Etsy's Handmade Blog
Handmade Portraits: MV Knits
Story by MVKnits, weirdwolf
Published on July 11, 2008 in This Handmade Life
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(music by Barry London, Charlie Parr)

After quitting her day job in Los Angeles and moving to Martha's Vineyard, a quiet island off the Massachusetts coast, Susan Gibbs aka MVKnits had a great idea. She started Martha's Vineyard Fiber Farm and figured out how to make a living making yarn. Why not use the local food movement's model of Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) and apply it to a yarn harvest? Shareholders pay for a share in the yarn harvest as a way to support a local farm (or in this case, a local farm supported through the internet) and in return they get weekly updates, photos from the farm, an invitation to the shearing and ultimately a share of the yarn.

Check out the Martha's Vineyard Fiber Farm's blog and flickr site. And check out the Etsy Labs flickr site for Calder Martin's photos from the shoot.
You can watch more of our Handmade Video Portraits and we'd be so thrilled if you'd subscribe to our free Etsy iTunes podcast. 

Tags animals, Barry London, Charlie Parr, Community Supported Agriculture, CSA, Etsy Pets, farming, fiber farm, Handmade Video Portraits, island, Knitting, Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts, MVKnits, sellers, sheep, shepherd, Tara Young, video, weirdwolf, wool, yarn, yarn csa
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36 comments     Login to add your own!

July 11, 2008 at 11:32 a.m. TeenAngster

Those baby sheep! Amazing! What a life...It looks like hard work, but so rewarding. Great portrait.

July 11, 2008 at 11:38 a.m. adam

That's heartwarming. I don't use that word often.

July 11, 2008 at 11:38 a.m. merlinsbarkproducts

Great video!!

July 11, 2008 at 11:43 a.m. woolhandcrafts

Susan,

I just love your video. Thank you so much for helping us get started with our Yarn CSA program, for your words of encouragement, your enthusiasm, and your advise.

Farm life is the BEST!

July 11, 2008 at 12:03 p.m. Vanessa

I can see this becoming a whole movement for people to know where their craft supplies come from. So inspiring!

July 11, 2008 at 12:04 p.m. katelynjane

ohmygosh, seeing that lamb being born was so amazing! I just about cried...but then I was at work so I held it back (:

Good work, girl! Your business looks amazing, you've come a long ways and your journey is so incrediable!

I seriously love these videos!

July 11, 2008 at 1:20 p.m. jessiemccann

What an amazing journey! And so inspiring!

July 11, 2008 at 1:42 p.m. staceyjoy

What a great view into your world, Susie! The lamb being born was just amazing.

July 11, 2008 at 1:47 p.m. SpiffyKnits

Congrats Susie! What a wonderful glimpse into all that you are doing! I can't wait to see it all in person!
Colleen

July 11, 2008 at 1:53 p.m. mtraub

susie, it was wonderful meeting you at the farmers market in martha's vineyard. your yarn looked stunning!

July 11, 2008 at 1:57 p.m. thefunkyfelter

that was a beautiful video!
It made me teary eyed to see how much you love your sheep and how dedicated you are. My husand and I would love to have sheep some day, and you are a great inspiration. thank you for sharing your experience :)

July 11, 2008 at 1:58 p.m. PearsonMaron

So amazing!

July 11, 2008 at 2:08 p.m. groundwork

As I was watching this, I just couldn't stop grinning! Its so wonderful.

July 11, 2008 at 2:49 p.m. jcraft

Thank you for sharing this story. I found it very uplifting and motivational.

July 11, 2008 at 4:04 p.m. emarie

Wonderful video, guys! Susan rocks : )

July 11, 2008 at 4:27 p.m. ElenaMary

fantastic..loved seeing your farm and shots of Menemsha..will be there in 3 weeks and will look you up!

July 11, 2008 at 4:33 p.m. intertwingle

wonderful, wonderful. Brings back memories of when I worked on a farm, oh those idyllic days -- hard work too. Makes me want to pick up my knitting needles again so I can join!

July 11, 2008 at 5:02 p.m. MVKnits

Thanks everyone. I was a nervous wreck about doing it but Tara (weirdwolf) was really great and we had a lot of fun. I can't believe what an amazing job she did putting it together.

July 11, 2008 at 5:38 p.m. cherylavenue

Nice video! Great dedication to make the move:)

July 11, 2008 at 6:02 p.m. weirdwolf

Awww thanks Susan!! I had a fantastic time visiting with you and your animals. Very inspiring indeed. Now I just have to figure out how to move to the country and get some goats of my own! Thanks for sharing your wonderful story with the Etsy community.

July 11, 2008 at 6:27 p.m. Chappysmom

The video is just fabulous--all that cuteness and MV scenery. Not to mention hearing Susan talk about her farm!! Love the production values, love the music, love all of it.

July 11, 2008 at 6:32 p.m. DancingKnitter

Susan,
Loved the video! The video team did a great job.

Wish I were closer and could come visit. I know you are working really hard and I'm happy for you that you are enjoying it so much. It definitely shows in the interview.

July 12, 2008 at 2:08 a.m. ghostkrabb

Inspiring! Love those sweet sheep and baby goats and wooly coats. Gotta get some fiber. Keep it rollin Weirdwolf.

July 12, 2008 at 2:22 a.m. Rokali

"Are you a real farmer or are you still doing that internet thing?" Ha!

I used to visit Martha's Vineyard as a kid every summer. I remember a carousel with horses and you tried to grab rings as it went around. If you got a gold ring you got a free ride.

Great portrait.

July 12, 2008 at 7:18 a.m. wiradjuriwoman

I think this is great, I am in a small country area in Western Australia and have a fair few Angora goats and sheep of many colours and breeds and after feeding costs and sending off the wool to the wool brokers it seems hardly worth it, I love your ideas.
The goat kids look marvellous with such silvery lustre to their fleece, I will purchase some of your wools and learn from a young hand, old hands can learn from the young ones after all.

July 12, 2008 at 11:49 a.m. topsyturvydesign

What a wonderful wonderful portrait!
I will count fuzzy wuzzy sheep when I go to sleep tonight!

July 12, 2008 at 12:23 p.m. ArgyleWhale

Wow! Those are the happiest sheep and goats I've ever seen! It really shows how well you care for them. Your story is so wonderful and it's great that you've found success in such a challenging arena.

July 12, 2008 at 7:53 p.m. MVKnits

The carousel still has the brass ring! I think it might be one of the last in the country.

July 12, 2008 at 10:25 p.m. esdesigns

i'm glad the carousel is still working. i enjoyed the video- the sheep look so happy.

July 13, 2008 at 12:35 a.m. bamboobaby

A very fine video indeed. The sheep look so soft...you must put conditioner in their hair after shampooing.

July 13, 2008 at 6:15 a.m. northstaralpacas

Susan, what a wonderful look at your life and 4 leggeds. I feel like you are my new friend now. I know that your business will continue to prosper. Ain't nothing like farm life!

July 13, 2008 at 9:29 a.m. knitfitt

I love the yarn I bought from MVKnits! It is becoming an absolutely dreamy lace stole. Thanks for the video. It was a pleasure to see and hear Susan and the critters.

July 13, 2008 at 4:04 p.m. Karmacrochet

I loved the video. Keep going!

Dec. 2, 2008 at 9:31 a.m. bluestarbutterflies

I love your shop, and the video was fantastic!

Dec. 18, 2008 at 11:03 p.m. perfectdays

I loved your video~~~!!!!! Informative and so entertaining, you are a star!

It was brilliant, a really cool way of life. I will keep an eye on your progress, and hopefully your yarn will find its way over here to Oz for me to work with.

smiles from over the pond

Lyndel
(in Oz)

May 5, 2009 at 5:37 p.m. superbitsch

wow, cool story, good luck and best regards from germany. Ines

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