Core Facts

• Lion Brand Yarn conducted a survey of their newsletter subscribers to inform the launch of their new YarnCraft podcast with results highlighting the vibrancy of the online knitting community.

 

• 52.7% of survey responders read blogs while 50.4% listen to podcasts. This exceeds the most recent Pew Internet and American Life Project figures that show that 39% of Americans read blogs and only 12% download podcasts.

 

• The growth of the online yarn community is in line with another recent Pew Internet Report ‘Hobbyists Online’ that found that 83% of online Americans have used the internet to pursue their hobbies.

 

• One in three survey responders turn to blogs for information about knitting and crocheting while one in four sourced information from knitting podcasts.

 

• MySpace is the social network of choice with 35.6% of responders reporting to be members. Facebook and Flickr are next most popular.

 

• One in four responders have already joined the knitting social network Ravelry. Launched in May, Ravelry has over 21,000 users and a waiting list stretching to close to 15,000 more.

 

• Yarn Harlot is the most popular blog for Lion Brand customers, ahead of Crazy Aunt Purl and Mason Dixon Knitting. Lion Brand customers nominated Lime and Violet, Cast On and Stash and Burn amongst their favorite podcasts.

 

• Social media agency Converseon assisted Lion Brand Yarn with the creation of the YarnCraft podcast as a tool for the company to build a deeper relationship with the booming online yarn community. The first episode has recorded over 17,000 downloads.

 

Quotes

David Blumenthal. Lion Brand Yarn CEO, quote:

“It is exciting times when this ancient craft of knitting and crocheting is having such a resurgence due to 21st century technology.”

 

“I can’t help but think of coming into the family business when my mother answered every consumer request. We’d get letters and postcards and phone calls requesting information about the yarn, patterns and where they can buy it. Now, 39 years later, we’re able to start a conversation with our customers through a podcast.”

 

“We’re working with the knitting and crochet community online, giving them the latest information from Lion Brand, while hearing from them through their blogs, podcasts and emails. It’s very exciting to know that they can hear us and we can hear them – we’re looking forward to hearing from the consumers.”

 

Stephanie Pearl-McPhee Yarn Harlot:

"I'm enormously flattered and pleasantly surprised to be selected as the favorite blogger of Lion Brand customers."

 

"The internet has fueled the socialization of knitters - it's great having an outlet where someone does want to talk about your new buttonhole technique or the beautiful hand-dyed merino you just got.  It's become a huge knitting community - and while you might walk away from projects, you don't walk away from people, so the community continues to grow."

 

Boilerplate Statements

About Lion Brand Yarn

Lion Brand is a family-owned and operated business and a beloved American brand since 1878. Today, the business is run by the fourth generation of Blumenthals. It is their passion for yarn, reflected by all Lion Brand associates, that is the secret to Lion Brand’s success.

 

About the YarnCraft Podcast

YarnCraft is a new podcast for people who knit, crochet and craft with yarn. We hope to inspire and inform you about the possibilities that yarn crafting offers. 

 

About Converseon
Founded in 2001, Converseon is a leading social media communications company designed to help organizations "join the conversation" to meet communications objectives.

webitpr's social media news release is based on the original Social Media News Release Template from Todd Defren of SHIFT Communications.