How not to cry over spilled beans

This was originally posted through my Patreon in April 2026. Adding it hear since I closed my Patreon.

This past Christmas, my husband treated our family to a fancy new espresso maker. It's one of those neat Ninja machines where it can brew nearly any type of coffee, steam or foam milk, and dispense a cup of hot water for tea (not all at the same time, of course). It's a nifty little addition to our kitchen that is well-used every morning.

While filling it with more coffee beans the other day, the bag burst open and BAM!

Coffee beans everywhere.

This is just the counter. Not pictured are alllll the beans that spilled on the floor.

Needless to say, I was annoyed and it took me much longer than I wanted to get my glorious cup of morning coffee. You know, the type of coffee you crave first thing in the morning to keep you smiling throughout the day...UGH! After cleaning up every single bean, I made my coffee and eventually got on with my day.

This little situation made me think about how things are at the moment in the yarn world. Sometimes, things happen or there are changes in a place or with a company that we've relied on to bring us inspiration and joy, and dealing with the fallout from it is less than pleasant. And for many, it is truly heartbreaking.

Believe it or not, this isn't a comment aimed at a specific company or business. This isn't a one-off thing that has happened. We've seen this happen a few times over, especially in the last 6-8 years. The pandemic played into this some where there was a spike in craft-material purchases and some companies did not manage it well. The current economic climate has some ownership in this, too. Whatever the reason or motivation, many beloved businesses have gone and others have pivoted to a place where their identity is unrecognizable.

But what has been solid throughout? The people and the communities.

Us yarn lovers are a passionate bunch and we are not keen on change. We do not like when our cheese is moved. We do not enjoy it when companies we hold very dear either close up shop or sell out.

But, we don't own the businesses.

Running a business in this industry is harrowing to say the least. So when an owner wants out, what really are their choices? We can't control their choices. We can only control our response and where we choose to spend our time and money.

What are the choices that business owners have when they want to retire or move on or...I don't know...decide to pivot for whatever reason? Many close their doors and join the long list of businesses that we miss but still celebrate when we work through our stashes. A lucky few find another trusted businesses owner in the industry that is able to fold the brand into theirs. Others choose to sell out, which is the route that I am sure at the time felt like was the best chance for continued brand success (or at least, that is the tale they spin; again...not unique to one situation, sadly).

Is there a great choice in any of these options for us consumers?

Well...the second one is ideal but in order for it to work, there has to be capital to make it happen. Many of us who own small businesses (or those of us who would love to start one) don't have the cash to make it happen, especially if it's a larger business. For those who have the money, all we can do is hope that the people or business entity who acquire the brands understand what they have purchased and have the desire to continue what we love most about them.

Clearly, for more brands than we'd like, our hopes have been dashed. Still, the people and the communities continue to be strong throughout all this, even though these acquiring business' actions have spilled our beans everywhere. And because of the people and our love and our passion to make fun and exciting and beautiful things with yarn, I know that one (or more) business's pivot does not mean the end of community for us all.

There are still good people out there we can trust. I know that I've earned the trust of many of you throughout my years working in the industry and I don't take that for granted. Not for a minute. It's the makers that create the magic. It always has been, and it always will be. It's truly an honor for me to be a part of your maker journey.

There are so many lovely patterns to make, yarns to acquire, and stashes to enjoy. There are new makers to meet and inspiration to be had, local yarn shops and indie dyers to support, and clubs...yes, there are still some fabulous clubs out there!

Just remember...there's no crying over spilled beans when you've got a community as strong as ours 🩷

And to all the yarn industry business owners out there, for the love of all us fiber enthusiasts, please create a succession plan for your business. xoxox