Today we’d like to introduce you to Liz Bonny.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I started by my fiber business, Harvestry by Hand, during the Covid pandemic. I was a full time stay at home mother of two little kids, one enrolled in kindergarten and one in preschool. I had been absorbed by motherhood for years already, struggling with many of its realities, when I had a chance to teach online through the (now closed) Kansas City Textile Arts Center, online (!). There were so many mishaps during that class, and I was incredibly stressed, but when it was done, I was just elated and knew I had to keep doing this.
I had learned how to weave in college, done some dyeing, then moved to spinning and other related fiber skills. Teaching that class and following my instincts to do more with my fiber knowledge became a passion project and way to move me back into myself again. It made me feel confident and like I was caring for myself in a way I hadn’t for years.
I had joined my local fiber guild when my eldest was one, and enjoyed that sense of community. I was researching local wool one day and ended up connecting with a local shepherd who was moving and needed to part with a lot of raw fleeces. She taught me how to wash them and told me about Fibershed, an organization based in Northern California that focuses on supporting your local fiber economy, focusing on local fiber and natural dyes and intentional creation and use of these materials. I did some research and after connecting with others, helped start and grow our local Fibershed affiliate, the Kaw Point Fibershed. Working through that process opened doors to me and showed me a way to engage in my community, connect with, and support others in ways that felt comfortable and fulfilling. I have continued to focus on local fiber community work ever since.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I am constantly reassessing how I do things. I have taught a variety of classes including weaving, dyeing, spinning, fiber processing, and working with found fibers and natural dyes. I work very much on intuition in my creative and business work, letting interesting materials, partnership opportunities, or events lead the way, while finding a healthy balance between my creative, work, and family life. The realities of family life, childcare, and finances have had to dictate many of my business decisions and have meant I have to remain flexible to make sure I am meeting all these needs. I have chosen to be a large part of some local fiber groups as a volunteer, including serving as president and outreach coordinator on the boards of my local Kaw Valley Fiber Guild and Kaw Point Fibershed. When recent family adjustments meant I needed to bring in a more consistent income for my family, I was lucky to find a position as a rug repair person at Rug Joy here in Lawrence.
Regardless of how this work shifts for me, I feel so lucky to have been able to continue to pursue my passion and have my family support my creative work.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I am a fiber craftsperson here in Lawrence, Kansas, but I like to think of myself more as a fiber community organizer. I not only make and sell fiber pieces through weaving, spinning, dyeing, sewing, and other techniques, I teach all these things, and like to help our local fiber community connect with one another. I regularly have people reach out to me to ask where they can sell their equipment, or if I know someone who can teach them a specific skill, or they ask if I know someone who could use yarn they want to part with or someone local who makes or grows something they need for a fiber related project.
With my involvement in my local fiber guild and Fibershed affiliate, I keep tabs on a lot of partners and people: places to purchase new and used fiber arts materials, fiber arts instructors and craftspeople, shepherds, wool mills, fiber events, resources for fiber enthusiasts. Once I started digging, I couldn’t believe how many small businesses, makers, and fiber adjacent community partners I found in our region.
In my own work and pieces I make, I really try to source everything I can locally, including upcycling or thrifting when I can, as well as teaching these skills to others in my classes. That means breaking down clothing, towels, and sheets to use as fabric and shopping my local thrift stores for yarns and equipment, as well as sourcing roving or raw wool from local shepherds, and growing and foraging for natural dyes and fibers. I utilize my fiber network for help in learning skills, sharing seeds and plants, and just generally creating a community of support and partnership. I just love fiber people. 🙂
Do you any memories from childhood that you can share with us?
I grew up in New jersey, near New York City, in a very creative family. My mom had studied fiber in college, and after I fell in love with weaving in college, I was gifted her loom and a spinning wheel my dad built her. My dad was a full-time musician and woodworker, and my brother is a musician as well. I have fond memories of working on art projects at home, hearing my dad play trumpet, performing in high school musicals, and going on exploratory family outings where we shared our observations and gained inspiration for our projects.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.harvestrybyhand.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/harvestrybyhand/ or @harvestrybyhand
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/liz.bonny.9
