Knitch Magazine

This issue, KnitchMagazine speaks with Joanne Cole, a very knowledgeable representative for a number of successful yarn companies. Joanne has a broad portfolio of companies from very large manufacturers of a full range of yarns – like Crystal Palace and Brown Sheep – to smaller companies such as Stitchkeepers that produce only one product.  

Joanne began her career as an engineer in the automotive industry. Several years ago, she made the bold decision to turn her hobby into her profession, and she’s worked hard to become one of the most respected yarn reps in the industry.  She’s got a great eye for detail and a sharp marketing mind that is always churning out new ideas to help promote her products.

Knitch: You’ve got a lot of companies in your portfolio. Can you tell us what makes each one unique?

Joanne: Crystal Palace is well known for its broad range of yarns and superior bamboo needles. The company has been in business for more than 30 years, beginning with natural fibers and evolving to novelty yarns and back again to natural fibers.  A few years ago, CP introduced bamboo into some of its blends, and now there are 6 bamboo yarns in 3 different weights.  The broad range of novelty yarns is still available (remember the iconic Squiggle and Fizz from the scarf yarn era), but knitters have lately gravitated to wools like Missoni-look Taos and the brand new Mini Mochi with its long color repeats.

Brown Sheep, of course, is known for being American made from natural fibers.  Wools, mohair, and cottons, blended in vibrant colors.  Lamb’s Pride has been the “gold standard” in hand knitting yarn for almost 30 years!  I just finished a short sleeved beaded tee in Serendipity Tweed (40% wool/60% cotton) and look forward to wearing it when the weather warms up.

Artyarns is pure glamour with its hand dyed luxury yarns.  I love Iris’ books (Iris Schreier founded Artyarns when she couldn’t find the hand dyed yarns to showcase her designs.)   I have already seen the wonderful garments from her new book, Reversible Knits, which comes out this spring.

I really respect the social service nature of Himalaya yarns.  Anni Kristensen founded the company in 1996 to produce and sell recycled silk from Nepal cottage industries.   She has added more yarns, most recently hand-combed yak from Tibet and naturally dyed wool from India.

Other yarn companies I represent include Farmhouse, Interlacements, Isager, Jamieson’s Shetland, O-Wool, and Opal sock yarn.  The common thread for everything in my car is that all these yarns are yarns I like to use from companies who are nice to work with.     

My car is full of yarn skeins and catalogues, sample garments, and my knitting projects.  I can clear off the front passenger seat, but the rest of the vehicle is full of yarn!   My knitting bag has 8 active projects in it just for work!    

Knitch:  How did you get into the fiber business?

Joanne: I took an early retirement from an auto company a few years ago when engineering was no longer fun.  I am a mechanical engineer and worked on automotive interiors.    I decided to turn my hobby into a job.  The free yarn is probably the best benefit I ever got from a position!  Seriously, I decided that I wanted to be a yarn rep, spoke with 2 local yarn shop owners about job requirements, took a class to learn about direct selling, and then went to a trade show to look for rep opportunities.   (If you’re interested in being a rep, go to the website for The National NeedleArts Association – www.TNNA.org —and purchase the booklet Manufacturers' Representatives — Building Relationships for Success to read about the position.)

Knitch: How do you keep on top of the knitting market?

Joanne: I attend two or more industry trade shows a year, including one in Cologne, and read lots about the styles and trends.  I try to visit knitting groups throughout my sales territory and yarn shops when traveling.  Even going to a local Stitch ‘n Bitch or TKGA knitting guild meeting helps me see what “real people” are knitting.  I am on Ravelry, too.

Knitch:  Do you see any regional differences in what knitters want?

Joanne: Most of my travels are in the Midwest, so I hear about East Coast and West Coast trends from my suppliers.  I do, however, see differences in markets, probably due to climate differences and to economic issues.   Michigan has been in economic turmoil for a number of years, and I’ve watched the problems spread to other markets.  I have noticed that the indecision about having/not having a job is far worse than knowing and dealing with the problem.  In times of trouble, people have returned to knitting as a source of stress relief and contentment.  Unfortunately, lots of people in my Midwest territory are underemployed right now and have more time to knit.

I think that people in the Midwest knit with more wool than in warmer parts of the county.  Their projects are also expected to last for several years, so they tend not to follow fashion trends as much.

Knitch: What’s really hot for the spring 2009 season?

Joanne: Easy garments with a minimum of fitting. Not too many cables since they use up more yarn and confound new knitters.  Accessories that require a single skein of really nice yarn.  Sock yarns are still selling, although people are really trying to expand their sock weight projects beyond socks, taking advantage of the easy-care features of sock yarns.      

Knitch: Which of your yarns do you think will be the most sought after in spring 2009?

Joanne: Clearly Mini Mochi from Crystal Palace has been the hit of the early spring. It first shipped in January and flew off the store shelves!  It’s out of stock until May now, but will be joined by 8 new colors and a heavier weight sibling (Mochi 5) for the fall.

Knitch: Who do you think is setting the trend, and how? (European designers? American tastes?)

Joanne: American tastes and designers are really in the forefront these days. The European fashions continue to be made for traditional sizes and little thought appears to be devoted to “upsizing” patterns.  That situation puts the yarn shop owners stuck in the middle between ample-sized customers who knit and crochet and the lovely patterns that get published.  I think that US knitting magazines that promote full size ranges are displacing the pattern books traditionally published by yarn companies to promote their yarns.  The rise of these magazines and the CYA yarn guidelines (sizes 1 though 6) introduced a few years ago have really promoted yarn substitutions. Consequently, it’s getting more difficult to sell yarn-focused pattern booklets unless the yarn is really unique.

Knitch: You mentioned in your newsletter that you see novelty yarns becoming less popular while eco yarns are coming to the forefront. Do you think this trend will continue? Is it the result of consumer demand or manufacturer push? Are there any economic benefits to using eco yarns?

Joanne: Novelty yarns have become far less popular than they were 3 years ago.  In fact, they nearly disappeared from many Midwest shops as shop owners (generally wool-lovers) jettisoned the fluffy stuff into their clearance bins.  Well, their customers were not as eager to get rid of novelty yarns and many shops have had to reconsider their decision and restock limited quantities of novelty yarns.  We knitters and crocheters have become used to using novelty yarns for specific purposes like trimming and still want them available.    Personally, I’ve sold more novelty yarn in the first 2 months of 2009 than I sold in all of 2008!

Eco yarns are still costing a bit more than conventional yarns.   In tough economic times, folks tend to go for the price point instead of the social conscience.  The eco yarns should make fine yarns more accessible for folks who claim to be “allergic to wool” but are really sensitive to the chemicals commonly used in production.    

Knitch: The U.S. economy is now in difficult times. How do you think this will affect the knitter?  

Joanne: The troubles which I’ve noticed growing in the Midwest for three to four years are now affecting the entire country.  People will not go away from their knitting, they will just select projects that are a bit more practical, cost a little bit less, and might combine some yarn from their stash with some new yarn.  Patterns that promote combinations of yarn will become more popular.  Designs by Chris Bylsma and Valentina Devine are well-known for their stash-busting quality, but any modular or striped design can really be used as well.

Knitch: Where do you look for inspiration?

Joanne: I love to go to fiber festivals and see what the real one-of-a-kind artists are doing this year.  I have a shop in Michigan that I enjoy visiting: the shop owner goes to fiber festivals and buys yarns for her shop.  The yarns are frequently hand-dyed and sold in small quantities.  I really like to visit with the shop owner and talk fiber.  I don’t sell much to her since I work for larger suppliers, but it is a joy to visit her shop and fondle the fiber.  After all, fondling fiber is really why we knit, isn’t it?    

Knitch: What would be your closing advice for yarn enthusiasts?    

Joanne: “Let us all take a deep breath and forge on into the future; knitting at the ready.” – Elizabeth Zimmerman, The Opinionated Knitter