Value Added Inventory Project Letter

Dear Spin off members and Artist,
How is everyone doing this spring? Is everyone done with lambing season? What about shearing season? Now comes time to adore the baby lambs and begin planning projects with the fresh new fleece that came off the sheep. DBI is hoping that this letter finds you well and content with the upcoming spring and summer season.

For the past two years DBI has visited communities across the Navajo Nation and helped to establish new Spin Off groups while encouraging the existing Spin off groups. Many value added workshops such as: Hat Felting, Scarf Felting, Needle felting, Triangle Loom Weaving, Twill Weaving, Plant Dyeing, Navajo Weaving, Navajo Sash Belt Weaving, Hand Carding and Navajo Spinning have been taught. DBI is happy to witness the positive results from these workshops. Teaching value added workshops to the communities help to promote self-sufficiency, mental well being and ensure a “re-connection” to our pastoral way of life with the sheep.

DBI’s objective of introducing the different value added workshops were done to promote, improve, and support your economic self-sufficiency so that if you choose to sell your work in the markets you would have the opportunity to receive its full dollar value. Many of you have created the value added products that DBI taught you. Each of you now has the opportunity to sell your beautiful works at several Fiber Festivals where Dine Be Iina, Inc. has been accepted as a vendor:

• Pagosa Fiber Festival, Pagosa, Colorado
  May 26 – 27, 2012
• Sheep is Life Celebration, Tsaile, AZ
  June 22 – 23, 2012

Note: Deadline to receive saleable items: June 18, 2012

• Hand Weavers Guild of America Convergence, Long Beach, CA
  July 18 – 21, 2012

Note: Deadline to receive saleable items: July 10, 2012

• Window Rock Fair, Window Rock, AZ
  September 4 – 8, 2012
• Taos Wool Festival, Taos, NM
  October 6 – 7, 2012

Note: Deadline to receive saleable items: October 1, 2012

We are now accepting completed items to take to the upcoming festivals to sell for you. DBI will sell your product for the price you are asking for and will include the tax rate of the town or city that it is sold at. There will not be any added fees to your product. Inventory items generally will be accepted one week before the show date. We will be inspecting each item for quality assurance and do not encourage items that are made from acrylic yarns. We are offering assistance with providing labels to each item. This is an opportunity that we hope you participate in as a Spin Off member or fiber artist. We have created a list of acceptable items that we can receive. If you have any questions you may contact me at 505-406-7428.

Example of value added products:

• Navajo Weavings
• Hand spun skeins of wool in different weights: thin, medium and thick weights
• Double ply hand spun skeins of wool
• Dyed skeins of wool in different weights: thin, medium and thick weights
• Dyed fleece
• Carded wool using hand carders
• Carded wool using drum carders
• Washed fleece
• Hand teased wool, made into roving balls
• Plant dyes packaged into bags
• Weaving tools: combs, battens, spindles, looms, finishing tools
• Needle felted products: book markers, wall plaques, figurines, ornaments
• Felted products: felted hats, scarfs, house slippers, saddle mats, wall hangings, mittens,
  hand bags of all sizes, and various felted artwork
• Bluebird Flour sack products: aprons, bags, skirts, shirts, pants, hats, pot holders, quilts,
  hats, vests, pillow covers, etc.
• Beadwork and Cedar Bead products: barrettes, bracelets, earings, necklaces, hat bands,
  key chains, etc.
• Navajo Skirts, Velveteen shirts, etc.
• Quilts, pillows, table mats with Native or Sheep designs
• Tanned Sheep Pelt

Dine Be Iina, Inc. hopes that you have a wonderful summer. You may contact me if you have further questions. Good luck with current and future projects and we wish you happy weaving, spinning and sheepherding.

Sincerely,
TahNibaa Naataanii, 5th Generation Weaver
Executive Director
Dine Be Iina, Inc.