Behind the Scenes: Denise Interchangeable Knitting & Crochet

I’ve known the folks at Denise Interchangeable Knitting & Crochet for years, as we live about 30 miles from each other and sometimes carpool to trade shows. Recently I paid a visit to their office and talked about family, community, and love affairs with yarn. Since you couldn’t be with us, here’s my report. 

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A Visit to Denise

Tucked away in the lush woods of central Virginia is a seemingly non-descript two-story garage. This is no ordinary garage, however. It was purpose-built to serve as the headquarters for Denise Interchangeable Knitting & Crochet. Just steps from owner Linda Krag’s Albemarle County home, the interior of the light-filled workspace is the embodiment of an ideal workspace.

It features high ceilings, spacious desks and work tables, cozy carpet, a comfy sofa, and a kitchenette with full amenities. Skeins of colorful yarn hang on the wall. Large windows and skylights provide plenty of natural light. Indeed, the electric lights are only used on overcast days or during the short days of winter. On the warm September afternoon when I visited, the view from the second floor office was of thick green forest. As the seasons change the scenery will change, as well.

Company Background

Denise Interchangeable Knitting & Crochet makes a variety of products which allow knitters and crocheters to create their own custom-length knitting needles or Tunisian crochet hooks. They sell both wholesale and retail, and you can even order custom-length cords for that super-long afghan knit or crocheted sideways. Check out their website for more product information.

Where did the name come from? The original owners of the company worked with a marketing expert in the ’70’s to come up with a name, and they chose their niece’s name, Denise. It was a popular name at the time, and the marketing person thought it was perfect. Denise Interchangeable Knitting Needles was the company name when Linda bought the company in 2002, and she just kept it. They changed the name a bit when they added crochet hooks several years ago.

Keeping it in the Family

The company is the very definition of a “family business”. Linda and her daughter Emily McKeon are the two full-time employees. When you email the company, your response will come from Emily. If you phone, you’ll be speaking to the CEO/marketing director/bookkeeper/designer/new product developer: Linda. They have one part-time employee and several contract sewers.

Emily’s 6-year-old daughter Claire has been an important member of the staff since birth. She has her own workspace and offers her opinions on fabric and color choices. Who needs “Take Your Daughter to Work Day” when she can be there every day?

Keeping it Local

All of the components that go into the Denise knitting needles and crochet hooks are made in Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley, supporting my local economy! A company in Weyers Cave provides the phthalate-free tubing used for the cables, while the injection molded tips and other small parts are manufactured in Waynesboro. The cute cloth cases in the Denise2Go kits are made by home sewers.

The locking connection mechanisms are inserted by hand into the tube after the manufacturing process. The cords and tips come from the manufacturer to Denise HQ and are packed and shipped from there. Even those custom cords are cut to order and the locking tips inserted on the spot, then shipped out. Scroll on down to watch a video about this process.

Relationship Building

Denise‘s respect and concern for their customers comes through loud and clear in conversation. Their stated goal is to make people happy about working with yarn. All parts, except cases, are guaranteed forever. If you have a broken component, just send it back for a replacement (although Emily did point out that they aren’t guaranteed against puppy-chewing and car-door-slamming damage).

They love to get emails that say the warmth and flexibility of their needles allow people with hand problems to continue to knit. They love working collaboratively to develop new products. Designer Lorna Miser helped develop the Denise2Go packaging, and crochet designers and teachers, including myself, gave input into the development of the crochet hooks.

Interesting Facts

• There are a surprising number of shops in China which sell Denise. The most popular colorways in China are oranges/reds, while the most popular U.S. colors are blues/purples.
• Through the Pink Project, Denise customers have donated over $200,000 to support immuno-based cancer therapy research.
• The company receives many donation requests from prisons. Apparently the plastic resin components are considered non-weapons-grade needles.

Read more about the company on their website, and check out all their awesome products.