Our history & Current Board of Directors

Formerly known as Kid 'N Ewe and Lamas Too!

. . .the festival began in 1989 by a small group of Natural Colored Wool Grower Association members, who were hand spinners and/or hand weavers. Their goal was to promote natural Texas fiber by educating the public and marketing the products of the animals they raised. The first November event was held in Hamilton, and then moved to Goldthwaite. As the festival grew from a backyard gathering, it moved to Bartlett, then to Johnson City, and in 2001 to Boerne. TX. Fiber Producers of Texas, Inc. (FPT) was incorporated in 1998 to manage organization of the annual festival and was its primary sponsor. 2018 saw the festival move to Kerrville, Texas, where it found a home at the Hill Country Youth Event Center.

The event name was changed in 2020 to reflect a new era for Kid 'N Ewe to Texas Fleece & Fiber Festival. The name change has given the event a fresh perspective.

2026 -- Texas Fleece & Fiber Festival is celebrating its 7th year, continuing the tradition of being Texas’ Premier Fiber Festival.

Texas Fleece & Fiber Festival is an in-person event. Vendors from all over the Great State of Texas and beyond offer their products and art over the course of three days. Teachers and speakers offer classes from fiber arts to animal welfare and husbandry practices. Additionally, live demonstrations from pioneers, sheep herding to washing and dying of fleeces, exhibits and classes are offered throughout the weekend.

Texas Fleece & Fiber, Inc.

Texas Fleece & Fiber, Inc. is an IRS 501(c)3 Non-Profit Corporation established in 2024 for the purpose of managing the festival and its expansion. Texas Fleece & Fiber Festival supports and encourages small farms and homesteads who raise or grow natural fiber in Texas; and to provide opportunities for fiber farmers, artists and enthusiast to share the history and passion that comes from working with natural fiber!

Meet the Board of Directors:

President:

Lyn Christoph -

Shortly after acquiring their land in 2007, Lyn and her husband, Mark began raising alpacas for their fleece on 5 acres. Since then they acquired another 25 acres and in 2011 they added Gulf Coast Sheep for their wool. Their herd size varies from 15-20 alpaca with sheep flock running 8-10. There are also a variety of chickens, ducks & turkeys for their eggs and their entertainment value. In 2017 they built 3 Cabins on the property and run them as B&B's.

In addition to Gulf Breeze Alpaca Ranch, Lyn and Mark also own an Insurance Agency in Corpus Christi, TX,

Vice President:

Joel Plummer

Owner and operator of a medium sized alpaca farm located in northern Bastrop County just east of Austin, TX, Hummer's Homestead Alpacas has been raising alpacas since late 2002
Joel and his wife, Julie participate in showing alpacas at alpaca shows, breeding and selling the alpaca and also in processing and preparing the alpaca fiber for use. They have been selling alpaca related products for many years and just recently opened an alpaca store on their property.

Secretary -

Ellen Baize -

Ellen Baize took up sewing, knitting and crochet as a teen but never dreamed of spinning and weaving wool from a sheep until her parents brought the first know flock of Shetlands to Texas in 1991. She took spinning, weaving and dyeing lessons from a master fiber artist, Anna Scott, and developed a passion for the world of fiber arts. Now as a shepherdess of Shetlands she loves breeding for lambs to sell, shearing her sheep and skirting fleeces to send to mills or to scour and spin. She keeps her hands busy with fiber arts projects using yarns hand dyed with natural dyes or yarns of many beautiful natural colors from her sheep. Knitting is a favorite pastime and Navajo style tapestry weaving an art form she is enthusiastic about sharing. Ellen loves to teach all ages the skills she has learned hoping that these wonderful arts will be preserved for future generations.

***if you would like to be considered for a position on the board of directors please visit the Participation Page and click on Volunteer!