Every day leading up to the Tour, we're going to feature a different 2024 Yarn Tour Destination on the blog! Read about each shop in their own words, take a virtual tour, and get excited for your fiber adventure! Today we're visiting Appalachian Yarn Company located in New Market, TN.
As a young adult, I dreamed of living on a small farm with animals. I never imagined alpacas would be on the list. But in 2004, I purchased my first farm property in Ohio and shortly after became fascinated with alpacas. Short story, I started with 2 alpacas and a llama and ended up with about 40 after a few years. Today, of course, the farm is located in beautiful East Tennessee and is home to over 20 alpacas, a flock of chickens, a few ducks, and several cats and dogs.
Alpacas turned out to be the ideal livestock for the farm because of their beautiful soft fiber, which is used in many of the products sold in the shop. Growing the fiber takes a year. The process of creating the yarn, roving, and other products takes anywhere from six months to a year, all dependent on how long it takes various cottage mills to complete their process. So, from start to finish, the process could take as much as 2 years before the yarn is in the shop.
In 2018, I decided to expand the yarn business and launched Appalachian Yarn Company. AYC not only offers alpaca yarn from the farm, but also carries a nice selection of quality natural fiber yarns from other sources and a full complement of knitting and crochet notions.
The shop is housed on the farm. So when you visit, you get the opportunity to meet the alpacas and enjoy a quaint farm atmosphere.
I am excited and looking forward to visiting with our wonderful yarn tourists this year. It's always fun to hear your stories and chat about your plans for your yarn haul. My heart is to share a little bit of my passion and farm life with everyone who visits. The alpacas are the focal point here and I hope you not only enjoy your shopping experience, but also enjoy the farm visit and meeting the alpacas.
Yarn Tour Specials:
Claire and Dino from Golden View Mini Mill will be at the shop Saturday August 10 and 17. Dino will demonstrate how to weave on a peg loom and will have looms available for sale or special order. Claire will be hand-spinning and will have her gorgeous hand-spun yarn available for purchase.
Sheep 2 Stitch will also be joining us on August 17 and 18. Nicole will be bringing her mobile yarn shop featuring Italian yarns, hand-spun yarns, and indie-dyed yarns!
Yarn Tour Hours:
Eastern Time
Monday thru Saturday: 10 am - 6 pm, Sunday: 1 pm - 5 pm
Getting there:
Appalachian Yarn Company is located on Stewart Heritage Farm near New Market, TN. Their address is: 639 McGuire Road, New Market, TN 37820 .
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