Like for so many business people, the COVID-19 pandemic caused KnittyGrittyYarnGirl mobile yarn shop owner Paulette Meijer to shift online sales into high gear.

Today, the KnittyGrittyYarnGirl online community reaches across the country and around the world with more than 3,000 online fans. The business based in Niantic has fans from every state in the United States, as well as Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, the Netherlands, New Zealand and many more.

“It was not my intention to have an online shop when I launched the bus in 2016,” Meijer said. “Then COVID happened and it was do-or-die, so we did.

“It was a whirlwind. I shifted my website to accommodate online purchases, we built out our basement to mimic a yarn shop and went live on Facebook and Instagram. What started as an eCommerce endeavor, evolved into a global community of knitters and crocheters.”

Today, fans look forward to weekly broadcasts and impromptu live sessions.

“They engage with each other and laugh at my husband’s dad jokes,” Meijer said. “They even meet up at our live retreats, arriving by planes, trains and automobiles. Little did I know the online community would grow to more than 3,000 people!

The day after the tragic tornado hit western Kentucky, a fan from Nebraska reached out and suggested that Meijer create a comfort symbol for the children in the area. While emergency supplies and staples were provided by large organizations, parents struggled to find interim housing and to put some semblance of order in their lives.

“We wanted to give young ones a small token of love. A few weeks and several contacts later, the Helping Hands Healing Hearts plan was in place,” Meijer said. “The word has begun to spread and hearts are arriving here every day. ... I could not be prouder of this amazing group.

Now Meijer is inviting other groups or organizations to participate in Helping Hands Healing Hearts. Contact KnittyGrittyYarnGirl owner Paulette Meijer by phone (203) 856-6755 or email at paulette@knittygrittyyarngirl.com for details.

To learn more about KnittyGrittyYarnGirl Mobile Yarn Shop, visit https://www.knittygrittyyarngirl.com/pages/about-us. Or go to www.facebook.com/knittygrittyyarngirl or www.instagram.com/knittygrittyyarngirl.

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