Yearn-Worthy Yarns: Green Mountain Spinnery

Green Mountain SpinnerySimilar to Hope Spinnery in Maine that I featured a few weeks ago, Green Mountain Spinnery in Vermont creates their own yarn from United States-grown fibers (specifically alpaca, mohair, wool and organic cotton).

“Our mission is to produce and sell high quality yarns from natural fibers and design classic Vermont patterns. Transforming the many types of raw fibers into luxurious and long lasting yarn. The Green Mountain Spinnery helps to sustain regional sheep farming, and to develop environmentally sound ways to process natural fibers,” says their website.

Using vintage equipment, Green Mountain Spinnery creates yarns that take any project from plain to prodigious. Also similar to Hope Spinnery, GMS will spin yarns from fibers that you provide as well. The company has also released its own book of patterns, called The Green Mountain Spinnery Knitting Book, featuring “30 of their best loved contemporary and classic patterns.”

But what about the yarns!? You’re right – I got off track. While wool is their feature fiber, I’ve always been one for plant fibers. Their Cotton Comfort yarn, with 80% wool and 20% organic cotton, is just soft enough for me to wear without feeling itchy. No eco-yarn company would be complete without some 100% organic undyed wool, and GMS has it in spades. For something a little less traditional, check out GMS’ Yarn Over collection – made from carded wool & mohair left from a range of dye lots is blended to create “once only” muted colors.

Who makes your favorite sustainable yarns?

Which natural fiber is your favorite to work with? (i.e. cotton, wool, bamboo, hemp … etc.)

Let us know what you love to create with and we might feature them in the next installment of Yearn-Worthy Yarns!

Written by Victoria Everman

I think of myself as a creatively versatile eco-powerhouse. Freelance writer, life-long model, on-camera personality, public speaker, official U.S. spokesperson for Twice Shy Clothing - I'm a classic Renaissance woman and mistress-of-all-trades.

Though my days of growing up in the corn fields of central Indiana are behind me, forgetting where I came from is not an option. I lost my father unexpectedly in March of 2006, months before moving from NYC to San Francisco, which helped to amplify my zest for life and thirst to help change the world.

Perpetually looking for fresh ways to share my unquenchable green knowledge, I blog about everything eco on my own website, as well as for All Green Magazine and select others. Additionally, I am the editor/head writer of Crafting a Green World (part of the Green Options blog network) and a writer/web editor for Building Green TV. My diverse articles have been published in variety of reputable magazines, such as: Yoga Journal, Venus, CRAFT, Yogi Times, Recovery Solutions, M+F, and Office Solutions.

In my spare time, you can find me knitting, reading, singing, taking pictures, practicing yoga, taking long walks, and working on my first non-fiction book. Other random facts about me: I'm a Buddhist, latex fan, have four tattoos, and an attempting locavore.

MOVING TO PORTLAND, OREGON IN JUNE 2008

6 Comments

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  1. I’m delighted to see Green Mountain Spinnery reviewed here! Their yarn is lovely to work with. And if you stop by the spinnery itself, the very friendly staff will show you around. The antique spinning machines are fascinating!

  2. I recently moved to Vermont, just 5 days ago. I live off of Rte 4 and pass by a yarn store named Green Mountain Yarns. The have a sing that has greenmountainfiber.com listed — but I can not find it.

    Please advise. Thanks!

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