Knit, purl, respect: For Ewe yarn shop in Oberlin highlights marginalized designers and crafters

For Ewe owner Lisa Whitfield strives to boost yarns and patterns made by people of color and women in her Oberlin store. The sweater she is wearing was designed by female designer Tif Neilan. It took Whitfield only two weeks to make. "I don't know why. It flew," Whitfield said. Julie E Washington, cleveland.com

OBERLIN, Ohio — Lisa Whitfield knew her yarn shop would have yarn and needles and pattern books. But more importantly, it would have respect for everyone, regardless of race or sexual orientation.

That wasn't always the case in local independent yarn stores, Whitfield's friends told her.

Often, they felt like second-class citizens —automatically pointed to the cheapest yarn, told the bathroom was for customers only or discouraged from touching yarn while shopping.

Whitfield, 54, kept her pledge. As it approaches its first anniversary, For Ewe: An Inclusive Fiber Community in Oberlin celebrates fiber artists in marginalized communities as well as locally made products.

She supports groups that knit prosthetic breasts for women who have had mastectomies or are transgender. She's rallied crafters to make and donate items to the Hat Not Hate anti-bullying campaign and to the nonprofit Knit the Rainbow, which helps homeless LGBTQ+ youth in New York City stay warm in winter.

"When I say I’m committed to people who are marginalized, it's not lip service," said Whitfield, who identifies as African-American. "I want people to have a positive experience; I want to build community for people who love this."

Dedicated For Ewe customer Eboni Johnson of Oberlin loves that the shop is so welcoming, inclusive and supportive of vendors from marginalized communities.

"Representation is important. It matters that we can all see ourselves as customers of the shop and represented in the items that we purchase there," Johnson said.

‘Knit Long and Prosper’

For Ewe is where Whitfield feels she can be her authentic self ­— walking in her bare feet, basking in natural sunlight, surrounded by plants and beautiful fiber.

Soft yarn in yummy, vibrant colors fills her shop, located in an 1800s-era building on College Street. Crafters can find unusual yarn made from yak, alpaca, mohair and cashmere fibers, in thicknesses varying from baby-fine to chunky. Specialty yarns can cost as much as $30 a ball; enough to make an afghan would cost about $200.

You say that you’re not crafty? Browse mugs saying "Knit Long and Prosper" or handmade earrings, or find knitting accessories for crafty friends.

Whitfield cradled a skein of fuzzy, pink yarn, explaining it was a blend of alpaca, merino wool and bamboo fibers.

"It almost looks like a pet," she laughed. "I love it."

For Ewe is a second career for Whitfield. She studied viola at Oberlin College and the Julliard School, and was a freelance musician and teacher for 30 years before pivoting to entrepreneurship.

She is helping to build a rich crafting community in Oberlin, as young people are discovering the joy of wearing sweaters and hats they made themselves. For Ewe has a room set aside for private lessons, craft nights and classes.

David Gudjonsson, 22 of Oberlin, just finished his first sweater with help from Whitfield, and has already bought yarn at For Ewe for his next sweater. He appreciates Whitfield's friendliness and the high quality of the goods she sells.

"I can't help but be happy when I’m in the shop," Gudjonsson said. "If you’ve never knit before, it's a great place to start because you are guaranteed to get good materials."

For Ewe owner Lisa Whitfield holds a skein of yarn that blends alpaca, wool and bamboo fibers to make a fluffy, fun yarn. For Ewe is located in an 1800-era building in Oberlin. Julie E Washington, cleveland.com

Knitting seemed ‘like witchcraft’

When she was 11 and growing up in Philadelphia, Whitfield watched in fascination as a woman sitting next to her on the bus deftly looped yarn over metal needles that clicked and gleamed.

"It looked like witchcraft to me," Whitfield recalled.

By the time she got off the bus, Whitfield had learned to knit. She practiced with two sharpened pencils and kitchen twine before she could save enough allowance to buy yarn and needles. She knitted off and on for the rest of her life, sometimes not picking up her needles for years.

"I’d have to relearn every time," she said.

Whitfield and her family — husband John Congdon and two children— moved to Oberlin in 2008 when Congdon took a job at Oberlin College. Whitfield taught music in the Lakewood school district.

When her mom died in 2017, Whitfield started knitting again as a way to cope with depression. She did 52 projects in one year, creating hats, scarves, blankets and cowls.

"It saved me," she said. "I knit my way through that grief. I want to give that gift to someone else."

When she created a Facebook page to gauge interest in an Oberlin yarn shop, the group quickly grew to more than 300 members. "People were into it," Whitfield said.

Whitfield took classes at the Small Business Development Center at Lorain County Community College to develop her business idea and gain entrepreneurial skills. She also worked at a local yarn shop to learn the business.

"We’re just really excited for Lisa," said Small Business Development Center director Lisa Hutson. "To work with a client that had an idea, fought to make it happen and did the work to make it a reality is exciting."

Whitfield was smart to make marginalized communities her target audience, Hutson said.

"It seems counterintuitive to businesspeople to narrow their niche. But in the long run, it really does pay off when you understand your target audience, because no one can be everything to everyone," Hutson said.

Hutson admires Whitfield's passion, but passion alone isn't enough to make a business thrive. People who learned crafting skills during the COVID-19 lockdown are now back to in-person work and school, and have less free time.

And as prices for eggs, gas and other items climb, there's less money left over for fancy yarn.

"She happens to be in an industry that is going to be sensitive to changes in the economy," Hutson said.

Whitfield thinks she can appeal to dedicated knitters who may have less time, but haven't entirely abandoned their needles.

They’ll find inspiration in the hats, mittens and scarves decorating For Ewe. Whitfield makes these items with yarn she sells, so that she can help customers pick the right yarn for their projects.

"I want people to see what's possible," Whitfield said.

For Ewe carries the Spin Cycle brand of yarn designed by women in Bellingham, Washington. "I tried to get yarn representing people that don't normally get seen," said For Ewe owner Lisa Whitfield. The Oberlin yarn shop strives to be a welcoming place for marginalized communities. Julie E Washington, cleveland.com

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