Lambs to
Linens
A SMALL, GREEN WEAVING
BUSINESS THRIVES.
BY VICTORIA EVERMAN
Photography by Burdette Parks
Near the border of New York state and Canada
in the Adirondack Mountains, Four Directions
Weaving is nestled on a quiet country road, more
than a mile from the end of the power lines.
When founders Donna Foley (pictured) and Jim
Brush bought the property 25 years ago, alternative energy options were still more affordable than
trying to connect the abandoned farm to the local
power grid. Now, with 12 solar panels and a wind
generator, the company is one of the only self-sustaining weaving businesses in the United States.
Foley weaves most of the company’s products
herself: blankets, rugs, tapestries, and linens. But
what sets Four Directions apart from other weavers
is the fact that they raise their own sheep, too —
a rare breed called Lincoln Longwool. “Raising
the sheep is an integral part of the whole weaving
process for me,” Foley says. “It connects me with
weavers and spinners throughout the ages who
have been shepherds.”
Unlike other lamb breeders who shear the animals’
wool in late winter when the temperature can still to see it becoming much more mainstream,” says
dip below – 40°F, Foley waits until April to shear her Foley. “Before, I almost felt like I had to apologize
flock. She takes advantage of the sun and wind in for using natural dyes. I had to explain my use of
the spring months to wash the fleece in preparation organic cotton in baby blankets. Now people come
for the dyeing process. to me for these reasons, looking to have more
The rich hues in Foley’s work are evidence of her meaning in their purchases. It is now more viable
use of natural dyes, which formerly took her up to a for me to keep my green commitment.”
month to prepare. “But now, with powdered natural
dye extracts, I can get right to the dyeing stage,”
she says. For those who want to dye their own wool,
she recommends extracts from Earthues, a Seattle
company that uses sustainably gathered plants,
and pays farmers a fair wage for their crops.
Can a green business be profitable? “Having been Victoria Everman is a San Francisco-based writer, model,
working ‘green’ for over 20 years, it is heartening environmentalist, crafter, and yogi. Visit her at
victoria-e.com.
Foley’s website:
fourdirectionsweaving.com
For more photos, go to
craftzine.com/08/
fourdirections
