Rosemary Heideman

In 1988, at an age when most women plan for retirement, Rosemary Heideman went into business for herself.  On Dec. 7 she opened The Rose Tree Fiber Shop in a tiny Main Street storefront in Ames, Iowa, where she featured supplies, books and inspiration for weavers and spinners as well as knitters, basket makers and other fiber arts.  Rose Tree has moved twice – to a space on Douglas Avenue in downtown Ames, and finally to its current location at 2814 West St., near the Iowa State University campus.  In 2008 Rosemary is celebrating her 80th birthday and Rose Tree’s 20th anniversary.  Both are still going strong.

Visitors to the shop benefit from Rosemary’s lifetime of experience as a knitter, spinner, weaver, dyer and fiber artist.  She teaches classes in knitting, spinning, and weaving, designs new patterns and deciphers those too complicated for others to make sense of.  Her knowledge of fact and technique is vast, and there are few fiber-related problems Rosemary can’t solve.

Diane Corson

Diane has been fascinated with fibers since she learned to knit at age 10.  She designs patterns for Rose Tree, preferring small projects like socks and bags, and teaches classes in knitting, felting and dyeing.  Diane occasionally helps out behind the counter at the shop, where she enjoys the opportunity to read all the new books that have come in. She likes working with unique and exotic fibers and blends, but her favorite yarn to knit with is still wool.  Her work is currently featured in galleries in Iowa and South Dakota.   

Michelle Eppert

Michelle, pre-knitting, must have been a soulless, empty vessel because the artistry of stitch, pattern, color, contrast, texture, fiber and fit have opened my eyes to a whole new world.  I'm a self-taught knitter with a relentless curiosity (an ISTJ on the Briggs-Meyers Personality Type Indicator for those who care).  When I'm not knitting, reading about knitting, or dreaming about knitting, I teach knitting classes here at the Rose Tree Fiber Shop in Ames and at the Work Space in the Memorial Union at Iowa State University.  So far, this has been a healthy outlet for my compulsion.   

My favorite yarns are Brown Sheep Lamb’s Pride (any color) and Aslan Trends Invernal.  The Invernal is made of 50% angora rabbit fur and, since I live with two bunnies of my own, I’m used to being covered in rabbit fur. 

If you want to know more about me, my moderately insane family, my circling-the-drain career, preferred genre in books and music, or latest camping exploits, you can find me at the Rose Tree Fiber Shop most Saturdays.  You can also find me on Ravelry at:  mmeppert.

Fran Antonovitz

Fran is the editor of the Rose Tree Fiber Shop newsletter and book guru. Not only does she know which book is where in the shop she can also remember where specific patterns can be located. As a relatively newbie knitter, she has taken many of the classes offered by the Rose Tree. So if you are looking for advice about classes or yarns and notions to use in a class you are enrolled in, she is the go to person.

Some of her favorite things about working in the shop are meeting the people who come in, talking about projects and last but not least pricing the yarn...so she can see everything that comes into the shop!