Warm Valley Orchard

Warm Valley Orchard is a full circle fiber studio using wool from sheep on our farm to create practical and luxurious textile works. We shear, clean, card, spin, dye and weave in a warm and inviting studio space that is open for guests and has finished works and yarns for sale, as well as produce from our orchard and gardens. We also combine alpaca, cotton and silk fibers in our woven work and yarns, and many of the yarns are the natural colors straight from the animals. We host knitting circles and welcome community textile makers to join in our activities.   Close to the ferry, you'll see our signs at our entry on the main road leading you down the lane to our homestad farm. Seasonal fruit, produce and lamb sausage are available at our farm stand. Stop by and enjoy a taste of our homestead lifestyle.  Maria and Bob Nutt   About Maria Nutt. I was born and raised in New York State where I learned to knit when I was about 6. I never imagined that I would have a textile studio and farm.I have a B.S in Geology from SUNY Cortland and a M.S. in Earth Science from Northern Arizona University. Bob and I met at Cal State Long Beach where I got my science teaching certificate.  We married and moved to Orcas the summer of 1990. We planted the two acre orchard and broke ground for the garden that Fall. Soon sheep were added and an industry was born.   I brought back memories of knitting and then learned how to spin, dye and weave. As a science teacher I enjoyed helping students believe in themselves and to discover the fun in learning. I became an EMT in 1997 because givning back to the community is an important to me. Warm Valley Orchard has developed over the last 30+ years.   Raising sheep is still fun. Lambing season is a sure sign of spring that both locals and visitors look forward to. The studio is both my work and retail space. The yarns and textiles are all made in small batches which helps keep the fun factor high. The looms and spinning wheel are usually full of the current project so I can share the process with visitors. Yarns range in color from natural to hand dyed. Textiles are made from natural fibers such as: wool, silk, alpaca and cotton.