The Portsmouth Farewell: A Little Story, A Lot of Yarn, & One Final Surprise

Some stories are long, winding, and planned. Others are short chapters full of heart, chaos, and unexpected magic. Our Portsmouth, New Hampshire shop was the latter — a tiny, colorful ship filled with yarn, skirts, laughter, and more memories than I ever imagined we would make in just over a year.

We opened the doors in early summer of 2024, bright-eyed and excited. I hung a picture of me and my daughter, Anna, in the shop — a gift from my friend Ashley — and it sat on the shelf as a little reminder of why I do all of this.

A Small Shop With a Big Heart

Our shop wasn’t big at all — in fact, it felt like a cozy little ship, every inch filled with yarn, skirts, color, and texture. But what it lacked in square footage, it made up for in warmth.

Anna helped me price items, line up pins just the way she liked them, and sprinkle her own brand of joy around the shop. And our customers? They brought stories with them — sometimes happy ones, sometimes tender ones. I’ll never forget the visitors who wandered in while grieving the loss of a loved one, looking for a small project to soothe their hands and heart.

Other times, someone would tell me they’d always wanted to learn to knit… and I’d hand them a skein and needles on the spot. Because that’s what this shop became: a safe, creative little pocket of the world.

A Flood, A Chicken, and a Community That Showed Up

A month into opening, we experienced a flood that wiped out a heartbreaking amount of inventory. Our insurance didn’t help — and it shook us. But then something beautiful happened.

A customer knitted an emotional support chicken and sent it to us. This bright, quirky, handmade chicken sat on our shelf from that moment on — a reminder that even when things get tough, makers show up for each other. In between yarn, skirts, and little treasures, it became part of the shop’s spirit.

Why We’re Saying Goodbye

As much as I loved having a physical space again, I have to be honest with you — the rising costs hit us harder than expected. Inventory costs went up. Labor costs went up. And as a small business navigating global supply challenges, it simply wasn’t sustainable to keep the shop open.

It’s bittersweet, and I feel all of the feelings that come with letting go of something you poured your heart into. But I’m also incredibly grateful. You visited, you supported, you shared stories, and you made this tiny shop feel alive.

The Treasure Hunt We Didn’t Expect

As I started sorting and boxing everything up, I uncovered yarn I didn’t even remember we had — skeins from artisan partners across the globe, colors and textures we never had the chance to list online, fibers tucked behind shelves, hidden in bins, stacked in corners.

It felt like discovering a yarn time capsule.

So I did what any maker would do: I gathered it all and turned it into something special. Something meaningful. Something fun.

Introducing: The Portsmouth Farewell Yarn Bundle

This bundle is my way of turning a bittersweet goodbye into a celebration of what we built — and what’s still possible.

• 2 full-sized globally sourced yarns (all different!)
• 1 sample skeinette
• 1 recycled silk drawstring project bag
• A surprise notions bundle
• $60+ value for only $29

→ Click here to get your Portsmouth Farewell Yarn Bundle

A Small Piece of DGY History

I only have about 150 bundles available. Once they’re gone, that’s truly it — these yarns can’t be restocked because they came directly from the Portsmouth shop shelves.

If you’d like to own a little piece of our story — a piece filled with color, care, and creative second chances — I hope one of these bundles finds its way to you.

Thank you for being here. Thank you for supporting a small business that still does things by hand, still believes in artisans, and still finds magic in the messy, colorful world of yarn.

With love,
Nicole
Founder, Darn Good Yarn