Our Connection to Handwork in Schools

In 1984, when our first child went to school, we discovered the world of Waldorf education. We were surprised and pleased to find another group of people who valued, and in some instances required, materials colored with the natural dyes from plants. Our children (now aged 25, 20 and 17) have benefited enormously from this way of educational life.

From 1988-2007, we dyed wool/rayon felt and bulky weight knitting yarn and sold them to the Waldorf schools in this country and abroad. Our felt and yarn dyeing operations, handling about 600 yards of felt and around 350 pounds of knitting yarn, consumed a fair amount of time and energy, particularly during the summer months. While it would obviously have been much simpler for us to concentrate exclusively on our historically based work, there was significant satisfaction in making it possible for hundreds of children around the world to learn to make beautiful things with their hands. It was an irresistible way to pass on what we do along to the future.

Finally, in the spring of 2008, we found someone (actually SHE found us) with keen interest in that part of our work. As we began to work together, it was obvious that her enthusiasm for the dyeing and for providing top quality materials to school had the potential not only to carry what we had founded and nourished for twenty years, but to develop it in new ways of which we had only occasionally imagined.

If you are looking for the plant dyed felt, yarn and school supplies, please contact Julie O'Connor at Heavenly Hues by phone (413) 768-8180, fax (413) 208-0242, or email: heavenlyhueswool@comcast.net.

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