By Shelby Danley
New owner Adrienne Johnson in the shop
Warner Mountain Weavers has been a part of the beautiful Main Street in Cedarville, CA for over 20 years! In June of this year Adrienne Johnson purchased the property and the business from Bonnie Chase, who originally purchased the building to use as a work studio for herself back in 2002. Quickly, people took notice of what Bonnie was creating and it turned into the business and learning center the community knows today.
Adrienne started out as a customer in Warner Mountain Weavers about 12 years ago. Being a weaver herself, she bought yarn for her own craft and got to know Bonnie well over the years; eventually becoming an apprentice in the shop and even teaching open knitting classes in 2022. As she spent more time in the shop with Bonnie and became more involved, she fell in love. Bonnie’s hope was to pass the shop along to someone; after dedicating many years to what she loved, she was ready to retire. So Adrienne and her husband decided to purchase and take it over, and continue all of the amazing works the shop has to offer! The building itself is 150 years old, it was once a schoolhouse and the mason hall at one point as well. They are dedicated to upkeeping the building, and doing what needs to be done to keep it up and running.
“Emphasis for the store is keeping everything as local as we can”, Adrienne said, “like locally made garments. All the way down to the fiber used to make the garments, whenever possible”. The rugs made in the shop use churro yarn, which actually comes from the Newberg family in Alturas, CA. Almost all of the dyes are made from materials grown right on Warner Mountain Weavers property as well, or collected from local farms or ranches in the area.
Adrienne’s plan for the building’s second story is turning it into a dedicated learning space for the community. Warner Mountain Weavers has always had educational capability, hosting knitting classes for example, but this space will be dedicated to specific classes – for anyone! She strives to offer sewing classes (everything from quilting to more production methods), knitting, spinning yarn, weaving on the looms, even a dye center outside to teach people how to dye their yarn. “We’re hoping to be able to teach people how to go from the animal, to the product (rug, blanket, shirt, socks, etc)” Adrienne shared. Offering classes like these not only opens up the possibilities for locals to gain new skills they’ve never had, but also to bring more growth into our community. With Surprise Valley being a place to come and learn a wide range of traditional skills and arts. Classes like these will be offered for anyone who wants to learn! “There’s a common misconception that it’s pricey to learn, or that it’s only for the most skilled of people,” Adrienne said, “but it’s truly open to anyone who wants to come in and learn. There’s a power in learning how to make things with your own hands.”
There will be “beginner” classes offered for those just starting out, and also more “advanced” classes for those who’ve been practicing these skills for a time; with the potential of teachers coming in from all over to share their knowledge as well. Eventually Adrienne would like to add classes for younger kids in the community. However, this has to be done thoughtfully for what would benefit the kids, and also be a safe space for them with the large equipment and tools.
Ultimately, the goal is to continue opening up Warner Mountain Weavers as a community space. “One thing we have here that’s growing by the day is a collection of technical books about weaving, knitting, etc” Adrienne shared, and anyone can stop by to check out the “library” for ideas, or read about a new skill they’ve never tried! An apprenticeship opportunity is also something that she would like to offer in the future, opening this up to community members or students, to come and not only learn these skills first-hand, but also teach them how to run a business in a rural setting such as this one.
After only being open for limited hours the past few years, the shop is open and running 5 days a week! September 4th through September 8th Warner Mountain Weavers will be hosting their 24th Annual “Wool Gathering”, where they’ll be holding weaving, spinning and dying classes in the shop! You can find more information about this event online. “Learning these skills doesn’t have to be complicated or difficult,” Adrienne says, “and it’s a great way to make connections with others in the community. It truly is a space for everyone”.
