Adore My Store: Truro Wool

TRURO WOOL

Owned by Julie Cowan, independent yarn shop Truro Wool is the only Cornwall finalist shortlisted for Best Regional Independent Store South West of England in the 2021 British Knitting & Crochet Awards

To say I’m chuffed to be nominated for an award is an understatement. We’re down to the last five in a huge area; the others are in Devon, Somerset and Wiltshire, and while the whole industry gets behind it, all nominations and votes have come from our customers. It’s a proper pat on the back. We’re very hopeful, because lots of our customers have told us they’ve voted for us. That’s why it means so much. It shows people appreciate what you do.

I started knitting when I was seven. My gran knitted clothes for my dolls, then taught me to knit - I must have got too demanding! Opening a shop became my dream, and eight years ago, when my children had left home and my employer wanted to put me on shiftwork, I thought: why not now?

I now stock more than 1,000 yarns, from budget man-made to merino wool dyed in the foothills of South America. There are so many different types of yarn: 100% recycled, cotton and bamboo, solid colour and sparkles, even selfstriping and patterning, which can produce complex-looking jumpers and socks, all very simply from one ball. We also sell accessories, such as knitting needles and buttons.

During the pandemic, we turned increasingly to native breed British yarns: Shetland, Blue-Faced Leicester, Jacob. I also stock small-batch yarn dyers from Cornwall, including Perran Yarns in Goonhavern and Madder About Wool near Launceston, while Frangipani of Helston specialises in wool for knitting traditional Cornish ganseys - hardwearing fishermen’s sweaters with patterns individual to families or villages. I'm supported by a fantastic community of knitters and crocheters from near and far - some people make a special visit to the shop when they are on holiday. In 2018, the team created over 15,000 hand-knitted and crochet poppies to commemorate the centenary of the end of the First World War, which became the Bridge of Remembrance on Truro’s River Walk.

I operated throughout lockdown by click-andcollect and delivering yarn. We built a new website and started an email newsletter. Our Knit and Natter social group moved online and later outside at Sunny Corner; one-toone tutorials and courses took place over Zoom, and the group sessions are now dualparticipation, with some attending in person and others online. It means people can take part even if they don’t live in Truro, or don’t want to miss out while on holiday.

What really struck me is how much people use knitting for mental well-being. It’s almost meditative – taking that time to stop, and get in the moment and the rhythm of it. It’s also sociable: for Knit and Natter, I suggest people bring something simple to do and enjoy the conversation. It’s also an act of love: people are often making things for other people, whether it’s a relative or for charity.

If you knit or crochet, you want to talk about it and show people. People often bring their projects into the shop, and there’s a lot of banter and laughter. It’s also seen as a very safe environment in which to talk, especially for women – although I do have male customers, and men make excellent knitters.

We see people of all ages, thanks in some part to the Tom Daley effect! I tend to find younger knitters like instant results, and buy chunky wool that enables them to finish quicker. In contrast, the further you get into your knitting career, the more satisfaction you get from the making process, however long it takes.

Buying wool and knitting are two different addictions. New yarn releases endorphins, and I have jokingly imposed a “wool ban” on some customers, if I suspect they are buying lots of wool but not knitting with it! One customer even told me she has her wool on display, like my shop, so she can look at it and stroke it. During my courses, I set homework so participants have something to aim for: “I must do this for next week, or Julie will be cross!”

My son also knits. He made the woolly seagulls flying around the display. The pattern is sold to raise money for the Fishermen’s Mission, and we’ve donated over £100 so far.

October and November are our busiest months. People start to knuckle down and make Christmas presents. We also have a Knit and Natter weekend at the Budock Vean in November, a huge get-together with around 20 of us. We get quieter in December, just as everyone else gets started, although we do sell vouchers and also things that might make suitable gifts, such as knitting baskets. l Truro Wool, St Mary’s Street, Truro, TR1 2AF. Tel: 01872 270661 (Monday to Saturday). Facebook & Instagram: @TruroWool, www.trurowool.com

The winners of the British Knitting & Crochet Awards will be announced on October 28. For further information, visit www.letsknit.co.uk/awards