Westport Yarns right at home in tight-knit community

Skeins of colorful yarn neatly line the walls of Westport Yarns. Exquisite hand-made sweaters and delicately sewn shawls and scarves also adorn the interior of this busy retail business providing one-stop shopping for those interested in knitting and crocheting.

Specializing in high-end, lavish fibers, unique patterns for apparel and accessories and an assortment of needles and accessories needed to get one started, the relaxing pastime is enjoying a comeback and attracting local folks of all ages. Lisa Thygerson, president of the Westport--Weston Chamber of Commerce, admitted that she and a girlfriend like to spend time knitting after work while sipping on Margarita's.

"I love it!" she said. "It's the most relaxing thing that I do."

Westport Yarns owner Beth Schaefer encourages visitors to leisurely browse among the store's wares and to spend time touching different yarns before deciding upon one to use for their next project. Offering luxurious yarns, such as cashmere and Merino wool, along with "a middle range of reliable wools and cottons," Schaefer said that although yarn could be purchased online, it's important to feel the different soft textures.

And, in this area, there are not many stores that offer the opportunity to see and feel these fibers up close.

Learning how to knit only six years ago, Schaefer stumbled upon the yarn store, formerly called Knitting Central. After teaching herself to knit by following the examples found in the book, Knitting for Dummies, she walked into the Westport store to buy materials. Schaefer was thrilled to learn that the store also hosted private classes and workshops, and she immediately signed up.

"I felt like I found the nirvana of knitting!" Schaefer said.

For the past 30 years, Schaefer has built a successful career in the world of finance. She is presently employed as chief investment officer of a Manhattan-based wealth management firm. However, when she heard that the former owner of Knitting Central wanted to sell the business, Schaefer was intrigued.

"She told me that she didn't want to sell to someone who just loved to knit, because this is a business and you need to have some knowledge of running a business to succeed," Schaefer explained.

Given her background in investments, specifically in asset allocations, Schaefer had the experience to keep the Westport store afloat. Noting that the economy moves in cycles, she felt that this was the "perfect" opportunity to purchase a yarn store.

"I think we're at the tail end of the recession," she said. "What a perfect time to buy into something like this."

Schaefer laughed as she admitted that her investment partners tease her about her new venture.

"They cannot believe that I bought a yarn store," she said.

However, since taking over Westport Yarns a few months ago, Schaefer said that there has not been a lull in the steady flow of customers.

"So many people come in and say that they used to knit and crochet a long time ago and they now want to get back into it," she said. "With so much going on, I think we are feeling like we have to sit down and create. We all spend so much time now on our Blackberries that we want to take this time to just stop."

From the moment the doors open at 11 a.m., people drop in to browse among the store's full inventory and consult with the many part-time employees, all of whom have extensive experience in knitting and crocheting.

"We're all passionate about it," said employee Pam Grushkin.

The staff are the store's educators, too, as they organize regular workshops and skill development sessions.

Westport Yarns invites community members to drop in every Thursday night and Tuesday afternoon to "Sit `n Knit/Crochet" at a table set up in one corner of the store. There is no charge for the opportunity to take a break and "knit one, purl two." However, for a nominal fee, staff members are available, too, to review basics or help participants learn a new skill. There are also classes available where everyone works on the same project together.

"They're so much fun," Schaefer said. "We purposely keep them small. When I was just starting out, I took every single one of them and loved it."

This summer, a camp for children is also offered.

"We get a real mix of beginners to expert knitters here," Schaefer explained. "We also get a real mix of people who want to work with acrylic to those who only want to purchase more luxurious yarns."

Admitting that she now only knits with cashmere, Schaefer learned on a recent buying trip to a trade show in Ohio that popular fashion trends for the fall include lavish fibers made from camel, alpaca, llama and silk.

Eventually, Schaefer would like to offer for purchase yarn that has been dyed by hand into a sumptuous array of colors. These organic, inimitable fibers from local artists don't come cheaply, though.

"I would like some of that kind of stuff in our store, but they will be expensive," Schaefer said.

She also plans to continue to support local knitters and crocheters who donate their wares to charity.

"This community is very generous and we often get yarn donated to us when people move away. We pass this on to those who knit for charity," she explained. "We usually have something in the back that we donate to those who are knitting for premature babies or to give to local shelters."

Westport Yarns is located at 582 Post Road E. For more information, call 203-454-4300 or log onto westportyarns.com