It has been some time since we have done a LYS feature, so let’s change all of that!
On The Lamb is a charming shop in the equally charming town of Uxbridge, Ontario, which is less than an hour drive from Toronto. It is a scenic trek up there, and well worth the trip.
So, without further ado, we would like to introduce to you Ellen Skinner, knitter extraordinaire, and owner of On The Lamb.
Tell us a little bit about yourself!
I am a creative soul who delights in the colours and textures of wool! The purer the fiber the better! My daughter is my heart and soul – I adore her and thank God for her every day! I am also mommy to two Labradoodles called Theodore and Alvin (and there is no Simon and never will be!)
How long have you been knitting?
Since I was 6 – my grandmother gave me 4 needles and suggested I knit a Barbie Skirt. Horrible, horrible, horrible. And seriously – what was she thinking???
What is your “Go-To” knitting project?
Socks, always socks.
When did you decide to open a shop?
2006
How long have you been in business?
Almost 9 years.
What inspired you to open a yarn store?
I thought it would be a wonderful combination of colour, creativity, people and business. Perfect World! And I could knit all day.
It didn’t take too long for me to become educated about retail!
What makes your shop unique?
- We specialize in customer service and providing quality products. We love to support folks, who support us.
- We have our own brand of yarn, PenguinWool, that we dye.
- We also produce our own line of 100% natural skin care. We love to help mind, body and spirit. “let your mind settle into knitting rhythms … nourish your body with natural skincare … allow your mind and body to become, your spirit.”
Do you have a website? And are you active on social media? If so, where can we find you?
We do! Our website is www.onthelamb.ca.
We are also active on Facebook, Twitter (less so), Instagram (when I can figure it out) and Etsy (once I dye more yarn!)
Do you offer any classes? Which ones are your most popular?
We have classes almost every Saturday – by far my most popular class is Work Socks II – Toe up, FLK heel. Love it!
Click here to read the full line up of classes offered.
What is your favourite Estelle Yarn? (Includes all yarn that Estelle stocks. ie- Cascade, King Cole, etc).
Love Cascade Yarns – the whole family of yarns!
What do you want people to know about running a shop?
Running a shop is not about sitting and knitting. It’s about CUSTOMER SERVICE, ordering, inventory, accounting, pricing, tidying, marketing, social media, newsletter preparation, research for customers, research for shop to develop shop samples (THAT’s the only time you will see me knitting in the shop!), liaising with reps, other LYS owners, other shops in my town, keeping on top of trends in wool and styles – and that’s just a few of the things I do every week.
Is there anything else that you think we should know about you or your shop?
We offer drop in sessions every Thursday and Friday – $5 each visit gets you a seat at the table (if you get there in time!), a cup of coffee, and whole lot of laughter and giggles, help with your project and a 10% discount on product you purchase here in the shop.
Estelle Yarns would like to send out a big THANK YOU to Ellen for taking the time to fill us in on what has been happening at her shop.
We hope that you all have a chance to make it up to Uxbridge at some point. Like we said… it is WELL worth the drive!
On The Lamb can be found at 66 Brock Street West, Uxbridge, Ontario.
Phone- (905) 852-1944
Email- info@onthelamb.ca
Web- www.onthelamb.ca
Happy knitting everyone!
♥