Janknit's Studio

At first glance Janknit’s Studio on Haliburton Village’s main street may look like an ordinary knitting store, but a closer inspection reveals it to be a location of great business innovation and creativity. Janknit’s Studio offers a unique line of products in woven furs, a fashion sensation that has taken the world by storm.

Knit fur was invented by Canadian fashion designer Paula Lishman in the 1980s. Lishman took normal fur pelts, cut them into strips, and re-enforced the strips with colour-matched cotton. The strips were then twisted, so the leather was on the inside covering the cotton, with the fur radiating outwards from the centre. This allowed the fur to be knit, and become a double-faced fabric. Chrome tanning made the pelt washable, and also made cold storage unnecessary. When Lishman first began knitting fur, traditional furriers scoffed at her invention. However, Lishman patented her design, marketed it, and within years every major furrier was working with knit fur.

Janet Sheehey owns and operates Haliburton’s Janknit’s Studio, and she has a long history working with Lishman. “I worked closely with Paula in Port Perry for years,” Sheehey said. “I created designs for her, taught workers how to replicate the designs, and helped to sell and market the products.

In 2007 Sheehey’s husband began working for a company in Haliburton, and she realized that the time was ripe to start her own store. “We’d recently moved to Haliburton, and Paula Lishman was supportive of the idea of opening a new outlet for her knit fur here,” Sheehey said. “So I purchased a building on main street in Haliburton Village, and opened up the store in May of 2007.”

HCDC helped Sheehey to develop her business. “I found that it was much, much easier getting help from HCDC than going to a bank, especially when a business is new and doesn't have the operational years that a bank demands,” she said.

Sheehey sells a variety of products, including traditional yarns, fur yarn, knit fur coats, and knitting accessories. “The store is primarily a knitting store, but I want to attract more than just one type of client,” Sheehey said. “So I’m always trying to offer more products. I recently began selling lug bags and travel bags, which have been very popular.”

Sheehey believes that the store is set apart from other knitting stores by its superior service. “Most knitting stores charge for lessons,” she said. “If you have a problem or encounter difficulties in your knitting and you go into a store for help, they make you pay money for the guidance. I don’t do that. Whenever a customer has a problem they can come in and I’ll help them for free. I offer free one on one lessons. People are surprised that I don’t charge money, but I just want to properly support my product.”

Unsurprisingly, the vibrant arts culture of the Haliburton Highlands is a major boom for Sheehey’s business. “Almost any Canadian who is artistically creative knows about the great arts culture in Haliburton,” she said. “There are a huge number of artists in the community. This means there are a variety of artistic people buying my products. They’re not using them for typical knitting, but for things like doll making, needle felting, and other pieces of art.” 

With a booming artistic sector supporting the business, Janknit’s Studio has experienced a good deal of success in recent years. Her retail location has been augmented by her website, www.janknitsstudio.com, which she uses to market the store, as well as sell products on line. With its innovative combination of products, services, and marketing, Janknit’s Studio is further proof that the Highlands are a great place for creative businesses.

To learn more about Janknits Studio visit her website www.janknitsstudio.com or visit her store located at 214 Highland Street in Haliburton Village (close to the Molou Theatre).