Edwina's Knitch: Supplying Experience Knitters with All They Need and Getting Newcomers Set Up

Burlington has a shop, Edwina Knitch at 175 Cambridge St.,  that offers knitting classes, a large selection of yarns and knitting supplies and finished knit items along with friendly service.

Alpaca, Wool, Cashmere, Silk, Happy Feet yarn, Zino, Felt and Mustachio are just some of the specialty yarns available. Alpaca yarn has a luxurious feel to it and is made from the fur of the Alpaca, a Llama type looking animal, native to Peru. It’s soft like cashmere, strong like a synthetic yarn and is very affordable. The Knitch has on display a baby sweater made from Mustachio yarn. This yarn had extended fibers which make the item made with it look furry. The Happy Feet yarn and Zino are suitable for socks as the yarn is thin and soft. The Felt yarns are used to make pocketbooks. An oversized bag is knitted up and then washed shrinking the fibers, making the bag look like it’s made out of cloth.

Edwina’s Knitch is owned and run by Edwina Little. She has always knitted and loves knitting and crochet and for the last 8 years has had her yarn shop in Burlington. Little was a career woman, working as an educational coordinator for a corporation for 20 years before owning her own business. The New York corporate office she worked for was affected by the 9/11 tragedy and employees were let go, Little included. After job hunting for a while without success, Little decided to open her own business. There was no question in her mind on what type of business she would go into: Knitting supplies.

Little offers classes in knitting and crochet as well as selling yarn. The classes are one-on-one hour and a half sessions and set up by appointment. Specialized attention is the best way to learn how to knit and crochet, states Little. On Wednesday evenings the shop is open late, til 7 p.m., for knitters to get together and knit. This isn’t a class but knitters may get pointers on knitting from each other and from Little.

People of all ages come into Edwina’s Knitch to buy yarn or to take classes. Little has students from ages 4 to 92. Children learn very easily, said Little. Men, Women and children buy yarn. Men usually buy high quality yarn with no concern on the cost. They like to make socks as well as sweaters and scarves, she said.

Edwina’s Knitch has customers from various parts of the country and sometimes from other countries. There are not too many yarn shops around that have as large a selection of yarns as stocked at Little’s shop. One of Little’s regular customers comes to the yarn shop every 3 months to stock up on yarn for his projects. He belongs to a man’s knitting club in Maine.

All finished knit items on display in the shop are for sale:  scarves, baby sweaters and hats, and pocketbooks. Little has patterns and books available as well as the supplies needed for knitting and crochet. The Knitch is a major supplier of yarn and its name is linked to most major yarn suppliers.

Edwina’s Knitch is doing well because Little is a people person. She listens and is attentive to customers’ concerns.