Photos: Emily J. Davis
Having a passion brings a community together.
Tucked away in an office park off Weaver Lake Road and Zachary Lane is one of Maple Grove’s not-so-secret treasures. Now celebrating its 17th year, Amazing Threads is more than a yarn and textile shop. Boasting the largest selection of yarn in the Midwest and a diverse clientele, Amazing Threads has made its mark in the community as a haven for anyone, including those hoping to expand their crafting horizons or aspiring knitters, who have yet to pick up a pair of needles.
“[We] knit for a couple of reasons,” says Bobbi Kreb, the owner of Amazing Threads. Kreb says that a knitter will reach for a ball of yarn either for the excitement of the final project, or, more commonly, for the process of moving the needles. “Most of us knit [for] the rhythmic relaxation,” she says.
Kreb picked up the hobby when she was a young girl and has always managed to keep her hands busy, whether it be by knitting, crocheting or sewing. After feeling discouraged by the limited amount of yarn shops in the Twin Cities, she chose to take matters into her own hands. Since opening the doors in 2002, Amazing Threads has offered all kinds of classes and social gatherings for any type of knitter.
“We cross the gamut,” Kreb explains. “We’re not just geared at one age or one spectrum of knitter.” If you’ve been thinking of picking up a new hobby for the New Year, Amazing Threads offers all kinds of classes for anyone hoping to broaden his/her horizons. With both weekday evening and weekend afternoon options, there’s an opportunity for everyone.
For the beginner, multiple four-session classes are offered in January and February (If you can’t make those, more are added on as needed later in the year.), where the basics are covered: casting off, knitting, purling and all other essentials for creating a cowl and/or a hat to take home by the end of the session. For those hoping to dive back into the world of knitting, advanced beginner, intermediate and advanced classes are offered year-round. Each class focuses on a unique project, so attendees will have their own, handmade version by the end of the course.
The learning opportunities don’t stop there, however—Amazing Threads offers a help desk for folks, who are stuck on a project and need a little guidance.
Along with helping out knitting enthusiasts in the community, Kreb insists that they “don’t just sell yarn.” She makes a point to have Amazing Threads be an altruistic presence in Maple Grove, partnering up with CROSS Services and raising money for the charity at the store’s Shop Hop last spring. “People who knit and crochet are a community,” Kreb says. “Having a passion brings a community together.”
