“I’m a lucky woman,” exclaims Tillie Angus about her shop Sonoma Yarn, located in the Springs. Ryan lely/Sonoma Valley Sun
One of the friendliest spots to hang out in The Springs is at the corner of Highway 12 at Lichtenberg, just north of Parson’s Hardware. It isn’t a club or a park or a restaurant. Believe it or not, it’s a yarn shop.
Although the outside of the building looks pretty drab and industrial, the interior of Sonoma Yarn is a riot of color and whimsy. Aqua, ocher and Indian red walls are covered with dozens of beautiful fans of all sizes. Yarns of every hue and texture spill from baskets, inviting shoppers to touch. Sample knit pieces – hats, scarves, toys, handbags, even a couple pair of thongs – are hanging all over the place. In the back of the store, comfy sofas and a big communal table offer relaxing spots to knit, crochet, sip tea and chat.
Presiding over this charming shop is owner Tillie Angus, who opened Sonoma Yarn two years ago on Valentine’s Day. The Valentine’s Day connection is apt, since Angus truly loves to knit. “I’m a lucky woman,” she said. “Every day I get to do something I really love.” Something else close to her heart is the store mascot, Frances Purl, Angus’ Pomeranian-Norwich terrier mix, who comes with her to the shop every day.
“In my 20s I was a closet knitter. I was afraid it was hokey – a granny thing – so I would knit at home,” said Angus. Now she’s totally out of the closet, and her mission in life is to get everybody to knit. “The social part is awesome. I’ve met so many nice people – creative, smart, funny.
“There’s a common thread among fiber artists. It doesn’t matter how old you are – we have teenagers, older ladies, young mothers. Knitting kind of pulls people together,” Angus said. “There are several age groups, socioeconomic groups and people from different parts of the world, all sitting around talking to one another who otherwise might not.”
It seems like something’s always happening at Sonoma Yarn, and Angus sends out a chatty e-mail newsletter with all sorts of interesting activities. (To subscribe, write to sonomayarn@sbcglobal.net.) The store offers a “newbies’” knitting class every Saturday afternoon, in which Angus or her assistant, Patricia Frates, very patiently explains the basics and gives confidence to new knitters. On Sunday afternoons, there’s either a crochet class, a sock knitting class or a project help class. On Thursday nights is another project help session. Every third Friday night, the store holds a “Knit-a-Thon” in which participants knit squares to be made into blankets for the Valley of the Moon Children’s Home. There’s also the occasional book signing or trunk show. And Angus encourages her customers to come in and just hang out and knit or crochet any time.
Angus’ customers agree that the friendly atmosphere and social aspect of Sonoma Yarn are a large part of what makes it special. “I was looking for a cozy, warm, comforting place, and, much to my luck, I found Tillie,” said customer Monique Jansma. Jansma, who was sitting at the big table working on a creamy apricot-colored poncho, has been knitting for about eight months. (She didn’t take any knitting classes, but her fiancé, David, took one at the store.) “It’s a nice place to hang out, not like a big department store,” she said. “A lot of it is because of Tillie’s warmth. It really gives it a family feel.”
The store stocks an enormous variety of yarns – wools, cottons, microfibers, sparkly ribbons, acrylics, silks – allowing for endless creativity. Customer and artist Jaye Horst likens working with yarn to creating with other art media. She took up knitting and felting about a year and a half ago after arthritis and poor eyesight made painting and beading difficult. “Knitting opened up a whole new world for me,” said Horst, who was carrying a richly colored tote that she had made. “It’s like painting with yarn, and you can take it anywhere.” She appreciates that it’s safe and non-toxic, unlike some of the paints she has worked with. “And there’s something about working with natural fiber from animals that are cared for and loved, not raised to be killed,” she added.
According to Horst and other Sonoma Yarn customers, knitting is not only creative, but also relaxing. Angus agrees, comparing it to yoga or meditation. “When you knit or crochet, you stop. Your heart rate goes down. You get into a little zone,” she said. She admits that it can be hard at first, but it teaches patience.
Some years ago, when Angus was a self-described “closet knitter,” she was concerned that knitting would become a lost art form. Now, it’s enjoying a renaissance, with a vibrant community of fiber artists. A little time spent at Sonoma Yarn makes it easy to understand why.
Sonoma Yarn.
50 Lichtenberg Ave.
(at Hwy. 12),
Boyes Hot Springs;
707.996.YARN (9276).
