Kelbourne Woolens is primarily a wholesale distribution company, and we are so grateful for our retailers! We're taking time this spring and summer to feature our shops. First up is Fibre Space, located in Alexandria, VA!
Get to know Fibre Space and shop owner Danielle Romanetti:
1) In 3 words, why do you carry KW?
Kate and Courtney (aww)
2) What is your favorite local small business in town?
La Fromagerie! It is chef-owned and my favorite spot to knit and nosh.
3) Favorite obscure knitting or crochet technique
I was obsessed with entrelac for over a decade and mastered knitting backwards during that time. I don’t use it often, but has become very helpful when working short rows.
4) Podcasts or Books? (bonus points if you share your favorite)
Books! I think my favorite knitting related book is Loop-d-Loop by Teva Durham. Her designswere what really “hooked” me into knitting in a big way, and I am so glad that we were able to host her early on when the shop opened.
5) When did your shop open and why did you decide to open a LYS?
The shop opened in July of 2009, as an extension of my original business – Knit-a-Gogo, Inc., which I opened in October of 2006 to offer knitting classes in the DC metro area. This was a side hustle to supplement my income in the non-profit world, and a way for me to share my stress relieving hobby with others in this high stress area.
Initially, I taught beginner and intermediate classes at coffee shops, bakeries and even public libraries in and around Washington, DC. But as my students grew in number, they also began to ask for more and more supplies that they weren’t able to reliably find at the local shops. In 2009, I decided to make the big step of leaving my full time non-profit job and transitioning Knit-a-Gogo into the yarn shop, fibre space! We’ve been in business now for 16 years, and I now own the historic flatiron building that the shop occupies.
Thank you so much for sharing, Danielle!
