Planning Fallacy I recently learned of a phenomenon called the Planning Fallacy. It refers to the natural tendency of underestimating the time we will need to complete a project. The good news is that it's based on optimism! When we estimate the time needed for our own actions, we are overly optimistic that we can complete things quickly, using 'best-case-scenario' timelines. The bad news is that we're wrong. Pretty much always wrong. And do I relate to that. I can look back at so many of my planned projects - you know - like the outside house painting job that has taken 5 +years to complete because 1. it's daunting to scrape, repair, seal, and then paint with...
A knitting pattern is born. Our newest collaboration with Tayler Harris is perfection. A sweater set offered in two knitting kits showcases our cashmere knitting yarn. Knit in June Cashmere's fingering weight cashmere, you will wear this timeless design for years to come, enjoying this soft and lightweight ethical wool.
Texture and color - Design at Play, June Cashmere Last week, I had the privilege to be a panel member on a webinar entitled, Knit Along, one of a series of textile talks hosted by Selvedge Magazine. During the event, I was reminded of the awe that textiles inspire in me as Di Gilpin and Sheila Greenwell talked about the history of the Gansey Sweater based on the research for their book, The Gansey Knitting Sourcebook. Can you imagine the thrill of finding a woman with note cards documenting 100 years of Gansey stitch patterns? And that the craft was endangered as being lost up until recently? I’m most certainly purchasing this sourcebook and am thankful to Di and...
In our previous blog post, we introduced Dr. Carol Kerven and Sabyr Toigonbaev and their vital work with native cashmere goats in Kyrgyzstan. We continue our story of their work then and today, and how it led to the founding of June Cashmere. If you missed Part I or want a refresher, find it here: Part I: Kyrgyzstan and Cashmere: How did it lead to June Cashmere? Sabyr assessing quality of cashmere. Photo by Carol Kerven. Carol and Sabyr organize a conference In 2012, Carol and Sabyr organized an international conference on high value animal fiber that took place in Osh, Kyrgyzstan. One of the goals of the conference was to make people aware of the quality of cashmere available...
Native cashmere goats on rocky terrain, Kyrgzyzstan. Photo by Erjigit Abdykaarov Background For most of the 20th century, Kyrgyzstan was part of the Soviet Union, belonging to its textile-producing region. State farms managed livestock production, including specially bred wool sheep and fiber-producing goats, and the fiber was transferred to state-owned textile mills, which in turn shipped finished yarn and clothing to a very large Soviet market for sales. In 1991, when the Soviet Union collapsed, Kyrgyzstan’s animal fiber and textile-producing infrastructure also collapsed. Kyrgyzstan became independent but, external markets were lost, textile mills were privatized and then closed when all the equipment was sold off, and newly-privatized livestock owners were left without a state-run outlet for fiber from their own...
