February: Rows and Roses
Updated: Apr 7, 2021
An Interview with
Sati Glenn
February 5, 2021
Connecting with Sati
When I began my quest of finding Participating Local Yarn Shops, I scoured Facebook Groups and the Internet for local yarn shops that carry Malabrigo Sock or Arroyo but only managed to have 2 yarn shops participate. Sati responded to the call I made on Save the Local Yarn Shops (a Facebook group) and after going back and forth with her, we got connected! I was honestly not expecting to find a willing LYS Owner who hasn’t even met or known me (and from Seneca, SC no less). I've never been to South Carolina (or know anyone from SC), but after a few chats with Sati, I am very pleased to tell you that NOW I do know someone from South Carolina and am even more than happy to introduce her to you!
And that's the beauty of sharing the same love for yarn and fiber arts. You'll never know who you'll make connections with, or who will come to join your cause, and where in the world they'll come from. With all that said, let's get to know Sati and her shop Rows and Roses.
Getting to Know Sati
Sati -- Well, I've been in business for 10 years in February. I got interested in fiber arts because I wanted to be able to make woolies for my baby girl. We were cloth diapering and I always thought the longies and shorties and skirties were so cute! Nobody introduced me to it, really. I'm self-taught, mostly through books and trial and error. I hung out on Hyena Cart back then (small, handmade market place) and used to stalk Mosaic Moon, Lollytree, Pianissimo, and Tessa Ann for their stockings. That was back when cloth diapering had a real community and it was so much fun. What started as just me learning to crochet so I could make wool diaper covers for my baby, turned into an all-out business before I knew it. Honestly, it was an accident! I never set out to start a business.
I knit, crochet, spin, dye, weave, write patterns, and teach classes, and own a little yarn shop in downtown Seneca, SC. I've written patterns for WeCrochet, Interweave Crochet, and Expression Fiber Arts. Even though I do all of the "yarny" things, my passion is crochet in all forms. On top of owning and running Rows & Roses, I also homeschool my two kids still living at home. We've homeschooled from the very beginning, and it's so rewarding!
How Rows and Roses came about
The business happened purely by accident. I wanted to make wool diaper covers for my baby, and so decided to teach myself to crochet. Once I got the hang of it, and started making things, I would post on Facebook just to share with my family and friends. I was excited! And yarn is so beautiful, and soft... I honestly just got really passionate about what I was doing, and I guess it rubbed off. Before I knew it, I was having to create a Facebook page just so I could keep up with all the orders! My eldest son, Kory, came up with the name Rows & Roses by using a play on words: Rows (as in rows of crochet) and Roses because my daughter's name is Rose (and she's the reason I learned to crochet in the first place). It was really a snowball effect: everyone wanted something, I was on fire wanting to make ALL THE THINGS! I found Ravelry, which taught me all the things I hadn't learned yet. Wow. It was just so crazy.
How is your business adjusting to COVID-19?
Well, COVID hasn't really had much of an affect on R&R. I still make things, I still post pictures, people still order. I did open up the yarn shop in September 2020, right in the middle of the pandemic. Yeah, like a total psycho. I did that. What was I thinking? But then hey, it worked! Apparently, people in my area were just dying for a yarn shop since the last one we had closed its doors about five years ago, and the closest one after that was a 45 minute drive. I thought I might struggle to pay the bills in the beginning, but that has not been the case. If anything, I struggle more with keeping the shelves stocked during this time of shipping taking forever!
Building Community Relationships
Oh, we are all about community at R&R. I hold crochet-alongs, teach classes, have a Stitch N Chat night once a month, and even started a lunch and learn series "Fun with Fiber Arts" that meets every other Friday afternoon. There is a sitting area in the shop, as well as coffee always going. I have quite a few "regulars" who come in at least once a week just to sit and stitch. It's so much nicer stitching with others rather than just being at home alone. We socially distance, and while masks are optional, we are pretty serious about everyone wearing one when we have a guest who wants us to. We're pretty laid back, but humans come first and we want everyone to feel safe and comfortable while they're here.
What's coming up for R&R?
I don't have the whole calendar made up yet, but Stitch N Chat is always the 3rd Friday of the month, 2-5pm. Lunch N Learns happen on the 2nd and 4th Fridays 12-1pm. I have a workshop and at least a class or two each month as well. Also, there is a Valentines Party at the yarn shop on February 13, 2021 from 10am-6pm EST.
Updates:
Rows and Roses was located at 105 E. North 1st St. Seneca, SC 29678 but since March 2021, they have moved to 113 E North 1st St. Seneca, SC 29678 (a larger location) — so if you're from around the area, the shop is open during these hours: Sun: closed Mon: closed Tues: 10-4
Wed: 10-4
Thurs: 10-4
Fri: 10-4
Sat: 10-6
For any curbside pick up or online orders, or questions/comments, you can reach Sati with this number (864) 888-7554 and check out her e-commerce store at www.rowsandroses.com. Rows and Roses is a participating Local Yarn Shop where you can purchase Malabrigo Sock for my debut pattern release (where you can get 25% off of my pattern). If you are interested in checking out her patterns, please check out these links below and support her business by purchasing her self-published patterns!
Sati’s Published Interweave pattern:
https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/peace-poncho-2
She has another one in the Spring issue that is about to be released, and will have two more in the Summer issue.
Her final pattern for Expression Fiber Arts is almost ready to be released. It's in the final testing phases.
And Sati is all over WeCrochet. Sati is an independent designer for them, an ambassador, an affiliate, a tester, and she has a pattern coming out in their spring issue, which should be coming out soon.
For her independent patterns that she has posted but haven’t entered into the system yet, check out this link:
https://www.crochet.com/search?q=sati+glenn
The beauty in fiber arts is that while you can be a knitter, crocheter, weaver, spinner, yarn dyer, we are all connected by the love of creating beautiful things with yarn. My greatest takeaway from this interview is that even in difficult times, you can still make your dreams come true by meeting the needs of others. Necessity truly is the mother of invention or in this case, the mother of beautiful crafts and a community of yarn lovers. I hope this has inspired you to support local artists and small businesses and that it has also sparked the creativity and innovation inside of you. Stay tuned for our Feature of the Month for March. While my main focus is on fiber arts, I will be featuring Blue Alley Salon and Gift Shop from Aurora, OR.
Little Rosie 10 years ago and now.
All photos in this post are not mine. Photos are either sent to me by Sati or are photos I chose from her Facebook Page as she has permitted me.