About Me

Fiber alchemist and history practitioner.

My name is Julia, and I am an academic historian and a fiber artist in Davis, California. My business, Historic Fibers, focuses on drawing together historic fiber techniques to create new and modern designs. I use centuries-old wet felting methods to create hats, layering clean, combed, and often handdyed wool, silk, and alpaca fibers which are then hand felted to a firm surface.

The hats are draped over hat blocks and shaped. Pleats, tucks, and embellishments such as vintage buttons, beads, and stitching with handspun threads and yarns are added for a finishing touch.

I also dye fiber, knit, weave, and spin.