Twenty years. Two decades. One-fifth of a century. More than 1/3 of my lifetime. Any way you look at it, 20 years is a long  time! And that’s how old the Fiber Garden is this month! In April of 1994, Mary, Sue, and Sherry arrived enthusiastic and ready to learn to spin in the very first Beginning Spinning workshop held at my first home. Each of them purchased a spinning wheel when the class ended. Then came a long line of others who made their way to rural Black River Falls and soon became fiber friends. Within a few years “we” had outgrown that house. A tiny bedroom was squished full of fibers and supplies, spinning classes were held in the living room, weaving classes took over the dining room and…there simply was no room left for a person to live!

On to house #2 tucked back into the woods with a small barn-like outbuilding that became the first mercantile. Classes continued in the living room, and we even did some dye classes with the carpeted floor! It was a wonderful place, but…”we” outgrew that one too!

And finally we found a home that will be more permanent. (We’re nine years and counting here!) The list of workshop offerings has grown, fiber friends have come from all over the country to develop their talents in spinning, weaving, and dyeing…and twenty years have passed. Most businesses as small as the Fiber Garden never survive more then a few years. And that can only mean one thing…the Fiber Garden has the best friends in the world! “Thank you” is not a big enough phrase.

So on to our next decade. We’ll see where it leads us. No doubt there will many more hours of enjoying the fiber arts together both here in Black River Falls and perhaps out on the open seas or traveling the highways and byways of Europe or other “fibery” destinations!

(For information on the 20th anniversary SALE-abration April 5 and 6, visit our Facebook page and read the post.)

Gratefully,
Deb