• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

The Inside Press

Magazines serving the communities of Northern Westchester

  • Home
  • Advertise
    • Advertise in One or All of our Magazines
    • Advertising Payment Form
  • Digital Subscription
    • Subscribe
    • Subscriber Login
  • Print Subscription
  • Contact Us

knitting

It’s a…Yummy’s Jessica Meyrowitz Takes Knitting to the Extreme

April 21, 2018 by Bettina Prober

Photos Courtesy of Jessica Meyrowitz
The first thing you notice when you walk into Chappaqua resident Jessica Meyrowitz’ home office are the plastic bins. Big bins, stacked high, lining almost every inch of wall space. And all of them are filled to the rim with colorful handmade knits that call out to be held and touched. They look cozy. They look warm. They look delicious. They look, well, yummy.

Meyrowitz is the founder of It’s a…Yummy, a company devoted to the creation of handmade throws, pillows, baby blankets, hats, scarves, wraps and belts. But these are not your ordinary knit products. They are made with a specially sourced, 100 percent merino wool yarn called core spun yarn, and they are knit using a technique called extreme knitting. The result is a product that not only looks and feels good, but is durable too.

“I wanted the yarn to feel like a cloud,” she said. “When people feel (the products) I want them to say it’s so yummy … so soft.”

Meyrowitz’ path to launching It’s a …Yummy is as interesting as her products. After graduating from Boston University, she pursued acting in New York City, landing roles in Off-Broadway productions, commercials and television. Though she achieved enough success to support herself, she decided to switch gears when her husband was transferred to Maryland. While there, she worked in radio sales and advertising, eventually opening her own ad agency, called JSM Media, in Washington, D.C. In 2011, her husband Eric accepted a New York City-based job, and her family, which now included sons Jake and Alec, moved to Chappaqua.

“The agency was very successful, but it became more and more of a challenge to go back and forth to D.C. with young kids,” she said. As such, in 2016, she closed the agency and decided to take a break from the working world. To fill her time, she signed up for two classes: a pottery class at the Chappaqua Arts Center and a knitting class at Katonah Yoga.

“I wanted to expand my horizons and do something creative,” she remembered. During class, her pottery teacher encouraged all of the students to look online for project ideas. Deciding to search for knitting projects too, Meyrowitz came across a blanket she wanted to make for her family room. The only catch was the blanket was made with extreme knitting, a method Meyrowitz was not familiar with.

As Meyrowitz discovered, extreme knitting is knitting with very large yarn and large needles. The result is chunkier stitches that are looser than conventional knitting stitches, giving the pieces a distinctive look. Most extreme knitting projects use roving, which is basically what yarn is before it is spun. Though roving is very soft, it is not as durable as traditional spun yarn.

“I wanted to make my blanket with yarn that wouldn’t fall apart,” she said. After calling several yarn stores, she realized that the type of yarn she wanted to use for her blanket was not readily available. She then began calling mills directly to find what she wanted. As she searched, she realized she had happened upon a business opportunity.

“I didn’t start this to make a business,” she laughed. “I started it to make a blanket. But I said to myself, there must be other people who want this big, soft durable yarn.” After doing more research, including visiting local farms to learn more about sheep, shearing and yarn creation, she had developed a plan to source her specialized yarn.

Soon, It’s a…Yummy was off and running. Meyrowitz launched the company in October 2016 on Facebook with three products in 13 different colors. The response was immediately positive.

“The outpouring of support from the Chappaqua and Armonk communities was really special,” Meyrowitz said. By February 2017, Meyrowitz had added several more products and colors to the line.  Currently, It’s a…Yummy offers more than 25 products in 38 colors, as well as limitless amounts of custom options.

Once the orders started coming in, Meyrowitz hired a knitting team to keep up with the demand. The knitting force, as she refers to it, is composed of eight moms, all from Chappaqua and Armonk. Though some already knew knitting basics, she taught all of them the extreme knitting technique. This sparked another idea: offering do-it-yourself knitting kits and knitting parties. Both have been extremely successful; the kits were featured on the Today show’s holiday gift episode, and the parties have morphed into knitting workshops and seminars held all over the tristate area and beyond.

“Knitting is so mindful and meditative; it really gives me joy to teach people because it is so relaxing and easy,” she said. “After an hour knitting workshop or party, you leave with a skill and a scarf. And you will have both forever.”

 

Filed Under: Armonk Cover Stories Tagged With: Armonk, Chappaqua, extreme knitting, knit, knitting, Store, Yummy

Weaving Together: Armonk Knitting Circle Inspires Women

December 1, 2017 by Pamela Brown

Members of the Knitting Circle
PHOTO COURTESY OF THE NORTH CASTLE LIBRARY
Camaraderie and creativity are the cornerstones of the Armonk Knitting Circle, a group of like-minded women who bond over a love of fiber arts. “Knitting is meditative, therapeutic. We’ve built friendships with people who share at least one thing in common with us,” says Suzanne Percello, circulation clerk at the North Castle Public Library who helps organize the Knitting Circle.

The group welcomes any age at any skill level. All that’s required is an interest in some form of needlework, such as knitting, quilting, crocheting, and weaving. The Knitting Circle began six years ago when a Westchester County resident posted a thread on Ravelry, a popular social media site for crafters, seeking fellow knitters interested in forming a group near Pleasantville. What began as a handful of women meeting at a local coffee shop now averages 60 members, ranging in ages from 20 to over 45. They meet every Wednesday at the Pleasantville Library in Pleasantville and every Monday and Thursday at the North Castle Public Library in Armonk. Suzanne credits Linda Hellisum, a charter member, for keeping the group flourishing. “She spent many Wednesday afternoons knitting by herself at the Black Cow in Pleasantville. It took several months for people to make the commitment to the group, but once that happened, we quickly outgrew the coffee shop. We went from meeting twice per month to weekly meetings, and have been meeting three times per week for the past two years,” explains Suzanne.     

Art brings people together, and The Knitting Circle is a gathering where members feel comfortable being themselves while  sharing ideas and exploring new techniques. “We keep the conversation light and pleasant.  Knitting in a group allows us to work on our own knitting and offer inspiration for each other.  We teach each other what we know,” she says. “For a beginner, this is a terrific way to build skills and get inspiration in a more personal and intimate way than watching YouTube videos or reading craft blogs. For the person teaching the skill, it’s empowering to see someone benefit from sharing the skills that you have to offer.”      

Janet Eiger, of Pleasantville, has been a member since its beginning when she wanted to refresh her fiber arts skills and expand her knowledge base in spinning. “I knew a lot about knitting but I never knew anyone who could spin so I learned about the different twists of the yarn and how it affected the finished knitting project. This helped inform my yarn choices from the ready-made yarns available. We all learned from someone,” says Janet, appreciating how the women inspire each other.

“When you sit around the table and see what others are turning out it’s easy to tackle a skill you don’t have experience with. If you get stuck there are people to help. People who did that last week and it came out great. Or, you can teach someone who just decided to learn to try a simple cable or more complex stitch and watch the sense of accomplishment when they create something they thought was way beyond their ability,” she says.

“No pressure, no judgments.” Janet appreciates the Zen of knitting. “You can lose yourself in the complexity of it for a while and take a break from whatever you need a break from,” she explains. “It’s an interesting collection of women who have interesting conversations, sometimes about knitting sometimes about anything or everything else.”

Field trips to local events in the Hudson Valley are an added bonus. The group recently attended the Sheep & Wool Festival in Rhinebeck, New York and six knitters are planning a trip to the Shetland Islands. During the summer, Suzanne organized six Yarn Crawls to over 25 local yarn shops in CT, NJ, and the Hudson Valley. “They’re meant to be fun and educational,” she says. Additionally, some of the members contribute their knitted projects to charitable organizations such as Project Linus.          

Crafting is a fulfilling endeavor. “Women bond with knitting. People enjoy knitting/crocheting because it’s a creative outlet that’s enjoyed individually, yet it unites you to a community,” says Felicia Lonigro, owner of Pick Up Every Stitch, a knitting shop in Mt. Kisco, New York. “The social aspect of group knitting is definitely appealing.  Creativity is nurtured and enhanced and ideas and techniques are naturally shared among knitting groups. Every project is a new adventure and it’s wonderful when the adventure is shared!”

Felicia mentions the popular trends are embellished yarns in addition to hand-dyed and speckled yarns used for ponchos, ruanas, shawls, and cowl head scarves. She notes knitters are moving away from basic scarves and blankets. “They’re working with various stitches on shawls, ponchos, and loose-fitting sweaters in luxurious fibers,” says Felicia. “If they’re knitting a blanket, it’s not ordinary. They’re working in multi-colors, stripes or working with exaggerated super chunky yarn.”     

Knitting offers immeasurable benefits to its paticipants. “It’s an affordable hobby that builds self-esteem. Improved health, social inclusion, networking, and friendship are just some of the reasons we get together as often as we do,” says Suzanne. “I really value the friendships I’ve made because of these knitting groups.”

The Armonk Knitting Circle meets every Wednesday from 1 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Pleasantville Library in Pleasantville and every Monday and Thursday 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the North Castle Public Library in Armonk. For more information, visit ravelry.com/groups/armonk-knitting-circle and ravelry.com/groups/ply.

Filed Under: Armonk Cover Stories Tagged With: Armonk, craft, diy, knitting, Knitting Circle, North Castle

Primary Sidebar

Please Visit

William Raveis – Armonk
William Raveis – Chappaqua
White Plains Hospital
Houlihan Lawrence – Armonk
Houlihan Lawrence – Briarcliff
Houlihan Lawrence – Chappaqua
NYOMIS – Dr. Andrew Horowitz
Raveis: Lisa Koh and Allison Coviello
Purple Plains
Compass: Miller-Goldenberg Team
Korth & Shannahan
Douglas Elliman: Chappaqua
Compass: Aurora Banaszek
Kevin Roberts Painting & Design
Beecher Flooks Funeral Home
Play Nice Together
Dr. Briones Medical Weight Loss Center
Pinksky Studio
Temple Beth El
Houlihan: Kile Boga-Ibric

Follow our Social Media

The Inside Press

Our Latest Issues

For a full reading of our current edition, or to obtain a copy or subscription, please contact us.

Inside Armonk Inside Chappaqua and Millwood Inside Pleasantville and Briarcliff Manor

Join Our Mailing List


Search Inside Press

Links

  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • Digital Subscription
  • Print Subscription

Publisher’s Note Regarding Our Valued Sponsors

Inside Press is not responsible for and does not necessarily endorse or not endorse any advertisers, products or resources referenced in either sponsor-driven stories or in advertisements appearing in this publication. The Inside Press shall not be liable to any party as a result of any information, services or resources made available through this publication.The Inside Press is published in good faith and cannot be held responsible for any inaccuracies in advertising or sponsor driven stories that appear in this publication. The views of advertisers and contributors are not necessarily those of the publisher’s.

Opinions and information presented in all Inside Press articles, such as in the arena of health and medicine, strictly reflect the experiences, expertise and/or views of those interviewed, and are not necessarily recommended or endorsed by the Inside Press. Please consult your own doctor for diagnosis and/or treatment.

Footer

Support The Inside Press

Advertising

Print Subscription

Digital Subscription

Categories

Archives

Subscribe

Did you know you can subscribe anytime to our print editions?

Voluntary subscriptions are most welcome, if you've moved outside the area, or a subscription is a great present idea for an elderly parent, for a neighbor who is moving or for your graduating high school student or any college student who may enjoy keeping up with hometown stories.

Subscribe Today

Copyright © 2025 The Inside Press, Inc. · Log in