Anoka Fiber Works

09/02/2025

The Anoka Fiber Works website will be shut down on Sept 30, 2025. Please take a last look and save any information to your personal files that you would like for future reference. Thanks to all who passed through the AFW doors - vendors, customers and friends!

01/19/2025

Hello friends of Anoka Fiber Works! We want to let you know the status of the shop closing.
Mary will be at the shop regular hours this week, Tuesday the 21st through Saturday the 25th.
The vendors have cleared their spaces but you are welcome to stop by, sit a spell, knit or spin and say goodbye. Saturday, January 25th will be the last day the shop will be open.
Again, we thank everyone for the kind comments. Thank you to those who made purchases, the vendors so appreciate you.
We'll be posting here periodically and we hope to see everyone at Shepherd's Harvest Festival.

01/10/2025

Spun and knit using 100% alpaca roving from our vendor Hollyhock Alpaca Creations. Come get some alpaca roving before AFW closes.

Isn't this beautiful? AJ bought roving from me in October and more in November. She spun and knit this 100% alpaca sweater from that roving. Speedy as well as skilled! Way to go!

01/02/2025

It will be a month of finishing! Let's celebrate Mary's completed woven fabric. Fabulous job!

12/31/2024

Thank you to everyone for all the comments and kind words. We appreciate all of you.
The shop will continue regular hours through January as vendors pack up and move out. Most of the vendors will have their spaces emptied by mid January, so plan accordingly if you would like to make final purchases, gather contact information or just say 'so long'. Watch for sale information in separate posts.
Many have asked about a new space. AFW was a unicorn of sorts and it will be difficult to create another. So many pieces fell into place to create AFW. But there are plans to be at Shepherd's Harvest in the AFW booth and many vendors in their own booths. This page, our Ravelry page and website will all continue to exist for some time. We'll send a newsletter with any announcements. Social media channels may be quiet, but we'll try to monitor and respond to inquiries. So again, thank you.

Send a message to learn more

12/31/2024

As the shop closes, here is some good news! If you have always wanted to purchase one Kathryn's weavings, here is the opportunity!
SALE
All Kathryn Grafsgaard weavings at Anoka Fiber Works are 1/2 off the marked price until January 15th. Shop early for next Christmas, or just treat yourself.

Send a message to learn more

12/28/2024

To all our wonderful customers and friends, we are saying goodbye!

A letter from Mary
It is with a heavy heart that I have to inform you of the sad news that Anoka Fiber Works has lost its lease and will be closing. I was informed at the beginning of December by Ray, the owner, that he was selling his business and the building to another heating and cooling company. Ray said that the sale would not be finalized until sometime in January and that the new owner wants to keep everything as it currently is set up.
I met with the new owner Saturday, December 14, to discuss the situation. I asked to have at least a 2-3 month period before closing so that the vendors could remove their merchandise from the store. On December 19, the new owner said that the sale of the building was complete and that AFW will need to be out of the building by January 31st.
Mary

A letter from the vendors,
This is Teresa of Hollyhock Alpaca Creations. As one of the original vendors, and the person who has put the newsletter together since the beginning, I want to speak for the vendors of Anoka Fiber Works.
Anoka Fiber Works has been so much more to us vendors than a retail location. First, we are so grateful to Mary for holding down the AFW fort for many years. There are so many experiences that we will remember and that we will dearly miss as AFW comes to a close.
For vendors and non-vendors, this has been a great opportunity to have a location where we could teach classes. Because we didn’t have to rent a facility, we could keep our class fees low and share our love for fiber and making with more people.
Over the years, numerous groups have shared the AFW space – knitters, weavers, spinners, felters. Some only came a few times, some came regularly for years. This space became an extension of Mary’s home. All were welcomed. We shared some scary times, like steeking our first sweater! We shared the joy of learning a new technique and finishing a difficult project. And we shared the sorrows and happiness of our personal lives too. There was a always a chair to rest in and a cup of tea for comfort.
Some vendors remember the beginning of AFW. Some came and went, and some are new. But I think most will agree that having a space to show and sell our products has been a great benefit for each of our small businesses. A ‘metro’ location would be out of reach for most of us individually.
But the classes, groups, and retail space would not have worked if not for the fabulous customers. Especially the customers who have become friends. You, our dear newsletter readers, have supported the small businesses of AFW over the years, and we are all so grateful. We hope you will try to come to AFW in the first weeks of January. Give yourself a gift of fiber or yarn. Find some great unique gifts for others for occasions coming up. Take business cards from the vendors. Take pictures of the booths and stay in touch. Most of the vendors will continue to be makers and continue to have their small business. Again, we thank you. We appreciate you. We hope we will meet again.
Teresa, and the vendors of AFW

12/05/2024

WoolyWooly Creations has her shelves stocked for your Christmas shopping joy! Come and check it out.

12/02/2024

Wet Felting Class opportunity!

Date: Saturday, December 7, 11 - 4:30
Class fee: $45 + $22 for materials
Instructor: Linda Johnson-Morke
Call, comment here, or come in to sign up!

Would you like to make a pair of unique felted slippers custom fit to your feet in a day? It is possible. Learn to felt using a resist to make seamless 3D slippers. Options for soles will be discussed. Use special Karakul wool that felts fast and firm for a strong long lasting pair of slippers. Use the felt as a blank canvas for your imagination to run wild with decorating ideas that can happen both during and after the felting process. Base wool batts will be provided to ensure a firm felt slipper. Embellishing ideas will be available. Base Wool batting (natural black or grey) will be provided in materials fee, dyed wool and locks available for purchase. Low boots can be made for an extra $7.00 in materials fee.
Supplies List for wet felting:
Bubble wrap (small bubbles, not jumbo)
Tulle fabric (fine), or nylon mesh
Olive Oil soap
Towels
Non-skid mat (optional)
Rolling pin (optional)
Bamboo mats (Optional some will be provided)
Empty sq**rt bottle, OR ladle, OR turkey baster
Scissors
Plastic bag to take your slippers home in
Add-ins (optional) –locks, special colored wool, yarn, buttons silk noil, etc.

11/29/2024

We have another new vendor!! Come check out WoolyWooly Creations by Etoile. Are those pine cones not the greatest?
Tomorrow is Small Business Saturday. Enjoy some relaxing shopping while supporting the makers at Anoka Fiber Works.

11/27/2024

Holiday Schedule:
Open Wed, Nov 27, 4-8 PM
Closed Thurs and Fri, Nov 28 - 29
Open Sat, Nov 30, 10 - 5
Happy Thanksgiving!

11/20/2024

Here are some shots from the November 17 basket class taught by Ellie at AFW. AFW schedules basket classes with Ellie a couple times a year.