Island Home

Alice's Sleep EZzzzzz

2011-06-02T10:48:00.002-04:00

Alice's Sleep EZZzzz designer pillow covers are 100% cotton and hand made here in Maine. Alice Merry, a fellow Women Work and Community New Ventures grad, lives in Wiscasset, Maine. An avid quilter, Alice began sewing pillow covers as a way to reduce her fabric stash. Bright, vibrant fabrics combined with her superior tailoring techniques create pillow covers that invite the lucky recipient to rest and relax, maybe for a few minutes longer. Pillow covers can be personalized with monogramming for weddings, birthdays or any special occasion. She also creates covers for Body Pillows, a size difficult to find in retail stores. Celebrate your athlete with a sports print or commemorate your vacation with a lobster print.

WEGAS on Vinalhaven

2010-10-24T12:54:00.000-04:00

From Our View From Vinalhaven VOL. 6 - ISSUE NO. 35 - OCTOBER 24, 2010

NOVEMBER'S "DOWN EAST" MAGAZINE - Just out now, runs a story we covered earlier, about the island "WEGAS" group ["We Give A S**t"] from Vinalhaven. They are a core citizen group - vitally interested in bringing back the town color, feeling, excitement and spirit, that was once evident here, and that some feel is escaping today.

Spearheaded by Angie Olson, proprietor of the Island Home store on Main Street; the groups aims to bring back the old customs and ceremonies that make Vinalhaven different, as in many other places. With eight regulars and up to 20 volunteers, the group meets monthly at the Trickerville Sandwich Shop to plan events. Their first community venture put more than 65 American flags flying from every downstreet light pole this summer, making this island, 15 miles at sea; one of the most flag festooned Americana towns in the entire state.
L
Looking ahead, the group has sights on Christmas; when Vinalhaven has always been been highly adorned with color, trees, Santa figures and lights. Holidays on the island are always observed richer, deeper and closer than on the mainland. "It's all because we give a "concern" [we'll say here here] because we care about the traditions we don't want to see slip away" said Angi Olson.

Want the whole story? Subscribe to:
"THE VIEW" - Box 685, Vinalhaven, ME 04863 E/M: VHVIEW@AOL.COM
Annual : Now; $20.00 - For all "Non-year Rounder's" - through 3/1/2-11.

Warm Hearts

2010-10-13T16:59:00.000-04:00

In the WIND

2010-10-12T08:58:00.000-04:00

Many Great Gift Ideas

Island Winter Mittens
+
Long Cove Farm Merino Socks
=
Warm Heart

Pictures on

Sneak Peak at Wind Ad

2010-09-28T10:02:00.002-04:00

Vinalhaven Glass Coins

Sea Glass Note Cards

Glass Orb Bird Feeders

October Classes

Thinking ahead…..Priceless

Fall Cleaning

2010-09-24T11:14:00.007-04:00

Fall is finally here! Definitely the best time to be on the island; the pace is slower, the weather is perfect and the color is spectacular. Of course our attention drifts to fall projects and inspiration for holiday projects.

My pledge: I will not start a new project until the UFO's are completed. Sounds good in theory, kind of like not eating sugar........

So the first step, inventory the UFO basket. Guess what? I have a complete ensemble - socks, gloves, mittens, headband, hat, vest and a sweater. Second step - prioritize; just what needs to be finished and what can I undo. Socks - gone; mittens - finish thumbs. This is easy! Sweater, yarn was expensive & colors great, but honestly who was I knitting this for? YIKES - I found the receipt in the pattern, did I really spend that much on this? Now I have to finish it. Vest, finish the edge and put the damn buttons on already. Headband has only two rows done, undo and recycle that yarn. Gloves for last Christmas, now this years present. Hat, I will never knit with mohair again, even if my life depends on it.

The total: 2 recycled, 2 quickly finished, 2 need more attention & time, and the last - well my life does not depend on a bunny hat...

Celebrate Mother's Day by honoring their gift to us all.

2010-05-09T12:34:00.004-04:00

As a mother with her son at sea for the first time this Mother's Day, it occurs to me that many MOTHERS today are celebrating with their children in harms way. I am fortunate, Ladd is in school and not harms way. We may not all agree politically with war; but as a mother I honor all soldiers & their mothers who are sacrifing so much so that we can live an incredible life in America. In March, Carlene Michael put out the call for a service project knitting helmet liners for troops serving in Iraq & Afghanistan. Carlene is a life member of the Pioneers, a service organization made up of telephone workers. Our first shipment of 27 liners by 10 knitters has been sent to the Pioneers, who will coordinate with the Bangor Troop Greeters to deliver them to the troops departing overseas. Let’s make this an ongoing project. If you didn’t get a chance to start or finish - keep on knitting, we will be sending more at a later date. Yarn and needles are available at Island Home with a 50%discount.
Thank You knitters!

Sheering 2010

2010-05-05T13:56:00.003-04:00

April sheering was our best effort yet. We've become a well oiled machine. Bob & Dave kept the sheep in line; Jeff & Emily sheered.
Jaunatha & Alicia kept the flow going - running fleeces to the skirters, tending the sheep after sheering. Kate, Penelope and myself were just able to keep up skirting. For those of you unfamiliar with the process of sheering, skirting a fleece is the honored "poo picking position". Skirting prepares the fleece for processing at the mill. Vegatation and "other matter" is removed from the fleece to prevent problems at the mill. Kate & Penelope organize the fleece tent at the Common Ground Fair.

Frog Tree Yarns

2010-05-03T10:30:00.000-04:00

Frog Tree Yarns is one of the latest additions to the Island Home stash. Frog Tree, a non-profit entity, was founded by Tricia & Chet Petkiewicz as a result of their experience of living and working at the grassroots level in Peru, Bolivia, Mexico and the USA for many years.

They believe that talented, hard-working artisans should receive a just wage in order to provide a dignified life for their families. They believe the same for their clients.

Frog Tree Yarns is a tool for supporting educational and environmental projects throughout the world. One popular design is for the Origami Pullover.

Patterns are available at the store.

Long Cove Farm

2010-03-15T14:08:00.001-04:00

We had an overwhelming response to Long Cove Farm's Merino. Four shades, Heather, Brown 2009, Natural Blonde and Chocolate Chip are available in DK. New this year is a fingering weight, with 350 yards per skein. Our first sell out was the Natural Blonde and Granite in Worsted weight! There is a limited supply of the Worsted Chocolat Chip.

E-mail Angie for a sample card.

Photos courtesy of Bob Watts

We knit, We net, We hook

2009-07-23T05:07:00.003-04:00

We make things because we feel a creative pull to make them, in fact, feel compelled to make them.

Our handwork is a crucial part of our daily lives. Yet weekly, we gather to do our singular craft in the company of other women. In our culture, handwork has evolved from simple production of utilitarian goods to a creative pastime, but still the urge to make things exists. We make things when we might otherwise purchase them. And we gather to make them when we might just as easily make them at home.

If our handwork fills our creative needs, then our group serves our social and emotional needs. Across cultures and across time, women have been gathering to do their work: food preparation, washing, sewing, quilting. And while they worked, they talked. Our work has changed, the items we make have changed, but still we make them, still we make them with other women.

Colleen O'Neill Conlan, Knitting Ethnography, available at the Vinalhaven Public Library

Maine Fiber Arts Tour

2009-07-15T06:00:00.000-04:00

Don't forget the Maine Fiber Arts Tour, August 7-9

1st Anniversary Sale!

2009-07-14T08:01:00.000-04:00

Island Home's first year has been a whirl-wind of activity.

To celebrate we will hold a 1st Anniversary

Pick Your Own Discount Sale
July 14 10:00 - 5:00 - Shop till you drop

At the register draw your discount from the discount jar
(consignment articles are excluded from discount)

Save up to 50% with the luck of the draw!

Long Cove Merino Yarns

2009-07-10T10:29:00.009-04:00

New Long Cove Farm Merino is here!

New Shades - DK and Fingering

Popular DK weight is available in natural, brown and new this year, heather. The heather is a 50/50 blend of brown and natural, a deeper coloring than last years granite shade.

Also new this year for lace and lightweight projects, a fingering weight which is available in all colors.

For color samples, please e-mail Angie.

Classes at Island Home

2009-07-08T08:20:00.001-04:00

Click on a day for details.

More classes!

2009-06-22T19:36:00.005-04:00

2 Sticks & String - Learn How to Knit

Knitting SOS

Socks 2@ a Time

UFO Night - (Unfinished Objects)

Pysanky - Ukranian Eggs

Locker Hooking - see sample at store

Socks to Dye For - dye your own sock yarn

Drop Spindle Spinning

Individual Lessons available by appointment
Stop, call or email Angie for registration & more infomation!

Upcoming classes

2009-06-18T19:25:00.003-04:00

July 7 & 9 - Left, Right - Socks 2 @ a Time

July 8 & 14 - Pysanki

July 15 = Knitting with 4 Needles

July 22 - Cables Untangled

July 25 - Locker Hooking

July 28 & 29 - Felted Mittens

August 4 - Magic Loop

August 6 - Cable Untangled

August 9 - Socks to Dye For

August 10 - Spin a Yarn - Drop Spindle Spinning

August 12 - The Brioche Stitch

Individual Lessons available by appointment
Contact Angie for registration and more information.

Maine Fiber Arts Tour August 7-9

2009-06-05T11:09:00.010-04:00

Mark your calendar
August 7-9 celebrates the diverse fiber arts community in Maine.

Island Home, along with rug hooking artist Carol Morris Petillo and Stephanie Crossman of Gram J's Bags traditional knotted netting are participating in the 2009-2012 tour map. Details for specific times of demonstrations will be available soon.

Maine Fiberarts Tour Map: Studios & Farms is a 24” x 36", illustrated, full color printed map locating over 130 fiber destinations statewide. Sites may be visited all year long throughout three years — 2009-2012 — on a self-guided, “best to phone ahead” basis. The Tour Map is your guide for discovering art studios, cashmere farms, spinneries, yarn stores, fabric shops, and galleries along the byways and back roads of Maine. TheTour Map provides contact info, descriptions and driving directions to make visiting easy.

Maine Fiberarts is a statewide arts nonprofit formed to support Maine fiber and to foster its special work in basketry, beadwork, clothing design, crochet, embroidery, felting, knitting, lacework, needlework, paper, quilting, rugs, sewing, spinning, surface design, and weaving. By creating awareness of these arts and activities, they support the State’s economy, enrich our cultural life, and broaden the resources available.

For more information visit Maine Fiber Arts at www.mainefiberarts.org

Free Workshop . . .

2009-06-03T13:09:00.005-04:00

for Artists, Artisans, and Entrepreneurs:

June 3, 2009, with Darrell Bulmer and Kerstin Gilg of the Maine Arts Commission will present a workshop on Web 2.0.

Includes: online marketing methods, the use of social networking sites, the development and usage of email lists, websites, blogs, eBay, YouTube, and online cooperatives.

The workshop will be held from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at Jewett Auditorium in Jewett Hall at the University of Maine at Augusta.

The workshop is co-sponsored by Women, Work, and Community and the Kennebec Valley Art Association and is funded by the Maine Women's Fund. To register, Wendy Rose, 1-800-442-2092; wkrose@maine.edu

Creative traditions for your island home,

2009-06-02T08:53:00.000-04:00

wherever that may be!

Island Home is your exclusive source for

Long Cove Farm Merino wool
George's Yarn
& island hand made items

Distinctive New England made products including

Artful Wares
Artifacts in Clay
Chart Metal Works
Danica Candles
Sea Bags
& much more

Individual lessons and group classes available.

Gift Cards

2009-05-26T16:48:00.010-04:00

Flat Feet

2009-05-26T13:21:00.001-04:00

Conjoined Creations was born of their shared passion for yarn and the endless possibilities in creating vibrant colors by hand-dying by Colleen East and Mary Arnold. Originally they started dying only spinning fiber, but the number of requests for their vibrant colors to be produced in yarn was overwhelming.

This was the genesis of the Happy Hippie Fiber line. Their trademark is clear vibrant colors with subtle accents, all humorously linked to the icons of the 1960's.

Flat Feet is a unique experience in sock knitting. No balls, skeins and most importantly no tangles. A super soft 80% merino/20% nylon yarn is commercially knit prior to hand painting. Each flat is approximately 400 yards, enough to make a pair of adult socks. Any sock pattern works, however complimentary Flat Feet patterns are available with yarn purchase. No Flat Feet pairs can be exactly reproduced, each is a work of art.

Knitters - Ahoy!

2009-05-25T08:00:00.005-04:00

Wear Your World

2009-05-21T16:14:00.009-04:00

One of the greatest benefits of starting Island Home has been the opportunity to meet talented New England craftsmen. I met Charlotte thru Lynn at Sea Bags, another great find. Charlotte handcrafts pendants nautical charts. Not long ago, I spent the morning with Charlotte in her Custom House Wharf studio, browsing the chart of Vinalhaven. We discussed several areas and came up with a selection of locations that often evoke memories of special occasions shared on the island. Charlotte's eye for detail and expertise in filtering locations for detail and interest has created a Vinalhaven collection exclusively offered here at Island Home. Pieces can be custom ordered with your selection of location. Chart your location, wear your world!

World Wide Knit in Public Day

2009-05-21T10:52:00.005-04:00

Mark you calendars, June 13th 10-2 at Island Home is Knit in Public Day (KIP). Bring your knitting and recently finished projects. Need help with a UFO (unfinished object) expert knitters of our local knitting group will be on hand to offer advice. For more information on KIP, go to http://www.wwkipday.com/ or contact us at the store.

Watch for Island Home in The Wind!

2009-05-20T07:22:00.001-04:00

New Arrivals!

2009-05-19T19:12:00.007-04:00

Knitting Patterns from:

and . . .
Dove Tail Designs

Knit them up with our new

Fiddlesticks bamboo needles
Lantern Moon or
addi Turbo

knitting needles

J.Knits

2009-05-14T17:10:00.001-04:00

The New England Needle Arts show, held annually at the Old Sturbridge Inn & Conference Center, was an incredible delight. I had the opportunity to meet many vendors and purchase some samples. One of my favorite finds was J. Knits, Delicious creative hand-dyed yarns done in New Hampshire. The fiber & color selection immediately drew me to the booth, but Julie's passion for her yarns was the deal closer. The line includes a luscious super wash Merino in dk and sock, super fine alpaca and a "Dreamy" worsted blend of wool & mohair. All the colors are named after cities and states, adding to the fun. I'm excited to add the J.Knit line to the store stash. J. Knits is also featured as one of the yarns used in Wendy Johnson's new book Socks From The Toe Up.

A yarn about sheep: Vinalhaven farm provides wool for island fiber arts shop

2009-05-14T16:13:00.004-04:00

by Kris Osgood, The Working Waterfront

Do you know how much wool sheep produce? Wanatha Garner does.

Garner is the owner of Long Cove Farm on Vinalhaven, and this question was the impetus for the creation of Long Cove Wool, yarn made from the wool of her sheep and sold at Island Home, a new fiber arts shop on Vinalhaven.

For the whole story click here.

Incredible finds!

2009-05-14T10:35:00.006-04:00

from

Colinette
J. Knits
Fancy Socks
Frog Tree
Jill Eaton - Minnowknits
Fiddlesticks

More arriving weekly!

Sale: Beads 50% off - sale ends Saturday
May 14th, 2009

Imagination inspired by sustainability

2009-05-11T14:01:00.002-04:00

Something New From Something Old!

All materials for our sweaters are deconstructed and shaped for children. Final designs are needle felted on the surface using a variety of techniques and materials.

Introducing George's Yarns

2008-11-25T07:46:00.007-05:00

The newest line of island produced wool

Totally organic
Totally renewable
Totally Maine Made wool

Samantha & Matilda are orginally from Narrows Island out in front of Arey Cove. Both raised at the Breakers Farm overlooking Narrows Island.

The wool was spun by wind power at Hope Spinnery in Hope, Maine.

Christmas Projects!

2008-11-25T07:39:00.004-05:00

Now is the time to get those Christmas projects going!

Knitting Studio - Wednesday 7:00 pm
Crochet Studio (yes, those happy hookers!) - Thursday 7:00 pm
Temari Balls - Saturday 10:00 - 2:00

Call Angie @ 207-863-2117 for details
Island Home - Hours: M-F 10-5, Sat. 10-1

A Hard-Working Island With a Leisure Class

2008-05-15T07:58:00.001-04:00

New York Times, By SAM HOOPER SAMUELS

Published: June 16, 2006

Excerpt from article . . .

Once you're on the island, though, you are immediately aware of its natural beauty. It's a place of rocky shorelines, dense forests of pine and spruce, swooping sea birds and quiet, secluded coves.

"I have found peace there that I don't seem to find in other places," said Norma Jean Kruger, a retired spinner and weaver from Windham, Me., who bought a house on the south part of the island two years ago.

. . .

At the opposite end of the island, and the opposite end of the housing spectrum, Wanatha Garner is applying the finishing touches to a new house she affectionately calls the Barn.

Indeed, Ms. Garner, an architect living in Brooklyn, originally intended it to be a working barn. She is clearing some 30 acres of forest to realize her lifelong dream of raising sheep and dairy cows.

. . .

For the complete article click here.

Island Home, Vinalhaven Maine

2008-01-01T00:01:00.006-05:00

Inspiring & celebrating creative traditions that are reflective of the diverse resourcefulness needed to live on an island. Island Home is a working fiber arts studio that offers local crafters raw materials & a retail venue for their work and that of other New England artisans, as well as providing multi-generational learning experiences for crafters of all levels.