Yarnability hopes to offer Shepherdstown a place to find yarn and inspiration as it kicks off its first few weeks of business on South Duke Street.

Susan Wolcott, who officially opened Yarnability to the public Feb. 1, described the store as a full service shop that offers knitting and crocheting tools and classes.

Wolcott said that she jumped at the opportunity to relocate her yarn store, formerly known as “Y2knit,” from Funkstown, Md. after Craftworks left the Duke St location last month.

“It’s such a great community… I just like what Shepherdstown is doing in terms of sustainability,” she said.

Wolcott explained that part of Yarnability’s mission is to promote the use of fair trade materials and U.S.-made yarns.

“I like yarn that has a story and a sound origin… I buy from a lot of really small independent companies,” she said.

Wolcott buys yarns from a nonprofit organization called, “Frog Tree” which directs proceeds backs to the South American and Central American villages where the yarn is produced.

Wolcott said she also buys yarn from American companies like, “Brown Sheep” who work to recycle the water used to produce their yarn.

She also buys yarn from a women-owned mill in Wyoming called “Mountain Meadow Mill” which sells yarn taken straight form the local sheep.

“You can actually trace the yarn back to what ranch it came from,” she said.

Wolcott, who learned to knit at age nine, said that she has been teaching knitting as an art for about 10 years and saw opening a store for yarn nine years ago as a natural progression.

Now in Shepherdstown, Wolcott wants to continue promoting the craft of knitting and crochet in a new space.

“I want it to be a place for people to come and get their creative juices stirred,” she said.

Wolcott said she hopes Yarnability becomes a place where those of all skill level can come and feel comfortable exploring yarn as a medium.

“You don’t have to be good. You don’t have to be a beginner. Anything will do,” she said.

Yarnability’s classes will integrate social bonding and learning.

Wolcott offers kids classes, classes designed to help manage stress, classes for particular projects and other classes for those at varying skill levels.

For more information on classes and the store, visit www.yarnability.com. Call or email 304-876-8081 or info@yarnability.com.

Yarnability is located at 219 S. Duke Street in Shepherdstown.