My Dream Yarn Shop

Since I fell in love with knitting I have dreamed off and on about owning my own yarn shop. This dream comes more into focus when I have bad days teaching and fades when my students, my lessons, and my classroom fall into a magical rhythm that reminds me why I am a teacher.

This week marks the beginning of spring break. I plan on knitting a lot. I have been looking forward to spring break for several weeks now and I am ready to slow down and clear the cobwebs with a little knitting. While I knit I sometimes listen to a book or watch TV, but I also like to listen to the birds outside my window and indulge in a little day dreaming. So here it is, a slightly fuzzy picture of what I imagine my own yarn shop would be like…

My shop would be light, bright, airy, and have plenty of room to walk around and really get to see all of the varieties of yarn I stocked. It would be clean and well organized by brand and yarn weight. My shop would have enough windows to allow plenty of natural light. Picture a long counter running from the front of the shop to the back of the shop with a register, swift, and winder on top and shelves underneath that had books and notions. There would also be a porch or patio with plenty of seating to sit and knit as well as a large table in the shop to knit with friends.

I would offer seasonally appropriate snacks like iced tea or lemonade in the summer with cookies or fresh fruit and hot chocolate or hot cider in the winter with cookies (do cookies ever go out of season?) I would also offer free learn to knit or crochet classes because what better way to grow a customer base than to create new fiber artists? Daily group knitting sessions are also a must. I would want knitters to really feel at home in my shop and like they can come and knit and find a friendly face anytime. I also have this crazy idea that I could offer kid/tweenage parties as there are plenty of crafty kids out there who might love coming to craft (finger knit, loom knit etc.) on their birthday. Regular classes to learn new skills is also a must.

Some of the wall space would be reserved for a “knit for hire” board as well as a brag board with pictures of finished masterpieces. Sample knits would change frequently to provide new sources of inspiration. Quarterly knit alongs would bring knitters together of all background and experience levels. I would have a punch card system where knitters got 10% back of what they spent after filling their punch cards.

Most importantly inside my shop people would feel valued and comfortable, willing to set aside any difference in the name of a commonality called knitting.