Schacht Spindle Company
Schacht Spindle Company, Inc. was founded during the back-to-earth movement of the late 1960s and its accompanying craft resurgence.
Barry Schacht, along with his brother Dan, started the business when a friend wanted to learn to spin. They had heard about Greentree Ranch in Loveland, Colorado, where people raised sheep and taught spinning. One day they hopped in their van with friends and dogs and drove up to the ranch. Not only did they get a quick lesson in the art of the drop spindle, they also came home with a commission to make 200 of them.
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From Our Blog
The World of Indigo | July 14, 2021
by Judy Newland Indigo is a dye deeply embedded in cultures around the world. Indigo dyeing is both art and science and touches multiple disciplines, such as botany, chemistry, medicine, economics, politics, and fashion. We also can’t ignore the history of indigo, because textiles reveal so much about cultural and social history. It has been recognized as the “king of dye” for millennia, though today we’re most familiar with it as the coloring for blue Read More »
The Story of the Schacht Sheep and Logo | June 15, 2021
OUR LOGO (originally printed in our 50th Anniversary catalog) In 1971, Barry and his friend Burt Gold were touring Ireland by car when Barry spotted this group of sheep on a hillside just outside of Dublin. He leaned out of the car window and snapped this photo in the morning mist. We started using the sheep as our logo shortly after he returned to Colorado. Even though the photo was in color, we first used Read More »
Why Knitters Will Love Weaving: Doubleweave & Double Knitting | May 14, 2021
by Deb Gerish If you’re a knitter who’s weaving-curious, I’m about to offer exciting incentives to get a rigid heddle loom! If you know a knitter who’s weaving-curious, tell them to read this article—it might push them into weaving! If you’re a knitter who already enjoys weaving, get ready to enjoy it even more! If you’re wondering why I’m using so many exclamation points, the short answer is “doubleweave.” This amazing technique has an analog Read More »
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News From The Ewes
July 2021 Newsletter
The World of Indigo by Judy Newland Indigo is a dye deeply embedded in cultures around the world. Indigo dyeing is both art and science and touches multiple disciplines, such as botany, chemistry, medicine, economics, politics, and fashion. We also can’t ignore the history of indigo, because textiles reveal so much about cultural and social history. It has been recognized as the “king of dye” for millennia, though today we’re most familiar with it as Read More »
Community Resources
Since our earliest days, we have always felt strongly about education and outreach. We offer grants, scholarships and internships to assist with the growth and continuation of the spinning and weaving community. Schacht also works with local organizations to host or participate in events that bring spinning and weaving to the Boulder community.
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