About Me

Hi, I’m Tatiana — head dyer, chief pot scrubber, and founder of Tumalo Fiber.

Tumalo (pronounced TUM-ə-loh) is a small enclave just north of Bend, Oregon — the kind of place you might pass through on your way into “town.” We don’t have a lot here, but what we do have is worth a stop.

I’ve been a knitter since childhood, which eventually led me to handspinning, dyeing, and even a bit of weaving and crochet. My dye journey began through spinning — and the purchase of my first vintage circular sock machine. Because really, if you’re cranking out socks, you’ve got to have fun sock yarn. ;-)

In 2018, just after I’d barely learned to spin a single, I enrolled in a sheep-to-shawl series at Windrush Farm in Petaluma, California — an idyllic place where we learned to choose a fleece, wash, dye, card, spin, and ultimately transform it into a finished garment. I left that class completely hooked on all things fiber.

Working with wool and color has always been deeply therapeutic for me. As a master’s-educated Registered Nurse who once worked with very sick cancer patients, I found solace at the end of hard days in spinning, knitting, or playing in the dye pots. Dyeing combines the meditative and the scientific — art and chemistry in one — and it satisfies both my creative heart and my nerdy, science-loving side.

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Diversity & Inclusion

As a biracial person, I understand firsthand how racism and prejudice shape lived experience. At Tumalo Fiber, diversity, equity, and inclusion aren’t just ideals — they’re guiding values. All are welcome here. Regardless of race, sexual orientation, gender identity, body size, or ability, every person is beautiful and deserving of respect, appreciation, and belonging.