Handspun Yarn and People at the Needles' Ends

What do locals talk about while knitting? Where do you buy yarn in a small town? Local and natural have rightly received the attention they deserve lately, both in travel and in everyday life. And we have them here in Äänekoski: a small entrepreneur both shears and spins, and genuine, helpful locals knit to make the world—and each other's knitting problems—better. 

Traditional and natural

Ruokosuon Torppa provides services for sheep farms, hand-spun wool yarns, Finnish gift items, spinning courses and demonstrations, as well as visualist services.

I first discovered Ruokosuon Torppa on social media, on Facebook and Instagram and was immediately intrigued. I ordered a maxi-sized mystery yarn bag to my home right away and was over the moon when I saw the news about the shop and its colorful selection. Soon I got to visit the shop, where you don't need to worry about distancing, as customers are welcomed one at a time. The shop is small and charming, so private visits are a very responsible practice by the entrepreneur. 

Last Friday, 23 Oct, was Finnish Handicraft Day, and to celebrate it Ruokosuon Torppa's studio and shop held its opening weekend. During the opening weekend, as at other times, customers were received privately. The shop is located at Kalaniemi's old school, Kajamantie 4, 44460 Kalaniemi. Even the entrance invites you into an atmospheric shop, where the shelves hold delightful yarns. The yarns come from Finnish sheep farms and are available in natural shades and plant-dyed.

When I visited the shop there were no ready-made products, though they hope to stock some as well. There are enough custom orders that no one has had time to knit items for the shelves, especially when the yarns also need to be spun. In addition to yarn, the shelves hold, among other things, felting wool and sheepskins. There are gift items for many tastes, from home decor to natural cosmetics. The shelves are laden with lovely bar soaps and salves. 

The shop at Kalaniemi's old school will be open year-round, and during the Covid period visits should be arranged in advance. Getting in touch and arranging a visit is not difficult, as Ruokosuon Torppa is on social media, and you can reach them quickly by email and phone.

040 837 53 47 / ruokosuontorppa@gmail.com

Authentic encounters

Wille's Handicraft Club has been meeting fairly regularly for a year and a half. The idea was born when the yarn shop on the corner of the market square closed, and the craft circle ended with it. First they met at someone's home, then they thought to ask if they could go to Wille to knit. And they did! 

The craft club announces its meetings in its Facebook group, and whoever can shows up. Typically 4–5 people have been present, and so far all have been women, though men would be welcome too. The club doesn't exclude anyone by age, and the age range is wide; even a 40-year age gap doesn't matter. What unites the club is enthusiasm for making things by hand, rather than similar life situations. Some are mothers, others grandmothers, and some knit for their own grandma. 

Meeting time has now settled on Wednesday evenings from 5–7 pm, though breaks have sometimes been necessary due to Covid. Alongside making things together there's time for coffee and the hottest topics. The world is set to rights, new TV series and popular books are discussed, and for many this is a moment of their own time in the middle of a busy everyday. 

You can sense the group's open atmosphere, and even a first-timer will laugh many times, as humor isn't in short supply. A regular who moved from another town says she found this an easy environment for getting to know locals and joining in effortlessly. Visitors to the city are also welcome to come knit. Here, a traveler gets a genuine experience of local people and everyday life. 

We miss the yarn shops that have disappeared. You can order familiar yarns online, and Jyväskylä has an almost endless selection of yarns, but you don't always feel like going there. "From supermarkets we end up buying basic yarns, and luckily we still have Suoteks." You really need to get a feel for yarn before paying for it, the group discusses. People have been happy with the services at the local Kangaskauppa Suoteks, and special needles have also been ordered there when a small town's selection hasn't had them. So even a traveler can't plead a lack of needles and yarn here, because we have them available; if your own project stayed at home, you can always start a new one and, during your holiday, get to know the genuine and helpful local people.

As usual, this time too no one at the craft club had only one work in progress. It seems to be a common problem among knitters, as are yarn cupboards that are too full... Problems can be solved here as well. If you're stuck with your own project, someone else knows the solution—or if not, they'll find out. The problem, of course, can be too many ideas inspired by fellow knitters' projects, "I need to try those socks too". In addition to socks, you can knit, for example, sweaters at the craft club, and you don't have to stick to knitting either. Many crochet projects have been finished, and the technique is limited only by the maker's imagination.