Knitch Magazine

In this issue, we’re delighted to present Karin Strom, editor of the industry trade magazine, Yarn Market News. We love to speak to the people, like Karin, who work behind-the-scenes because they give us terrific insights into the industry and its many joys and challenges.

Knitch: You’re the editor of the North American knitting industry’s only trade magazine. Can you tell us about the publication?

Karin: Actually, Yarn Market News is in its second incarnation. The original magazine was first published in 1978 by Kate Matthews and Rob Pulleyn who also founded FiberArts magazine and Lark Publishing. The first issue was basically a newsletter for yarn shop owners and it grew into a well-respected trade magazine. Later the editor was Jeane Hutchins who is now the editor of Piecework. The title was purchased by Butterick and later by Soho Publishing, who published it until 1989.

The title “Yarn Market News” was retained by Soho Publishing Co who decided to revive it during the yarn boom of a few years ago. They felt, correctly, that there was a real need for a trade publication for this industry. So there was a hiatus from 1989 to 2005. The first edition of the current version of YMN was the May 2005. I’ve been involved since that first issue.

The main audience is Local Yarn Shop owners (aka LYSOs). The mission is to disseminate pertinent information to shop owners and others in the industry. There is so much information out there. You can Google just about anything and come up with endless resources. It’s our job to filter all of that out and decide what can help, entertain or inform yarn industry folks. The magazine has been so well received and it has been gratifying to be involved with YMN from the ground floor. I’m particularly excited about the YMN Smart Business Conference – it’s like YMN live, we have a lot of fabulous speakers and presentations planned and a yarn shop crawl. It’s been really successful and we are holding the third one in March in Seattle.

Knitch: As Editor of a magazine about the knitting industry, your job sounds like a dream job to many knitters. Is it as glamorous as they think?

Karin: While it’s not exactly glamorous, my job has many really great aspects. For me, one of the main ones being that I often get to go to some of the wonderful yarn shops around the country. I’ve always had a secret retail fantasy – a dream of having my own shop. I’m not sure I’m cut out to be a retailer, so being a vicarious retailer is perfect for me! I always make a point of making an incognito visit to an LYS wherever I happen to be and almost always wind up chatting with the owner or an employee. I drag my husband into shops wherever we are. We were recently in California and made a little field trip to Santa Rosa to visit Cast Away, a lovely store that happens to be conveniently located in wine country. I get some of the best article ideas from those visits.

I’ve also had the good fortune to visit a few yarn mills – Bergere de France, Lopi in Iceland, Dale of Norway, to name a few. It is really fascinating to see the whole process from fiber to skein and it gives me a deeper understanding of the industry.

One of my favorite aspects of putting the magazine together is doing the covers. From the very first issue, the idea has been to use yarn in an unusual way – not knit or crocheted. It’s a fun challenge to keep coming up with creative ways to utilize yarn beautifully in a double entendre visual pun. The all time customer favorite is the spaghetti and meatballs cover. I love the beautiful red apples on the October 2009 issue.

Knitch: What can you tell us about shop owners?

Karin: I’ve found shop owners to be a most interesting and diverse group. Many of them come to retailing from other industries and bring a range strengths and skills with them. And most of them are pretty realistic about what goes into having a successful shop. It’s a lot of hard work, especially in this economy. The concept that to be a yarn shop owner you just have to be passionate about knitting no longer holds true. You’re not only competing with other yarn shops and the Internet, you are competing for shopper’s precious dollars.

I think there was a time when having a yarn shop could be a hobby but these days it takes more than deep pockets to be a successful LYSO!

Knitch: What are the most frequent issues you hear about from shop owners?

Karin: Interestingly, I’ve recently heard about a lot of shops experiencing theft. I’m not sure if it’s directly related to the economy but I would venture a guess that it is. Sadly, it often turns out to be someone who frequents the shop and not a random stopper-by. It can make for a very awkward confrontation.

The other big issues facing small businesses are cash flow and inventory management. It’s fairly easy to make a shop look pretty, have fabulous yarns and great samples and fun events but the nuts and bolts business issues are where a lot of stores run into problem.

The other big challenge, I think (for all of us), is time management and how to balance the demands of being a retailer in a tough economic climate with the demands of your personal life. No matter how much you love being in your shop, it’s essential to step away and get a different perspective from time to time.

Knitch: What distinguishes a good yarn shop from a not-so-good one?

Karin: I’m a very visual person, so I’m always attracted to shops that have consistent visual branding, or a recognizable “look.” Yarn is so much about color and texture – my favorite shops provide a feast for the eyes. And a lot of it is the personality of the owner (and the employees) - are they friendly? Are they helpful? There’s nothing worse than going into a store and being completely ignored or, even worse, the shopkeeper is on the phone chatting away about their personal life.

In addition I believe that shops with a feeling of community tend to thrive -- whether it’s a sit and knit format or more structured classes, it seems to have a snowball effect. Using social media like Facebook, Ravelry, a shop blog can really build on this. You can’t just sit in your shop knitting and hope people will walk in the door.

Knitch: Your magazine has lots of articles about the importance of customer service. What should a knitter expect from his or her yarn shop?

Karin: Like I said, the one thing that makes me crazy is when I hear that someone was treated rudely or ignored in a yarn shop. I feel that anyone who owns or works in a yarn shop should be a people person as well as passionate and knowledgeable about knitting, crochet, fiber and yarn. And if you aren’t a people person, at least make sure your employees are!

That being said, everyone should have boundaries. I’ve been in a number of shops when a “needy” customer was demanding too much attention and taking away from other customers and that can be a real turn-off. It’s a delicate balance because you don’t want to be rude or scare potential customers away but I think it’s important to let people know where you draw the line.

I guess what I’m saying is: Go into a yarn shop expecting courtesy, someone who is thoroughly familiar with the products and good technical knowledge and so on, but don’t expect extreme handholding.

Knitch: We love the clever names some of the shops come up with. What are the best ones you’ve seen?

Karin: Have you ever heard the Dave von Ronk song called “Garden State Stomp”? The whole song is just names of New Jersey towns:

“Allamuchy Hacklebarney, Rockaway, Piscataway. HoHoKus , Secaucus, Lower Squankum, Fair Play. Wanamassa , Succasunna, Manumuskin, Plumbsock” That’s the first two verses.

Being a Jersey girl, I’m particularly fond of it and I always thought it would be fun to do a “Yarn Shop Stomp” -- “Knitty City, Waste Knot, Cast Away, Unwound, Spinster, String Theory, Ball and Skein, Twisted, Knitch, Loopy, Gone Stitchin’” You get the idea. I’m not sure if anybody is using it, but I think “Cable Company” would be a cute LYS name.

Knitch: When did you learn to knit? Who taught you?

Karin: I know it’s the standard answer, but my grandmother really did teach me to crochet and later to knit. Her craftiness skipped a generation – my mother didn’t knit, sew or crochet but she was quite a talented painter. So you could say I come by the artsy-crafty gene honestly.

Like a lot of people I learned to knit and crochet as a young ‘un but didn’t really pursue it until later when I got involved with a group of really talented crocheters in the 1970s. We all made really wild freeform garments and sold them in boutiques and galleries. I also learned to spin and do natural dyeing and weave at that time and even demonstrated spinning and weaving in a restored colonial village dressed in period costume (and even had my picture in the NY Times!)

Knitch: Can you tell us how you first became involved in the knitting industry?

Karin: I was using a lot of Tahki Donegal Tweed for some sweaters I was knitting and selling and I got to know Diane Friedman. One thing led to another and I got a part time job, later full time, at Tahki (at the time called Tahki Imports). I learned so much about the industry working there – sourcing yarns, publishing patterns, working with the yarn shops. I worked in the industry for a number of years and took my own hiatus for a while but always seem to gravitate back to yarn!

Knitch: What are your favorite yarns and patterns?

Karin: Hmm, that’s a hard one. I feel that, in my position, I have to retain a certain neutrality and be an equal opportunity knitter. But I must confess a secret obsession with Jade Sapphire Cashmere.

Knitch: Do you find time in your busy schedule to work on projects?

Karin: I’ve been doing mostly what I call TV knitting – projects that are not too challenging but give me a sense of accomplishment. I recently went to the Rowan 30^th anniversary exhibit, though, and it did make me feel like sinking my teeth into some serious colorwork.

Knitch: After working so closely with yarn manufacturers and shop owners, are you now inspired to someday own a shop, or are you happy to remain in journalism?

Karin: You’d think I would have been cured of it by now but as I mentioned earlier, I have had the “shop fantasy” for a long time but I think it’s more that I just like shops than that I have a realistic goal of sometime having a yarn shop. Although I do own a very charming carriage house that would make a terrific little shop…