1. Where's my yarn/roving/fleece? I bought a Fall Share...why didn't I get my yarn in the fall?
If you have a Fall 2008 share what you own is a share of the fall 2008 Shearing. The "fall 2008" is referring to the shearing date, not the delivery date of the yarn.
We did the Fall 2008 shearing on October 25th. After the fleece is sheared we deliver it to the mill to be processed. At that point, the control I have over when we will get our washed fleece/roving/yarn back ends. That's really, really hard for a control freak like me. So I spend a lot of time choosing a mill to process each shearing and turn-around time is a HUGE factor in which mill I choose. The mill we are using now had an estimated turnaround of 12 weeks when we dropped our fiber off.
That does not mean that the mill went right to work on our fiber. There were people in line ahead of us, and the truth is that no matter where you take your fiber, the majority of the time at the mill the fleeces are sitting patiently awaiting their turn. When last I spoke with the mill, they had gotten behind during the holidays and said they would give me a new ETA sometime next week. Personally, I want them to do the job well, rather than quickly. Once the fleece is processed there is no turning back, you know?
As soon as I know more about when to expect the yarn I will post it here. Promise. Cross my heart and hope to die. We know your anxious- we're anxious too! Just believe that we want you to have your yarn as much as you want you to have your yarn, okay?
2. What did you decide to name the church/yarn shop?
Unfortunately, we have had to put the yarn church project on hold due to the fact that we can't get anyone to install heat until the spring. We purchased three wood stove waaaaay back in September and spent more than three months trying to first get on the an installer's schedule, then waiting for one to show up for an appointment. One guy stood us up five times. Five flippin' times. The next company we engaged gave us an estimate 200% higher than Mr. No Show and couldn't do the work until February anyway. At which point I gave up, curled into a ball under the covers and started hitting the bourbon.
The thing is, with everything else we have going on right now- the book, the new website, the Hudson Valley CSA, the new ewes- it felt a bit like we were trying to force the yarn shop too quickly and against too long of odds. We will revisit the idea in the late summer for opening next fall. In the meantime we have turned our heated, glassed-in porch into a smallish shop and you are more than welcome to by and fondle the yarn when you're in town.
As for the name, there are one or two I am trying to decide between. But I haven't decided just yet.
3. Will you be moving back to Martha's Vineyard?
Of course! We have a our spring shearing schedule for April 18th and we are lonesome for the Island. We still have a lease on Tisbury Meadows, our Vineyard Haven farm, but are looking for more grazing land. If we can't manage to work out all the details, we will be moving a smaller number of animals back, but I don't think it will come to that.
4. When are the Spring Shearings?
The Martha's Vineyard Shearing will be held in conjunction with the Martha's Vineyard Fiber Fest like last year on April 18th. The Hudson Valley Shearing Day Celebration will be held on May 9th. Anyone can come to either or both. Yes you can bring your family, your friends, your knitting group, a blind date, small children, large children, you guru, your hypnotherapist and your facialist. Only dogs and rodeo clowns are unwelcome. Don't get me started on rodeo clowns...
5. When is the new website going to be up? Where's our lambcam?
So glad you asked. The new website is schedule to be up on January 15th with a new online shop, your favorite blog and a reader's photo gallery. And that's it.
Just kidding! The lambcam (or "lambcamb" as Rebecca Blood's husband brilliantly named it) will be up and running too. If this stupid storm that is beating the crap out of the Northeast lets up, that is. We were supposed to be setting the cameras up today (and worming the nanny goats, and picking up hay, and getting the oil changed, and, and, and...) but the falling snow made that impossible. Hopefully we will be able to get it all set up before I leave on Tuesday.
We are also going to be doing some spectacular giveaways to celebrate the new site launch so be sure and visit everyday and comment for your chance to win.
