What payment methods do you accept?
Natural Obsessions accepts MasterCard, Visa and Money Orders. MasterCard and Visa cards should be processed automatically. Money Orders are due within 14 days of purchase, and as soon as they clear the bank your fiber or yarn will be shipped right out.
If you don't have a Visa or MasterCard but still want to pay with a credit card, leave a note during checkout saying "Google Checkout Please!", make sure the email address on your account is correct, and checkout as if paying with a Money Order. I'll send you a manual invoice thru Google Checkout to pay with whatever credit card you like.
If you have any questions please don't hesitate to email Andrea@NaturalObsessionsFiber.com.
What is the difference between roving and top?
A lot of people call all spinning fiber “roving,” but actually roving and top are different. Top has been “combed,” which means that the individual fibers are parallel to each other. Roving has been “carded,” which means that the individual fibers are at random angles to each other.
I’m a beginning spinner – what fiber should I get?
You should get a fiber you like! All fibers have different qualities, and learning about different fibers early in your spinning experience will make it easier for you to shift between different techniques. Don’t worry about a fiber being “too hard for beginners” – a hard fiber for one person may be a “spin in my sleep” fiber for another. A lot of people like to start with wool, because the tiny scales on the fiber help it stick together, but if you’re drawn to bamboo or silk there’s no reason not to start on those. Or, if you’re interested in a non-wool fiber but not ready to spin it alone, try a blend like BFL/silk or merino/tencel. Remember – there’s no point in getting “practice” fiber if you’re not excited about spinning it, so get something you really love.
Do you do custom orders?
Yes! I can absolutely work with you to create custom fiber from your inspiration.
Contact me at Andrea@NaturalObsessionsFiber.com and we’ll discuss details.
I saw a colorway I like, can you dye more, or put it on another fiber?
Yes, and yes. I do small, individual dye lots, so the fibers will not be identical, but I keep notes of every colorway I dye so I can recreate them. Different fibers do react differently to dye, and the most important difference is that protein fibers (wool, silk, milk, soy) and plant fibers (bamboo, tencel) actually use different dyes, so recreating a colorway from bamboo on merino silk will have more room for serendipity.
Will you spin the fiber for me?
I do a small amount of custom spinning, and have another local spinner friend who does as well. The cost is dependant on fiber, plies and yardage. Contact me at Andrea@NaturalObsessionsFiber.com for details and time estimates.
How do they make bamboo/milk/soy into fiber?
All synthetic fibers derive from early textile experiments in making artificial silk. Plant-based fibers such as bamboo and tencel (tencel is made from trees) are made from cellulose which is isolated from the base plant material and extruded into fibers. Milk fiber is made in a similar way, but the protein casein is isolated and processed, and soy is made from the waste products of tofu. (But if anyone asks, you can tell them it’s gnomes.)
Why don’t you carry cashmere/mohair/unicorn fur?
Central Texas is a hot place, and there just isn’t that much call for warm fibers. All the fibers I carry at NaturalObsessions are things I like to spin with – which includes a lot of plant fibers. If there’s a fiber you’d like me to consider carrying, let me know at Andrea@NaturalObsessionsFiber.com. When I’m considering whether to add a new fiber I take into account availability, unique qualities, and cost. Some fibers I might otherwise like to carry are not available in quantities I’d need, and others aren’t available at a competitive price for the size of my business. Also, our unicorn fur supplier went out of business recently due to a tragic rainbow/glitter explosion. Luckily no one was hurt, but the shearing equipment all turned into butterflies.
