Apricot Yarn & Supply is the definition of mom and pop.
On a typical afternoon, owner Sara Heckman, two of her children and her mom can be found in their retail space tucked away in Liberty Station’s Arts District at Suite 101, Barracks 19 at 2690 Historic Decatur Road. They are doing what they love to do best — spinning yarn and helping others negotiate the home arts.
Heckman grew up in the Peninsula, but lived for a time with her husband and family in New Jersey.
“In the town where we were living there was a woman who opened an art shop,” said Heckman explaining how she first got the notion of getting into yarn retail. “I learned knitting from my mom, and when I was pregnant with my first daughter, I started knitting again and I had little kids and was making sweaters and stuff.”
She talked about how her plans to invest in her own business led her to Liberty Station.
“Liberty Station is an up-and-coming thing, I had an art studio painting upstairs a couple years ago,” Heckman said. “We were looking at Point Loma and Ocean Beach, and it just wasn’t really the right vibe. So we ended up in Liberty Station and are really happy to be here.”
Apricot has been open since July 14. The fruit for which the yarn shop is named derives from an apricot tree in Heckman’s grandmother’s yard that reminds her of the jams her grandmother made.
Heckman pointed out making garments from hand by yarn is relatively inexpensive. With a skein, which costs about $10 to $30, you can make a shawl, a wrap or other similar garments.
“A set of knitting needles you can get for under $10, yarn for $10 and a pattern for $5 — and you could have something to start going,” Heckman said adding, “We have three accredited teachers who teach knitting and crocheting.”
Apricot carries yarn made from fibers from both animals, like wool and alpaca, and plants, instead of yarn from petroleum-based fibers, like acrylic. “We also have yarn from wool where the sheep were raised here in the United States and all the milling and dyeing, the whole process, was made here in the United States,” Heckman said.
“We also teach classes on different techniques of making crochet,” Heckman noted. “We have all the accessories and other things, like kits for kids, anything that you might need.”
Discussing her motivation for opening a yarn shop, Heckman said, “I love having a place where people can learn and fall in love with some new fibers that they’ve never seen before.”
Apricot also carries special soap for washing hand-created woven garments.
Is knitting/crocheting hard to do?
“It takes a little time to get your muscle array kind of,” replied Heckman. “But it’s not complicated, and it’s not difficult. It’s just more repetitive.”
For more information visit www.apricotyarn.com. APRICOT YARN & SUPPLY Where: 2690 Historic Decatur Road, Suite 101, Barracks 19. Hours: Tuesdays to Saturdays 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sundays 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., closed Mondays. Info: www.apricotyarn.com, 619-223-3603.