Just Passed + Coming Up: Taos Wools Festival

ByNorma Schafer

COMING UP: TAOS WOOLS FESTIVAL, October 3-4, 2026

The Taos Wools Festival takes place each year on the first weekend of October, Saturday and Sunday. This year, it will be held at Red Willow Park in the historic center of Taos, NM. It was formerly Kit Carson Park, renamed to honor the Taos Puebloans, who are the Red Willow people.

There will be 33 vendors, including me! Plus food, drink, and live music!

Vendors include spinners, weavers, knitters, felters, fiber artists galore, many of whom work in natural dyes. Some raise sheep and sell fleece, roving, and handspun yarn. Some are makers, while others represent artisans who live far away and can’t attend.

I will be offering mostly wool and heavier cotton pieces from my collection to carry you into winter chill with comfort and style. I’ve just brought back handwoven, naturally dyed ponchos from Santa Maria Tlahuitoltepec, about three hours from Oaxaca City, in the Mixe region of the Sierras. They are dyed with alderwood, indigo, and wild marigold, and use hand-guided machine embroidery, considered an artisan craft.

Some of these eight pieces will be available on October 3-4, 2026. Come visit us!

Three traditional garments hanging on a display, featuring intricate embroidery in vibrant colors, including red, navy, and black fabric.
Two women stand together in a textile workshop, smiling. One wears a dark blue poncho and a patterned headband, while the other is dressed in a striped poncho and casual jeans. Various textiles are visible in the background.
A collection of colorful textiles and fabrics neatly stacked, featuring various shades of blue and a patterned yellow and brown cloth with intricate designs.
Colorful pom-pom hair accessory featuring red and yellow yarn balls attached to a black hair tie.
A person in a dark hooded garment operates a traditional weaving loom, with blue threads visible on the spool, set in a wooden workspace.
A woven basket with a blue textile hanging from its edge.
An elderly woman stands smiling in a textile workshop, wearing a bright yellow poncho with intricate patterns and a long blue skirt. Behind her, colorful rolls of fabric and threads are visible on shelves.
Bundles of brown yarn or thread neatly arranged on a loom, showcasing the texture and color variations.

Just Passed: Fiber Arts on 4th Pop-Up for WARP

A smiling woman with short, straight gray hair wearing round glasses and a pink and white shawl featuring a tie-dye pattern, standing in front of a screen.
A woman wearing a colorful embroidered blouse with floral patterns and a striped skirt, standing in front of a classroom setting with another person partially visible in the background.
An elderly woman wearing a patterned dress and glasses is engaged in conversation with a younger woman, who is wearing a colorful, striped dress with intricate detailing. They are inside a room with a digital screen displaying textile options.
Two older women dressed in vibrant, colorful clothing, standing in front of a screen. The woman on the left is wearing a patterned poncho and a long skirt, while the woman on the right is adorned in a graphic top and a long skirt, both showcasing their unique styles.
A display of colorful artisanal clothing and accessories, featuring a patterned coat, a scarf, a poncho adorned with floral embroidery, and a round woven bag with vibrant stripes.
An elderly woman wearing a patterned shirt and long skirt holds a traditional garment while expressing excitement, accompanied by a man in a blue shirt. The background shows a presentation screen and a tool cart.
A colorful textile garment featuring a V-neck and hand-embroidered patterns in various colors, including birds and geometric shapes.
A traditional garment displayed on a mannequin, featuring a brown and blue design with intricate patterns.

Many of these pieces are available on threadsafar.etsy.com

Last weekend, I spoke at the Fiber Arts on 4th WARP (Weave a Real Peace) Pop-Up in Albuquerque, where I sold some of my collection.

I asked the audience to go to my area and pick out a textile that spoke to them. We did a runway show, and I explained where the piece came from, how it was made, and who made it. It was a lot of fun.

This was an important event where I could discuss why I’ve been a WARP member since 2017, when I organized their annual gathering in Oaxaca, Mexico. Since then, I’ve made lasting friendships with artisans, collectors, academics who research textiles, and the people who make them, and enthusiasts who love fiber arts and folk art. Knowledgeable speakers from the communities that make, lead travel opportunities, and curate offer continuous learning opportunities. It’s a valuable organization to support and I hope you will look into membership.

Come with me to Guatemala for an Embroidery Workshop and Tour, February 6-13, 2027. Hands-on with Mayan stitchers who are part of Multicolores cooperative. Visit villages and markets, explore the Colonial capital of Antigua, and more.

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