Hi, I’m Sayra!

Welcome! A little history & all things wool & fiber:

I am a color alchemist, who loves chasing the rainbow. I spend most days creating, handmade fiber supplies. I dye nearly all the fibers-used in my products. Hand spinners, delight in my textured art batts. Makers, seek me out for a experience in saturated colors. As well as my fearless use of them. I have 30+ years dye experience! As a teen, I took a tie dye class, at my community center and was hooked. I dyed my jeans, and my wardrobe started taking on a handmade look. I worked at a little fabric store in the early 90’s-and was sewing hats and clothes on the side. At the same time, I was attending the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising-excelling in color theory.

On a whim, I applied to a local craft festival and got in! I made $500 and won third best in show. The ribbon, and the $150 award money gave me the courage to leap into a world of handmade. I continued my education-by taking a formal hat making class from Hollywood Costumer Mela Hoyt-Heydon. Then followed that up, a felt blocking class at a nearby college.

I dyed all my materials, in my millinery business for 24 years. My hats were widely sought after. I sold them to several boutiques: Mill Valley Hat Box, Philadelphia Museum of Art boutique, Fred Segal. Several celebrities, have my work in their collections. I hand dyed, most of my materials. I favored vintage embellishments, and adopted upcycling early on. The late owner of the Mill Valley Hat box suggested-I make my own flowers. So I did! I had so much fun, making hats. Creating one of a kind styles for people that did cosplay, and historical reenactments. Examples of my hats below:

I was felting wool hats and doing top shows-like the Jackson Hole, WY Art Fair and Best Of the Northwest Seattle. I had a baby, in my early 30’s and slowed down a little to explore fiber more. At that time I was buying large oddly colored wool batts, from Abi in the midwest called Ugly Batts I didn’t know, a lot about wool then. Boy, I had a lot to learn… Little did I know, I was about to fall down the rabbit hole towards the wool side of fiber arts!

I bought a drum carder, to make batts to felt with. Then I began dyeing the wool, to get the colors I had enjoyed with my hats…and things came together. My skills, as a master milliner and dye experience meshed together well! Back then, art batts did not have a name and ETSY had not been created. Art Batts, suddenly became popular….textured art yarns enjoyed a major revival! The next thing you knew-I had a shed full of wool. I became a fiber enabler, to support my wool obsession. I’ve worked as a influencer with Unicorn Fibre Products, Jacquard Products, and Spinolution. Notable highlights:

I hosted a Jacey Boggs (PLY Magazine creator) spinning instruction class in Moscow, ID 2012

You can read more about my craft in my SPIN ARTISTE interview. I had a early Youtube channel, that was deleted-when Google + wouldn’t let me rename it (oops!). From Atomicblue to Atomic Fiber Co, I changed with the times. Settling on Atomic Fiber Studio-which is a real place. My creative space, is the heart of what sparks me. Dyeing is my language-wool is my vehicle of expression.

I recently left North Idaho-and my cute little studio. How will it work? I currently have a daylight basement, that’s begging to be done up as a studio space. Our new town is Astoria, Oregon on the coast!

You may see me, out and about hugging the beautiful redwood trees. Nature, and my surroundings inspire me! I am able to dye wool, cotton, and other cellulose fibers. Dyeing wool is pure magic. Although, I am a professional dyer, I continue to learn and grow.I never tire, of dyeing the rainbow. I love working with people, to make their color dreams come true.

xo Sayra