Tempe Yarn Turns 8 Years Old On March 4th

Over the next several weeks, I will be adding some of the highlights of the Tempe Yarn & Fiber journey over the past 8 years.  I hope this brings back some happy memories.  I also want to thank all of our great customers, suppliers and the entire community who became part of our story.

#1 Here are some photos of what we looked like in March 2006:

We first opened in a 1000 sf space (where Campus Flowers is now located).

I found out afterwards that many of the businesses in the plaza gave us 6 months before we went out of business.  Funny the plaza has had about a 90% turn over in the 8 years and we are one of only about four businesses that are still here. 

Note the paper sign.

Amanda behind the counter.

Our fancy yarns.

In the beginning, the loyal few.

#2 Do you remember what our first community project was?  For some strange reason we decided to grow silk worms to show school kids where silk came from. 



Check out the cocoons by clicking here

Then watch how Jean showed some of the kids how you turn the cocoons into silk fiber.

#3 On January 1, 2007, we started a tradition that we continue to celebrate each year.  There is an old saying that what you do on January 1st of each year, you will continue to do for the rest of the year.  So every year we open Tempe Yarn to our friends and visitors so they can knit, crochet, spin, weave, etc.  Click here to see our first gathering.

#4 February 27, 2007, we had our first "TV star" stop by the shop.  Click here to see who it was.

#5 March 2007, we held our first community service project for the Ronald McDonald House as our customers made baby clothing to donate.

#6 After 14 months in the original location, we needed more space and moved across the plaza in May 2007 and added another 600 sf.  We also participated in the first Stitch N Pitch event with the D-backs.

#7 Our first Annual Choose Your Own Adventure Retreat was held in August 2007 to get out of the heat.  Check out who was there.

#8 September 2007, Yumiko Alexander began coming into TYF.  Who knew that she would over the next years become a nationally know artist and pattern designer.

#9 Had our first yarn tasting in November 2007

Jamie looks like she tried a taste.

#10 May 2008 held a Public Spin-In at Tempe Marketplace.

#11 First "Mystery" Knit Along completed (there would be many more over the years, but the first one hold a special place).  Laura B. even wrote an Ole for it. Some other Mystery events: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

#12 Terry began a journey of sharing here vision with patterns.

#13 Held our first fiber to shawl event.

#14 Held a "Yarn Night On The Town" in February 2009.

#15 In March 2009, we had a proposal at Tempe Yarn.

#16 Held our first "Evolving Stash Party" where customers sold their stash.  Then again.

#17 Joan Schrouder became our first National Instructor to come to Tempe Yarn.

#18 Community involvement continued to be a cornerstone for our business.  In Oct 2009 our customers pulled together and helped women in need.

#19 November 2009, the world biggest sock (we were on the tele) came to Tempe Yarn.  In January 2010 we said goodbye to the big sock.

#20 Our super customer made and donated over 30 hedgehogs to the Ronald McDonald House.

#21 In December 2009, our customers stepped up to give a hand to our Military by making items for the troops and their families.

#22 A summary of 2009.

#23 Local Artists have always been part of our business.  In February 2010, we added Bohemian Buttons (we still carry them today).

#24 You made 120 hats for the kids at Desiderata School and helped change lives.

#25 March 2010 we made the decision to become a Schacht loom dealer and haven't looked back.

#26 Meet the Ravelry Gang at Stitches South.

#27 In May 2010, we moved to our current 3000+ sf location.  Our new home was made possible by lots of your help.

#28 Bubble, bubble toil and trouble....in June 2010 Barbara held her first Dye Day.

#29 Added Local Artist fabrications2b to our line of great local suppliers.

#30 Of all the post that we've had on the blog, this post still holds the all time highest number of visits.  Don't really know why.

#31 2010 in review

#32 Knitted Knockers was first done as a community project.  No one knew the impact this would have on the lives of thousands of women around the world.

#33 April 2011, tempeyarn.com was launched.

#34 One thing I found in doing this review is that our community has done so many great things over the year that to list them all will take me forever.  Here is a summary of the 2011 events.  

#35 Cat Bordhi taught at Tempe Yarn for the first time in November 2011.  Since then she has been back to the shop several times and has become a powerful influence on our business and has become a friend. 

#36 With Sandy hitting the east coast, our community stepped up and helped out.  

#37 We continued to add local artists as suppliers and they delivered great products.  The list is to long to name them all:  Ken Ledbetter, Kathy Canuel, fabrications2B, Yumiko Alexander, Farm at the End of the Road, Green Bean Glass, Cortez Coffee and many  many more.