DECEMBER 2016
Yarn Soup
DECEMBER 2016
A Feast of Fiber
by Mindy Dalgarn
Bright and colorful , warm and inviting , well organized and welcoming , Yarn Soup beckons even those with no needlework experience . Gorgeous yarn from around the world is neatly stacked on shelves , lovely knitted and crocheted garments are on display throughout the shop , and whimsical characters like sheep and bears rest comfortably in the front window .
One is easily drawn into the attractive shop at 1005 Main St . in downtown Dubuque . Nestled among restaurants , coffee shops , a bookstore , and a quilt shop , it ’ s easy to see how one could spend an entire afternoon on the block . “ There ’ s a nice synergy between us ,” said Sara Freund , owner of Yarn Soup .
With family in Dubuque , Sara returned to her roots and opened Yarn Soup in October of 2011 destined for success . A graduate of the University of St . Thomas in St . Paul , MN , her goal was to create a space where knitters and crocheters could gather , encourage , and learn from one another . “ I wanted to open a shop where I could share this love of yarn and knitting while helping to nurture the kind of camaraderie that is so inherent in needle crafts ,” Sara explained .
Yarn Soup provides hands-on , practical knitting and crochet instruction as well as yarns , pattern books , needles , notions , and hooks . Sara explained that beginning classes include an explanation of the tools , instruction in casting on , the knit stitch , the purl stitch , and binding off . She encourages beginners to use straight wooden needles as they have a little more grip than metal needles designed for speed . The Craft Yarn Council recommends size nine needles and a medium weight yarn , labeled # 4 . “ Wool yarn ,” Sara reports , “ has some of the best properties to work with – memory , flexibility , it breathes , and is very forgiving .”
Not surprisingly , practice makes perfect . According to Sara , “ The two greatest
Julien ’ s Journal ❖ 21