic pieces by Rachel Saum. You can see some of her work in the photo below on the table.)
Magpie Gallery in Taos with work by Rachel Saum on the table.
Have you been to any fiber festivals this year? I’m sure some of you are headed to Rhinebeck this week and I’ll be jealously awaiting your reports.
I’ll have more about the Taos Wools Festival tapestry class and the Mountain and Valley Wool Festival in coming weeks.
*Yes, we have a dog camera. Mostly they sleep.
**I lived around Española and worked in the town on and off for 7 years and grew up in Gallup, so same, same.