A productive knitter from the beginning, Alice’s first project when her grandmother taught her to knit was a sweater for her dog, knit without a pattern.  That experience gave Alice the desire to learn to read patterns and quickly!  Much like food, Alice finds there’s not a fiber, technique, or designer, that she doesn’t like in some form or other.  Alice’s favorite thing about teaching is the look of pride on her students’ faces when they realize they created something beautiful and useful.  

Alice claims to have hundreds of different projects in process.  She is curious about the construction of different items, and when that curiosity is satisfied she tends to move onto a new challenge leaving a partially completed project alone.  When not fiber crafting, Alice loves to eat a wide variety of foods (but wanted to be clear that does NOT mean she likes to cook!).  When asked about what fiber Alice would be, she says linen, because she is a little stiff when you first meet her, but softens up the more she interacts with you.

Diane’s love of crafting started with her crafty mom, who was her Girl Scout troop leader and always leading some kind of craft for the girls.  Di’s first project was a scarf, but she also has a blanket made a few decades back in bright purple edged in bright orange.  She laid her needles down after that, but picked them up again four years ago and asked her mother to re-teach her.  Sadly her mother hadn’t knit in many years, so Diane went to a local store to take a class where she reconnected with an old friend.  

At the same time, Di’s sister was fighting a battle with cancer and Di wanted to get her sister busy and doing something.  After two visits watching Di knit, her sister finally asked Di to teach her.  Knitting was a special gift they ended up sharing in their last precious years together.  Di was THRILLED when Pam opened up yarn-love and had a great, warm, and inviting experience from her very first visit.  She’s made lots of amazing friends through her knitting and the shop.

Photo coming soon!

Elaine’s first experience with fiber crafting was learning the chain stitch from her grandmother, and, unfortunately, because of the distance between them that was ALL she learned from her grandmother.  Later, when Elaine went to work in Philadelphia, one of the girls she worked with taught her to knit – argyle socks with a turned heel of all things!  Elaine prefers soft, natural fibers and crafting for babies.  There are not many things Elaine doesn’t knit, but don’t count her among the dish cloth knitters out there.  

Elaine loves to knit, and share her skill with others through teaching.  She takes great satisfaction in seeing when people have picked up a technique she’s teaching and how they use that technique in other projects.  In addition to fiber crafting, Elaine once owned a quilt shop, and she remains involved with a group of quilters who donate their projects to charity.  When asked what fiber she would be, Elaine couldn’t pick just one, but she did say she would be something hand dyed in many colors.

Jeanene’s knitting days began in February 2001.  A friend of hers received a gift certificate to learn to knit, and was so enthused she wanted to teach Jeanene the very next day.  Those of you who have taken one of her classes know that Jeanene LOVES to knit socks; she loves the small needles and small yarn, and credits that love with her days of crocheting doilies. Jeanene is very passionate about her knitting, and seeing that passion in the eyes of her students is one of the best things about teaching for Jeanene.  

In her non-fiber crafting time, Jeanene enjoys swimming, riding bikes, watching movies, and spending quality time with her friends and family.  Her proudest accomplishment to date is raising three wonderful children.  When asked what fiber she would be, Jeanene picked wool – because sometimes is soft and sometimes its scratchy, much like her.  Specifically she’d be Noro because the bold, bright colors are very much her style.

Photo coming soon!

Judi began fiber crafting in the 4^th grade, when an aunt she used to spend lots of time with taught her to crochet.  Her first project was a mat, made out of a heavy rug yarn, for home economics class, and she was thrilled to earn an A!  Her early experience with crochet translated into being a combination continental knitter when Judi picked up her knitting needles in 2001.  Judi loves most fibers, but is particularly enamored with wool and alpaca these days.  She prefers gorgeous solid colored yarns that she can make unique using various stitch patterns.  Judi describes her crafting style like her cooking style, following the recipe “for the most part.”  

Judi enjoys passing along all the tips and tricks she has learned over many years of fiber crafting and loves seeing the “light bulb” go off over her students’ heads during class, which she considers the ultimate thrill.  Judi is a new grandmother, and is currently enjoying crafting items for her growing granddaughter, including Julia’s christening gown. She enjoys having a variety of projects on the needles or hook at any given time, so she can match her crafting to her concentration level.  In the time when Judi is not fiber crafting she enjoys gardening, cooking, and most importantly, spending time with her family (including the fur babies).  When asked what kind of fiber she would be, Judi chose a mink/cashmere blend, because its natural, soft, and luxurious, but comes from animals that can be feisty and hot-headed.

Kristin picked up knitting from her grandmother in the 3rd grade.  Unfortunately, neither of them had the patience to indulge Kristin’s curiosity.  In college a professor decided to teach Kristin and some friends how to make felted bags out of recycled sweaters.  When the experiment did not prove successful, the professor taught the girls to knit.  Kristin knitted like mad for a semester and then tucked the needles away until 2006.  Since returning to her needles, she has been known to spend hours out of her day knitting, ripping, swatching, and experimenting.

Kristin’s initials are KNTR, so it is a joke amongst her family that she was destined to become a knitter.  Her favorite fibers include wool and alpaca.  Favorite yarns include Dream In Color, Kreamer Tatamy Tweed, and different bamboo varieties for a nice shine.  Kristin prefers simple classic patterns that she can adjust to insert her own design elements.  One of Kristin’s favorite ways of using knitting is to provide comfort, especially to women who have miscarried or struggle with infertility.  Through her own miscarriages, knitting gave Kristin an outlet to remember her children.  By knitting for others, she desires to give them a tangible symbol for their memories and hopes.

Lois’s mother put the knitting needles into her hands at a very young age. Despite her mother’s fabulous knitting skills, Lois didn’t learn as much as she might have while at her mother’s side.  Lois says “youth makes you fearless” and was quite an adventurous knitter in her earlier years.  After a hiatus, Lois got interested in fibers again through spinning, which then brought her back to knitting.  

Lois loves yarn-love because of the combination of all the fabulous fibers and helping people.  She has heard that a true knitter has at least three unfinished projects on the needles at the same time, and therefore claims to be an EXPERT.  All fibers share a special place in Lois’s heart, as each fiber has a perfect project.

Pam launched yarn·love as a way to knit together her two passions – knitting and lifelong learning.  Although Pam’s grandmother taught her to knit when she was a young girl, it took Pam almost 35 years to pick up the needles again when she (finally) attended a learn-to-knit class with friends. Shortly after this class, Pam connected with an amazingly supportive group of knitters and hasn’t stopped knitting since. Pam considers herself to be the “Queen of Small Projects” since she isn’t always the most patient person and is always trying to hurry up and have one more new sample in the shop. 

Now onto the second passion – lifelong learning.  Prior to yarn·love, Pam’s career centered on organizational development and instructional design. She brings this focus on learning and creating a supportive culture to yarn·love by offering a robust calendar of classes taught by amazingly talented women and by creating a place for knitters and crocheters to connect with and support each other.   Pam considers herself to be fortunate to have such an amazing husband, family and friends (including many who sadly aren’t knitters or crocheters!) and knows that yarn·love wouldn’t be as special as it is without each of them.

Roxanne learned to knit and crochet in a high school class and they have seen her through college, marriage, two careers and the raising of two sons. She has knit, crocheted, and felted gloves, sweaters, shawls, socks, and more. She enjoys challenging projects, especially stranded knitting, and prefers natural fibers. 

Roxanne enjoys teaching others to spread the craft and sharing her passion for the endless creative possibilities made available by today's hand-dyed colors and exciting textures. She is a hands-on person who also enjoys creative cooking and her contentious side is fueled by inline hockey.

Ruth learned to knit from a friend 43 years ago, six weeks before her third son was born.  Her first project was a navy pea ribbed hat; the second project was a baby blanket.  Ruth has great admiration for two inspiring knitters, Kaffe Fassett and Elizabeth Zimmerman.  She prefers knitting with wool or wool blend fibers.  Much like with gardening, Ruth’s favorite thing about teaching others is planting knitting seeds and seeing what blooms.  She enjoys creating new patterns and/or altering patterns for vests, sweaters, and hats for children and adults.  Because one project seems to propel another, she believes “the more the merrier” when it comes to her projects in process.  

When not knitting Ruth enjoys gardening, and has been known to do some oil painting and flower arranging.  She also enjoys spending time with her husband of 48 years and her five children.  When asked what fiber she would be, Ruth chose wool, because it is warm and soft and wears forever like a true friend.

Shelley learned how to knit at a very young age from her grandmother.  After making some items for her Barbies she quickly forgot the skill. Years later, while living in California, she got the urge to pick up knitting again and asked her mom to teach her.  It’s been non-stop knitting ever since, leaving a great deal of scrap booking and cross stitch supplies sadly neglected!  Socks were Shelley’s obsession for quite some time, but after learning she can spend the same amount of time knitting a sweater as a pair of socks, she now enjoys making sweaters almost as much as socks.  In the last year Shelley has added both crochet and spinning to her fiber crafting skills, though knitting remains her first love.  

Shelley's favorite yarn is ANYTHING from Dream In Color, and was thrilled when Pam shared the plans to start carrying it.  If only she hadn’t MOVED away before it came into stock!  Yes, for those of you who don’t know her, Shelley is our long distance yarn-love team member.  Though often seen in the shop in the year it first opened, she moved away in August 2008.  Since then, Shelley helps out with editing yarn-love notes, writing articles for yarn-love newsletters, and helping moderate the yarn-love group on Ravelry.  Shelley’s favorite thing about knitting is the sense of community one finds, and credits the craft with making so many wonderful friends.