Text by Suzanne Middlebrooks, photos by Kennedy Berry
Not all dreams are fantasies, some dreams really do come true.
I opened Hill Country Weavers in 1981 with Marta Shannon, my good friend and then business partner. We met through our shared love for weaving at a local co-op. That is how my business started - the co-op had been created for supporting artists and creative types, and we called it Dreams into Reality.
Marta and I were both budding, enthusiastic weavers; weaving was going to be our business. It was our mission to have classes, supplies, and even a gallery for artists to sell their creations – a real "soup to nuts '' operation – but we quickly learned the joy of making with yarn in all mediums. That meant we welcomed knitters and crocheters into our blossoming tribe.
Since its start, there have been several moves for Hill Country Weavers, each one allowing us to expand and grow our fiber community. We finally reached our forever home in 2017. The new space is bigger and more open than any we've been in to date, and we've worked hard to make it into a truly special destination for knitters, weavers, crocheters and spinners.
I am fortunate these days to have a well-rounded staff. Each person is special, with their own unique qualities that just seem to create the perfect balance.
We offer group classes as well as specialty classes, and we are probably best known for some of the bigger events that we host, one being our annual Knitting in the Hills Retreat. We bring in teachers and vendors from both the US and all over the world.
Last year we were lucky enough to have La Bien Aimée as a special vendor and they are now a regular stockist at our store. We also do many featured events and showcase new products on zoom year-round to help expand our community outside the Austin area.
One of the things I like most about my business is discovering and sharing new yarns and projects with my tribe. There’s always something new – it seems endless and yet some of these "new" ideas have been recycled many times over my 41 years in business. It's always exciting to see trends circle back around in new ways.
When you come to Hill Country Weavers these days, I feel like you are walking into a truly special place filled with creativity and inspiration. The buzz of nature provides a break from the urban setting that surrounds this very special yarn store in Austin, Texas. Inside, the overall vibe of the shop is relaxed and casual, yet elegant. We hope our space is a source for memory making moments centered around creating, learning and fun. A creative space for creative people.
4102 Menchaca Road, Austin, TX 78704 USA