The Artful Ewe in Port Gamble, WA.
This weekend, December 13 & 14, is the Port Gamble Country Christmas. This is a weekend of traditional Country Christmas activities - handmade crafts, horse-drawn wagon rides, roving carolers, a visit from Santa all in an 1850's mill town.
Any weekend is a great time for a fiber artist to visit Port Gamble - the home of The Artful Ewe.
This amazing feast for the eyes (and hands!) is only open on the weekends, and is located in the historic Old Market Building, near the water tower on the town's main street. Upon opening the door, your senses are immediately overwhelmed by the incredible beauty of the fibers, yarns and handmade crafts and garments on display in the shop. Owner Heidi stocks a wide range of fibers; various breed wools, mohair, cashmere, silk, angora, and
other blends. Plant fibers include flax, hemp, ramie, tencel, and cotton. Most fibers are
offered as both roving and yarn. She is a very talented fiber artist, and much of the product displayed has been hand-dyed by Heidi herself. If you're new to spinning and want to give it a try, she stocks drop spindles, as well as Kromski spinning wheels.
When you are ready for some refreshment, there is a Tea Room just down the street. They are open daily from 10:00 am until 5:00 pm. You will want to make reservations if you would like to have the Breakfast or Chocolate High Tea.
Other attractions in this historic mill town are antique stores, bookstores and various other little shops. Founded in 1853, by Maine businessmen Andrew Pope and William Talbot, Port Gamble was the longest continuously operating mill town in North America. It is now on the National Historic Register, and is still owned by the mill company.
My best wishes for you all to be warm and cozy this weekend!
--Katrina
Neat, I'd love to take my mom there the next time she comes to visit.
Posted by: Christina | December 12, 2008 at 06:58 AM