068: Creating a Community Through Colour with A Yarn Story

Send us Fan MailToday Felicia welcomes another yarn shop owner to the show: Carmen Schmidt. Carmen is the owner of A Yarn Story,  a knitting shop in Bath, England. She’s also begun a new venture called Walcot Yarns, with the goal of producing luxurious yarns and fabulous patterns for knitters and crocheters alike. A Yarn Story opened almost 3 years ago in 2014 and has become a destination shop for knitters and yarn lovers. Please join us this week as Felicia and Carmen discuss creating a knitting community through colour! In this episode, we talk about: 1:38 The ladies chat about how they first met when Felicia was teaching at Unwind Brighton in the UK. Carmen also chats about how she started A Yarn Story. 5:00 Why is the shop called A Yarn Story? 6:28 Carmen shares some of her favourite “yarn stories” from customers 8:45 Felicia asks Carmen what her vision for A Yarn Story was when she first decided to open a yarn store and how she tries to foster a knitting community through her shop 11:14 How Carmen chooses which colours of yarn to stock in the limited space in her store and what colour trends Carmen has been observing lately 16:00 Felicia asks Carmen about the rise of popularity of knitting in Europe 17:52 Felicia asks Carmen how she made A Yarn Story the successful yarn store it is today in a tough economy 20:30 Carmen talks about her latest venture: producing her own line of yarns called Walcot Yarns 25:52 Felicia asks Carmen why she feels driven to start a yarn company now when so many new yarn companies are being created and there is so much competition 29:07 What is next for Walcot Yarns? 31:05 Discussing planning (or lack thereof!) 32:32 What is currently capturing Carmen’s imagination and attention knitting-wise 36:40 How you can find A Yarn Store and Walcot Yarns online 37:42 Felicia’s final notes and podcast giveaway! Links and Things Here’s where to find A Yarn Story and Walcot Yarns online: Website: www.ayarnstory.co.uk Instagram: www.instagram.com/ayarnstory/ Twitter:www.twitter.com/ayarnstory Website: www.walcotyarns.com Instagram: www.instagram.com/walcotyarns/ Twitter: www.twitter.com/walcotyarns