Rewards
Wow! 2014 has been a monumental year for Darn Good Yarn! So many big changes and new products. We packed in a move, a trip to India, new employees, and the opening of a retail storefront, plus all of the day-to-day tasks of running a small business! It’s hard to believe it all fit in one year!
Let’s start with a few of our new products. First, our Suede Ribbon with it’s supple softness makes it perfect for jewelry and embellishments. Our three new ribbon yarns each have their own unique style. Tie Dyed Gems is full of vibrant, perfect for a new hat or scarf. Zig Zag Ribbon is bold and beautiful and is just begging to be made into something dramatic. Istanbul Sparkle has just the right amount of glitter and is perfect for our new Easy Peasy Chain Scarf. And we can’t forget our most fun new yarns of the year...the whimsical and amusing Thick and Thin Wool Felt Ball Yarns with and without mirrors! And don’t be fooled. A little goes a long way here, and you can make a cowl from one skein or a great shawl from three. Those round-up our highlights and we can’t wait to bring you more new delights in 2015!
With all those yarns, it was getting hard to figure out where to put all of them. At the beginning of the year, yarn was everywhere in Nicole’s house and it became clear that it was time to move it out. So, the hunt for a new space began and after months of looking, Nicole finally chose a great space in the Historic Stockade District in Schenectady, NY! It was close to Mike’s new job and had room for housing all of the yarn for the online business and room for a retail space...more on that later.
With all of that growth, we took on two new employees this year too! Jessica is our new Community Manager. You’ll see her in all of our social media outlets, answering your customer inquiries, and writing the blog (oh, hi! It’s me here!). She works virtually from her home in northern Virginia. Amanda is our new Operations Manager. She works right at DGY headquarters and makes sure your yarn gets to you right when it should, keeps everything in order with the inventory, and is Nicole’s go-to girl for all of the things that you just don’t even think about! She’s a recent public relations graduate from SUNY Plattsburgh and we’re so glad she’s a part of the team.
After things had settled down with the move, we moved right onto another big event. Darn Good Yarn went to Stitches East in Hartford, CT! Nicole, Maggie, Jessica, and Mama Sue (Nicole’s mother-in-law) had a fantastic time interacting with the yarn community, introducing our yarn to so many who had never heard of it, and standing out as the most colorful booth by far! And now seems like the perfect time to announce that we will be at Stitches West! That’s right! February 19-22 in Santa Clara, CA at the Santa Clara Convention Center. We can’t wait to do it again!
After our return from Stitches, it was right on to the next big project...getting the retail store ready to open! Nicole and Amanda spent days preparing and getting everything in just the right place for the December 4th Grand Opening! It was a great day for Darn Good Yarn! In fact, the Mayor of Schenectady declared December 4th to be DARN GOOD YARN DAY! We were honored, and so happy to celebrate the grand opening with so many local officials!
Just a week after the Grand Opening, Nicole headed to India! It was her first trip to meet in person with the suppliers and producers of our yarns. It was life-changing, amazing, emotional, and stunning. Nicole was able to meet up with women that Darn Good Yarn has been able to help with education, and it was so gratifying. The jobs that Darn Good Yarn provides for these women protect their dignity, are safe, and pay a fair wage that allows them to provide for their family. We are so proud to be able to bring these yarns to you! Thank you for sharing in a fantastic year with us! We’ve said it before and it is so true - we couldn’t do it without you!!!
