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Sustainable Small Batch Wool
Why a Fiber Mill?
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Our mill means so much more to us than just a place for spinning yarn. It is our connection with the natural world, the satisfaction of meaningful work, and also the livelihood of our little family. Years ago, I taught myself hand spinning as a hobby. Soon after, I started begging my neighbors for raw wool so I could practice scouring and carding. Eventually Alan and I left our 9-5 jobs and bought the mill. A million blessed mistakes later, we have learned how to be efficient, how to spin exceptional quality over a diverse range of fibers, and most importantly, how to live a balanced life filled with work we love.
The Machines
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Located at the south end of Whidbey Island just a few blocks from the Clinton-Mukilteo Ferry dock, we operate refurbished industrial machines to scour, card, and spin small batches of breed specific, non-superwash wool.
McDermott - Card: 26” Wide and about 13’ long, this machine turns clean locks into batts or roving.
Warner Swasey - Pin Drafter: This mid-century drafting tool refines carded roving with a series of pins that blend multiple ends together then thins them out again. This gives us a smooth, consistent gauge for each roving to be spun.
Whitin Roberts NW - Spin Frames: We have two machines with 32 spindles each:16 on each side. We rescued these machines from becoming scrap metal after the mill that previously owned them went out of business. We adapted them to run independently and have dedicated one of the four sides to plying.
An average week at our mill produces about 75-100 lbs. of yarn. Our small batches range from 5 - 100 lbs., or the equivalent of abou 25 - 450 skeins of yarn per batch. We spin custom yarns for a few regional yarn businesses as well as about a dozen local family farms. We also spin our own products which are available through our online shop.
Sustainable Small Batch
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Maintaining Small Batch production may seem like swimming against the current in the highly competitive world of yarn. It’s our belief, however, that small batches are incredibly valuable. Working in small batches brings us closer to the raw material and connects us with each other.
Each day at the mill challenges us to think creatively and adapt quickly to a diverse range of factors in wool. In fact, we believe working with diversity rather than against it is a hallmark of sustainability.
Join our community of hand crafters and professionals dedicated to sustainable small batch wool.
