By: Julieta Hernandez Photos by: Lillian Reitz
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Fiber arts showed up in Susan Chilcoat’s life at the right time, and right place – and thus, Yarn Texas showed up in the Coastal Bend area at the right time and place, too.
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“There’s just something about making a full garment with a piece of string that continuously intrigues me,” Chilcoat says, smiling in her self-made (and cozy-looking) scarf. “I like making things that are usable. Making art to put up on a wall – I love it, but I have to make something that’s utilitarian, and beautiful at the same time.”
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Yarn Texas was her self-made solution to the lack of soft, colorful, high-quality yarn in the area. With a stacked selection of varied Texas-made yarns, the decision of what to make your scarf out of just got a little harder.
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“My real big focus is doing things that fit for Corpus, so I’m doing blends that have lighter weight material, so it’s not this heavy wool fabric all the time. I’m trying to stay as local as I can by using Texas dyers and makers as much as possible,” she says with a smile. “And also…I’m just all about color. Color makes you happy.”
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With chunky, tweed, linen, and alpaca options, Yarn Texas specializes in getting the good stuff to your needles.
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This place is even a little knitting hide-out. Chilcoat has everything you may need for your weaving endeavors, such as needles, crochet needles, tabs, kits, and cables. She keeps low music playing and a comfortable couch ready to welcome in anyone who wants to get lost in their ball of yarn.
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With a passion for both the fiber arts and the great state of Texas, Chilcoat didn’t really have too much trouble keeping that enthusiasm in her business.
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“I’m a huge fan of Texas history. I wanted to tie in Texas and yarn as both having a story – both about creating and developing a story.”
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Unlike what some might think, there really isn’t one specific demographic that knits. Customers with eager hands who walk into Chilcoat’s shop vary in age, background, and gender. The fiber arts exclude nobody – and that doesn’t stop at skill level, either. Weaving things can be difficult, and that’s why Chilcoat opens her doors to those who get a little tangled in the process.
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“If you are a knitter, let’s concentrate on that. If you want to crochet, sew, we can do that. This is your creative sanctuary. We will figure it out together.”
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Knitting can be meditative for the knitter, and a surprisingly stellar creative outlet for mental health and wellness.
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New knitters, or those interested in the craft, can look to Chilcoat for a jump-start – she offers solo and group session packages for concentrated lessons on anything having to do with needles, cables, and thread.
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“If somebody has a group of friends that wants to take a lesson, I’d happily take them in,” she says.
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The little yarn shop on Morgan is conveniently located by the Coffee Muggle, pairing up for a perfect afternoon. Chilcoat’s website, YarnTexas.com, keeps up to date with her current stock, as well as her inspiration and ideas in her attached blog. Needless to say, this local is dedicated to providing others with space and resources to allow their creativity to flow abundantly.
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Contact:
1122 Morgan Ave, Corpus Christi, TX
361.500.4247 | yarntexas.com
