Fire Ant Ranch

Has moved to Georgetown!

NEW address is:

170 Young Ranch Rd., Georgetown TX 78633

 Wool & Mohair prepared by a Hand Spinner!

Since 1992 and going strong!

Featuring fiber and fiber products from Black Welsh Mountain, Shetland and Gulf Coast Sheep, mohair from Texas Angora goats, and a few other favorites.  What isn’t fiber from my years of raising them comes from specially selected flocks I’ve known personally.`

Black Welsh Mountain Ewe Shetland Ewe Gulf Coat Ram

The flock is all sold and the Black Welsh Mountain Sheep have made it to CANADA.  The BWM breeders up there now have a much needed infusion of great genetic material due to this and an earlier sale by Desert Weyr. 

I’ve had to purchase much more wool than I ever could raise for a long, LONG time – a mark of success for my fiber work.   Since there are only so many hours in the day and livestock husbandry is ALSO extremely time intensive, I decided one or the other needed to go.  The fiber won out in this case.  A big THANKS to all of you who love my fiber and keep coming back for more!

Our favorite sausage is still from the one and only Louis Mueller Barbecue place in Taylor, Texas!   Bobbie Mueller passed away recently, but his family will carry on the tradition!  It will remain our favorite as I seriously doubt there’s a BBQ place in Georgetown to rival that chipotle sausage!  I will say that we DO enjoy Duke’s BBQ in Georgetown.

We’re holding at 14 cats at the moment, yes that’s one less – we lost our sweet Shadow to a bone cancer.  All of them are indoors at the new place and we’ve built a lovely cat room/cat spa.

Kaylee, the young Shire draft mare IS a true partner.  Not only is she talented in dressage, but she is great on the trails!  She actually has been shown – to CTDS Intro Champion (walk/trot) in 2007!  And she’s small enough that my saddle fits her.  She’s been to Hill Country State Natural Area in Bandera, TX, Parrie Haynes Park, Berry Springs Park and to Old Settlers Park now.  She takes it ALL in stride.  We just completed a 3-day clinic with Dr. Thomas Ritter and we BOTH learned a lot!

Sierra, the Mustang mare, has a gal friend again in Kaylee,  although even after five months she is playing the “Boss Mare” more than she is “Mare Buddy”.

My lovely 40”Gilmore 4 shaft loom is still here, as are the Auto Knitter Sock Knitting Machine, the Brother bulky flatbed knitting machine, the mid-gauge machine, and  the wet felting machine.

Please visit my CUSTOMER SHOWCASE PAGE.    It will be undergoing an update soon with new pictures and stories of things made with FAR fiber and yarn.  Email me about your FAR fiber creations and I’ll post them to the Showcase!

 

Fire Ant Ranch Logo Knitting Ant    ravelry.gif

      Latest Georgetown, Texas, weather

The Studio “Shop” is Open ONLY by Appointment and on a limited basis.  Please email to see if you can stop by – fiber shows, chores and equine activities notwithstanding!   Please do NOT ask for farm tours for school groups though, as I am not set up for this.  It is probably much easier to catch me at a show!

PLEASE FEEL FREE to shop via website and email at any time!  Since my fibers and yarns are very much handmade,  just email me to see what’s available when you get that creative fiber urge!

I travel to more than a few Fiber and Art Festivals during the year to market my finished goods, equipment, fibers and handspun yarns. These festivals have included the Taos Wool Festival (which I’ve given up now after a 15-year run – I want to explore other areas of the country) and Best of the Southwest Fiber Arts Festival in New Mexico,  Estes Park Wool Market in Colorado,  Destin Spin In, Florida, and various other regional festivals and retreats.

I’ve published & sold designs in  Knitter's Magazine, Lion Brand Yarns and Knitter's Digest, as well as other publications.  I also do custom knitting of Kilt Hose and other items of clothing and home décor.   

 

Your Austin and Central Texas source for:

ERTOEL ROBERTA ELECTRONIC SPINNER – That Australian Technologically Advanced Beauty of a “powered” Spinner!  Absolute BEST Electronic Spinner on the market.

STRAUCH  Drum Carders, Hand Cards and really BIG Ballwinder (these are fantastic),

HITCHHIKER ROADBUG Wheels from the Merlin Tree –    even better, the new double treadle ROADBUG model!,

I still emphasize products I would and DO use myself, and specialize in technologically advanced spinning equipment that doesn’t look very traditional.  That’s me, and that’s my taste.

I’m always celebrating something – ask about specials.

Check the Fire Ant Ranch Collectible Items featuring the Knitting Ant Logo!

FARM FIBERS & YARNS

My hand dyed and  hand processed wool & mohair products (Austin Batts, Ant Mounds and Ant Trails) are very popular.

My mohair locks (Ant Mounds) have many repeat customers who know that if a certain color way hasn’t been dyed up yet, they can request it.  My handspun yarn, classic and exotic, is still popular.  Knowing that something you’ve designed yourself also pleases others is a really, really good feeling. 

I do carry at least once commercial line of yarn:  OPAL Sock Knitting Yarn from Germany.   OPAL is THE most popular of the self-patterning sock yarns!

 

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