Sewickley Yarns instills a creative vibe for the knit and crochet community

From the boldest reds, oranges and yellows to vibrant shades of greens, pinks and purples and some pastels and neutrals, too, the shelves at Sewickley Yarns are filled.

For those who knit or crochet, pretty much whatever they can envision, the Beaver Street shop has the supplies they’ll need to create it.

“It’s like a box of crayons,” said owner Robin Kifer, of Bell Acres. “We have yarn for everything. And we have a vast inventory.”

The skeins of yarns come in all colors and textures. A skein is a quantity of yarn that is spun from the original material and then wound and packaged for sale. The store sells yarn made of linen, wool, cotton and other plant-based materials.

Sample items in the store show what yarn can be transformed into – a shawl, sweater, baby blanket or a pair of comfortable socks, as well as hats, scarves and mittens.

Yarns are available in varying weights and thickness and sold by yardage and weight.

Sewickley Yarns has been a part of Sewickley retail for decades. Kifer purchased the business nine years ago. She carries 15-20 different companies’ merchandise such as Koigu, Baah, Feederbrook Farms, Yarn Rehab, Juniper Moon, Fibre Company, Malbrigo, Berroco, Manos, Noro and Rowan.

Kifer is continually updating the choices inside the store, which is divided into sections such as sweater, baby, sock and chunky.

“It is easy to get overwhelmed when you see all this yarn,” Kifer said. “We help you narrow your choices and we share our knowledge and experience.”

Kifer brings decades of experience to the business. Her sister Anne Eden-Wentz, of Aleppo, and Jennifer Nastasi, of Edgeworth, are salespeople. Dawne Lawton of Valencia is the store manager.

Kifer was inspired to knit by her third-grade teacher in Annapolis, Md.

“Miss Doepp asked if any of us wanted to learn to knit,” said Kifer. “I love being creative and it means a lot to me to help customers because this is something I am passionate about.”

Being able to interact with customers is one of the best parts of working at Sewickley Yarns, said Nastasi, who learned to knit from her grandmother and made clothes for her Barbie Dolls as a little girl.

“I love working here,” Nastasi said. “I learn new things every day from our customers in the crafting community.”

The shop offers a beginner class every Saturday at 10:30 a.m. for those who want to learn the basics. Cost is $10 plus the purchase of yarn to make a cowl.

Knitting uses needles, which come in various lengths and diameters made of metal, wood, bamboo or plastic. Crocheting uses a single crochet hook that varies in size, Kifer said. Sewickley Yarns sells these tools, including items to complement the craft such as patterns and buttons.

Knitting and crocheting use the same type of yarn, but crocheting uses more yarn than knitting as a general rule for the same type of project, Kifer said.

The shop offers yarns that aren’t easily accessible online because they aren’t sold directly to the public.

“You can come in here and see all the colors and feel the yarns,” Kifer said. “And we can help you choose what is best for what you want to make and how much you will need. We also have ideas we can share with you. Once we hook a customer they come back.”

Sewickley Yarns hosts a Happy Hour every first Friday of the month from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. It is one of several shops in Western Pennsylvania that participates in the Steel Valley Yarn Crawl, where people get a passport and receive a stamp and ticket for a drawing at each shop they visit. This year’s event runs Aug. 1-10.

Sewickley Yarns is located at 435 Beaver St., Sewickley. Hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.

Details: 412-741-8894 or sewickleyyarns.com