First, let me apologize. It seems the last time I posted here was in June of 2023. What a slacker I am.

That being said, it is time for another shop birthday, and I will try to do better by this blog. I write a newsletter every week which you can subscribe to through our Facebook page … thoughts of more portent (in a purely positive way) seem to find their way here.

Folks often ask me, “why did you open a yarn shop in Kingston Springs?” (well, you grow where you’re planted). 

(Everything in italics I’ve written previously in one form or another … just so you know!)

“Actually, I really never thought of owning a yarn shop. I’ve been knitting, sewing, crocheting, rug hooking, quilting … alway (or at least since I was about 8…I’m 64 now). When my husband had heart surgery (with complications) in 2008, knitting was my sole comfort. I would duck into Haus of Yarn for a quick yarn fix (thank you, Shayron & Erin & Carolyn), then sit & knit in his ICU and hope for him to wake up, knowing that when he did and I was knitting, he would know that all was good. Four months of ICU & rehab makes for a lot of knitting, folks, but it was good therapy for both of us. It worked for that time.

In late February & early March of 2010, we took an extended work/vacation to Northern California. Sam attended an ALI/ABA seminar in San Francisco, and then we spent three weeks on the Mendocino Coast … basically healing. I spent so many pleasant hours (and dollars) in The Mendocino Yarn Shop and truthfully never wanted to leave. That shop gave me the inspiration for my shop; the courage came driving back to SF in blinding fog on Highway 1 when I screamed out, “if we ever get home I’m having a ####ing yarn shop”.  And Sam said, “OK, babe… just get us off this G##d####M##### f###### road alive.” (He was a word man – all expletives were deleted to protect your sensibilities; you get my point).“

Really … that was truly just about all the conversation we had. Mostly. OK, there were a few money things that came up. It’s all good. Mostly.

So … we had a ‘soft official opening’ (is that even a thing) on June 12, 2010. (Our first yarn sale was actually May 18, 2010 … yep, I looked that up!). This little shop looked like a dang Cracker Barrel with all the apple baskets, and Mom & I worked so hard to get it looking that way … before I learned that the expense of shelving & fixtures was money well spent. We never did have a Grand Opening … and we’ve done just fine!

The first stocking orders arrived on Friday, April 30, 2010. The shop wasn’t in place, no insurance, just boxes & boxes of yarn. I remember it was raining that afternoon. Then the rains continued with a vengeance. It rained, and rained, and rained. Homes were washed off their foundations, businesses flooded. Middle Tennessee was hit with one of the worst floods in over 100 years. All the roads were closed to the shop, power & phone gone, internet was intermittent. My thoughts during those days were rather dark, to say the least. I was certain that this was the universe’s rather harsh way of telling me this was a really bad idea. Plus I had no insurance (did I mention that?), so it would just be a major cash loss & I’d be back on the job market. Oh the joy.

When the bridge to Main Street was finally okayed for pedestrians, I cried as I walked from City Park to the railroad tracks, knowing everything would be ruined … that there would be bags & bags of Cascade 220 (read as: thousands & thousands of $$$) floating in 3 feet of water. Amazingly, there was the front porch all sweet & dry, virtually untouched. I cried the rest of the way to the shop. Not even the candles were disturbed. And then I sat down on the floor of the shop-to-be & cried some more.

And the rest, as they say, is history.

Several years ago we were offered an ‘opportunity’ by a yarn shop in our old neighborhood wishing to sell their location. We rolled that around for a bit & decided to pass, we’re just snug as bugs here in Kingston Springs. I had absolutely no interest in running two shops, and I just love this remarkable community.

Sam passed away in February of 2014, and my solace was my shop. Many nights I would drive down to the shop in the middle night, have a glass of wine, knit & watch I Love Lucy episodes on DVD (thank you, Seanna) just for the comfort. And frankly, it was better than watching infomercials at home and thinking … “Hey, let’s buy that!”

More dark days came in late 2019 with the beginnings of the COVID-19 pandemic. Masks & hand sanitizers just weren’t cutting it. So we elected to follow our local school system … close for 3 weeks & hope it goes away.

Nope.

During the interim, I ran the shop from my kitchen table. Social media ad nauseum, packing & shipping, sleepless nights of wondering if I should just close the shop. But y’all stepped up, and the shop didn’t miss a beat.

When I reopened 6 weeks later, I had ‘ladies’ slamming the door (my door) in my face when I limited the number of customers in the shop. Some refused to wear masks, and I refused to let them in the shop. Children were not allowed. The harder I fought, the stronger the shop became, and we now (without an online store) have regular customers from all across this country. That was some tough sledding, but it also made me tougher. And smarter. And kinder. And more diplomatic. (Some days I missed working from my kitchen table.)

My goal was to have an inclusive, welcoming yarn shop that gave as much comfort as I had received. Hopefully I have done that. It has surely been a solace for me, and hopefully to you.

Just keep sharing the love. I hear so many stories of yarn shops being snobbish, rude, overpriced … and that is just (mostly) wrong. There is a lot of love and comfort in a local yarn shop. I have always found solace from simply making fiber things … from clothes to sheets to quilts to blankets and afghans to socks and sweaters … we just need to keep passing this on as best we can. My granddaughter put it very succinctly ~ “Nana, you’re just not happy unless you’re making something.” I do love that child.

So here’s to 14 years and still counting ~ one owner, one shop, one amazing community. Join me in raising a glass to Ewe & Company!