The Taea Made Blog: Nome Schoolhouse Experience

A FM Modern Sewing Guild meeting brought me to the town of Nome, North Dakota recently to visit a schoolhouse. You might be wondering what would draw a group of sewing enthusiasts to a small town schoolhouse an hour away, but this isn’t your average school. It’s a one-stop shop for fiber art. This schoolhouse features a restaurant, fiber mill, event center, hotel, gift shop, and even a bridal suite. Quilting retreats happen at this building, and even a recent week long lace making retreat.

When I first walked in the front doors of the school, I was greeted by a gorgeous chandelier hung above the stairway. I was quick to notice all of the beautiful features of the schoolhouse that had been preserved, mixed with the modern upgrades. It’s hard to imagine that the school had sat empty for many years after seeing it in such beautifully preserved condition. The women behind this amazing renovation/repurposing/updating are Chris Armbrust and Teresa Perleberg. Find out a little more about their passion for the fiber arts in the interview I did with Chris!

Why did you become interested in restoring/repurposing the Nome Schoolhouse?

We needed a home for our businesses we partnered together, Dakota Fiber Mill and Bear Creek Felting. We were going to build a new building, but quickly abandoned that idea as we both like old buildings and are all about saving the old not destroying. We leaned first towards renovating one of the many country churches that are not being used, but they just were not large enough. So what more perfect home than a school! We are all about education, and there are so many beautiful schools left to rot with all the consolidations happening everywhere. So we began to school shop. Nome was in amazing shape for how long it was left empty. I say amazing, but most everyone else in the world would probably not agree with that description ..LOL Any hoo...... Nome it was and Nome it is.

How did you get involved in the fiber arts?

I started handspinning many years ago, and that evolved into owning and running the fiber processing mill.

What fuels your passion for what you're doing?

My passion is the fiber processing mill and education of where natural fibers come from; how the animals that provide us with those fibers are raised and harvested. Of course then how they are processed and then used. And oh so many uses for the fibers and yarns!!! The passion comes naturally when you love what you do so much!!

What has been your favorite fiber arts project to be involved in?

My favorite fiber arts project has to be the wall that we are weaving in our event center. It’s not only beautiful, it’s also functional as sound control.

What animals do you raise to grown fiber for processing?

I have raised, alpacas (haucaya and suri), llamas, angora goats. angora rabbits, yaks, camel, 18 different breeds of sheep.

Why do you think the fiber arts are an important tradition to continue?

It is so important to have an education center as we have built here in Nome. One that is available to makers of all. As so many folks are naive as to natural fibers in general and how they are raised, processed and used. Why its important to know where your fiber comes from. Folks are getting back to making and doing. The appreciation for handmade is coming back and fiber arts are growing. It is a craft that started as a necessity and has and will continue. I love to see it growing and expanding into all cultures and age groups. I am humbled to be part of such a mecca leading us to Nome and Guiding us on this incredible restoration journey and beyond.......