Birmingham’s hottest new hangout is a yarn shop. Located in Forest Park, Knit B’ham, open one year this month, is crafting a community tapestry using sustainable materials. It all started when founder Isabel Rubio was saddened at the loss of In the Making, “a fabulous yarn shop,” during the pandemic. “I said, ‘I want to open a yarn store; I love yarn,’” she says. “I found a place in Forest Park and was fortunate to find it. We’ve now made it the perfect home.”
Making a place feel like home is familiar to Isabel. A second-generation Mexican-American from Mississippi, her grandfather immigrated to New Orleans during the Mexican Revolution. Isabel’s parents met and fell in love in the Big Easy before relocating to the Magnolia state. Isabel notes that “a lot of racism and oppression” took place in the environs of her youth – but the silver lining is that she grew up valuing inclusivity.
Following a move to Birmingham in 1991 to attend UAB for social work, Isabel founded the Hispanic and Immigrant Center of Alabama (HICA), stepping back after many successful years to open her yarn emporium. “I have always been creative – I love to paint, garden, and do things with my hands. My dad’s mother taught me to knit,” she adds.
Isabel says Knit B’ham has “exceeded her wildest expectations.” With the help of staff members Katherine Berdy, whose title is “Thought Partner and Yarn Slinger,” and Jamie Skripnik (a former manager of In the Making), whose title is “Yarn Slinger and Pattern Designer,” Isabel has created not only a shop but a gathering space, complete with workshops on textile arts. Knitting 101 has been a hit, as has Crochet 101, and the shop offers more specialized classes in techniques and skills “such as socks, colorwork, or making your first sweater,” Isabel says.
Eager knitters can choose from a variety of all-natural yarns in the shop, including silk, mohair, wool, and more, at numerous price points, ensuring every customer can afford to enjoy Knit B’ham. Yarn is sourced from all over the world, with women-owned companies preferred, and Isabel is always on the hunt for new sources: “I was just in Ireland, and I met the coolest owners of a yarn shop,” she beams.
For frequent patrons of Knit B’ham, knitting is a stress reliever and a way to practice meditation and mindfulness in an often chaotic world.
“People have shared stories with me about things they are struggling with, and I’ve seen people be transformed,” Isabel says. “Knitting provides a great opportunity to let go of perfectionism. It teaches grace, forgiveness, and patience, and it accepts where we are at the moment.”
Most of all, Isabel and her staff want visitors to feel more lighthearted when they visit Knit B’ham. While she admits there’s no “typical day,” the space's philosophy is always about meeting friends and learning or making something new.
“We try to make sure everyone feels welcome,” she says. “We had some ladies here for five and a half hours, just shopping and knitting! There’s good vibes, cheerfulness, and happiness — and there’s likely a group of people, sitting and knitting together.”
knitbham.com