ABOUT US
Hello hello!
I'm Cleo (they/she). I'm a knitter, crocheter, weaver, pattern designer, and second-time yarn shop owner. I used to run Cast Away Yarn Shop in Santa Rosa, California with my mom Justine, before I left it in her capable hands in 2020. It didn't take long for me to realize I wanted back into the yarn game, and after I moved to Brooklyn I realized the Bushwick/Williamsburg area was in dire need of a craft shop!
I first opened in a small space in East Williamsburg in November, 2022 as the sole employee. Over the next year and a half the shop's community grew quickly and so did our staff. In the summer of 2024 our small team dove in heads first to help us move to a much larger space in Bushwick. That's also when we expanded to open a cafe inside the shop!
(That's my dog Rory, our mascot, in the photo with me.)
The shop's incredible staff (featured below) have made this shop what it is today and I couldn't be more grateful to have them as coworkers. I believe every small business should have two main goals: to contribute to its community (you can read about all our services and programs here) and provide a good working environment to its employees.
Whether you're one of our long-time regulars or have yet to come check us out, thank you for being here! We couldn't do it without your support and engagement in yarn and craft events everywhere. If you haven't already, sign up for our newsletter (below) to keep in touch with what we're up to, follow us on instagram, and, of course, come visit us in the shop!
Meet Our Team!
Click on each photo to read a bit about each of our incredible staff!
Jane (they/them)
Don’t be fooled; despite their cheery, general orange-and-black color scheme, our manager Jane is not simply here for the Halloween season! You can find Jane whipping up adorable (and usually orange) crochet accessories and fancy cafe drinks with equal aplomb. They spend their free time drawing comics, and that bright artistic nature shines through in all their interactions! Say hi when you see them at the shop!
Rosie (she/her)
This is Rosie, a crocheter, knitter, and beginner in flat-bed machine knitting. She has been playing with string for at least half her life, specializing in free-hand garments and accessories! She also hosts our monthly BIPOC Craft Circle, as well as Magic Circle, a fiber arts craft club in Bushwick. Outside of crafting, Rosie is an avid rock climber, scaling walls and mountains alike, and in general is a huge nature lover.
Maritza (she/her)
CLEO's may be one of the only reasons Maritza will shlep down to Brooklyn from her beloved Astoria, Queens, where she is a community organizer and cat mom. Maritza knits, crochets, weaves and embroiders, and is super into making crafting accessible for all. Whether at the Queens Collaborative, Astoria Food Pantry or at CLEO's, you can count on Maritza to talk your ear off about yarn crafts or whichever advocacy campaign she is currently working on!
Cass (they/them)
Cass is a talented crocheter and knitter with a particular adoration for everything mohair! They especially love the ethereal halo mohair brings to a garment. Their work has been featured in a group fiber arts exhibition at The Living Gallery in Bushwick, Brooklyn. Lately, Cass has been engrossed in color-work projects that feature cute animals such as bunnies, bears, and cats.
Cloe (she/they)
Cloe learned to knit from YouTube videos in 2006 and has since dabbled in most other arts and crafts. She enjoys knitting strange shapes and textures and once knit an anatomically correct human heart. There is no h in her name because her parents don't like silent letters. She lives in Bushwick with her cat Jimmy Carter (girl) and other friends.
Charlotte (she/her)
Charlotte learned to knit when she was seven years old and especially enjoyed making knitted stuffed animals. She still has one of her very first projects, a knitted platypus! Now, Charlotte specializes in making all sorts of clothing and accessories- she always has a new project idea in mind. Charlotte also loves teaching knitting classes and frequently teaches her friends how to knit.