Michelle Gregory loves yarn
and knitting so much she
launched her own business to
spread the word and woolly
goodness far and wide. The
Loveliest Yarn Company
started up in 2016, selling
yarns from hand-dyers,
patterns from Michelle’s
favourite designers and
“can’t-live-without knitting
accessories”. In 2019 Michelle
added her own range of hand-
dyed yarns, Banshee Yarns, to
complete the offer.
She says: “The Loveliest
Yarn Company has always
been about stocking products
I love and in the past year or so
about helping people get more
from their knitting. The more
people I meet in the knitting
community, the more sure I am
that knitting is such a positive
thing for so many people,
but that sometimes people
struggle with their confidence
or just not knowing where to
go next, and I’d love to help
people with that. I get so much
from knitting and I want other
people to get that too.
“Banshee Yarns is focused
on repeatable colourways that
look great in garments and
other knits. It’s also my way of
linking my business with home,
as I’m Irish and dyeing colours
that reminds me of home lets
me share a little Irish diaspora
as well as lovely yarns.
“The next exciting thing
for Banshee Yarns is adding
a yak and silk DK yarn to
the collection. The plan is to
launch at Wonderwool Wales
at the end of April, with someNominate your favourite yarn shop and win a copy
of Vogue Knitting: The Ultimate Quick Reference
by the Editors of Vogue Knitting Magazine,
published by Sixth & Spring, if it is featured – simply
email [email protected] with
the shop’s details and a brief note on why you love it.READERS TURN TO KNITTING TO COMBAT
THROWAWAY FASHION
yarns available on the site
beforehand.”
Michelle, who blogs about
her knitting, designing and
dyeing experiences on her
website, is working on a Knit
School, which she hopes to
launch in September. “It’s still
in the planning and behind-
the-scenes stage, but it’s very
exciting,” she says.
As she mainly operates
online, social media and email
are a big part of how Michelle
stays in touch and reaches out
to customers. “I also attend up
to 15 yarn shows a year because
I love to meet people face to
face and I think squishing yarn
is therapy in itself!
“Online, I focus on my
Facebook Group – TLYC
Knit and Natter – as it’s such
a great way for everyone to
share their projects and ask
questions. Both businesses
also have mailing lists where
I trade you a freebie for your
email address to see if we can
get along.
“I also have a blog where I
share all sorts, including my
recent adventures in writing
my first sweater pattern, and I
hope people find that useful!”
When Michelle gets an
order she always tries to
get it out the same day, and
loves getting feedback from
happy customers who have
received their parcels the next
morning. “I do my best to post
everything same day, even if it
means the sticky tape on the
wrapping isn’t quite perfect, if
I can run to the PO before last
post, I’ll do it,” she says.THE LOVELIEST
YARN COMPANY
theloveliestyarncompany.co.ukBritish consumers are turning to
knitting and other crafts more
and more to combat throwaway
fashion, a new poll has revealed.
“Knitting” was the most
searched term for digital
magazine service Readly in
2019 – and the list also included
“crochet” and “sew” along with
hot topics such as “vegan”,
“running” and “keto”.
Linnéa Aguero, head of PR
and communications at Readly,
says: “The topics we search for
in magazines reveal the passions
and interests taking hold across
the nation, with ‘knitting’
coming out on top as the most
searched for theme within
digital magazines in 2019.
“This aligns to the growing
eco consciousness we are seeing
among UK readers, as they
look to make more sustainable
BADGES AND BROADCASTS
FROM LOVECRAF TS
choices and turn away from
throwaway fashion.
“With health and wellbeing
also being a growing reader
category, an assumption is
that the benefits of knitting in
helping with anxiety and self-
esteem has also inspired readers.”
Readly has access to more
than 5,000 titles and more than
83 million issues were read
through the service last year
worldwide.Knitters love pin badges – it’s
a thing – so LoveCrafts has
released its own selection of
enamel lovelies.
There is a choice of three: a
speech bubble saying “I make
therefore I am”, an “I need
more...” wheel showing fabric,
sleep, yarn, cake and thread, and
a rainbow celebrating the joy of
making. Each badge costs £8.
LoveCrafts has also launched
a podcast hosted by its own
“supercrafter” Merion Willis
and cross-stitch influencer
Jamie Chalmers, also known as
Mr X Stitch.
The first of the roughly 30
to 50-minute-long monthly
episodes of The LoveCrafts Show
focuses on crafting as self-
care, while the second looks at
inspiring women with special
guest Debbie Bliss, and the
third is themed around crafty
parents and hosts Sarah-Jayne
Fragola of Bella Coco Crochet.
You can find the show
on YouTube, Spotify and
lovecrafts.com.My Yarn Shop
- Knitting 2. Vega n
3. Crochet 4. Sew - Cycling 6. Health
- Crime 8. Keto
- Tr avel 10. Running
Source: Readly
Most searched
words 2019