I wanted to thank you all for such overwhelming support of our new website. So many of you have come for a visit and I have had such lovely feedback on the look and feel of the shop and the ease of navigation. It's great to know that things are working.......mostly. We did have a few little hiccups, one with shipping costs not calculating correctly and another when I moved the 'Home' page, and the 'Shop Now' button was disengaged for a few hours. I was trying to get the SEO on the website working so Google can find us and somewhere I have caused a broken link. I still need to sort that out but the Shop Now button is working again. You can also find what you are looking for by using the drop down menu along the top or clicking on the Hand Dyed Yarn, Notions and Patterns sections further down the page. Despite my lack of SEO skills, I believe that word of mouth is our best form of advertising so please tell your friends about us and help to support a small business. We believe passionately in supporting small home based and local businesses ourselves as much as we can.
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How We Started
Natural Fibre Arts started out in 2008. I can hardly believe it has been that long! It initially started as a hobby, dyeing yarn for myself, for friends and selling the odd skein here and there, but I quickly realised that this is what I really wanted to do full time and from home if possible. I still manage to keep the business running from home as I don't believe that bigger necessarily means better nor does it mean more successful. I prefer a personal approach where customers become friends and exceptional customer service is priority. I feel that I really do know many of you even if it is only via social media circles.
You can find us on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest. So please do come and join in the chatter there check out what I'm working on and when new stock arrives or new colourways are created.
Those who have subscribed to our mailing list should have received the first newsletter that went out last week. Aren't those Sock Rulers great! I have already used mine with the Christmas Socks I'm knitting for my oldest son and for my husband.
Meet the Team
I'm Cheryl and I started Natural Fibre Arts as an Etsy shop in 2008 when I returned from living in Qatar for one year. I joined an expats knitting and spinning group for socialisation and friendship and it was there that I discovered luxury yarns and hand-dyed yarn. After returning to our home in Australia I had accessibility to undyed yarn and dyes so I began to dye my own. That's when Natural Fibre Arts was born. After just one year back in Australia we were called back to work and live in Qatar for another 4 years and while we were there I used that time to learn natural dyeing. I discovered wonderful ingredients at the spice markets that could be used to dye yarn but dyeing for the Etsy shop was put on hold until 2011 when we returned home where shipping would be more reliable and secure. I restarted the business as a part-time venture while also working my other day job, then at the beginning of this year, I was lucky enough to be able to focus my attention on this wonderful creative business full time.
Vanessa is my eldest daughter and is a wonderful fibre artist. She has always been 'arty' and creative and has now found that creative outlet with yarns and dyes. Her talent lies in colour combinations and some of the colourways she comes up with are just stunning. She is a stay at home mum of 2 gorgeous little boys and now works from home to dye and bring you beautiful unique colourways.
In my next post we will take a look behind the scenes at what it takes to create our unique hand dyed yarns and run a home-based small business.
Until then,
Xxx
1 comment
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