This summer, the Sackville community has welcomed a brand-new yarn shop. Located on 6 Ford Avenue, behind Goya’s Pizza, Gobsmacked Yarn is the new go-to spot for fans of the fibre arts. The story of the shop and its owner, Marit Munson, is a fascinating one. Before making yarn dying her full-time commitment, Munson was a professor of archeology of art. Her focus in the archeology field was colour and the way people used colour in different places. At the time, yarn dying was her hobby, and later part-time job, offering Munson a balanced combination of research work and visual work of yarn dying.
One of the things that Munson loved about studying colour as an archeologist is understanding how it connects people to a particular place. After moving to the Sackville marsh, she observed the difference of light compared to other places in Canada and the US that she lived in. Munson noticed how the light affects the way dye colour is perceived, which sparked her inspiration. Her intention is to share the colours of the marsh through her work and reflect this light in a personal way.
Gobsmacked Yarn specializes in a unique colour gradient technique. To do the technique, Munson first puts the yarn in what are called cakes: think of round hay bales, and from the centre to the edge of the cake, the yarn gradients between two or three colours. The gradient reminds Munson of Jawbreaker candies, also known as Gobstoppers. This resemblance to Gobstoppers and people’s ‘gobsmacked’ reactions to her dyeing technique gave Munson an idea for the name of her business.
As Munson is settling with opening a shop, she is also offering several learning and socializing opportunities. Munson is hosting yarn dyeing classes on October 16 and December 12 that are welcome for anyone who is interested in hands-on learning of her special gradient colour technique. Whether you are an experienced yarn fibre artist and cannot find yarn colour that calls to you, or want to try doing something new, this event might be for you.
If you are more interested in meeting and crafting with similarly artsy minded people around Sackville, drop by the shop on Wednesday nights at 6 p.m. to unwind after a long day. Do not forget to bring your mask with you as they are required for this event! As Munson has mentioned, she wants to make her events accessible to as many people as possible but understands that masking is not a possibility for everyone. For that reason, starting on October 19, Saturday Crafternoons are taking place from 3–5 p.m. for you to craft and chat.
Munson’s unique yarn dying technique has caught the attention of Mt. A’s Fine Arts department as well. From October 8–11 she will be holding dye classes for students in the department, introducing them to the process of gradient yarn dying.
Gobsmacked Yarn is also a wonderful place to learn how to knit something cozy for the colder weather and support a local business. On November 2 and 9, you will have a chance to learn how to knit from scratch “in a supportive environment.” Munson is going to provide you with all necessary materials and instructions to get you started on your knitting journey.
You can learn more about Gobsmacked Yarn, purchase Munson’s work, and sign up for the events on the website page gobsmackedyarn.ca. Watch out for the creative process and pet content on her Instagram page @gobsmackedyarn.
