Young passions for knitting boosts family's wool shop

Sisters Julie and Caroline Davis have noticed a trend: "Knitting used to be thought of as a granny hobby, but if you come into our shop any day of the week, you'll see it's not like that."

The pair, who have run their wool shop in Birmingham for nearly two decades, say they have noticed a rise in younger people getting into crocheting and knitting since 2020.

Whether its primary school children popping in on their way home from school or university students picking up yarn for a project, the pair said younger knitters were "embracing the designer-led" hobby to boost their wellbeing.

"I think it's absolutely fantastic because it's great for your mental health; it gives you longevity and you can create something that is unique to you," Julie Davis said.

Influenced by social media and TV shows like the Great British Sewing Bee, the hobby was gaining popularity as students used natural fibres in clothing and avoided fast fashion, she said.

"University students just love crafting and being creative, there's a real trend towards sustainable fashion and fabrics," Julie Davis added.

While older customers liked to work with patterns, younger knitters were getting creative by "just using their imagination and going for it", she added.

The shop regularly has international visitors from as far away as Australia, India and the US, she said, as customers were keen to buy British wool.

"We love seeing what people are making and get inspired by other people's designs, very often going down rabbit holes for new things to make," she said.

As the shop celebrates its 50th anniversary this year, Caroline Davis described its Bournville location as a "really special place to be", surrounded by "such a lovely community".

"We have generations of families who have shopped with us in the 50 years and they become more than customer and more like friends," she said.

Christine's Wool Shop first opened in 1976 under the ownership of Christine and Phil Davis, before daughters Julie, Caroline and Sally took it over in 2008, when their mum died.

"She was a massive part of the community, very loved and well-known, everybody would stop and have a chat with her," Julie Davis said.

If you came into the shop any day of the week, the kettle was "always on" and there were "crowds of people having coffees with mum, so we were very sentimentally attached to the shop".

"Maureen, one of our mum's friends, was a big part of the shop and still comes in weekly to see us, they really assist and support us," she said.

There have been ups and downs over the years at the shop, Caroline Davis said, with crafting going "out of fashion in the late 80s, early 90s", reducing trade.

"Mum had to evolve the shop a little bit, offering other things to sell and we've tried to keep it the same with ladies and children's fashion, quirky bits too," she added.

The sisters said that, although things have changed over the years, customers still popped into the shop to say hello and chat about the local news.

"It's lovely to see that we have the same families coming in with their children and grandchildren and you get to know everyone and their story," Julie Davis added.

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