07-03-2025
Highland Park to get new knitting, craft shop
Highland Park is welcoming a new knitting and fabric arts shop.
Why it matters: Nicole Nayima will open Black Sheep Craft Shop next month, aiming to create a community space that connects with the neighborhood's other shops.
Nayima started knitting to pass the time when her then-husband left Iowa for a medical fellowship in 2014.
As an introvert with extra time on her hands, she turned to YouTube tutorials and fiber blogs and found joy in creating something with her hands.
Over time, she branched into sewing, embroidery and mending.
"It really gets you into that flow state, and it closes down your brain for anything else," Nayima says.
Zoom in: The 900-square-foot space will stock high-quality yarns, as well as fiber art kits, embroidery supplies and crafting tools.
She wants to host workshops and collaborate with other Highland Park shops, like a crafting book club hosted with The Little Book.
She's also planning a kid-friendly craft corner for younger makers, including her daughter, Lucy.
The intrigue: Nayima is opening next door to her sister, Jamie Nicolino, who owns The Collective.
The big picture: The name Black Sheep is personal — it's both a nod to wool and to feeling like an outsider.
"I just feel like a little bit of a weirdo all the time and I think a lot of people feel that way, so I identified with it in that regard." Nayima says.
