Pam Howard was influenced by fiber at an early age by her mother, a Home Economics teacher, who taught her to sew, knit, crochet and weave. In the mid-1980's, Pam bought her first floor loom and has focused on weaving and fiber arts ever since, including, at one time, having a spinner's flock of sheep. Pam has taught and presented weaving programs around the southeast. She is a former staff member of Shuttle, Spindle & Dyepot magazine. In 1999, Pam became the Resident Weaver at the John C. Campbell Folk School where she also teaches weaving. Pam is a member of the Handweavers’ Guild of America, Norwegian Textile Group, Complex Weavers, and the Southern Highland Craft Guild. She has also traveled to Denmark and studied Scandinavian weaving, culture and history.

Martha Owen began her adventure in spinning at the John C. Campbell Folk School in 1978. Since then, her extended family has included sheep and Angora rabbits. Also a banjo player, and known to tell a story or two, Martha’s interest in sheep and wool and music and dance, have carried her, quite literally and joyfully, around the world. Her children say she is a “wool nerd,” but her sheep say she is outstanding in her field! She is the Resident Artist in Knitting, Spinning, felting and Dyeing at the Folk School, and a member of the Southern Highland Craft Guild.

David Liden was affiliated with the John C. Campbell Folk School for years, first as Development Director and then as a board member and chairman. Now he just plays in the school’s dance band and takes occasional classes in fiddle and cooking. David has always dreamed of having his own bookstore, and it looks like Yarn Circle is as close as he will get. In addition to being business manager, his job is to explore used bookstores, looking for special additions to our selection of fiber books.

Ron Howard built his first forge in 1976, and soon began exhibiting and demonstrating ironwork at craft shows. Self-taught for the first few years, he has since studied with many excellent instructors at the John C. Campbell Folk School and has attended numerous conferences and workshops. He currently operates a blacksmith shop in Brasstown, NC, repairing European antiques and doing custom work. Ron has demonstrated at blacksmithing conferences around the southeast and teaches blacksmithing at the Folk School. Besides being a blacksmith, he’s a Design Engineer for the pulp and paper industry. Ron is a member of ABANA and the Southern Highland Craft Guild. He is the behind-the-scene partner at Yarn Circle, putting together the equipment and doing other useful mechanical things.

Woven wall hanging
by Pam Howard

Knitted vest
by Martha Owen

Family by David Liden
(and Martha Owen!)

Leaf candle holder
by Ron Howard