What is Qiveut?
Qiveut is a rare, incredibly soft and light-weight fiber. The word qiveut comes from the Inuit language, describing the under wool of the Musk Ox or Oomingmak. There are several spellings of the word: kiviuk, qiviuk, qiviut, qiveut, to name a few. The spelling I use has been the name of my company and that of my long time friend and business partner Colleen White, who used it as her business name for 20 years.
Why is it so warm? Unique qualities of Qiveut.
Why is Qiveut so costly?
Musk Ox were nearly extinct in Alaska in the late 1800's. The musk ox have been slowly reintroduced and are now raised on farms where their qiveut is collected seasonally. Each adult animal sheds only five to eight pounds a year. Collecting and processing qiveut into a usable yarn is exceptionally arduous and time consuming and is mostly done by hand. Gathering enough fiber to be cleaned can take several years, making qiveut yarn quite rare. There are few people who knit with qiveut, fewer still who weave with qiveut and very few who dye the fiber. Designing with qiveut is complicated because it takes careful planning. The natural properties of qiveut do not allow for constant tension on the yarn which makes it unsuitable for some design applications. It is tricky to spin because it is more a hair than it is a wool.
Qiveut Products.
All of the products seen here are designed and woven or knit in Alaska by Margaret L. Rye. Margaret is looking forward to creating that special order for you or your loved one.
Qiveut.com - Custom Clothing Made in Alaska from the Wool of the Arctic Musk-Ox. Qiveut is also spelled Qiviut or sometimes Kiviut, kiveut, qiviuk, qiviute, qiviuq, kiviuk. Handmade in Palmer, Alaska. Smokering, smokerings, scarf, scarfs, hat, hats, sock, socks, glove, gloves. Mat-su, Matanuska, Anchorage, Wasilla, valley. |
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What is Qiveut? |