Sharon Yarwasky – Beach 2 Barn Knits
What Sharon Yarwasky started doing to pass the time during long car rides is now her job. “I started knitting in 2017,” she told us. “I am always multitasking. I hated just sitting in the car when we would go on trips.”
Sharon was a fifth-grade teacher at Lower Township schools for 26 years. “I’ve lived here my whole life—I grew up in Bayside Village and went to West Chester University for my degree in elementary education. I came home to work the summer after graduation and was hired by Lower Township Elementary Schools that August. I love living here. I love the beach (yes, I knit on the beach and on our boat), and I think Cape May is a magical place!”
She married and had two children, daughter Carly and son Colin. Now in their twenties, “they are my biggest cheerleaders with my knitting business,” assisting her with Instagram and her website.
Sharon took her knitting up a notch from a hobby during the COVID pandemic, launching Beach 2 Barn Knits in 2020. After retiring from teaching in 2022, she focused on it fully.
“While I was still teaching, my friends encouraged me to sell my hats,” Sharon said. “I think my response was, ‘I’m embarrassed to tell you how much this hat cost me to knit.’ I only buy the finest fiber, so no one would’ve paid what it cost to make at that time. Fast forward to COVID. During that time, I figured out how to purchase my yarn wholesale and built my website. Voila! Beach2Barn Knits was born.”
Sharon’s talent for knitting might be genetic. “My mom and dad worked for an airline company [where the Naval Air Station is now] and lived in Ireland for two years before I was born. My mom learned to knit when she lived there, and knitted Christmas stockings for family and friends while I was growing up.”
She learned the basics from her mom, supplanted with a boost from the internet. “I’d go home and put YouTube videos on at the slowest speed and watch them as I tried new things. I basically learned to knit through YouTube.”
Although knitting is a creative outlet, “I’m a really practical person, so I immediately gravitated towards something useful,” Sharon said. “Hats are my jam. I’ve knitted sweaters, blankets, cowls, mittens, and stockings, but I just love hats. They’re quick and useful. As a business model, it’s more cost-effective to sell hats because they’re less time-consuming. People love handmade, but if you charge for your time on a blanket or sweater it’s not a realistic price to expect people to pay. I keep my prices as low as possible because I really want people to have a hand-knit piece from Beach2Barn Knits.”
Coincidentally, Sharon’s first local show was at the Naval Air Station. “I brought everything I had made (which wasn’t much) and was shocked at how much people loved my knits.”
Knitting is relaxing for Sharon, even though she’s working. “I love making things with my hands, some sticks, and some yarn. It’s so rewarding. Probably my favorite part of knitting is choosing the yarn. I’m picky. It must be fine fiber. Some patterns look best with solid colors, and others with variegated fiber. I enjoy designing (I have a few of my own patterns that I haven’t yet published) or finding a pattern and choosing the perfect fiber and color for it. I make luxurious adult hats, and adorable children’s hats. They’re super fun because they’re cute and playful!”
And it brings unexpected rewards. “I was in a coffee shop in December, and I heard a woman tell another how much she loved her hat. Me being a hat girly, I whipped my head around to see this beauty of a hat and it was one of mine! That was a great moment for me.”
Local shows and festivals are a big part of Sharon’s business. “Last year was our busiest. We did 17 days of shows and sold over a thousand hats. Next year we’ll be doing approximately 24 days of shows in North Jersey. That said, I always do Cape May’s Oktoberfest and West Cape May Lima Bean Festival. I think it’s important to be a part of the community, and our locals are always my biggest supporters.
Looking ahead, “I’d love to start wholesaling to a local business or two, but I just haven’t gotten there yet,” Sharon said. “I have three women who are going to start knitting under my brand to keep up with demand, but that’s just now in the works so we’ll see how that goes.”
When she’s not knitting, Sharon loves to read, decorate, be near the ocean, travel, and spend time with family and friends. “I have two Goldendoodles, and they are easily one of the best things about my life. My sister lives across the street from me, and I’ll go and get her Doodle. Basically, I knit and play with dogs every day.”
You can find Sharon’s hats and other merchandise on her website, Beach2BarnKnits.com. Locals can order there and pick up on her porch. Find her on Instagram at @beach_2_barnknits.
