Latest news with #crafting
CTV News
3 days ago
- Business
- CTV News
Spinrite closing Listowel store
Teal yarn and a red crochet hook are seen in this undated stock image. (Castorly Stock/ Local crafters may have to shop online or look elsewhere for yarn as a staple of the Listowel community announced it is closing its doors. In a social media post on Tuesday, the Municipality of North Perth responded to news the Spinrite Manufacturing Facility and Retail Store is closing. 'For over 73 years, Spinrite has been an integral part of our community's identity. Spinrite is a valued corporation, a major employer, and a destination for many through its annual yarn sale. This news is shocking, and we recognize the significant impact this will have on individuals, families and the broader community,' the post read. According to the company's website, Spinrite was founded in Listowel in 1952 by David Hay. Their products are sold in many stores, including Walmart, Amazon and Micheals. Their annual yarn sale also hooked avid knitters and crafters, as well as drawing people to the area. This year's event was held online only, with a social media post from the company stating the decision was made due to safety issues at a new location for the popular sale. More than 100 employees affected According to the municipality's post, approximately 140 employees will soon be out of work. 'We have appreciation that some of the administrative, marketing and sales roles will remain in North Perth. I am saddened to learn that the store will also close, though on a timeline different than the factory closure,' Mayor Todd Kasenberg said in the post. The municipality, he added, will be 'assertive' in supporting the affected employees. CTV News has reached out to Spinrite.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Lament for the IRL Craft Shop
On a trip to my local Joann craft-supply store recently, I felt a cheap thrill. An extremely cheap thrill. Huge signs posted on the front doors read STORE CLOSING and ENTIRE STORE 30%–70% OFF. One screamed NOTHING HELD BACK, which struck me as both desperate and alluring. I walked in and wandered up and down the picked-over aisles, skimming my fingers across the flannels, fleeces, silks, and satins. Buckets of yarn beckoned. I was even tempted to add a bathrobe, one of those items that places like Joann inexplicably stock alongside craft supplies, to my cart. And soon, in true Millennial fashion, I was lost in nostalgic reverie. When I was 10 or 11, I started a summer 'business' selling friendship bracelets to kids at the local swimming pool, the crafting equivalent of running a neighborhood lemonade stand. That diversion blossomed into a lifetime love of hand-making all sorts of things: blankets, clothes, bags, and many, many hot-glued monstrosities. Since then, I've spent countless hours in craft-supply stores of all kinds, including Joann, which this weekend was expected to finish closing all of its nearly 800 stores, after twice filing for bankruptcy. Joann's shutdown may sound trivial, or even inevitable—the chain is just the latest in a parade of stores that have marched to the graveyard of big-box brands. But many people in creative circles are worried about having fewer places to stock up. Over the past several decades, the expansion of chains such as Joann effectively snuffed out numerous mom-and-pop craft shops, and now many cities and towns may be left without easy, in-person access to a dedicated craft-supply store. This isn't the end of crafting, obviously. People still have Hobby Lobby and Michaels. Even Walmart and Target sell craft supplies, though hard-core crafters will point out, rightly, that those chains don't come close to offering the selection of fabric and other materials that Joann did. Smaller specialty shops exist, but their products tend to be more expensive. And yes, items can be ordered online, but that's always a gamble: Crafting is an intensely tactile experience, and when you can't see or touch supplies before buying them, the reality frequently fails to meet expectations. But the death of a reliable institution such as Joann isn't just about the demise of a business. Its closing creates ever more distance between materials and makers. Plenty of people aspire to indulge their creative side, yet some struggle mightily to find the space and time amid the pressures of day-to-day life. Joann, affordable and accessible, made all of that easier. Take it away, and people might not even try. [Read: Getting through a pandemic with old-fashioned crafts] Joann's disappearance also has, perhaps, an unintended consequence: the loss of yet another outlet for building customs and community, at a time when society could benefit from having more of both. Although crafting is frequently a solitary pursuit, even a kind of invisible labor, it can be a way to form deep, personal connections with other people. I've bonded with a friend at sewing class and spent a weekend with another making Christmas ornaments by covering plastic dinosaurs in Elmer's glue and dipping them in glitter. (Very fun, very messy.) Crafting is also, for many, a matter of family tradition. I learned to crochet from my mother, who was taught by her mother. When I crochet a blanket, I'm participating in, and perpetuating, a loving legacy. And the end result is something I can hold on to for years or even generations. One of my most treasured possessions is a pink, blue, and white afghan blanket my mother crocheted for me when I spent a winter in Chicago. Crafting isn't necessarily a frivolous pursuit (though it can be). Indeed, it occupies a storied place in America's cultural and political history. During the Revolutionary War era, the 'homespun' movement saw women spinning their own yarn as American colonists boycotted British imports. (One of the country's most famous creation myths—that Betsy Ross sewed George Washington's sketch of the first American flag—is of course a story of craft.) Sewing circles have long been a gathering space for political conversation, activism, and agitation. In 1846, Frederick Douglass wrote a thoughtful letter to an antislavery sewing circle in Massachusetts, most likely after its members had reached out to him regarding their interest in abolitionist movements. 'Craftivism' has also led to significant public displays. During the AIDS crisis of the 1980s, thousands of people contributed panels to the AIDS Memorial Quilt, an homage to people who had died from the disease. In 2017, people knitted and wore pink 'pussy hats' at the Women's March on Washington. [Read: The forgotten everyday origins of 'craft'] For the talented and deeply dedicated, crafting can morph into a sustainable livelihood or be elevated to fine art. But it is also, quite simply, fulfilling. I don't know how many hours I've filled reading patterns and sewing (and tearing out) stitches. I've crafted so many handmade gifts: some truly beautiful, such as a cream-colored fisherman's afghan I loved so much, I was sad to give it away; and others, such as an uneven, lumpy quilt I sewed in my early 20s, that were cute at best. Ultimately, losing a store like Joann means losing two of crafting's most necessary elements: inspiration and serendipity. Feeling the weight of a particular yarn, seeing the subtlety of certain colors in certain lights, spotting a finished product on a shelf—these tangible interactions are what move many crafters to experiment with something new. This rich display of possibility is part of what makes crafting feel worthwhile. Which is why, as I tried many different projects over the years, to varying levels of success, I never felt bad about giving a new medium a go. It's also why, on my recent—and most likely last—trip to Joann, as I walked toward the checkout with several skeins of discounted yarn, I stopped and picked up a beginner's cross-stitching kit. Maybe now I'll finally master it. Article originally published at The Atlantic
CBC
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- CBC
Shear Bliss: O'Brien Farm showcases knitting cycle from sheep to socks
Taking sheep's wool and turning it into something you can wear is an age-old practice, but Heritage N.L. and the Sheep Producers Association of N.L. are introducing the process to a new generation. O'Brien Farm in St. John's was bustling with excitement on May 17, as families gathered to watch demonstrations of sheep shearing, spinning yarn, and crafting items, at their Sheep to Socks event. Terra Barrett, the Intangible Cultural Heritage Program Planner at Heritage N.L., said Newfoundland and Labrador has a long history of keeping sheep — but on a smaller scale. "Traditionally families would have kept sheep for their own purposes, so for things like meat, but also for things like spinning," said Barrett. Barrett added these skills aren't practiced as much anymore. "So it'll be great to see them in action," she said. "It's a great way to showcase those traditional skills in a modern setting." Barrett says she was really surprised by the big turnout last year. "It was just amazing to see like all of the kids there see the sheep first hand … but then like walking around and kind of understanding more of the process," she said. 'Handspun yarn just feels magical' Emily Denief was a wool-spinning demonstrator at the event. She showed people how to take the raw wool – straight off the sheep's back — and spin it into wool on a large walking wheel. Denief says she has been knitting for a long time, but didn't always spin her own wool. "It came to the point where I wanted to start making more custom yarns to fit the projects that I wanted," she said. She said she started with dying her own yarn, and then started spinning it right from scratch. "That just made me love knitting so much more, honestly, because knitting with the handspun yarn just feels magical," said Denief. But she adds it's not easy to prepare wool for spinning. "I'm often asked if this is cheaper to make my own yarn. The answer is absolutely not," she said. "But it's so much more rewarding." Denief says not a lot of wool in N.L. gets converted into yarn because there is no mill in the province. Most people that she knows who work with local wool do it by hand. She said the rest ends up as waste, so she also recommends using raw sheep's wool in your garden as mulch. She says it retains moisture well and can work like a slow release fertilizer. But at the end of the day, knitting an item you can wear is her favourite thing to do with wool. "It's thick and thin, like it's rustic. There's bits that are not perfectly even and that just makes it feel like it's alive," she said.
Yahoo
18-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Maine fabric, crafts shops fill the void left after retailer Joann's bankruptcy
May 18—When Jinger Howell first started her apron business, Yo Momma's Apron Strings, she'd head to Joann to wander the fabric aisles, her eyes drawn to appealing colors and patterns. As her business grew, she started buying more of her fabric online, but still relied on Joann for thread and other supplies. That will no longer be an option after this month, when all Joann stores go out of business, including the five locations in Maine. "They covered a lot of bases for people who like to do things with their hands," said Howell, who lives in Bowdoin. "The impact is huge for a lot of people." In Maine, there's no shortage of alternative options for quilters, knitters and other crafters who want to shop in person and avoid large chain retailers. Dozens of locally-owned shops across the state specialize in yarn, fabric and other supplies people need for their projects. Some Marden's stores also feature large fabric sections. The local shops, owned by people passionate about sewing or knitting, foster community in a way that larger retailers can't do. They host classes, knitting groups and opportunities for people to get together to chat while they work. Their employees are experts who can answer questions, guide shoppers to the right materials, and talk about projects. "It's really about the community. You get to know people working in the shops. They're always there to help you or just ooh and ahh over the colors with you," said Jennifer Fleck, co-owner of KnitWit, a yarn shop in Portland. After Joann, previously known as Jo-Ann Fabrics, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in February, it announced that all 800 stores would close by the end of May. That includes locations in Portland, Topsham, Auburn, Waterville and Bangor. Joann had been a mainstay in the fabric and craft world for eight decades, but struggled more recently as it faced competition from online sellers and other large crafts retailers like Michaels and Hobby Lobby. Fans of the store say its lower prices on fabric made sewing more accessible to people who were just starting or didn't want to spend a lot for higher-end cottons that quilt shops often stock. And Joann's selection of apparel fabrics, minky fabric, felt and fleece fit the bill for people making costumes and blankets. Joann also stocked the basics for knitting, crocheting, embroidery and jewelry making. During the pandemic, it saw a boost of sales among people embracing a DIY lifestyle or picking up new hobbies to pass the time. "There's a pretty big subculture of crafters and knitters who make Maine their home," Fleck said. Maine has the highest rate of adults who do some kind of fiber art — weaving, crocheting, quilting, needlepoint, knitting or sewing, at 25%, according to a study published last year by the National Endowment for the Arts. "In the winter, there's not a lot to do. You can sit at home and knit," said Rosemary Libby, owner of Rosemary's Gifts and Yarn in Windham. NEW CUSTOMERS Angela Streeter, owner of The Craftin' Scot, has been shopping at Joann for more than 25 years, most often in Topsham. She often bought multiple bolts of fabric at a time to make the potholders, lap quilts, burp cloths and other items she sells locally and through her website. "Over the years, I used to go in on big sale days and come out with a cart full," she said. She got to know employees at the Topsham store who would give her a heads-up when the items she shopped for would be going on sale. As her business grew, Streeter started turning to a wholesaler to buy materials in bulk. She also started buying fabric through an online retailer that prints it to order. Since the Joann bankruptcy was announced, she has found sources for the other items she needs. But she said she'll miss being able to pop into Joann. "We've lost that spontaneity of being able to go in and shop," she said. Rosemary's Gifts and Yarn boasts that it carries the largest selection of yarn in Maine and, like many local yarn and fabric shops, Libby, the owner, already has a strong customer base. Since Joann filed for bankruptcy, Libby has seen more new customers looking for supplies and has added some items that people told her they previously bought at Joann, including notions for knitters and safety eyes for crochet animals. "I'm trying to be conscious of what they need," she said. At Past + Future Craft Exchange in Westbrook, owner Jo Bell said she is starting to carry more new merchandise "to fill in the gaps of what people would buy at Joanne, like interfacing and thread." The store, based on a creative reuse center model, largely sells supplies donated by people who no longer need them. "Our products are, for the most part, a lot cheaper than you find elsewhere," Bell said. "(Customers) think it's so cool what they can find. It's the joy of discovery — you never know what you're going to find in the shop." Vicki Pariyar, who opened Knots & Bolts Creating Co. in Sanford last June, hopes people used to shopping at Joann will find their way into local shops like hers, where they will find quilting fabric, yarn and supplies for crochet and embroidery. Pariyar has noticed more people asking for fabric for clothing and has been expanding her inventory. She's also adding the zippers and threads that customers tell her they had been buying from Joann. BUILDING COMMUNITY Fleck, owner of KnitWit, said people who haven't shopped yet in local yarn and fabric stores will find most carry higher-quality products and local options that aren't sold at chain retailers. Her shop sells a lot of yarn from local companies and dyers, which she said people tend to prefer once they switch from acrylic yarn. "I hope to see more people," Fleck said. "It's a logical next step for knitters." Quilters, knitters and other crafters will also find community at local shops that host classes and groups where people can gather to work on projects. At Yardgoods Center, a Waterville yarn and fabric shop that's been in business for more than 75 years, knitters gather twice a week to knit together for hours. In Portland, KnitWit offers classes for all skill levels and a Thursday knit night where people work together at the shop, then move to a brewery for more knitting and socializing. Pariyar, who has always loved creating in community, is trying to offer more classes at her Sanford shop to build a community within her community. She said she encourages people to sign up for classes at their local shops to connect with other people and to support small independent businesses. "You build community in that class and your stores will be able to stay open," she said. Copy the Story Link
