Several months ago I had the very rare and unexpected blessing of visiting an LYS – Downtown Knits in Apex, North Carolina.
The fuchsia pink door pops on the historical Salem Street, welcoming and enticing all who pass by. Once inside knitters and tea lovers alike are tempted with shelf after shelf of luscious yarn. If yarn and a welcoming social crafting area weren’t enough, an entire wall is devoted to locally made loose leaf tea, too. Granted, the majority of the stock was conventional, but there were a few eco offerings mixed in with the selection.
Though the eco fibers were limited, Michelle did do an excellent job of creating a knitting community. From the huge sofa and chairs, to beginner’s classes with seasoned instructors, Downtown Knits invites you to sit back, relax, and work you needles. Knitters & crocheters are equally at home. Additionally, Downtown Knits is involved in the community from the annual cat walk fashion show, where customers are invited to display their Downtown Knits creations, to this year’s yarn bombing of downtown Apex. There is always interesting and community-focused activities at Downtown Knits.
I picked up a few different yarns to sample including the Loom’s Fusilli-80, which became Savannah. Being new to the Loom yarns, I contacted the company to discover their eco practices:
“We do have eco-conscious practices. Silk farming in Thailand is naturally organic as the worm cannot tolerate chemicals. We purchase yarn directly from farmers giving them a market price without getting by a “middle man” hence better profit margin for them. We try to have a “zero waste” practice in our production partly due to the high cost of silk. The dyes we use, though not natural, are from internationally accepted producer.”
Long and short of it, the company gets a few pluses in the eco categories of limiting waste, fair trade practices, and using pesticide-free fiber. The yarn was pleasant to work with. Much like raw silk in the feel, with the cotton blend made it easy to craft. So easy in fact, I ended up designing a few different customization options into the pattern. Knit one for yourself and one for a friend. One skein is enough for both with leftovers.
So stop by Downtown Knits, get a skein of Fusilli-80 in your favorite color, and enjoy knitting Savannah. In just a few hours, your project will be ready to wear allowing a comfortable experience of wearing your knitwear in summer! If you are intrigued by the jewelry option, but have never tried jewelry before, I’ve got you covered. A you tube tutorial accompanies the design, just search “Savannah Jewelry Clasp Method How To” by Knit Eco Chic or click here.
For a pictorial view of inspiration behind Savannah, please see the Pinterest board, Savannah – Pictures that inspired the design. For a pictorial view of inspiration behind Savannah, please see the Pinterest board, Savannah – Pictures that inspired the design.