What's so baaad about Anna's? A pre-grand opening interview

I was too curious to wait until Baaad Anna's grand opening this Saturday to ask these questions about the new & hip yarn shop here in Van. I figured if I'm excited you must be too, so of course I will share.

Q:Tell me the story behind the name of your yarn shop. How did it come to you, and does it reflect on your store mandate at all?

A:besides it being a good pun, the name (and the logo) really reflect who I am. I have been inspired for many years by the quote "well-behaved women rarely make history" and in most aspects of my life i have been a rabble-rouser. Political activism and social justice is my number one passion, and my values and desire to stand up for justice is reflected in my life, so why not my store.

The name reflects my personal (and business) mandate to think outside the box, to push the envelope and do it with conviction. And knitting/crafting can be totally bad-ass.....

Q: How long have you been preparing to open Baaad Anna's? Any funny stories to share about the process?

A: I worked as a housing advocate in the downtown eastside until October of 2008 and then I decided I needed to take a break from that work and re-charge my batteries. most of my family and friends were encouraging me to pursue something related to knitting (my second passion) and the idea was birthed. In December I decided I was doing it, and eight months later here I am.

I don't know if I have any funny stories, but i should've kept some sort of photo log of all the facial reactions i received when i told people (non knitters) that i was opening up a yarn store, followed by the classic "can a store like that actually work?", in the beginning i tried to explain the obsession, but after a while i just smiled.

Q: I saw on your blog that your check-out counter is shaped like a ball of yarn. What's the story behind that?

A: The story behind the ball of yarn desk is that i have the best husband in the world. he designed the desk, and every other piece of furniture in the store. He is a brilliant carpenter and an eccentric artist, and the desk is my favorite part of the store. He wanted it to be unique - and it certainly is.

Q: How is Baaad Anna's different from other yarn shops here in Vancouver?

A: Well, its in East Vancouver (go East Van!) and that is different. My intention is to support and promote young crafters in this neighborhood, to promote diversity and creativity and to have a bit of an edge within the store, to be unapologetic about bad-ass and wild fibre related projects while still maintaining a respect for my elders who have been knitting for years and have so much to offer! Baaad Anna's sells yarn, needles, patterns etc - in that way we are just like all the other yarn stores, its the attitude that makes the store different.

Q: Is Baaad Anna's going to be giving workshops? What kind?

A: Yes, the workshops will start in October of 2009. Knitting, crocheting, felting, dyeing and a big focus on kid-classes will be offered. My vision is to create opportunities for other people in the city who are involved in fibre arts to actually work at what they love, so I hope that fibre artists, teachers and others will get involved in the workshop component of the store.

Q: What kinds of things will you be keeping us updated on at Baaad Anna's blog?

A: Baaad Anna's blog will be the place to watch for updates on classes, store events, sales and then the hopefully coherent rants and musings about yarn, knitting, crafting and owning a small business. I know that i read other crafty blogs often and appreciate the virtual community it creates, and my intention is for Baaad Anna's to contribute to that community.