Hi, I’m Sandra King, and my journey with wool and fibre started at an early age when my Granny gave me a hook and taught me to crochet. I loved it, kept creating, and am still crafting with fibre.
I am a city girl from North Carolina who later moved to the Irish countryside. Thinking that there would be loads of wool available from all the sheep here, I was very excited. But I did not find the hand-spun, textured yarns that I wanted for my work, so I started thinking about spinning my own.
I purchased a spinning wheel at a craft fair, bought 3 sheep, and loved caring for the animals, feeling their fleeces, and making a product from them. Dyeing my own came next, and when I was gifted a loom, I began weaving.
I have always loved craft and had a dream of opening a craft gallery. In 2019 I made the decision to act on my dream and Irish Fibre Crafters was born. I worked and operated this studio/gallery for 5 years, then decided to move everything to my home in the hills of County Clare. Besides displaying and selling unique creations made from my sheeps fleece, I teach classes in traditional fibre crafts. You can drop by, watch me spin and weave, ask me questions, have a cup of coffee, enroll in a class or workshop for adults, or a ‘camp’ for children, and purchase Irish wool yarn and fibre.
If you cannot visit me in person, you can shop on the website for wool crafts, bespoke clothing, helpful guides, spinning and weaving equipment, and gift cards! Keep in touch with what is going on with classes and workshops, enroll in some, and follow what is coming on the Blog page.
Besides being passionate about fibre craft, I am also passionate about the wonderful properties of wool and alpaca fibre and their sustainability. Irish farming is an integral part of life in Ireland, and of course without sheep farming we would be left without a mainstay of sustainable fibre craft. I am sourcing wool from Irish farms, paying farmers a good price for this versatile natural product, and I am dedicated to raising the positive profile of Irish sheep and alpaca fleece.
So please, browse the website or stop by and experience my world of Irish wool. For those of you who are traveling to Ireland, you can attend a spinning or natural dyeing experience by registering here: https://www.airbnb.ie/experiences/525576?location=County%20Clare%2C%20Munster¤tTab=experience_tab&federatedSearchId=c491a575-f5fe-4a74-b96c-c0141c86af83&searchId=e697b40b-fa4b-49be-932b-deb56190f6cc§ionId=588aacf4-2b49-406f-b54e-94b604786c13
We opened our public space in Ardrahan, Co Galway on Saturday the 23rd of February, 2019. We are now working in the Clare Countryside
Irish Fibre Crafters is located in the village of Ballinruan, county Clare, near Crusheen and the M18 motorway. Do come visit! You can watch me spin and weave, ask questions, have a cup of coffee, enroll in a class or workshop for adults, or a ‘camp’ for children, browse beautiful creations made from our local Irish fibres, purchase Irish wool yarn and fibre crafts. Currently I am accepting visitors upon request by phoning 085 1430650. If you can’t visit me in person, you can shop on the website for wool crafts, bespoke clothing, helpful guides, spinning and weaving equipment, and gift cards! Keep in touch with what’s going on with classes and workshops, enroll in some, and follow what is coming on the Blog page.
All ages should be encouraged to learn about traditional Irish fibre crafts, and I demonstrate and teach at schools, public spaces, and culture & heritage events. I will be working closely with the Heritage Council , Fibreshed Ireland , Galway Wool Co-op and the Irish Wool Council.
Community is important to me, and I put emphasis on engaging local tradespeople and businesses and supporting community projects.
Irish farming is an integral part of life in Ireland, and of course without sheep farming we would be left without a mainstay of sustainable fibre craft. I are passionate about sourcing wool from Irish farms, paying farmers a good price for this versatile natural product, and I am dedicated to raising the positive profile of Irish sheep and alpaca fleece.