Local Fiber Artist Host Fiber Arts Classes
Local artist hosts fiber arts classes at her alpaca farm
By Victoria Sanderson The Robesonian - December 23, 2024
FAIRMONT — Local artist Lisa Williams teaches fiber arts classes at her farm. She uses materials gathered from her livestock as well as purchased materials.
From a young age, Williams has worked with a wide variety of fiber art mediums, from knitting and crocheting to felting and needlework. Before moving to Fairmont in 2020, she worked with Coastal Carolina University in various roles, from director to educator. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she changed course along with the rest of the world.
“When Covid hit, [CCU] did away with my department,” she said. “I came home one day and told my husband, ‘It’s the first time in my life that I’m not working for somebody,’ and he said, ‘Well, now you’re self-employed!” Williams’ department closure had a silver lining, though, allowing her to focus on the fiber arts, which is her real passion. “I don’t miss it at all,” she said. “I don’t miss that whole setup. I like being on my own schedule!”
Williams says her love of fiber art stems in part from the wide variety of forms it can take. “I’m always learning and trying new things,” she said, “and I love sharing my knowledge and skills with others. Hopefully, what they learn will inspire them to continue on with a new hobby or maybe even pursue working in the fiber arts industry. That truly brings me joy.”
Williams set up shop at The Road Less Traveled Farm, moving her herd of alpacas and settling anew, now much closer to her husband Daniel’s hometown of Wilmington. The alpacas, Tina, Gizmo and Hannah, alongside several Angora rabbits, provide a healthy harvest of valuable fibers for her work in exchange for a warm home and lots of attentive care.
Williams first got alpacas in 2018 after seeing a flyer in a local Tractor Supply near her previous home in Conway advertising two alpacas for sale. “We started off with two males,” she said, “and alpacas tend to be the kind of animal that once you get a couple, you want more.” Her herd grew to 14 over the next few months, adopting alpacas that had grown too old for breeding but still produced quality fiber, giving them a comfortable home for their remaining lifespans.
The Angora rabbits were a later addition when she moved to NC, and they tend to give fiber once or twice a year. “I shear them down a lot more than usual in the summer,” Williams said. “I probably don’t get as much fiber from them as somebody who lives up in Pennsylvania or Michigan that’s freezing because they let the fiber get a lot longer.” The heat in NC summers could put the rabbits in danger of overheating due to their thick fur, so Williams said she’d much rather sacrifice a little fiber productivity to ensure their health and comfort.
When not tending to the various farm animals, Williams works on art projects and teaches classes for the community. One popular class is felted soap, which she taught during her time at CCU. “They’re homemade soaps,” she said, “and then we take the fiber and wrap it around the soap and I do what’s called a wet felting process. You get the fiber really wet, suds it up a little and the fiber starts to mesh together, creating a built-in washcloth.” The felting process also makes the soft handmade soap last longer.
Plans for the farm’s future aim to transform it into a peaceful community space offering a wide array of classes, groups and solo projects. “I want to have my studio where people can just come in,” Williams said. “If you just want to work on a project, you can come in and sit down and work on it. Have a cup of coffee, learn some spinning or do some spinning on mine if you don’t have one; just to kind of have a place where you can find fellowship.”
Along with the simple enjoyment of the craft and the potential for building bonds, Williams hopes to enable locals to work independently if they so desire, as the products of many fiber arts are practical, such as blankets or scarves. The fiber from her alpacas is light, warm and highly water resistant, making it a fantastic choice for any crafters looking to make a jacket or sturdy socks.
“My long term goal is to create something beneficial for the community,” Williams said. “You can can get multiple generations sitting inside crocheting and knitting or something, and there’s history being shared because everyone has a story.”
For information on upcoming class sessions, products or projects, visit theroadlesstraveledfarm.com.
By Victoria Sanderson The Robesonian - December 23, 2024
FAIRMONT — Local artist Lisa Williams teaches fiber arts classes at her farm. She uses materials gathered from her livestock as well as purchased materials.
From a young age, Williams has worked with a wide variety of fiber art mediums, from knitting and crocheting to felting and needlework. Before moving to Fairmont in 2020, she worked with Coastal Carolina University in various roles, from director to educator. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she changed course along with the rest of the world.
“When Covid hit, [CCU] did away with my department,” she said. “I came home one day and told my husband, ‘It’s the first time in my life that I’m not working for somebody,’ and he said, ‘Well, now you’re self-employed!” Williams’ department closure had a silver lining, though, allowing her to focus on the fiber arts, which is her real passion. “I don’t miss it at all,” she said. “I don’t miss that whole setup. I like being on my own schedule!”
Williams says her love of fiber art stems in part from the wide variety of forms it can take. “I’m always learning and trying new things,” she said, “and I love sharing my knowledge and skills with others. Hopefully, what they learn will inspire them to continue on with a new hobby or maybe even pursue working in the fiber arts industry. That truly brings me joy.”
Williams set up shop at The Road Less Traveled Farm, moving her herd of alpacas and settling anew, now much closer to her husband Daniel’s hometown of Wilmington. The alpacas, Tina, Gizmo and Hannah, alongside several Angora rabbits, provide a healthy harvest of valuable fibers for her work in exchange for a warm home and lots of attentive care.
Williams first got alpacas in 2018 after seeing a flyer in a local Tractor Supply near her previous home in Conway advertising two alpacas for sale. “We started off with two males,” she said, “and alpacas tend to be the kind of animal that once you get a couple, you want more.” Her herd grew to 14 over the next few months, adopting alpacas that had grown too old for breeding but still produced quality fiber, giving them a comfortable home for their remaining lifespans.
The Angora rabbits were a later addition when she moved to NC, and they tend to give fiber once or twice a year. “I shear them down a lot more than usual in the summer,” Williams said. “I probably don’t get as much fiber from them as somebody who lives up in Pennsylvania or Michigan that’s freezing because they let the fiber get a lot longer.” The heat in NC summers could put the rabbits in danger of overheating due to their thick fur, so Williams said she’d much rather sacrifice a little fiber productivity to ensure their health and comfort.
When not tending to the various farm animals, Williams works on art projects and teaches classes for the community. One popular class is felted soap, which she taught during her time at CCU. “They’re homemade soaps,” she said, “and then we take the fiber and wrap it around the soap and I do what’s called a wet felting process. You get the fiber really wet, suds it up a little and the fiber starts to mesh together, creating a built-in washcloth.” The felting process also makes the soft handmade soap last longer.
Plans for the farm’s future aim to transform it into a peaceful community space offering a wide array of classes, groups and solo projects. “I want to have my studio where people can just come in,” Williams said. “If you just want to work on a project, you can come in and sit down and work on it. Have a cup of coffee, learn some spinning or do some spinning on mine if you don’t have one; just to kind of have a place where you can find fellowship.”
Along with the simple enjoyment of the craft and the potential for building bonds, Williams hopes to enable locals to work independently if they so desire, as the products of many fiber arts are practical, such as blankets or scarves. The fiber from her alpacas is light, warm and highly water resistant, making it a fantastic choice for any crafters looking to make a jacket or sturdy socks.
“My long term goal is to create something beneficial for the community,” Williams said. “You can can get multiple generations sitting inside crocheting and knitting or something, and there’s history being shared because everyone has a story.”
For information on upcoming class sessions, products or projects, visit theroadlesstraveledfarm.com.
February 12, 2025
