Having spaces to gather is important for most people, and for the last two years Tricot Laines Studio in Huntingdon has been working hard to foster a sense of community and bring people together.
The studio/boutique was opened in 2022 by Huntingdon resident Christina Fasoula, and since then she has had the chance to meet – and knit – with people from around the Valley and beyond. She has clients who come from Montreal, Brossard, Vaudreuil, and even some from other countries who stopped in during a visit to the Valley. “It’s been amazing. I wasn’t expecting to have such a positive impact,” she shares. Her boutique has really become a family-type spot for the clients; so much so that she jokes that some of them come in and take their shoes off!
Currently, Fasoula offers classes in crocheting, knitting, loom knitting, weaving, spinning, fiber processing, yarn dyeing and needle felting. She offers both private classes and group workshops which are available at all levels. One of her activities is called “Sip Sip Knit” (which is a play on the knitting term, “slip, slip, knit”), and is a weekly meetup at the Brasserie in Huntingdon where participants have a drink, a bite to eat, and work on their knitting projects. She shares that this helps to “cut the week in half,” and provides something to look forward to during the work week. She also has weekly “Knit Socials” on Saturdays, where people can come by the shop, do some knitting, and socialize with people from the area.
When Fasoula moved to the Valley, she says that it took her quite a while to find the sense of community she was hoping for. “People assume that you know everything and that you were born and raised here, and everyone knows everyone,” she says. Her goal with the boutique is to be accessible and give people a space where they can find others to share their time with. She also wants to make sure that it is a safe space for everyone to visit, regardless of age, race, gender, sexual orientation, or language.
It’s been rewarding for Fasoula to see how much her clients have learned since the beginning. She’s seen people come in who had never knitted before and who can now make entire sweaters. She shares that “Knitting can be a very lonely craft. Most people do it alone, at home, in front of the TV.” This was especially true during the pandemic, and for older folks who may not have family close by. It can be easy to feel isolated; but Tricot Laines helps to remedy that. “A lot of people start a friendship here and then start to see each other outside of the store,” Fasoula proudly shares.
Something that is really important to Fasoula is working in collaboration with other local businesses. For many of her classes she would bring in pastries from Merveilles sans Gluten, the gluten-free bakery in Huntingdon. More recently, Jream Brewing has started sponsoring the Knit Socials with their coffee. Fasoula also carries products in the boutique from 26 different artisans; most of them are made by young moms or retired women, and it helps them supplement their income. Fasoula encourages people to come by and to look into shopping locally before turning to big stores or the internet. “When you come to the gift shop, you’re helping 26 families,” she says.
“In two years, there hasn’t been one day that I’ve woken up and felt like I didn’t want to go to work,” she says. To celebrate, the Knit Social on August 31 featured a special potluck, where Fasoula and some regulars made food to share with whoever wanted to come by. The studio boutique is also offering big discounts throughout the month of September. Fasoula is extremely grateful for the support she has received and is looking forward to what is to come.