Mary Ramsey didn’t know a thing about yarn or knitting when she moved to Bloomington, about 15 years ago. She also didn’t know very many people, so a coworker at her temp job invited her to a knit group, and she had a great time. She learned to knit, then she learned to dye yarn, and she started selling it online and at conventions. As much as she liked the yarn, the people have always been her favorite part. So when she opened Rebel Purl, a yarn shop on Bloomington’s west side, she made sure that community events were a central part of the business.
Rebel Purl carries yarn from local makers, as well as all the knitting supplies you might need. They also have resources on keeping economies local, resisting tyranny, and building community. The shop is as much a gathering space as it is a store. Its tagline is “Rebellions are built on yarn.”
If you decide to visit, it’s at 303 S Hickory Drive, in Bloomington. It’s two doors down from Ale’s Ice Cream shop. Do check their hours before you go – Mary has a full-time job apart from the shop, so she and her business partner, Evie Phelps, are mainly there in the afternoon and evenings.
