A Spinner’s Barn

Specialties

A Spinner’s Barn Farm Store & Gallery offers alpaca yarn from our herd, hand-​crafted items, gifts for friends and home, hats, scarves, gloves, fingerless mittens, ski bands, socks, vests and sweaters. Afghans are woven locally from our yarn. The hoodies and designer sweaters are made in Peru, where alpacas originated.

Landscape paintings adorn the walls, for sale by local artists. A spinning wheel is available for impromptu demonstrations, and the alpacas are usually gathered just outside for you to visit. Meet the animal who has contributed fleece during annual shearing. «Our dye lots have names and faces!»

History

Established in 2005.

After meeting alpacas at a regional show, we decided to add them to our plans for rural living. Since we lived in town, we boarded our alpacas for three years until we found our farm.

As our herd grew, Ann learned to spin, and found outlets for the fleece and yarn. Establishing a farm store seemed a natural progression, sharing with visitors the products made from our alpacas. The store has grown in collaboration with other local hand-​crafters and artisans. Our recent expansion includes original paintings for sale — some are views of this property.

Often we describe our farm as a «living postcard.» The store name refers to the art of hand-​spinning that is the foundation for many of our products, and to the iconic 1890’s barn that is home to Aragon Alpacas.

We invite visitors to meet these unique livestock, to sink their fingers into their soft fleece, and to enjoy the warmth of wearing alpaca fashions. Thus, A Spinner’s Barn completes the circle of ‘fiber to fashion.’

Meet the Business Owner

Ann D.

Business Owner

Raised in east Texas, the daughter of a veterinarian, Ann learned crochet from her grandmother. As a teen, she added knitting to her repertoire, and after acquiring alpacas, Ann learned to spin.

With a degree in elementary education and biology, her career shifted to graphic design. Nonetheless, her preferred mode of artistic expression has always been hand-​crafts.

For Ann, these paths all mingled in alpacas: the love of animals and caring for them, and the creation of wearable goods from their fleece. Likewise, she attracts other artisans in her area with similar interests and A Spinner’s Barn serves as an outlet for their creations, too.

Ann shares her vintage farm with her husband and his vineyard, their herd of 40+ alpacas, barn cats and a dog. Her enthusiasm for alpacas and her life with them is contagious to both young and old. She welcomes visitors, introduces her animals by name, and then shows off a skein of yarn or scarf or afghan made from their fleece. Full circle!