Brittany Kelley
DRIPPING SPRINGS — When The Sated Sheep was nearly closed down last fall, now-owner Patti Johnson stepped in to save it for the yarn community. Now, it’s opening doors for new opportunities.
Johnson first joined her beloved yarn community eight years ago, when she walked into The Sated Sheep on a whim and asked how to knit and crochet. From then on, she was a weekly customer to the classes available and, eventually, an employee.
Over the years, those visiting the store and the experiences knitting and crocheting were some of her favorite moments, especially teaching others, as her skills grew. This is why when former owner Allison Wilcox — who started the store in 2015 from a knitting passion — offered her the business amidst her budding retirement, the answer was easy for Johnson.
“I just hated to see it [go] because I was like, ‘If I don’t buy it and no one does, what will happen?’ And Allison said, ‘I guess I just close up.’ I’ve just seen how much that would affect a lot of the yarning community and I just couldn’t see that [happen],” she recalled
So, she purchased the company in August 2025 and moved it into its new location at 104 W. Mercer St., Suite D, in downtown Dripping Springs. It was here that she renovated the building to depict a home. Johnson stated that she hopes the big windows and cozy atmosphere is welcoming to visitors.
Those visiting the Sheep can find everything necessary to work on a project, including knitting needles and crochet hooks, stitch markers, buttons, scissors, darning needles and more, including a plethora of yarn.
With yarn originating from Vietnam to Whitefish, Mont., the options are endless, said Johnson. Specifically, she has made it a point to attend conventions, such as the Dallas Fiber Fest, and expand the United States-made yarn available in store by meeting the artists creating the hand-dyed material. These fibers are special, as no two are the same and Johnson has felt and verified the quality of the material herself, she said.
Taking on this new role has been a passion project for the fiber-artist, beginning with the renovations to the building and the recent expansion of its classroom area. Before, the area was going to be used for another business endeavor, but Johnson realized that her passion purely resided in the Sheep and opted to instead magnify the opportunities available to customers.
This area will be used in two different ways, she explained. The first will be for weekly ticketed classes, which range from level 0 to “1001,” said Johnson, where attendees can learn from the beginning on knitting and crocheting or bring in a project to receive help on. The classes are taught by the very woman who taught Johnson to crochet and knit years ago: Carrie Au. Au is incredibly talented and was part of the shop negation, said Johnson, laughing.
There will also be workshops focused on specific tips or needlework, such as Tunisian crochet — a type of crochet style that resembles knit — or the triangle loom.
“[People usually] think about the older population, but it’s not [just for them]. You can create anything with crochet. The blankets are beautiful, even some sweaters. There’s a new thing that’s coming in, where if you have a long sleeve shirt and if the sleeves aren’t very good, you can actually crochet new sleeves onto it. It’s a really popular thing right now, especially with hoodies. I was shocked when I saw them,” shared Johnson. “So, we may have a workshop in the near future, just to show that crochet is fun and young and hip.”
She is also considering a Ravelry 101 class, an online “Pinterest” of sorts for the yarning community, as many are unaware there are other benefits than simply finding patterns: “We do have a lot of workshops in mind for the future.”
Future plans for the shop also include expanding into needlepoint, embroidery and cross stitch.
Additionally, the area can be used as a calm gathering site, where community members can visit and lounge, while working on their respective hobbies. This is where the community thrives, shared Johnson. Visitors can drink beer, wine or tea and coffee and “come and relax and enjoy the space because basically, I created the space for the yarning community.”
These aspects of her shop are something that visitors can’t find at corporate stores, Johnson said.
“Shopping locally sustains the passion of the small business owner and part of that passion, in my opinion, that a business owner has is what they can bring to the community. For me, I get to watch everybody once they’re done with their project and they bring it in to show it off or [maybe] they’re wearing it. As a small business owner, [I know] I helped with that and I helped put that smile on their face,” she emphasized.
This ability to help customers is something that is important to Johnson, who noted that residents will often come in with a project and ask for free and quick help, where she can diagnose the problem, whether that be a dropped stitch or difficulty reading a pattern.
Although expanding services and adding her twist to the shop, Johnson emphasized keeping Wilcox’s legacy by partaking in an annual Sidewalk Sale, where customers can bring their own yarn stash and sell it. Then, they will receive store credit.
The store will also be part of the 19th annual Best Little Yarn Crawl throughout the IH-35 corridor. Here, visitors can browse vendors and learn a pattern crafted by the store with its featured yarn.
For more information on The Sated Sheep, visit www.thesatedsheep.com.
