Hickry Ridge Homestead

02/04/2026

We’re bringing all your favorite items back, and some new ones! This year we’ll have 3d printed earrings, dragons, dinosaurs, and other fidgets!

The 2026 Spring Sip & Shop is almost here! You won't want to miss out on this extraordinary event with 34 unique artisans & small businesses, delicious local wine, tasty food, music, fiber art & sewing demos, chair massages, and more! Design your own fedora, cowboy, baseball, or trucker hat, make a charm bracelet, or a custom bracelet with baubles & beads. All ages are welcome & FREE admission!

01/23/2026

We’re excited to see everyone!

01/11/2026

We’re working hard to bring you the best products that we can! Although our “new hire” Squonk is struggling to figure out some of the patterns, she’s doing her best!

11/12/2025

Progression photos showing each stage in taking fiber and spining it into yarn.

It’s a laborious process, but it’s so rewarding to see the color and textures come to life and work together to create something beautiful! Yarn by itself is its own work of art, and it’s so cool that it can be taken and used to create a whole new piece of artwork.

This yarn (and many others) will be available at the Fall Sip&Shop at Lake Hill Winery in Carthage IL on November 22nd. This will be my last event for the year, so be sure to come out and see all the incredible vendors while you sip on some locally produced wine!

10/21/2025

Even when the power goes out, we keep working!

Like so many people before me, I’ve spent many nights working by oil lamp and candle light. Sometimes spinning, sometimes crocheting. It’s such a calming space with just the warm glow of the lamp and the smell of the gently burning oil.

While I do hope the power comes on soon, I’m still taking this moment to exist in this quiet space as I engage in the ancient art that helped to build humanity.

10/11/2025

Can’t wait!

The Fall Western Illinois Fiber Festival is going to be great this year! See you Sat., Oct. 25th at the McDonough County 4-H Center in Macomb, IL from 10am-4pm - don't miss out!

10/04/2025

Some cool demonstrations going on in Ellisville IL today! Jessica Bull carded some alpaca fiber from Little Creek Alpacas with some dyed sheep wool, and is now spinning into some absolutely beautiful yarn!

Come out today and tomorrow, and next Saturday and Sunday to see this and many more demonstrations! Enjoy seeing art, knitting, spinning (all done by local artists), while enjoying food and shopping with the vendors!

10/04/2025

Teddy is excited to meet everyone this weekend in Ellisville IL! Come see him and all the fun art in the historic post office, and maybe grab some ham&beans and apple dumplings in the Opera House.

09/25/2025

Just in time for Spooky Season! Coming in all the way from upstate New York, we have 3 new hand knit pumpkins and a beautiful spooky ghost hat from The Understory Artisan. Milo Cameron used our very own handspun wool (fiber by: The Birds Nest Knit & More) to make it all, so every bit of these projects is handmade by a small business/artist from the hand-dyed fiber to the final knit pieces!
We at Hickry Ridge Homesteadad do our best to support small/locally owned businesses whenever possible. Artwork like this is what can happen when several creators come together, and it makes each piece that much more special!

These will be available, along with many other handmade goods, at our booth at Little Creek Alpacas this Sunday, September 28th from 1-5pm. We hope to see you there!

09/24/2025

New dragons are on the way! You’ll be able to find these guys and more at Little Creek Alpacas on Sunday, September 28th! Come out from 1-5pm for National Alpaca Days and shop small business vendors, get your face painted by Pirate Ellie, pet Fluff the angora rabbit, and meet the alpacas that produce all the lovely fiber!

08/31/2025

Squonk and I are hard at work creating and testing cat toys to make sure every one is built just right for your fur baby!

Come find me in the merchant building at the Friendship Festival in Canton IL, September 10th-13th. This year we’re bringing 3D printed items to our shop as well as our usual assortment of handmade plushies, cat toys, and more!

08/11/2025

Today I got a couple sweaters from goodwill. My plan is to take them apart and combine the material to make a new skein of beautiful grey and burgundy yarn. While I’ll either offer for sale or use to make something even better.

Creating art is how we connect with our own humanity. How we connect with each other and the world around us. Even something as small and impermanent as weaving with some grass and flowers is a beautiful symbol of human creativity.

Crafting is resistance ✌🏻