So I was thinking of waiting for something more “official” like a business card, or a logo, to announce this; but I’m just too dang excited! I’m opening the studio of 14 Mile Farm for business. The business license is on its way from the State, and I’ll be legit!

I expect that at as this little one turns up earthside and grows and giggles and plays, the inventory of the shop will occasionally expand to include toys and dolls… locals may even be able to find me at the occasional bazaar or fair. But what I’m most excited about, what is even now starting to get off the ground is a collaboration between a loom named Maggie and myself. One thread at a time...

And so I'd like to officially introduce to you, I'd like to introduce officially to you:

14 Mile Farm handwovens!!!

I’ll be weaving (and offering for sale) artisan babywearing wraps, meditation shawls, and more!

I've got two different projects going on the loom this fall... one on Maggie, and one on my mother's loom (thanks, Ma!) – jumping in with both feet sometimes really is the best way forward!

The first project is baby's first wrap. Stay tuned for more details, design inspiration, and progress shots in an upcoming post. This warp will be a long one. It'll see a tester to make the rounds for feedback, the wrap (baby's first!) that will stay with us, and then.... if all goes well, two wraps will come off the loom for sale in time for the holidays!

And the second exciting project is this:

I'm participating in the Fall 2015 Great Competition of Weavers!

The theme this time around is Children's Lit. Which is such a great topic, with so many options and interpretations to choose from! It'll be exciting to see what all books the weavers pick, and how they bring those inspirations to the wraps. What's your favorite book from childhood? What book would you pick?

Its an anonymous contest, so its super-secret and I can't tell you what book I'm working with or show you the project. But I CAN tell you that I'm super stoked about it and that I just ordered the yarn!!! I can also tell you that public voting for the winner will begin October 1st and close October 3rd.

One wrap from the competition warp will go up for sale via draw after the close of the competition – it might even be the competition wrap itself! So if you want to SUPER CRYPTIC updates on the progress of the competition project leading up to the grand reveal October 3, you should follow me on Instagram. I'm hoping I can use social media as a motivational tool to get me to finish in time, despite third trimester pregnancy... we shall see!

Meanwhile, if babywearing and/or handwovens excites you, you should totally click through to FB and 'like' 14 Mile Farm.

And that mostly wraps up (har har) my big news. Did I mention yet that I'm excited about it?!? I'm pretty excited. Because 45 yards of weaving is clearly a perfectly reasonable goal for this fall... along with home renovations, yoga teaching and oh! right! growing a human. If you need to find me, I'll be playing with yarn.

This seems like an auspicious post to kick off the new blog/new website with. I'm renovating the studio. Its a big project. It alternates between seeming entirely feasible and entirely overwhelming. I want to have it done before baby arrives.

I've long wanted and wished to spend significant amounts of time in my studio. Long railed against circumstance that conspires to keep me away from the loom and the sewing machine - self created circumstance for the most part, I realize! Long wanted to play with cloth and fiber, making things to share with the world. To play seriously, rather than dabble.

And half the battle is to create a space that I want to be in. A space that is welcoming. A space that is warm (Woodstove installed! Major hurdle overcome! Check!). A space that is pleasing to the eye. A space that is functional. Organized. Well-lit. And ever since we moved in, the studio has only rarely felt this way. So I'm committed to making it so.

I envision a space where I can work, can make, can perhaps sell the creations of my hands. A space for kids to grow up, making messes with paint and yarn and wood. A space for kindred to gather - over a crafting table and a cup of coffee.

Some more before photos; as you can see, I was a fan of the hipstamatic app :) I pretty intentionally did not take a panorama 'before' picture before I'd hauled everything out of the studio. It had become a giant dumping ground for craft supplies, good intentions, theatre costume storage and more. And if blogging allows you to curate a flattering persona - which it undoubtedly does - then I may as well choose to not record the worst publicly...

I'm currently pulling up the carpet. Its a lot of work. Did I say that already? Maybe its just the pregnancy speaking... This carpet was the former owner's dream. It is not mine. I hate this carpet. Hate is a strong word. Its appropriate here. I wanted to pull it up when we moved in, but we put it off.

I've always preferred wood floors. Now I'll have them! Though the Alaskan milled birch planks I'm dreaming of may have to wait for the next round of renovations. In another few years.