Crazy About Yarn

BY: LISA LEIGH CONNORS

“We are trying to appeal to the grandmothers as well as the younger, fashion-conscious customers,” says Mary Weishaar, who owns A Great Yarn in Chatham with her husband, Ron. To that end, the shop offers patterns that range from a mermaid “lapaghan”—typically knit by grandmothers as presents for granddaughters—to intricate and beautiful shawls. Inside the Main Street shop, browse an eclectic collection of new and used books, as well as a variety of yarn and supplies to fuel your most innovative knit creations. For instance, the shop recently started offering a yarn called “crazies,” supplied by a woman in Michigan who spins her own wool (“crazies” refers to what she has left over). Mary points to two hats made from the same skein of yarn, which have varied colors and stripes. “The crazies are like snowflakes; none of them are the same,” says Ron, who says customers are addicted to them. In addition to the “crazies,” the shop has another new offering: A yarn-of-the-month club. For $270 for six months, members receive a skein of yarn, a pattern, a picture of the image, and a tchotchke, such as a stitch holder. “Chatham is like a mosaic,” says Ron, “and there are all these tiles that together make Chatham.” Whether you’re a beginner, intermediate or advanced, A Great Yarn is a knitter’s paradise.