By Carolyn Barnes
Knitting needles are clicking faster than ever at Uncommon Threads on State Street. There’s a resurgence in the venerable art of knitting, with crowded classes and waiting lists for beginners in the heart of Silicon Valley.
“I’ve been in business 11 years and October was the best month ever,” said Louise Spangler, owner of the popular store, one of the most comprehensive sources for knitting supplies in the Bay Area.
Louise credits several factors for the knitting boom.
“Of course, knitting has always been a wonderful, creative hobby; but today’s real renaissance is due to publicity for movie stars like Julia Roberts and Winona Ryder, who knit on movie sets while they’re waiting for scenes. Business people, lawyers and computer company workers are finding it’s a way to relax from their high-stress work environments. Our economy is so high pressure, people need the relaxation. Also, it’s something good to do while you’re watching TV.”
Spangler’s customers include children from local schools like St. Nicholas and the Waldorf School, where everyone completes a knitting project in the fourth or fifth grade. Her oldest customer is probably the 99-year-old lady who’s been a customer “for years.”
“She’s currently knitting a sweater for a great-great-grandchild,” Spangler said.
“When you’re going to become a grandmother, you are compelled to knit,” Spangler said. “And we had one pregnant mother-to-be who came in every day until she gave birth, working on baby sweaters.”
Then there is Spangler’s clientele of local nuns, who visit the shop regularly.
“They are wonderful knitters,” Spangler said. “They knit all of their presents for families, friends and co-workers.”
Yarns, Spangler points out, have come a long way from the polyester bright greens and oranges of 20 years ago.
“Many of my customers make beautiful sweaters for themselves, because today’s yarns are just incredible, so many gorgeous cottons and rayons,” Spangler said. “And socks are really big right now; we have pattern books for socks to wear with boots, socks to wear with Birkenstocks. People like sock projects because they make a compact project that’s easy to take traveling.”
She and her daughter Betsy, of Eugene, Ore., who is a professional knitwear designer, recently enjoyed a “knitting holiday” throughout the British Isles, sponsored by Vogue Knitting Patterns.
“All we had to do was bring our knitting needles; they gave us beautiful yarns everywhere we went and I got great ideas,” Spangler said.
For two and a half weeks, the mother/daughter duo toured the workshops of international knitting stars like Kaffe Fassatt, Debbie Bliss, Jean Moss, Colinette, and Maggie Jackson, in places like London, Wales, York, north Scotland and Dublin, Ireland.
“Many of the designers had already done workshops with me, here in Los Altos, so it was fun to see them on their own ground,” Spangler said.
In January, she will host designer Sasha Kagan from Wales at workshops at Uncommon Threads. Kagan “does wonderful things with flowers and garments,” according to Spangler.
Her regular knitting instructor is Anne Takemo, whose day job is in the Stanford Development Office.
“We have beginning, brush-up and project classes, and are well into the November sessions. But classes begin again in January,” Spangler said.”You have to be an expert to work here, because every other customer needs advice and help.”
Spangler’s community volunteer work includes collecting yarn to be used by inmates in Pleasanton Federal Prison.
“A friend and customer of mine teaches knitting at Pleasanton, so she takes the yard with her. We ask that there be enough yarn of any one type to make a complete project, not just scraps,” Spangler said. “The inmates are just delighted when my friend arrives with more beautiful yarn.”
Uncommon Threads is located at 293 State St. For more information, call 941-1815.
