Introducing Conversational Threads

Special to Emmaus Patch By Chrissy Cilento, Emmaus High School Senior

Business

6-8 S. 4th Street
610-421-8889
www.conversationalthreads.com
Owner Cindy Fitzpatrick

What does Conversational Threads sell?
It’s a knitting and crocheting/yarn shop, but we also have a knitting community and classes.

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Why did you choose to locate your business in Emmaus?
Well, besides the fact that there was an open shop, it reminded me of Hellertown where I grew up. It’s also a little closer to where I live than Hellertown. 

How long have you been in business?
3 years. I started out next door until this opened up -- just in the last two months I added this side [when Kim’s Kountry Kreations went out of business].

What makes your business different from the competition?
We have a lot of local yarns, hand-dyed yarns, we have free knitting and crocheting help all the time. The other thing is that we just carry different brands than the other yarn shops. There are so many brands and we just carry different ones than everyone else.

What inspired you to start your business?
It’s always been a dream of mine to own a shop, and the time was right. My children had both moved away and it was a time when I could concentrate. I’ve always done something in the fiber arts. It wasn’t always knitting -- I learned to knit when I was five, but there were long periods of time when I didn’t knit. There were periods of time when I sewed my own clothes or I quilted, or things like that, so it was always in the fiber arts, but just about 9 years ago I got back into knitting. 

What is the most rewarding part of your business?

What’s the hardest part of your business?
When there’s a service somebody needs that we just can’t offer. Perhaps something they want fixed that we don’t have somebody to do. Most often people want custom knitting, and we don’t have that. 

Where do you hope to see your business in the future?
I’d be just happy to be here, just thriving in the years ahead. Mainly what I would like to do is hire a helper. We have helpers that help me out and volunteer, but no one full-time. 

What’s the best business advice you’ve ever received? 
The best business advice I ever received was that if your shop door says you’re to be open, you should be there!

What advice would you give to someone thinking about entering this business and why?
Just be aware that you’re going to be working very, very very many hours! And it takes over your life! 

Do you have a role model or mentor for what you do? 
I don’t have a mentor, but there’s a yarn shop in New York City that I admire and I try to emulate called Knitty City.

What do you do when you aren't working?
Oh, I’m never not working! I do read a lot and I love to travel. I will actually close the shop once a year to travel, but that’s about it!

Chrissy Cilento, a senior at , plans to study journalism in college. She is a periodic contributor to Patch.