Join Our Team

About Knit 1

Knit 1 is a friendly local yarn shop located in the North Center neighborhood of Chicago (3856 N. Lincoln Ave). Since 2005, we have offered a large selection of natural fiber yarns at a variety of price points, knitting needles, crochet hooks, project bags, accessories, and notions.

We also offer a full schedule of community events, workshops, expert-led crochet and knitting classes, and private lessons. A large community of folks gather in the shop twice a week for Stitch Circle on Monday mornings and Thursday evenings.

Our small and mighty team guides knitters, crocheters, and yarn enthusiasts of all levels to grow their confidence and skills, cultivate community connection, and create the space to practice their craft.

We have a beautiful space and a well-organized, large selection of natural fibers at a variety of price ranges, but that isn't what makes Knit 1 unique. What makes Knit 1 unique is our VIBE. 

We are a friendly, welcoming, inclusive, FUN shop that prioritizes community, skill-building, empowerment, and resilience. We're also really generous with support, help, and guidance. And we're grateful to be part of a thriving neighborhood of creative small businesses!

Our yarn shop creates a space where people can feel seen and heard and valued. Spaces like this are so important. It means the world to us to provide a space for people to be themselves, to create beautiful things, to learn new skills, to connect with one another, and to turn the challenges that we face in life into beautiful art. 

The Opportunity: Part-Time Retail Team Member

We’re looking for a part-time retail team member to join our Chicago retail shop team this summer as we head into our busier season this fall. We plan on hiring and onboarding in preparation for Chicago Yarn Crawl, which begins July 25th.

This is an in-person part-time position that pays $17/hr. 

We are looking for someone to work approximately 10-15 hours/week to start, with the opportunity for more hours as we move into August and toward the fall and winter months.

Weekend hours (Saturday 10am-5pm, Sunday 12-4pm) are required, along with some weekday hours from time to time, such as our Monday Stitch Circle (10am-12pm). You can see our full shop hours here. 

Benefits include a creative work environment, a 25% store discount year-round, a 40% discount on your birthday, and the opportunity to attend select classes at the shop.

Responsibilities: We’re looking for someone who…

  • Loves engaging with other humans and genuinely enjoys helping others

  • Is an experienced knitter and crocheter (strong preference for someone who can do both or someone who has experience in one craft and is willing to learn the other)

  • Gets excited at the idea of yarn, knitting, crocheting, fiber arts, general craftiness, and wishes they could spend their days talking to others about these things!

  • Spends their free time scouring Ravelry, Instagram, Pinterest, TikTok for stitching inspiration and project ideas

  • Knows their way around a POS and computer and easily learns new systems (we use Shopify, Google Suite, etc.)

  • Is always learning something new and expanding their skillset 

  • Possesses strong verbal and written communication skills and is comfortable engaging with a wide range of people with a variety of skillsets

  • Loves to solve problems like a yarn detective! Dropped stitch? Never fear! Confusing pattern? You’ve got this!

  • Is comfortable asking questions and listening to get to the bottom of what our customers need

  • Has fun helping others pick out patterns and materials to create beautiful things!

  • Understands our universe, which translates to navigating yarn shops, reading knitting/crocheting patterns, estimating yarn requirements for projects, etc.

  • Is happy to perform administrative tasks, such as fulfilling online orders, general cleaning and tidying in the shop, resetting merchandise displays, completing customer transactions, answering the phone, helping customers pick out materials for projects and gifts, etc.

  • Is interested in contributing to the shop and community in other ways, depending on their particular skillset (marketing, video editing, teaching, sample making, etc.)

  • Can be flexible and adapt to change – we’re a small business and day to day tasks can vary

  • Adds their own spice to our shop’s friendly, inclusive, and patient VIBES 

  • Is a generous, kind steward of our community, always extending an invitation for others to join us

Requirements: These are must have’s…

  • Relevant experience in an in-person customer facing role (small business retail experience is a plus, yarn shop experience a huge plus)

  • Weekend availability required and weekday flexibility a bonus

  • Some holiday availability (We typically stay open on holidays like Memorial Day, July 4th, and Labor Day. We close for Thanksgiving, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Day, as well as some additional days surrounding those holidays)

  • Able to periodically lift large boxes up to 50 pounds 

  • Being on your feet for 5-8 hours per day

  • Comfortable climbing and standing on a step ladder

  • Can wind yarn for an extended period of time when required (we rely on our mechanical winder when possible)

  • Quickly learns new technology platforms, such as Shopify POS

  • Strong knowledge of knitting and crochet 

Our Hiring Process

Interested applicants please send your resume, a note about why you’d love to join our team, and links to your relevant knitting and crochet experience (typically Ravelry, Instagram, your website) using this Google Form.

To find the best fit for our small team and community-centered shop, we’ve designed a hiring and training process that includes:

  • Application Review & Outreach ~ We’ll review all applications and reach out via email to those we’d like to move forward with at this time. Due to the high volume of emails we get about employment opportunities, we cannot respond to all the applications we receive.

  • Zoom Interview(s) ~ Those applicants selected to move forward will be invited to join our shop owner, Breean, for a brief Zoom interview. You may also be invited to have an interview with our shop manager, Keish.

  • Shadow Us ~ A few applicants will be invited to join us for a shift or two to shadow our shop owner or manager. You will be paid $17/hour for this work as an independent contractor. We’ll use this time to see whether you’re a fit for the flow of working in the shop and our community culture…AND, you’ll also get a chance to see whether you might like working in the shop or not!

  • Invitation to Join Our Team ~ We’ll select one applicant who is the best fit for our shop and community. We cannot wait for you to join our team!

We tend to hire from within our community, so please visit us, say hello, and join us for Stitch Circle! Learn more about our community values here. 

Our shop and community welcome diversity. We encourage BIPOC folks, LGBTQIA individuals, older members of society, and those from diverse backgrounds to apply. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, gender, religion, nationality, sexual orientation, age, or disability status.

Questions? Feel free to email info@knit1chgo.com