Vendor Highlight : The Farmers Daughter Fibers

December 29, 2020

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Written by Rachel yarn@ritualdyes.com

Vendor Highlight : The Farmers Daughter Fibers

December 29, 2020

·

Written by Rachel yarn@ritualdyes.com

We just recently expanded our Farmer's Daughter Fibers offerings to include their new base- Recollect. We couldn't love this base more! It is a springy sport weight, non-superwash wool made from 75% white + 25% black Montana and Wyoming raised Rambouillet. The base of the yarn is a steel grey. By dyeing on a grey base the colors come out rich, rustic and thick with saturation. We already carried their Oh Dang! , a suri alpaca fluffy fiber that is a great alternative to those sensitive to mohair. It is incredibly soft with a beautiful halo.

I had a change to talk to Candice English, owner of the Farmer's Daughter Fibers. Candice and her team operate out of Great Falls, Montana. Hand-dyeing yarn and creating a welcoming fiber community.

RD: I think your colorways strike that perfect blend of wearability and intrigue. What inspires your colorways and what keeps you inspired?

FDF:Wow thanks! I am mostly inspired by the natural environment, almost all of our colors have an edge of dirt and grit about them. As time has gone on and we have created a large collection of colors, it can be hard to find inspiration that is new. Traveling helps but really once I am in the dye studio alone and it's quiet, all the colors end up coming to me. I cross my fingers they look good on the skein!

RD:Would you rather...
Knit with one base for the rest of your life?
OR
Knit with the same color forever?

FDF: I would probably knit with Soka'pii until my dying day.

RD: If you weren't knitting, what would you be doing- what are your
other hobbies?

FDF: I have been doing a lot of weaving recently, totally obsessed in fact. I read quite a bit too, my favorite thing to do is lay in bed all day and read. It only gets to happen about once or twice a year but I cherish those days!

RD: Salty or Sweet ?

FDF: Salty dipped in sweet? Chocolate covered potato chips are a gift from god!!

RD: You recently opened up a yarn shop in Great Falls! Tell us about what led to that and how it's going.

FDF: I had been thinking about finding a retail space for a while but it was a few years down the road. When my friend Denise decided to retire early and come help us part-time I really started dreaming of a community space. Then another friend of mine told me about this amazing space downtown, which I promptly rolled my eyes at. But we ran into each other and she found the landlord and made me look at it. I knew immediately it was perfect and the spirits wouldn't stop telling me this is what I needed to do. So here we are! It has been super fun so far and Denise starts this week so I am VERY excited to settle into a routine and take FDF to a new level!

In 2019, Candice and her team started a non-profit called Sisters United. The organization was initiated as a response to the effects of historical trauma on the Blackfeet community of which Candice is part of.

What started out as a monthly initiative to raise funds for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW) has since turned into a life form of its own. Sisters United empowers Indigenous women, children and communities through their work. You can learn more about them and how you can be of support here.

Thanks to Candice for the chat! You can visit The Farmer's Daughter Fibers website to see all of their offerings.

Images via the web, Great Falls Tribune and RD Studio.