Last week, I discovered The Fibre Company mill and factory store, located on the working waterfront of Portland, ME. The location is not in the least intimdating – DH and I simply strolled over from the posh Old Port district. Ever-gracious Daphne was kind enough to show drop-in visitors the range of artisanal yarns and felt available.
Unexpectedly for the place and time of year, it was hot and dry, not ideal conditions for spinning – and not too comfortable for staff, either!
The yarns are fabulous blends of natural fibers – some familiar, some exotic – carefully spun and plied by machine to resemble handspun. The results have a lot of personality. Here's another view of the Khroma line.
Among the many rarities, the bison yarn was particularly intriguing. My only close encounters with bison have been at zoos or the natural history museum. Who knew such a huge, ox-like beastie carries such soft, spinnable, chocolate brown fleece?
Daphne has been trying to break into the show circuit for some time. Another visitor said MDS&W is looking for vendors; if so, the application process seems to suffer some discouraging glitches. If you have any advice for Daphne, please do give her a shout.
Incidentally, the other visitor, who raises and shows Shetland sheep, made her DH cough up a Maine quarter from his stash, pressed it into my hand, and was gone before I could offer suitable recompense or even proper thanks. Maine quarters are awfully hard to find (even in Maine) – I've been looking for one for two years. Thank you, unknown Shetland sheep woman! Fiber people rock!!
When my DH got hot and bored, he wandered out and found that a narrow gauge railroad runs by the mill, part of the Maine Narrow Gauge Railroad Co. & Museum. They have steam locomotives. Grumpiness was instantly forgotten; happiness abounded.
Finally, this week, while at the Elegant Ewe in Concord, NH (featured in Knitter's Stash), I saw the Fibre Company Terra line! Recognized it immediately at a distance of 10 paces, even among so many other yarns of magnificence. It was like seeing an old friend.
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