This is a hard post for me to write, but sometimes we have to do things we don’t want to do… thus is my lot right now.
I have made the difficult decision to close Unwind Yarn Company after 14 years in business. This has to be one of the hardest things I’ve ever faced, but after lots of soul searching and crunching numbers, there is no other outcome I can envision.
I started Unwind in 2006, and in the intervening years I’ve had opportunities and experiences that I know I would never have had otherwise. I’ve traveled to fiber shows, vended next to pillars of our knitting community, taken classes with the greats, and collaborated with amazing designers and other talented indies. I’ve made some of the best friends in my adult life, and have been supported by those same friends during seasons of darkness and heartbreak.
I have taken a long, hard look at the numbers, and at my own physical failings due to chronic illness, and I have realized that since my maternity leave in 2015 my business (and my health) has been on a downhill slide. It is no longer an easy prospect for me to dye yarn in 100 degree heat for hours at a time; not only do I pay for it for days with no energy and pain, but I’m also taking time away from my family, which is growing increasingly rare as my daughter grows up and my husband’s work life becomes busier. Also, taking a maternity leave of almost 10 months due to a high-risk pregnancy and complicated delivery meant I was not posting or producing during that time… time during which a large portion of my customer base moved on to other dyers. The one thing I have come to realize about this community is that there will always be new talent coming up… and sometimes it just becomes crystal clear that it is time for the old guard to step back and allow the new talent to shine. It has been my ultimate pleasure to dye yarn for my customers for 14 years, and I will miss the thrill of watching new colorways come to life in my studio.
So what does this mean going forward? I will be closing the Unwind retail shop Monday 9/14/20, in preparation to take my remaining shop stock with me to Into The Wool Fiber Retreat. Upon my return, I will not be restocking the shop, so if you like anything that is currently listed in my shop, it would be best to get it now since it will not be replaced or redyed. I am already approved to vend at Smoky Mountain Fiber Arts Festival in Townsend TN next April, and will have my remaining yarn available in my booth there. I will continue to dye yarn for the Into The Wool goodie bag every year, and I also intend to continue my wholesale relationships with Needlepoint Junction, The Yarn Patch, and Arkansas Yarn Co (if they’ll have me). I’m not intending to do any custom orders this fall, either… so I’m sorry if you’ve mentioned it to me before and we didn’t get it done.
Thank you so much for your support for the last 14 years. I plan to continue making cups under the (related) Unwind Originals name, and I will still be active on social media too. Blessings on you all, and stay safe out there.
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