Thanks to weaver, Judy Blackmer, of Shelburne, Vermont, we now have several yards of each of the color combinations to work with. This fabric is spongy and soft, with a very loose feel. Soon, we will begin  various tests on these goods.

Right after the Fourth of July, Mika, Doran and I traveled to the Marshfield School of Weaving for a relaxed exploration of the school. There are 11 large looms, and several smaller ones upstairs.  The complete natural dye laboratory on the ground floor was impressive. We saw many small carpets, cotton and linen toweling and even some embossed upholstery. This is an amazing place for learning.

One piece that struck me, as well as our intern, was the clean, natural smell of the building. With mostly natural materials used in both the weaving and the dying processes, there was no residual synthetic pollution in the air to worry about. A sense of comfort and peace  was inspired by easy walking space between and around every loom, thick sheep skins padding the wooden benches, and a view from every window of green hills, trees and gardens.

After our visit to the weaving school, we drove back via the barn where Mika's two Cashmere goats, Harry and David reside. Mika introduced Doran to their keep and fiber ("Down"), as well as some of their other abilities.  Below is a picture of Harry and David before their down shed out this Spring.

Harry and David of Team Snazzy Goat, in February, 2015.