Library Clerical Assistant, Lisa Cox, had no idea when starting a fabric and yarn exchange at Shadle Park Library in November of last year that the idea would become a local sensation. After visiting a library on her travels that had a Bits and Pieces Exchange (patterns, beads, buttons, zippers, etc.), she took the idea and put her own twist on it to encompass her love of quilting – hence the fabric and yarn exchange.
Lisa cleaned out her own fabric stash at home to get it started, and it became so popular that most of our other locations decided to offer an exchange, as well! Customers have used the free materials they pick up to make things like sofa pillows, blankets, scarves, hats, and more. One person even reached out to us on social media and shared a picture of a beautiful pale yellow and floral bib, “Thank you library for the remnant fabric! Learning to sew and made a cute bib for my new niece.”
Community members are welcome to bring their UFOs (unfinished objects), tiny quilting squares, bolts of fabric, and more. Please bring your fabric and yarn to the information desk and help yourselves to anything from the shelves! No donations are required to take something.
Sharp things such as pins, knitting needles, crochet hooks, and scissors aren’t included in the exchange, nor are notions such as beads and buttons.
You can find exchanges at the following library locations:
- Shadle Park Library
- Liberty Park Library
- Indian Trail Library
- South Hill Library
- Hillyard Library
Read more about Lisa’s story and creation of the yarn and fabric exchange:
Libraries in stitches: Branches offer Yarn and Fabric Exchanges for community sharing
