Our "Why"

At Crazy Yarn Lady, we believe in the power of fiber arts to heal, connect, and inspire. We’re not just a yarn store—we’re a movement on wheels, bringing creative access and emotional relief to those often left out. Whether it’s a child in foster care, a woman reentering society, or a senior facing loneliness, every skein we deliver and every stitch we teach is part of a bigger story: one of generational healing and radical inclusion through creativity.

The Community Need

Eastern Iowa is experiencing a quiet crisis in creative access.

Yarn store closures are increasing.
In the past year alone, Marion’s beloved Connie’s Quilt Store closed after 32 years, and Jo‑Ann Fabrics in both Iowa City and Marion shut down in March 2025 as part of a national liquidation. These closures have left entire communities without local access to fiber arts materials, classes, or community craft groups.

Mental health support through creativity is disappearing—just when we need it most.

Here’s what the research says: - A large-scale study published in Frontiers in Public Health found that participation in arts and crafts—especially tactile hobbies like crochet—significantly boosts happiness, life satisfaction, and feelings of purpose. - Repetitive crafting motions like those in crochet and knitting have been shown to lower cortisol (stress hormone) levels, improve emotional regulation, and even reduce the risk of dementia. - Community crafting programs have been linked to a 30% increase in happiness and significantly reduced feelings of isolation. - Fiber arts also offer a non-verbal method of processing trauma, grief, and emotional distress—an especially valuable tool for marginalized and under-resourced individuals.

In rural and underserved regions like Eastern Iowa, these healing practices are often inaccessible due to transportation, affordability, and disappearing retail infrastructure.