________________________________________________ ABOUT... L.J. Fibers at The Wooly Red Rug and Prairie's Edge Primitives Hi I’m Laurie...the “L” in L. J. Fibers... I've been drawn to color, fiber and texture all my life. As a child, I learned to sew, knit, embroider and weave...and tho' my fiber path has taken many twists and turns over the years...I still enjoy these crafts today. For nearly two decades I've taught various fiber arts throughout the Twin Cities area. For those of you that aren’t familiar with my work...I’ve been dyeing wool and hooking for over 30 years. My rugs are part of private collections across the country. I rarely list my rugs, but as time permits hope to offer more here. I designed and hooked my first rugs in the 70's. In the 80's, I took on commissions, designing and knitting garments, many with my hand-dyed, handspun wool. L.J. Fibers started in the mid 80's when I taught my friend Jo to dye, spin and knit. We sold OOAK accessories at art fairs. Jo lost her fight with cancer in 1991. I considered changing the biz name, but her crazy enthusiasm continues to inspire me! When all the wool began to take over my home, I started weaving baskets to contain it. For many years basketweaving was my life...teaching...demonstrating...selling baskets at art fairs and in local galleries. After our son was born, I picked up my hook again...wool is so much easier to dye...no wet basket reed hanging from the rafters! I could hook while he played and the constant interruptions of a toddler did not disturb the rhythm of my hooking like they would a complex cable pattern. Soon many of my sketches from over the years had come to life in lush hand-dyed wools. In the late 90's, after many requests from friends and students, I began "kitting" my designs. L. J. Fibers’ website...ljfibers.com... debuted in 2002. In 2003, I moved my studio out of our home to a quaint little storefront in the neighborhood... The Wooly Red Rug was born. Prairie's Edge Primitives is a new spot where I offer some of my new handmade goods and from time to time some older treasures. The image is from my husband's family homestead on the South Dakota prairie...for now I’m here in Minneapolis ~ on the edge of the prairie...I hope you enjoy my designs...Laurie Add me to your favorite sellers and check back often! Thanks for visiting!!!