After much reflection, we've made the decision to close Quill & Quiver Fiber after our final in-person show on January 18. This message is both an announcement and a moment of gratitude, as we reflect on how this work began and what it has meant to us.
Quill & Quiver Fiber began in 2021 as a collaboration rooted in friendship, curiosity, and a shared love of history, craft, and color. Christy and I met more than twenty years ago while studying historic preservation, and over the years our conversations kept circling back to fiber crafts, the stories held in materials, and the people who keep traditional skills alive. We joked about starting a yarn company so Christy could explore color more deeply and Gretchen could write about craft traditions (and feather her yarn stash). Five years later, here we are…and what an incredible journey it has been. As we prepare to close this chapter, we want to reflect on that time and thank you for supporting us along the way.
We started Quill & Quiver during the depths of the pandemic as an experiment and a creative project. We wanted to create yarns that were not only beautiful, but that also carried story, intention, and connection to the craft traditions that inspire us. Drawing on our backgrounds in historic preservation, we designed small-batch colorways rooted in historical references and thoughtfully sourced materials, with the hope that each skein might become part of someone else’s creative story. From Christy’s historic barn studio in the Champlain Valley of Vermont to my home studio in the Sierra Foothills of Northern California, Quill & Quiver has always been a cross-country collaboration. Every seasonal shop update, story collection, and carefully packed order reflected the care we brought to this work—and our gratitude for the community of makers who welcomed these yarns into their hands and homes.
Over the life of Quill & Quiver Fiber, we created eleven Story Collections, a signature palette spanning a full rainbow of colors and neutrals, 45 named colorways, and hundreds of first draft skeins. We were honored to collaborate with designers on pattern partnerships that brought these yarns to life, and to gather in person with our community at events. Each collection, collaboration, and conversation added another layer to the story we were telling together.
After many honest conversations, we’ve made this decision with care and intention. Christy will be vending one final time at Farm Fiber Day in Wayland, Massachusetts on January 18. After that, we will be shutting down the web store and stepping away from in-person events. This wasn’t an easy choice, and it comes after careful consideration of where we each are—both personally and professionally. Over time, we’ve found ourselves being pulled in different directions, with new commitments and creative paths asking for our time and attention. While our shared love of fiber, story, and craft remains, it feels right to bring this chapter to a thoughtful close.
We are deeply grateful to everyone who has supported Quill & Quiver Fiber along the way. To our customers: thank you for inspiring us with your projects and for trusting our yarns to be part of your handmade creations. It has meant more to us than we can express to see our story collections and colorways become part of your projects and heirlooms. We’re also thankful for the many collaborators who helped shape this work, from the family-run mills who supply our bases to the yarn shops, makers, designers, and fellow fiber folks who offered encouragement, insight, and collaboration. Your support made this work possible, and we carry that gratitude with us as we close this chapter.
With appreciation,
Gretchen Boyce & Christy Lombardo
If you want to follow along on our next creative endeavors you can follow us at:
Gretchen: Craftfolk Collective Craft School
Christy: The Oxford Company
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