Skeinz the store has only been in existence for a handful of years, but its conception runs longer and deeper in the world of yarn, knitting and craft. Skeinz is the retail face of Design Spun Ltd. Design Spun is one of just two worsted spinners remaining in New Zealand, making top-quality New Zealand yarn for knitting, weaving and textiles.
With the closure of more and more mills, retail craft and yarn stores, and increasing demand from knitters to have local, natural fibre products, a direct-to-market option for knitters was inevitable. So Skeinz was born.
Skeinz is the culmination of decades of spinning experience. Initially a family-owned business, the Design Spun stakeholders had special skills vital to the longevity of the mill in the uncertain economic climate.
At a time when mills were disappearing and manufacturing was heading off shore, Design Spun saw the opportunity to take 30 years of spinning experience, inject it with some fresh faces and radical ideas, and completely change the traditional way yarn was sold from mill to consumer.
Now, Skeinz gives yarn consumers the choice to buy premium-quality New Zealand yarn at dramatically reduced prices onsite or online from skeinz.com.
Claire is the powerhouse behind the scenes at Skeinz, keeping everything running smoothly from the warehouse to the shop (and every chaotic corner in between). As our Operations Manager, she’s the one making sure stock flows where it should, orders behave, systems cooperate, and that the whole Skeinz machine hums along nicely. “Chief Sorter-Out of Stuff” isn’t just a funny title — it’s an accurate one. Staff, stock, unexpected hiccups, last-minute curveballs… Claire handles them all with a mix of calm authority, quick thinking, and the occasional well-timed eye roll. If something needs organising, streamlining, or magically sorting out, she’s usually already on it. She’s also passionate about keeping crafting affordable and accessible, and she pours that mission into everything she does. Claire works hard to make sure Skeinz stays a welcoming, down-to-earth place where natural fibres and good value go hand in hand — and where every crafter feels at home.
Heather is an integral part of the Skeinz team, and honestly, we’d be lost without her. Around here, the rule is simple: if you can’t work it out, you ask Heather! She has a real knack for sorting out problems of every shape and size, technical tangles, odd little hiccups, or those “nothing is working and I’m about to cry” moments. If there’s a fix, Heather will hunt it down. She also brings plenty of laughter to the workplace… sometimes unintentionally. It’s not uncommon to hear a startled yelp echo through the warehouse, usually the result of someone accidentally sneaking up on her while she’s deep into another true-crime podcast. And just to round things out, Heather has a secret creative streak: balloon art. From polished balloon arches to celebration displays, she adds a touch of festive flair whenever the moment calls for it. Heather keeps Skeinz running smoothly, keeps us laughing, and keeps us guessing what podcast she’s on today.
Veronica is one of the smiling faces you’ll meet when you walk into the Skeinz shop, always ready to help you find exactly what you’re looking for (or discover something wonderful you didn’t know you needed). She brings a calm, welcoming presence to the store, making sure every visit feels easy, enjoyable, and unrushed. Whether she’s helping you choose colours, tracking down the right yarn weight, or guiding you toward the perfect project match, Veronica is all about making your shopping experience smooth and stress-free. She’s patient, thoughtful, and has a great eye for what works well together. We love having her in the shop, and you will too — she’s here to help you leave with inspiration, confidence, and maybe just a little more yarn than you planned.
Abbey is our newest arrival here at Skeinz, and honestly… we’re still wondering how we ever managed without her. With a can-do attitude that could power an entire mill, she’s the quiet hero behind the scenes making sure your yarny treasures get picked, packed, and on their way to you at lightning speed. Whether it’s taming a mountain of orders, tracking down that one elusive shade of DK, or making sure your parcel is wrapped with care, Abbey approaches every task with calm efficiency (and just the right amount of humour). She’s the reason your goodies often arrive faster than you expect—sometimes we suspect she’s part superhero. We’re thrilled to have her on the team, and your projects are in excellent hands with Abbey making dispatch magic happen every day.
If you’ve popped into the Skeinz shop, you’ve likely met Ailsa our cheerful in-store helper who’s always ready for a chat about yarn. And if you haven’t been in recently, you still might catch her on the phone or replying to your emails with her trademark calm and kindness. Ailsa has solid knitting know-how and is always happy to point you in the right direction—whether you’re choosing yarn for your next project or just need a little advice to keep things moving smoothly. She loves helping customers feel confident in what they’re making, no matter their skill level. Warm, approachable, and genuinely keen to help, Ailsa brings a lovely welcoming vibe to the shop every day.
Tamzin joins us in the shop from time to time, and when she does, customers are in very good hands. She’s our resident knitting guru — the person you turn to when a project goes off-track, a pattern stops making sense, or you just need someone who really understands what’s happening on your needles. Calm, knowledgeable, and endlessly patient, Tamzin has a knack for explaining things in a way that makes everything suddenly “click.” Whether you need a quick fix, a confidence boost, or guidance on your next great project, she’s the one who can help you out. We love having her in the shop whenever she’s able to join us — she brings skill, understanding, and a gentle dose of knitting wisdom to every customer she meets.
Brendan has been with Design Spun since 1989 and is the man that keeps the business marching forward in the right direction. Brendan is a foundation member of the Design Spun team but still stoutly refuses to learn how to knit, preferring to spin a yarn instead of stitching one.
What Peter doesn’t know about milling yarn can fit on the back of a match book. Peter started working in the mills of Yorkshire and is one of the foundation team at Design Spun. He is the point of contact for contract and commission spinning and is dab handy on a knitting machine!
Ian came to New Zealand to found Design Spun by the way of Northern Ireland and has a Yoda like relationship with the vast mill machinery, not a lot is spoken, but greatness of yarn is made. He is attempting to spend more time traveling and on his boat and has past his vast knowledge onto protégé Matthew August.
It’s often said to get a job done you need to go to a busy woman, in Design’s Spun’s case that woman is Yvonne. Yvonne has the unenviable job of stitching all the process elements of the mill together so the magic of transforming fibre to yarn can happen smoothly. When she’s not doing all that she can be found participating or fundraising as an endurance walker.
No one really knows when Maree started, she appeared rather stealthily and years later her knitting needles, loud music and dog are a constant fixture. Often found lurking online in social media, she’s the one that answers your Facebook and Ravelry posts and is the guru for all those tough knitting crisis and questions. When she isn’t creating mayhem at Skeinz she’s busy as the creator and host of the Knit August Nights yarn retreat.
If you need an injection of energy, then Wayne is your man. Wayne is the man that helps the Skeinz management team work “on” the overall business strategy and bungees in to help shake up our paradigms, keep us challenging our goals and strive for total yarn domination.
Skeinz has been helping our local community since our inception in 2009. It started in earnest with our penguin sweater project in 2010 where the thousands of dollars raised and donated to NZ Forest and Bird, Cape Sanctuary and the Aquarium of New Zealand after the sinking of the Rena in Tauranga through to our recent Cyclone Gabrielle fundraising and which saw us raise and donate over $30K to Cyclone relief and hundreds of yarn care packages delivered to charity knitting groups and rest homes in the affected areas.
We still have ongoing yarn and charity support with The Kiwi Family Trust and Red Cross Napier and ensure we have natural wool yarns priced to be the most competitive on the market to allow the thousands of crafters nationwide to be able to afford to knit, crochet and weave for their charities of choice.
If you use yarn for charitable works, make sure you sign up to our Skeinz Newsletter to receive the latest offers to help make your buying power go further.
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