On any given day, Nancy Hains can be found in front of her spinning wheel in the Artisans of Mancos. Born in Buffalo, N.Y. and raised with Boy Scouts all around her, she found a passion for the outdoors. An interest in animals and nature made an impact on her, and she soon realized that she could be creative with all they had to offer.
After becoming a young adult, she headed to California. Soon she found herself with a family to support which she did quite well by owning a picture framing business for 32 years. In her spare, time she kept herself busy making macramé and handmade ceramic beads - "by the millions," according to Hains.
Once her family was raised, she headed to northern California, continuing in the picture framing business. Living in the California wine country, she acquired a vineyard and learned to make wine. Everything Hains produces, whether wine or fiber arts, is authentic to old world production. She got her first sheep to solve a lawn-mowing problem. Not only would the sheep make good, pets but they produced wool. That was the start of her yarn business.
In 2010, Hains sold everything and moved with her pets to Colorado. With an opportunity to purchase Alpaca wool, Hains bought a spinning wheel kit and put it together and has been spinning ever since.
She weaves, knits and crochets with yarn from her pets. Her fiber art includes an array of felting and fleece articles.
Wool produced by her animals has a multitude of benefits, which include being naturally antibacterial in nature. It is wrinkle-, water-, fire-, dirt- and fade-resistant. It does not absorb orders and provides warmth during those cold Colorado nights.
You can look for Hains' fiber art works at the Artisans of Mancos during the month of January in the window display.