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Arts & Entertainment

Yarns Unlimited Offers "Happy Hour" for Local Yarn Lovers.

Yarn, wine and more for knitter and crocheters.

“Happy Hour” probably brings to mind your local favorite bar or restaurant, but what about your favorite yarn shop?

That’s right, yarn shop.

hosts a Happy Hour for knitters and crocheters the first Friday evening of the month from 5 to 7 p.m.

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“”Everyone can just sit around, have a glass of wine and knit while enjoying each others company,” said Cathy Susko, store manager. Happy Hour is free to Yarns Unlimited customers.

According to Susko, Happy Hour is just one of the many events the local, privately owned yarn shop offers for customers.

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“We have several popular groups including one where a group of ladies have been coming to for years,” said Susko.

Yarns Unlimited has been located in Sewickley for over 25 years, approximately 20 in the current location at 435 Beaver Street. Susko said they have one of the largest selections of yarns and supplies in Western Pennsylvania. The shop is owned by Joan Straka.

One of the most popular get-togethers is the Guardian Angel Help Sessions held the first and third Thursday of each month from 6 to 8 p.m. and the favorite of the group that has attended for several years.

“You can bring in a project and get help from one of our teachers. It is also a great chance to visit and get ideas and tips from other knitters,” she said. Cost is $5 per evening.

Other groups include a Sweater Knit-Along, Crochet Along, Beginner’s Lessons and more. A complete list of classes and offerings are listed on the website.

Susko said they also do informational sessions such as a class she recently held for children at the Sewickley YMCA Day Camp.

“The children were a little young to learn how to knit so I explained to them where yarn comes from and showed them photos of sheep, alpacas and cotton buds,” she said.

When the children were leaving, one little girl asked how old you had to be to learn how to knit.

“She told me she was 10 so I told her she was the perfect age and gave her our card,” said Susko. Yarns Unlimited hosts a children’s camp every summer for children to learn how to knit. Dates for the camp will be announced shortly.

Susko has been knitting herself since she was eight. The former flight attendant said she “knit her way all around the country,” in her previous career, but now enjoys working at the shop and teaching.

“Joan, our owner, proudly states that she is a ‘yarn snob’ so we have many really beautiful and unusual yarns, but we also have others that are the everyday, very affordable types for things like baby blankets where you can just toss them in the washer,” she said.

Customers come from all over the Greater Pittsburgh area and they ship yarns to customers all over the world said Susko.

And forget the grandma stereo-types, knitters – and crocheters – are all ages.

“Ravelry, a social media site for knitters, has really attracted younger people to the art,” she said, “And we love seeing the younger people knit. That is who will keep the art alive.”

 

 

 

 

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