Top reader photos: A DIY project with purpose
Today's Take 5 has a colorful spin.
Your Take contributor and do-it-yourselfer Ashley Scott hopes to turn a DIY passion for hand-dyed yarn and fibers into a business with a purpose. And Scott doesn't just want to make beautiful fibers; she also wants to help preserve the nation's rare sheep breeds and help the American rancher and small-business owner.
Scott, of Lenmore, Calif., says her business will produce yarns made from "conservation breeds" that are ranched in the United States.
She and her husband have dreams of raising a flock of conservation-breed sheep after he leaves the military, Scott says. "It would only be fitting if we did something that made an impact: not just an impact for us, but for ranchers and breeders who are working hard to save these breeds and for the breeds themselves."
The Navajo Churro, for example, is a conservation breed that has endured, but the breed has had brushes with extinction, Scott says. She says part of her mission — in addition to supporting American ranchers and businesses — is to educate consumers on how rare these breeds are.
Scott explains her mission on her campaign page on Kickstarter, a fundraising site for creative projects. She launched the fundraiser after she received an offer to have her specialty yarns featured in a storefront. Scott was thrilled at the opportunity but realized the production costs were a concern.
That's when Scott and her husband turned to the Kickstarter community. The campaign's funds will go to purchasing fleeces, processing fees, dyes, packaging and shipping costs. So far, they've raised $935 of their $1,600 goal. The campaign ends Sept. 19.
Scott's entrepreneurial adventure began a few years ago when she opened a shop on Etsy, an online marketplace where she sells the crocheted items. It was not long before her love for crocheting turned into a love for fibers.
She had learned to spin with a drop spindle, and how to clean and process wool. Later, she began spinning with a spinning wheel, a birthday gift from her husband. Hand-dyeing yarn was a natural progression of the fiber art.
"I started because I really love art yarn, and I wanted to create beautiful and unique colors," Scott says.
Over the years, Scott's work with specialty yarns and fiber crafts has become a true family affair. "I love experimenting with new colors and techniques, and I have learned methods that my 4-year-old son can help me with. He loves it just as much as I do."
You can learn more about Ashley Scott's specialty yarns on her Kickstarter page or on Etsy. You can also find her on Twitter.
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