A crafty mother and daughter team have brought a full-scale yarn shop back to Bermuda with the opening of Needles, etc. in St. George?s.

Wendy Bassett and her mother Gaynelle Outerbridge offer everything from English needle point and cross stitch kits to yarn, knitting and crochet accessories at Bermuda?s newest yarn shop on Clarence Street.

The store, which opened at the beginning of the month, may remind some of The Knit and Craft Shop that used to be on Reid Street.

That is no accident: Ms Bassett actually learned to knit at that shop when she was nine years old and spent her summers and holidays working there alongside her mother. They hope their new store will fill the void left behind since that shop closed.

?A lot of children don?t? know how to knit. When I learned to crochet and knit I was nine and I learned everything at The Knit Shop. They had classes in the summer and a lot of us in our mid- 40?s learned from those classes.

?Children my daughter?s age aren?t exposed to it, parents haven?t passed the craft on way so this is a way to encourage people to introduce the craft to a younger generation,? she said.

While Ms Bassett has a degree in social work and works full-time for the Department of Financial Services, her mother manages the shop full-time.

Just like the old Knit Shop, the pair plan to offer classes once the weather cools down and locals have more time on their hands to craft. There is also plenty of seating in the 600-foot space for crafters who run into difficulty and need assistance with a pattern.

Ms Bassett expects that children and adults will get excited about doing projects once they are exposed to it.

?A lot of people don?t knit sweaters and give them to their grandkids anymore. We want to encourage people to get back into those activities,? Ms Bassett said adding that the reason many people may have gotten away from it is that other Bermuda stores could not offer a satisfying range of stock. ?A few stores have a little bit of wool but there is nothing dedicated to knitting and crafts,? Ms Bassett said.

While she is ?not fussy? about American wool, she has imported some Canadian wool to supplement the mostly English products which she said are a better quality of material.

?Before I opened up, it was had to find colours or exciting products that you wanted to work with so you were limited with what was available to you. I?m looking at offering different ranges, not just basic colours but different textures of wool as well more choice.?

Her store already stocks 52 different colours of wool at four different weights as well as needle point and cross stitch kits that range from basic teaching kits to more complicated tablecloths and pillowcases.

For those new to knitting or needlepoint and other crafts, Ms Bassett said that not only are they relaxing hobbies, but there is a certain satisfaction in wearing or showing off an item that you have made as opposed to bought off the rack.

?It is therapeutic to do and it is good to see the end product ? I created it, I made it. It is exciting,? she said.