It’s hard to believe, but 2022 is already almost half over! Independence Day is just around the corner, and this year, we’re honoring the freedoms we enjoy here at Bear Creek.
The Fourth of July is when we commemorate our independence from the United Kingdom. As a melting pot of ethnicities, religions, and cultural backgrounds, we needed our own nation to unite us. The holiday has now become a time to cherish our industrious and passionate nature. We at Bear Creek Farm and our partners at Dakota Fiber Mill can definitely appreciate that! In an increasingly globalized world and strained economy, we’re grateful for the opportunity to share our artwork and trade our wares with our community.
Indeed, we welcome people of all backgrounds and believe that everyone deserves to creatively express themselves and launch their own enterprise. That’s why we strive for inclusive events, from all-ages fiber arts classes and retreats to animal husbandry classes at our Nome Eweniversity. We encourage mothers to learn the science of shepherding and fathers to learn the art of needle felting. What makes our nation great is our commitment to freedom: for people to pursue their dreams, no matter what they look like!
In yet another symbol of our American ingenuity, we seek sustainable, local solutions to create our products. For example, we process all our flock’s fleece at Dakota Fiber Mill, which performs the cleaning, carding, and spinning for us. One thing I’ve learned from my partner Chris Armbrust at the mill is how to properly dye your wool. So if you’re eager to do some red, white, and blue projects for the Fourth of July, read on!
The key to dyeing wool is to use a low pH (acidic) solution, then use heat to set the dye. Just be cautious of overheating your wool as you don’t want it to “felt” as it’s heated up and stirred! You can purchase acid dyes in either liquid or powder form. I recommend testing a small batch to be sure it’s the hue you want.
Nervous about dyeing your own wool? No worries — we’ll have a festive American-colored wool sampler pack available soon.
But if you’re eager to try your hand at dyeing wool, get your DIY Guide to Dyeing Course and our Kit for Dyeing to give it a whirl!
If you’re eager to show off your Needle Felting Academy or Nome Eweniversity pride along with your patriotism, why not add your very own Bear Creek Bunny to your project list? Give her a miniature American flag or red, white, and blue accessories, and she’ll be ready to watch the fireworks with you!
Psst — Fall will be here before we know it, so this is a wonderful opportunity to refine your dyeing skills for your Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas projects.
Happy Independence Day, everyone!
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