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Meet The 2026 Great Tennessee Yarn Tour Designers: Stephanie Showalter
Stephanie comes from a crafty family where she learned to cross stitch from her mother and learned how to sew and the basics of crochet from her grandmother. Ten years ago, she rediscovered her love of crochet and has since expanded in the fiber arts to include tunisian crochet and knitting. In 2020, she began designing patterns for her home to bring comfort and a smile to her young children. She focuses her pattern writing on home decor items like garlands and coasters, usin
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Aug 171 min read


Meet The 2026 Great Tennessee Yarn Tour Designers: Jennifer Lovett
Jennifer Lovett is the designer behind Violet Loops, a Nashville-based crochet, knit, and Tunisian crochet brand known for modern, texture-rich, size-inclusive designs. As a mathematics professor at Middle Tennessee State University, she brings a thoughtful, structured approach to her patterns while still leaving room for creativity and customization. Jennifer designs across all three crafts, with a special love for Tunisian crochet, and enjoys exploring techniques that highl
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Aug 151 min read


Meet The 2026 Great Tennessee Yarn Tour Designers: Renea Fox
Happy Little Hex Table Runner (in the 2026 Great Tennessee Yarn Tour Pattern Book) Renea is currently based all over East Tennessee. She lives in New Market with her Mamaw, Nancy, and her cat, Binx, but spends a lot of time in Oak Ridge. She enjoys crocheting, sewing, quilting, and creating new patterns for each. Her favorite stitch to fiddle around with is the granny stitch; Renea enjoys playing with her own versions of granny pentagons, hexagons, squares, and triangles. He
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Aug 131 min read


Meet The 2026 Great Tennessee Yarn Tour Designers: Helen Horton
Helen is a knitwear designer and owner of The Selkie’s Skein, a small hand dyed yarn business inspired by fantasy, folklore and nature. Tennessee Wildflower Cowl (in the 2026 Great Tennessee Yarn Tour Pattern Book) Much of her inspiration comes from the Scottish Highlands and its rich culture, as well as the beautiful Smoky Mountains she now calls home. She loves designing knitwear that is both whimsical and wearable. Her newest design is 'Hemlock Henly', due for release in S
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Aug 111 min read


Meet The 2026 Great Tennessee Yarn Tour Designers: Raquel Bridgen
Raquel has a life-long love of learning and being creative. She is constantly learning new skills to add to her repertoire and loves to challenge herself. She began crocheting when she was very young and has since added knitting, quilting, weaving, and wire-wrap jewelry to her favorite crafts. If it has anything to do with fiber, she probably owns it ! The Groovy Fringe Wrapped Skirt (in the 2026 Great Tennessee Yarn Tour Pattern Book) Follow Raquel and her designs: Raquel Br
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Aug 81 min read


Meet The 2026 Designers: Nancy Canaday
Nancy Canaday is a lifelong crocheter who learned at an early age how to do this yarn craft. She lives in New Market with her granddaughter and great-grankitty. She was taught to crochet by her mother, but also spent time watching her aunt and sister crochet. She has recently started dabbling in weaving, but enjoys knitting, quilting, and cross stitch in addition to her crochet projects. Grandma's Garden Row (in the 2026 Great Tennessee Yarn Tour Pattern Book) Some of her
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Aug 61 min read


Meet The 2026 Great Tennessee Yarn Tour Designers:
Marielle Alexander Marielle Alexander is a Chattanooga-based knitwear designer and full-time ENL (English as a New Language) Teacher. She first learned to knit and crochet in elementary school while navigating chronic illness, and has since carried her love of fiber arts into her adult life to now serve as an outlet of regulation, creativity, and cultural tradition. Marielle’s work is deeply rooted in storytelling, often highlighting elements of heritage, culture, and languag
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Aug 41 min read


Meet The Shops: Golden View Alpacas & Mini Mill
Where Every Hank Tells a Story Tucked right into the rolling countryside, Golden View Alpacas & Mini Mill (or GVA Mini Mill for short) is a true labor of love for anyone who appreciates the honest, hard work behind a gorgeous skein of yarn. While the pastures don't hold the herds of alpacas they used to, the heart and soul of the farm live on right inside the mill. Started back around 2011 to handle the fleece right from the source, the mill grew into a full-time passion for
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Jul 232 min read


Meet The Shops: Terri's Yarns and Crafts
A Lot In A Little Space On a heavily traveled road through Sevierville, TN, you will find a small shop with a big heart. Started in 1976 by a retired couple from Michigan looking to fulfill a dream of owning a craft store and sharing the love of making things, Terri's Yarns & Crafts rapidly became a place to go for supplies and help for all types of craft and needlework projects. While the selection changes as customer's tastes change (remember plaster craft and macrame?)
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Jul 72 min read


Meet The Shops: Sunshine Weaving and Fiber Arts
Where Every Thread Tells a Story There's something magical about walking through the doors of Sunshine Weaving — the vibrant colors of hand-dyed yarn on the shelves, the gentle rhythm of a loom, the warmth of a community that loves fiber arts as much as you do. Whatever brings you here, you'll feel right at home. Your One-Stop Fiber Arts Shop Whether you're casting on your first knitting project, working up a cozy crochet blanket, weaving on a loom, or spinning your own yarn
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May 231 min read


Meet The Shops: The Tennessee River Yarn Co.
Celebrating the Soul of Craft In the heart of Savannah, Tennessee, tucked away in a corner of a town rich with history and riverfront charm, you’ll find a sanctuary for makers. The Tennessee River Yarn Co. isn’t just a store; it’s a personal labor of love designed for those who find peace in the rhythm of a crochet hook or the click of knitting needles. Our shop is part of a unique local collective known affectionately as The Hobby Hub. Stepping through our doors means enteri
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May 112 min read


Vintage Needlework Fashion Trends of the 1920s
The 1920s marked a dynamic shift in fashion and home crafts, with needlework playing a key role in defining the era's style. Knitting, crocheting, needlepoint, and embroidery were not just hobbies but essential parts of everyday life and fashion expression. After World War I, the 1920s were marked by a prosperous post-war economy and the women's liberation movement, including the women's right to vote. It brought about a wave of social freedom, more leisure, and increased cre
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Apr 172 min read


Meet The Shops: The Yarn Patch
W elcome to The Yarn Patch! While our doors first opened in 2006, a new chapter began in 2019 when Heather took the helm. What started as a way to meet new friends through a knit-and-crochet group quickly grew into a passion for fiber arts. That spark of creativity blossomed into a dream of owning her own yarn shop. Since becoming the owner, Heather has transformed The Yarn Patch into something truly special. We now call a beautifully renovated 100-year-old building home, rig
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Apr 92 min read


Meet The Shops: Delta Fibre Arts by The Sewing House
Delta Fibre Arts grew from a lifelong love of fiber and a deep-rooted belief that making by hand matters. After building The Sewing House into two thriving stores, we felt called to create something more elevated — a space dedicated to luxury yarns, indie dyers, and the art of knitting and crochet. What began as a bold next step has become a vibrant community of makers who value craftsmanship, creativity, and connection. As we stitch into 2026, we’re excited to expand our rea
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Apr 62 min read


Meet The Shops: Chattanooga Yarn Company
Chattanooga Yarn Company is Chattanooga’s only Local Yarn Shop, but it’s more than just a store! At Chattanooga Yarn Co, you’ll be at the center of the Chattanooga area’s yarn crafting community. With lots of community events, classes, and fun stuff happening, you’ll soon find out that Chattanooga Yarn Co is a great place to make friends and become part of something larger than yourself or “just” a yarn shop. As lifelong Chattanoogans, we care about the community around us
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Apr 22 min read


Get Your 2026 Great Tennessee Yarn Tour Tickets Before They Sell Out
The 2026 Great Tennessee Yarn Tour is fast approaching, and tickets are now available for purchase through June 1, 2026. If you love yarn, knitting, crocheting, or fiber arts in general, this event is a must-attend. The tour offers a unique opportunity to explore some of Tennessee’s best yarn shops, meet fellow fiber enthusiasts, and discover new materials and techniques. Don’t miss your chance to be part of this exciting event before tickets sell out. The Clinch River Yarn C
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Mar 284 min read


2025 Special Recognition: Ava Green
Learn about Ava Green, the lead of our Pattern Team.
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Aug 31, 20252 min read


2025 Featured Designer: Shannon Hewitt
Get to know more about designer Shannon Hewitt and her original pattern "A Traveler's Yarn Kerchief."
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Aug 28, 20252 min read


2025 Featured Designer: Jennifer Myrick
Get to know more about designer Jennifer Myrick and her design "Stranded But Loving It."
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Aug 27, 20252 min read


2025 Featured Designer: Janice Krauser
Get to know more about designer Janice Krauser and her design "Reflections Cowl."
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Aug 26, 20251 min read
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