Gear Up, My Friend
“I knew that if I allowed fear to overtake me, my journey was doomed. Fear, to a great extent, is born of a story we tell ourselves, and I chose to tell myself a different story from the one women are told. I decided I was safe. I was strong. I was brave.”
Dear One,
I think you and I are in for a bit of a wild ride. Actually, I think most businesses and consumers are in for a wild ride. As significant tariffs kick in, we will begin to see the extent of their effect.
You might imagine that the issues for a small, steady, carefully-curated yarn shop would be minor. And I understand why you might think that. We carry almost nothing made in China (just one fabulous brand of knitting needles and a few notions), we focus on local and natural and hand-dyed, and we have long-standing relationships with almost all of our yarn sources.
However---and this is huge for us---very little wool originates from the United States. Much of ours comes from Peru or Uruguay--both wonderful places for sheep to live. Even when the dyer is local and the mill (where the yarn is spun) is US-based, the fiber often comes from South America or Australia or the UK.
We are proud to carry a few yarns made from US wool, but we are mostly as globally sourced as possible. We have gorgeous Noro yarns from Japan, exquisite Fibre Company yarns from the UK, lovely Wool Dreamers yarns from Spain, elegant Isager yarns from Denmark, and charming Biches & Buches yarns from France...just to name a few.
Don't even get me started on cotton and mohair!
Now that I have you all worked up, let me assure you that I rant not to cause anxiety, but to get us both thinking about what may come next.
Rest assured that we (and all of your other favorite small businesses) are here for you. We've survived a global pandemic and we will ride through the unknown territory of wonky tariffs and probable trade wars.
But we need something from you as we do this work: we need you to be flexible and open-hearted. Because while we will stock the widest variety we can affordably get our sticky, little yarn-loving hands on, we may not have your favorite yarn in the exact shade you're dreaming of. So your assignment is to be flexible. And creative. And playful. We know you're good at all of these things because we've seen the amazing things you make.
And, if you're willing to apply that same zest for the new and interesting to your project purchases, we will meet you where you are and encourage and support your efforts wherever we can.
On the flip side, if you know you will need specific yarns from specific makers in specific colors...do not wait to get them. Most especially, if you love the amazing needles made by our friends at Chiaogoo...order them as quickly as you can type. We understand that there is sometimes no acceptable substitute.
Even if your favorite yarn or your favorite tools become scarce, please PLEASE don't give up on the work you love. Because not only do tend to yourself when you knit and crochet and weave and spin---and self-care is extra important in uncertain times---you also inspire and connect with others in your community. And those connections are more valuable than you know.
Be true to who you are and what feeds your amazing spirit...and we will be the best resource we can be.
Warmly,
Gaby
On a cheerier note, Local Yarn Shop Day is just a couple of weeks away--April 26! Mark your calendar and plan an adventure with friends!
