Mar 13, 2007

Crafty women; Four Naples residents have converted their hobbies into booming businessesBy Katy BishopNaplesNews.com

Knitting needles and yarn are useless, unless you know what to do with them.

But when you do, the possibilities are endless.

Four crafty Naples women have converted hobbies into businesses, stocking their stores to tempt enthusiasts of their chosen art and offering classes to help beginners tackle first projects and to guide experts on new challenges.

At Knitting with Nancy, Needlepoint in Paradise and Stampin’ and Scrappin’ the walls are lined, floor to ceiling, with yarn, needlepoint canvases and rubber stamps, and at each shop there’s a table set aside for teaching, working and relaxing.

In season, business booms, especially at classes, and these women have found by targeting niche markets and offering customer service they can compete with larger chains that pack a variety of arts under one roof.

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