Can a Pair of Knitting Needles Change the World?

I’ll spoil this in the first sentence: no, probably not. But let’s revisit this question in a bit, shall we?

I’m ramping up for what I hope will be a busy last quarter of the year for Treehouse Handcrafts. While I have plenty of crafting and creating to do at this time of year, it’s also a stage in the natural rhythm of our lives in which I have a bit more time alone with my own thoughts, usually when driving to the farm to take care of the horses. And so while my downtime at home usually finds me with a set of needles in my hands, clattering away at a new shawl or ear warmer for my next new makes drop, I’ve also had plenty of time to reflect and process and plan.

Looking back on this first year of being open — even with what might be the busiest season still ahead — I see a good foundation to keep building this for the future, and in particular, to keep building on my presence in the local community. For a small business, that goes two ways: focusing sales within the region, but sourcing as much as I can from the region as well.

(If you’re a long-distance Treehouse fan, fear not, because I’m still going to be maintaining the online store as well. This is a special shout-out to you fine folks of the great commonwealth of Virginia, because y’all seem to love me down there, the place where I’ve shipped the most makes.)

This isn’t about getting locally famous or anything. It’s about making this community, county, and region stronger.

I’ve been rereading one of my favorite books, Shannon Hayes’ Redefining Rich. Within the pages, Hayes talks a lot about what she calls the “life-serving economy” (rather than the “extractive economy”), which emphasizes creating a living that allows you to make a meaningful and joyful life. Her work has been a big source of inspiration to take the leap and embark on this small business adventure, and I recommend her books to everyone. This passage in particular describes well the impact that I believe a small business can make:

“It starts with the multiplier effect of locally owned businesses, where money spent at a business has a direct impact (that money is then spent at other local businesses that supply and support the first business), indirect impact (those dollars spent at the supply-and-support businesses then recirculate), and induced impact (the result of the business owner and his or her employees spending their earnings in the economy). But a locally owned business does more to contribute to true wealth. It builds relationships between neighbors, and it helps the community form a more positive identity about itself. A community that sees itself as ‘economically depressed,’ ‘down-and-out',’ or ‘nowheresville’ will have a harder time rallying to protect itself from ecological and economic exploitation than one that views itself as vibrant and beautiful and therefore worthy of investment and protection.”

This is what motivates me to keep developing Treehouse and find its place in the local community and economy: maybe just me as one person knitting away and sharing that work at a craft show isn’t going to change the world, no — and it probably won’t change the course for a single town either. But add a few more businesses, inspired by each other and the growing renaissance taking place in this region, this return to creative and productive roots? That’s the beginning of a movement, and I hope to be part of it.