MEET THE KNIT UNTO OTHERS FAMILY!
Claire GEHrkiClaire is the owner and driving force behind Knit Unto Others (or as everyone calls her, "The Enabler." Claire and her husband moved to Arkadelphia in 1984 and are proud to call it home. Before opening Knit Unto Others, Claire taught English at Henderson State University. Claire's philosophy is not about running a business, it's about providing a place where people can sit and talk and learn together in a caring and friendly atmosphere.
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Sabrina MecumSabrina is Claire's official minion (she has the hat to prove it). She came to Arkadelphia to go to college, met her now husband at Henderson State University and just stayed. Sabrina was convinced she could never learn to knit. Happily, it is now one of her favorite pastimes. If Claire isn't around, Sabrina usually is.
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About Knit Unto Others
Playing with yarn every day. . . .
When I first thought about starting this business, I could knit a scarf. I could knit a plain scarf, one with many dropped stitches. During my childhood, someone—mother, grandmother, baby-sitter—had taught me the most basic stitches. Occasionally, as fashion commanded, I made a stylish scarf. For a school project, my then third-grade daughter and I knitted black yarn and unraveled it to create curly rag-doll hair. But I was not a habitual knitter, nor did I speak “yarn.”
One day, on a whim or by divine nudge, my family wandered into a yarn store. There a grandmother, a teen, and a child sat together around a table, laughing and learning from each other as they knitted hats for patients at Arkansas Children’s Hospital. The vibrant colors made me smile, and I had not yet begun to touch the merino wool or the cashmere! I learned a new phrase: fair trade. Artisans from developing countries had been paid fairly and treated well as they spun and dyed some of the yarn sold by the shop—lovely yarn from places like South Africa and Uruguay. I had an epiphany! Someone could play with beautiful fibers, socialize with friends across generations, create charitable projects for others, and support international artisans! Wow! Arkadelphia must have a place like this!
At home I bubbled with the information—as limited as it was. Friends became weary with my bubbling! So, quit talking and make it happen, they told me. Where does one buy yarn? How does one open a business in Arkansas? And how can I open a yarn shop when I know so little about knitting, nothing about crochet, and less about various fibers? The internet became my friend, and in August, 2007, we opened the doors to Knit Unto Others. I have become more skilled at this craft, and now almost daily my friend Sabrina and I teach children and grandmothers how to play with yarn. Drop by to see us, and we will share with you a few of the many things we have learned—as well as some of the fun we have at the yarn shop.
When I first thought about starting this business, I could knit a scarf. I could knit a plain scarf, one with many dropped stitches. During my childhood, someone—mother, grandmother, baby-sitter—had taught me the most basic stitches. Occasionally, as fashion commanded, I made a stylish scarf. For a school project, my then third-grade daughter and I knitted black yarn and unraveled it to create curly rag-doll hair. But I was not a habitual knitter, nor did I speak “yarn.”
One day, on a whim or by divine nudge, my family wandered into a yarn store. There a grandmother, a teen, and a child sat together around a table, laughing and learning from each other as they knitted hats for patients at Arkansas Children’s Hospital. The vibrant colors made me smile, and I had not yet begun to touch the merino wool or the cashmere! I learned a new phrase: fair trade. Artisans from developing countries had been paid fairly and treated well as they spun and dyed some of the yarn sold by the shop—lovely yarn from places like South Africa and Uruguay. I had an epiphany! Someone could play with beautiful fibers, socialize with friends across generations, create charitable projects for others, and support international artisans! Wow! Arkadelphia must have a place like this!
At home I bubbled with the information—as limited as it was. Friends became weary with my bubbling! So, quit talking and make it happen, they told me. Where does one buy yarn? How does one open a business in Arkansas? And how can I open a yarn shop when I know so little about knitting, nothing about crochet, and less about various fibers? The internet became my friend, and in August, 2007, we opened the doors to Knit Unto Others. I have become more skilled at this craft, and now almost daily my friend Sabrina and I teach children and grandmothers how to play with yarn. Drop by to see us, and we will share with you a few of the many things we have learned—as well as some of the fun we have at the yarn shop.
Contact Information |
HOurs of Operation
Sunday - Monday: Closed
Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday: 10 AM - 5 PM
Thursday: 10 AM - 5 PM; 6:30 - 8 PM
Saturday: 9 AM - 3 PM
Parties and other special events can be scheduled for different times.
Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday: 10 AM - 5 PM
Thursday: 10 AM - 5 PM; 6:30 - 8 PM
Saturday: 9 AM - 3 PM
Parties and other special events can be scheduled for different times.