Ohrt’s family started the company with old-fashioned rag rugs refurbished from cloth. Ohrt has continued the tradition of rag rugs and wool textiles which she learned by her grandmother’s side. The business is run out of Ohrt’s home which she shares with her husband Mark. She spins yarn, weaves rugs and creates felted artistic wall décor.

“We all work together,” Ohrt said “it’s truly a family business.”

Novice needle felting students as well as the more experienced artist can attend in her home 10 a.m. to noon on Feb. 29.

“There are other classes offered on the website. So if this one fills up be sure and sign up for the next one,” said Ohrt.

Bonnie Ohrt spins wool on her grandmothers spinning wheel. “I still spin the way I learned from my grandmother,” said Ohrt.

She began her interest in creating rugs with her grandmother and mother at a very young age. Ohrt learned spinning and weaving from them but soon developed an interest in the different types of wools and materials she could use. She worked at C & M Acres Fiber Mill in Maxwell. It was there she gained an interest in alpaca and llama fibers. Ohrt then invested in an alpaca herd of her own.

“The alpaca is a camelid species and thus demands different health and nutrition requirements,” said Ohrt.

Once the learning curve of raising alpacas was attained she started shearing them for their wool. Ohrt became enamored with Jacob sheep raised by her daughter and son-in-law, Casey and Joel Faircloth of Beaman.

“They were such gentle and friendly animals, and easy to work with,” said Ohrt.

Because of this she started shearing them for their wool. Along with the llama wool of long-time supplier Marilyn Johnson in Iowa Falls she has a variety of wools to choose from for her business.

“Each piece is completed with a picture of the actual animal the wool came from,” said Ohrt. This textile shows one of the Jacob Sheep owned by Casey and Joel Faircloth. “These types of sheep originated from the Middle East and were thought to be the original sheep from Jacob and the spotted sheep of the bible,” said Ohrt.

Ohrt also uses fabrics and upholstery sourced from a Michigan supplier or from textile mills of the eastern United States. She makes many articles from refurbished old clothes and jeans. Memory rugs can be made from a loved ones clothes.

Homespun Family products are available on her website, in her home or at Ester & Company in Newton. Keep checking the website for art fair events Homespun Family will be present at throughout the Midwest.

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Contact Janine Erman at 641-753-6611 or jerman@timesrepublican.com

Bonnie Ohrt shows how she goes from image to a felted piece of art. Ohrt said “I do a reverse transfer of the image on paper just to have something to work from.”

A two harness floor loom Bonnie Ohrt received from her grandmother.