Knit Night with Ewe2Yarn

Photo by Trudy Fedorko

Did you know that the word “knit” comes from the Old English phrase cnyttan, meaning “to tie with a knot?” Well, you might have if you’ve ever attended Knit Night at the Farmhouse antique shop in historic downtown Waxahachie.

About a year old, this weekly knitting club is taking over the community by the skein. They are the only large group of knitters and yarn enthusiasts to meet in the area and have members of all ages, coming from as far as Arlington, Fort Worth and Dallas.

In recent decades, hobbies like knitting and crocheting have skyrocketed among Americans with 28.8 million engaging in the activity in 2016. When asked why they liked to knit, all the Knit Night members cited it as a creative outlet. They knit everything from hats, scarves, sweaters and socks to spa face cloths.

“It’s fun!” they laughed, moving their needles. “And you get what you make afterwards!”

In fact, knitting also has other rewards. A task that requires a steady hand and concentration, knitting engages both the left and right side of the human brain while you work.

According to a study done by Knit for Peace, knitting can lower your blood pressure, reduce depression and anxiety, and is even as relaxing as yoga.

Knit Night leader Trudy Fedorko started the group as a way to connect fellow knitting gurus and also to help promote her own brand of hand-painted yarn, Ewe2Yarn, as well as other specialty yarns from small, sustainable mills across the United States.

You don’t have to buy the yarn to attend the group but it will be sitting right behind you on the shelf as you knit your latest project in Fedorko’s section of the Farmhouse. All of her yarn is eco- and animal-friendly – and she personally hand-paints it with her daughter, Lee, who also decided to join the business.

All the Knit Night members praise Fedorko for the colors she produces, saying the variety is unlike anything they could purchase from a regular store. She will be showcasing her work at the DFW Fiber Fest from April 2-5 but, if you want to purchase her yarn sooner, lookup her website a Ewe2Yarn.com or find her knitwear designs on Ravelry.

Several of the Knit Night members compete with their stitches. In fact, one attendee, Stacey Dolotina, won first place ribbons this year at the Texas State Fair for her knitted baby dress and blanket.

The group meets from 5-8 p.m. every Thursday and has a beginner’s class for ages from about 15 and up. In the future, they may start small classes for even younger knitters. Classes are bring your own needles.

“One thing I think everyone has said about our group of knitters is that it is definitely the friendliest in DFW,” Fedorko said with a smile. “We’ve got a range of ages, a range of occupations and a range in the level of knitting, but everyone helps each other. It’s a good place for us to learn new skills on the fly just by learning from each other.

“I think we have a lot of fun and all of our products are hand-picked to support our goals of sustainability and slow living,” she said.

Farmhouse Shop is located at 308 S. College St., Waxahachie.

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