When Suzanna Bierwirth, owner of Goods & Heroes, pinged me the other day to say she’ll open a yarn store-within-a-store on Oct. 10, it brought to mind the cool fiber-arts exhibit closing this Sunday at the Beverly Shores Depot Museum & Gallery. More on that below. (It also made me a little punny—sorry for the headline…)

Bierwirth (standing in photo below) has joined forces with local fiber artist Stacy Nelson (also pictured) to open Yarn Haus, specializing in natural fibers, filling a big void in the area. The two will offer classes and community Knit Together events in addition to yarns from around the world.

“It is important to us to know where our products are coming from,” Bierwirth said in a release. “The first purchase we made was 20 beautiful skeins of undyed, hand-spun wool from local Michigan fiber farmer Vera Videnowich. Then we started talking to the producers and companies that bring us yarns from all over the world: Peru, Uruguay, Argentina, Shetland, Norway, Denmark, Turkey, Germany, Italy, even Japan and Nepal, in addition to the Canadian and American growers who are very important to us.”

Certainly, whatever I thought about fiber arts was challenged by the recent exhibit (see images above) at the Beverly Shores Depot Museum & Gallery, where I’m a board member. Once thought of, or dismissed, as a craft, fiber art is being taken seriously as an art form. This exhibit, which you can catch this Saturday or Sunday (Oct. 3-4) before it closes, proves the point. “Revealing Inspiration with Fiber” features the work of noted local fiber artists Suzy Vance, Kathy Flanagan, Laura Gutzwiller, Laurel Izard, Salvatore Rigby, Kelley Van Dorn, and Bonnie Zimmer.

Yarn Haus cofounder Nelson, who lives near Three Oaks, grew up on a farm in upstate New York, where knitting was introduced to her as a child. Her passion for it grew into adulthood (she even shepherded her own small flock of sheep used for hand-spinning for a time!). She is currently enrolled in the Master Hand Knitter Program of the Knitting Guild Association.

Nelson will lead free community Knit Together events from 5:30 to 8 p.m. every Wednesday. Beginner knitting classes, led by Zoe Gottstein, will be held on Mondays and Tuesday from 6 to 8 p.m. beginning November 3. Registration for classes will open October 15 here.

Bierwirth points out that there’s likely no other place in Harbor Country selling yarn. In Northwest Indiana, Chesterton has a yarn store, Three Moons Fiberworks. It operates out of the old midcentury-modern post office and offers classes.

“I am a big supporter of the slow and mindful fashion movement,” says Bierwirth, who opened Goods & Heroes in 2016. “We showcase many makers who create one-of-a-kind pieces or entirely hand-made lines. And every fall I work with a group called MIA Peru, Mothers In Action, that hand-knits alpaca sweaters for us.” Bierwirth said. “Extending our offering into yarn is a natural next step for me. Nothing is more lasting than a garment you created yourself. Nothing is more satisfying than to make something with your own hands.”

Follow Yarn Haus on Instagram at gh_yarnhaus. Goods & Heroes, 7 Maple St, Three Oaks, 269.340.0346. ps…. They’re looking for a crochet instructor. Hit them up if you know of someone.