Circle M Farm

Many of you may know that Circle M isn’t just about vegetables and meat. Fiber is actually a quite large part of our sustainable farming endeavor, and as the growing season comes to a close, wool season starts to get rolling. This weekend actually kicks off the first fiber event we’ll be participating in this fall, with the Driftless Area Fiber Arts Faire in Mineral Point.

The wild and wooly part of our homestead adventure is called Maidmarion Cottage Industries and it encompasses the whole chain of woolcraft production – from raising the sheep to wearing the wool. We shear, wash, dye, card, spin, knit and felt a variety of products right here on the farm, and offer lots of classes here and off-site to teach others to do the same. This weekend I’ll be demonstrating spinning yarn on a small portable wheel called the Ladybug, and also letting visitors to the booth experiment with needle felting and recycling old yarn by “frogging” (ripping apart!) old sweaters. Of course, I’ll have lots of nice wool and silk items for sale, and I’ll be joining 17 other vendors who’ll have lots of lovely things as well.

It’s not too early to shop for Christmas, and certainly not too early to start making gifts. I’ll be taking orders this weekend for custom hand-spun, hand-dyed yarn, and for purse projects both knitted and felted from recycled sweaters. Here’s a fun blog which features some of our yarn that I kettle-dyed with marigold flowers last year. It’s time to harvest flowers again now! Cool projects like the hat pictured there are inspiration to dye up some more pretty yarns.

Natural dyes: The bright yellow is marigold, the pink is avocado skins and the very subtle cream is rhubarb leaves.

This is mohair from my angora goats, dyed with mineral-based pigments. Customers can choose colors and I’ll custom spin this furry yarn for them.

If you’re looking for something nice and relaxing to do this weekend, I invite you treat yourself and take the beautiful drive out to Mineral Point. The Fiber Arts Faire is being held in conjunction with the town’s long-running Cornish Fest, and there will be activities throughout the area all weekend. See mineralpoint.com for more information on the schedule and for directions. The Fiber Faire will be located in The Old Royal Inn, 41 High Street, from 9 to 6 pm Saturday and from 9 to 4 pm Sunday. Mineral Point also has a host of other terrific galleries and excellent restaurants.

You certainly won’t be disappointed if you make the trip out, and I’ll be so glad to see you at the Maidmarion Cottage Industries table. Twenty percent off of purchases for all Farm Members! Free hugs for everyone! colors and I will custom spin this furry yarn for them.