Desert Panda Fiber Arts
With the temperature dropping, it’s that time of year that requires bundling up to stay warm. Sweaters, gloves, and earmuffs are products of fiber arts that are perfect for sweater weather. Desert Panda Fiber Arts is the ideal business to introduce you to the craft.
Desert Panda Fiber Arts was created by Christin Santos’ love for yarn and wanting to make more colors, which blossomed into something she wanted to share. Family-owned and operated by Christin and her husband, the business specializes in selling hand-dyed fiber and yarn.
“I only dye natural fiber like wool and cellulose fibers,” Christin explained. “It can be as simple as water, heat, acid, wool/yarn, and dye pigments or as complicated as you want for colorways that have seven different layers of color.”
Christin Santos is passionate about fiber arts, and it excites her to see crocheting and other techniques shown more on social media. She recommends social media platforms like YouTube to see if fiber art interests you, including knitting, crocheting, spinning, felting, needlework, quilting, weaving, and more. Santos believes it is best to find a local craft shop to purchase from and search for a local community to help you learn. In addition, she advises joining a local guild as a substitute to aid in your learning, such as the Las Vegas Fiber Arts guild.
Responding to the Pandemic
Christin Santos created Desert Panda Fiber Arts in 2016, but business boomed during the pandemic. So much downtime at home inspired people to pick up a hobby, and many turned to fiber arts.
“We were able to get thousands of potential customers by online festivals/sales,” she explained.
Santos manages all of Desert Panda Fiber Arts’ marketing online, so this helped them reach people of all backgrounds. “Most of my customers are millennials because that is who I connect with through social media,” she said.
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Trouble in the Fiber Arts Community
Previously Millenials in Motion Magazine featured an article about Sin City Knit Shop. We immediately retracted the article when Christin Santos reached out and explained how problematic the shop’s owner is. This issue may surprise anyone not in the community or aware of Sin City Knit Shop.
Santos has involved herself in the fiber arts community for five years, and Sin City Knit Shop was the only local yarn shop she initially found. She shared that her experience with the shop was pleasant at first, and she even learned to knit at the shop. Unfortunately, things turned sour as she heard of the horrible behavior exhibited towards people in the community.
“The owner has openly stated her negative beliefs and feelings towards LGBTQ+ and BIPOC within her shop and in her dealings with other indie dyers,” Santos explained. After learning about and experiencing the owner’s unforgivable behavior firsthand, Santos decided she couldn’t sell her yarn to Sin City Knit Shop again.
Moreover, Santos recounts being taken advantage of and belittled. This behavior impacted other local dyers, making them hesitant to collaborate with other businesses. Additionally, because it was the only actual location to go to study the technique, it forced aspiring fiber artists to give up.
The Future of Desert Panda Fiber Arts
Desert Panda Fiber Arts is inclusive and welcoming to all and stands firm in its want to help others learn more about the craft. One of the ways the owners intend to promote the skill to younger people is by being authentic and not behaving like gatekeepers, which the younger generation takes seriously.
“It is okay to use a $3 skein of yarn to do a project,” Santos said. “Use what you have or what you can afford.”
Santos wants to introduce open-mindedness to the fiber arts community as well as create a safe space for minority groups who she will defend. She is currently upgrading the store’s festival gear and display system. Additionally, there are plans to open a physical store in the upcoming months to support people on their fiber arts journeys and offer more learning opportunities for aspiring fiber artists.
Get in Motion With Desert Panda Fiber Arts
Desert Panda Fiber Arts dedicates time to serving the community and expanding the craft within the Las Vegas valley. In particular, they primarily support LGBTQ+ organizations and organizations supporting Black, Indigenous, and other communities of color. Santos also plans to use Desert Panda Fiber Arts to heal the community from negative attitudes and allow it to flourish despite it.
Support this business by shopping on its website, following its Instagram and Facebook, and subscribing to its email list. If you’re a fan of the Netflix series, Bridgerton, head over to the website and purchase from the Bridgerton-inspired collection.
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This article was supported by the following Patron(s): Crystal Gropp
