Wicked Good Yarns is a small business and community gathering spot run by Joann Walsh-Hawkes of Braintree. (Photo: Mark Hunt)
Wicked Good Yarns knits a community for crafters of all ages
Joann Walsh-Hawkes is the warm, extroverted owner of Wicked Good Yarns, a learning studio and retail yarn shop for people who love to knit or want to learn.
A professional sweater designer and Braintree resident, Joann is eager to talk about her passion for creating places of belonging. “I’ve been a maker my whole life, and I love what I do,” she said excitedly.
Wicked Good Yarns is located at 871 Washington Street—entrance on the building’s left side—in South Braintree Square.
See Joann give a tour of her business in our video.
Spotlight: Wicked Good Yarns
Courtesy photoPhoto by Mark HuntWicked Good Yarns offers adult knitting and crochet classes six days per week. All skill levels are welcome since everyone works at their own pace under professional guidance. A class for kids ages 8 and up runs on Saturdays. “I get people in their 20s, 40s, retirees, everyone. Classes have really taken off,” Joann said.Joann Walsh-Hawkes has worked as a sweater designer and knitwear consultant for three decades, traveling the globe for Northern Isles and then TJX. She opened Wicked Good Yarns five years ago in Rockland. In 2023, she relocated to Braintree after searching for a storefront location with foot traffic. ACB Realty (another Braintree: Open for Businessfeatured company) brokered the deal that landed her in South Braintree Square. “I’m so happy here, it’s unbelievable,” said Joann. (Photo: Mark Hunt)Wicked Good Yarns stocks a wide selection of premium yarns ranging from $4 to $30 per skein, along with patterns and supplies. (Photos: Mark Hunt)Wicked Good Yarns hosts seasonal events, including a workshop where knitters can learn to make Christmas stockings. “We make the stockings with 100-percent wool so they’ll last for years,” Joann said. (Photo: Mark Hunt)Knitting has many physical and mental health benefits, studies show. The repetitive motion of stitching creates a meditative effect that can lower heart rate and blood pressure while reducing anxiety. The brainpower required to make complex stitches and patterns can boost memory and reduce cognitive decline. “My knitters, we’re friends here,” said Joann Walsh-Hawkes, owner of Wicked Good Yarns. She adds with a laugh, “What’s said at the knitting table stays at the knitting table, and we’re cheaper than therapy!” (Photos: Mark Hunt)
