fiber artists by selling special-edition yarn, and each store will exhibit their own project using the yarn that customers can copy. This year’ s yarn was inspired by a painting entitled“ Iris Garden” by nationally-renowned artist Jim Gray, who is currently retired and living in Nashville. Hayes said she anticipates this year’ s special-edition yarn to be wildly popular because of its vivid blues and purples. The yarn crawl also entices participants with store discounts and prizes. For more information, visit < rovingindiana. com >.
Hayes said when she helped launch the annual yarn crawl in 2014, she had no idea what to expect. She was stunned by the line of customers that filled her shop and wound outside her door all day. That kind of success is proof, she said, that there is still demand for brick-andmortar yarn shops in the midst of an economy moving so heavily toward online sales.
Like many fiber artists, Columbus resident Susan Shaw said she prefers to buy yarn she can feel before purchasing.“ I’ ve ordered some online and been very disappointed with the purchase,” Shaw said. The avid knitter said she’ s thankful for the“ great selection,” knowledge, and friendliness she always knows she will find at the Clay Purl.
Hayes is honest that she didn’ t really know what to expect when she opened a yarn shop. Her mother was an avid crocheter, and Hayes learned to knit when she was 10. But her hands didn’ t pick up many needles again until a group of co-workers began knitting over their lunch hour about 15 years ago. She laughs that her first attempt at knitting socks resulted in a foot she’ d crafted inside-out.“ When I started talking to my husband about doing a shop in Nashville, honestly I didn’ t know what it would be,” Hayes said.“ When I started thinking about a yarn shop, there was just something about the colors and textures that I loved. And now, it’ s so much more fun than just going to work.”
Hayes said she never expected to thank the local community, rather than tourists, for the bulk of her sales. The store hosts a weekly knit night on Tuesdays, and Hayes said she’ s watched a family of artists emerge.“ We’ ve become the place where new knitters in town come to make friends. Where young girls, or knitters in their‘ 80s, can just come laugh and talk,” Hayes said.“ It’ s been wonderful to watch that become the true spirit of this place.”
For more information about the Clay Purl, visit < claypurl. com >, or stop and see them at 92 West Franklin Street. •
March / April 2019 • Our Brown County 23