Fiber on Main offers individuals at the Center for Discovery prevocational retail experience and a chance to share their work with the public.   Individuals spend time in the studio weaving, felting and knitting, repairing sewing machines, individual sewing projects and mending. 

Twice a year we shear our flock of Shetland and Romney sheep and have the wool turned into yarn that is used to make hats on adapted knitting machines or washed wool for dryer balls. We recently acquired 8 Shetland sheep whose wool can be harvested by a process known as “rooing”. This is where old growth (wool) is carefully removed by hand, without shears. Rooing has enabled us to have a truly hands on experience from Baa to Beanie. As we bring in groups to help us roo, we demonstrate the entire process,  showing how the wool  is spun into yarn and finally, we show them some of the hats we have created with our yarn.  Residents help with sorting the wool after shearing and making a variety of felted and woven projects from the yarn.  

Once the fiber is harvested, it takes a team effort to process it and turn it into yarn. Fiber on Main works closely with clinicians and dayhab groups at The Center for Discovery to complete this process which involves hand picking hay out of the fiber, Washing, drying, sorting and using the drum carder to align the fibers in one direction.

One of our groups of individuals grows coreopsis dye flowers from seed, harvests, dries and delivers flowers to Fiber on Main.  Here at Fiber on Main, we grow annual and perennial dye plants such as calendula, weld, madder and tansy. Individuals plant, water and harvest dye plants. You can also use everyday items like black beans, coffee, beets, or even koolaid to dye your wool. We compost our used dye materials as well as any food waste we generate.  Our neighbors bring their compost and learn about building the soil while building community.