The Denver metro area is home to a thriving fiber arts scene, appealing to artists and hobbyists alike with its diverse array of shops and organizations dedicated to various fiber crafts, from hand-painted cross stitch patterns to intricate knitted designs and complex textile quilts.
Owners and employees of these establishments report that the community is lively and welcoming, fostering a shared love for fiber arts and a desire to succeed together.
Marsha Corn, owner of Tangled Ball, describes the uniqueness of local fiber arts shops:
“We all have different vibes. We all carry some of the same, some different, we all specialize. (But) we’re in it for the same reason because we all love fiber and we all want to succeed and maybe make our customers love fibers as much as we do.”
Located at 5505 W. 20th Ave. in Edgewater, Tangled Ball is not just a yarn shop; it serves as a vibrant community hub for individuals of all ages and skill levels interested in fiber arts.
“We have classes here, we have workshops here, we have events here,” said Corn. “It’s a safe place for people to come and just hang out and create.”
Corn’s passion for fiber arts stems from her mother, who introduced her to knitting and crocheting.
After spending time in a shop with friends, Corn felt inspired to open a similar establishment closer to home.
“So my mom taught me how to knit and crochet (and) do all that kind of stuff,” Corn reminisced. “I’ve always wanted to open my own business, so I proposed the idea to my husband about (opening) a yarn store, and it was one of the few that he was like, ‘Yeah, we could do that.'”
Choosing the right location was essential; Corn opted for a marketplace with food, drink, and ample parking, creating an environment conducive to community engagement.
Despite pandemic-related delays, Tangled Ball opened in July 2020 and swiftly become a support hub for many individuals.
Corn emphasizes that the best aspect of the shop lies in its supportive environment.
“We solve each other’s world problems. We get people through divorces. We get people through breakups. We get people through what to make for dinner. It’s just such a great community,” she stated.
For Corn, various forms of fiber arts, such as needlepoint, knitting, and crocheting, cater to those seeking a hobby as well as seasoned artisans.
She sees hand-knitted items as art forms, expressing, “It’s the yarn. The color of the yarn. The texture of the yarn. The composition of the yarn. (It) has linens and silks and rolls blended into it, and it’s just beautiful.”
She adds, “We don’t knit or crochet now out of necessity; we knit out of joy or hobby.”
Many people are drawn to fiber arts as a means of escaping daily stresses, according to Corn.
“I’m not thinking about all the junk going on up here in the world,” she shared. “I’m focused on what I’m doing, even if it’s just 10 minutes. I’m not thinking about what to make for dinner. I’m not thinking about politics. I’m not thinking about religion. I’m just concentrating on what’s in front of me.”
Similarly, Cari Davis, co-owner of Diversions Needlepoint, was inspired by her late mother to explore the art of needlepoint.
Davis recalls, “I saw her doing it and wanted to do it. (I love) the color, the people, the challenge, the creativity, and I love the tactile. I enjoy the kinesthetic.”
Together with her mother, Mary Lou Kidder, Davis opened Diversions in Vail, which has now relocated to 410 W. Hampden Ave. The shop has proudly provided fiber arts supplies and knowledge to customers throughout Colorado for over 50 years.
Today, Davis manages the shop alongside her daughter, Mandy Adams, who grew up immersed in the fiber arts and completed her first project—a belt—at the tender age of four.
Adams has since infused her own artistic talents into the shop, offering custom design services, particularly in hand-painted canvases for needlepoint projects.
“I was just born artistic,” Adams remarked. “I always drew and painted and played with color from the time I was just a little one. (I am) awful at math and everything else, but I can kind of draw.”
The staff at Diversions, a wonderful blend of paid employees and volunteers, is both knowledgeable and passionate about needlepoint, ensuring customers receive expert guidance and support regardless of their experience level.
“We’ve got a great group of women and wonderful people that volunteer here to help people,” Davis said, emphasizing the lively, ever-changing atmosphere of the store. “Every day is different. You never know what’s going to happen or who’s going to walk in the door, and that makes it fun.”
Adams relishes the creative aspects of her work, stating, “You’re making heirlooms.”
As Diversions celebrates more than five decades in business, it maintains a commitment to cultivating a welcoming environment where individuals can explore their creativity, forge connections, and find inspiration.
Davis articulated the store’s mission, noting, “We hope to keep making people happy and inspire future generations and to keep needlework alive.”
Another key institution in the Denver fiber arts community is the Rocky Mountain Quilt Museum, located at 200 Violet St Suite 140 in Golden.
The museum is dedicated to the history, teachings, and fundamentals of quilting, offering visitors an opportunity to appreciate the stories intertwined within these textiles.
Holly Bailey, the museum’s education manager, remarked, “It’s a place where people really find an opportunity to experience what quilts are all about. And quilts are all about stories—stories of the people who made the quilts, stories of people who owned the quilts and got to experience the quilts.”
With a permanent collection of over 850 quilts and an educational collection containing about 150 quilts, the museum places a strong emphasis on preservation and exhibition.
Bailey explained, “(With) the permanent collection, preservation is kind of the primary thing that we’re concerned with, and then exhibiting so that people can see those quilts.”
The educational collection consists of quilts not included in the permanent exhibit, which serve invaluable educational purposes.
“We use those quilts to be able to bring them out. We take them out in trunk shows around the community and (country). The audience can touch them. So the education collection has the ones that you can get up close and personal with,” Bailey added.
Bailey’s personal journey into quilting stemmed from a desire to support her parents during a difficult time.
“I started doing it for kind of a strange reason,” she disclosed. “My sister was a quilter and she was the major caretaker for my parents and lived very close to them. I lived 1,500 miles away.”
Bailey explained that her mother had Alzheimer’s and, as a way to help her stay engaged in her life story, she and her sister decided to create a quilt that represented their mother’s memories.
“She could talk about it and it didn’t really matter whether she was right or wrong or anything, but it was conversational and it would be something that she would get to enjoy,” Bailey said.
From her experience, Bailey has observed that many individuals begin quilting for sentimental reasons but later fall in love with its storytelling dimension.
“I think a lot of people get involved because of friends or family or somebody else,” she reflects. “Maybe they learn it from their relatives or people they’re around. But it’s very creative. Most of the time it’s very relaxing. Touching fabric has a value in and of itself. It’s almost like giving somebody a hug when you give them a quilt because it’s something that’s going to wrap around them and they’re going to find comfort in it.”
Visitors of all ages, from children to seniors, flock to the museum to take advantage of its offerings, including an extensive library and a variety of classes.
Courses range from beginner quilting to advanced textile arts, covering hand-stitching, machine quilting, and even digital design techniques, such as transforming photographs into quilts using technology to manipulate and print images on fabric.
A notable feature of the museum is its summer kids’ camp, which runs for four weeks in June, providing young artists, ages 8 to 16, the chance to design and complete their own quilts.
“They do everything—from the design of it through all of the sewing, all of the quilting, the binding,” Bailey explained.
The museum also offers free community groups, including hand-stitching circles, study groups, and clubs focused on specific techniques.
Despite the rich fabric arts community in the Denver area, Bailey noted a potential for more collaboration between the various entities.
“There’s a lot of variety, but we don’t come together very often and really trade ideas and crossover in our teaching,” she indicated.
A forthcoming partnership with the Embroidery Guild of America aims to promote further knowledge sharing through collaborative workshops, such as one focused on crazy quilts that often integrate intricate embroidery techniques.
Additionally, the team at the museum has expanded into a third unit of their building, with aspirations to eventually occupy the entire space.
Their overarching goal is to develop a comprehensive quilting and fiber arts complex that serves as a destination for both locals and visitors.
Overall, the vibrant fiber arts community in the Denver metro area showcases not only the creativity and passion of its members but also the profound connections that craft can cultivate among individuals across generations.
image source from：https://www.kunc.org/news/2025-04-26/stitching-together-a-look-into-denvers-thriving-fiber-arts-scene
