The Story Behind Don't Feed the Trolls

When Teresa and I first opened our yarn shop, we never imagined we'd one day be writing about internet trolls.

We wanted to sell beautiful yarn, share our love of knitting and crochet, and build a welcoming community where everyone felt at home. That's still exactly what we're trying to do today.

Recently, we launched a Crowdfunder to help us buy the building we hope will become the long-term home of our business. Asking for help doesn't come naturally to either of us. Like many independent businesses, we've always preferred to quietly get on with things.

Putting ourselves out there was a huge step and something that we felt anxious about doing. Not because we thought we would be trolled and abused online - this wasn't even on our radar (how naïve we were!). We worried that people might think we were asking for an easy way out, when in reality we'd already invested everything we could ourselves before turning to our community for help.

The response from so many people has been incredible. Customers, friends and complete strangers have offered kind words, shared our campaign and supported us in ways we could never have imagined.

Unfortunately, not everyone reacted that way.

Over the past week or so we've received some deeply unpleasant comments online. Some criticised us for asking for help. Others made personal attacks that went far beyond the business itself. At times those comments left us questioning whether we'd done the right thing by putting ourselves out there.

The internet can be a wonderful place. It allows small businesses like ours to reach people across the country and beyond. It helps friendships form through the love of shared hobbies and passions. But it can also make it incredibly easy to forget there's a real person behind the screen at the other end.

A few words typed in seconds can stay with someone for days or longer.

Sadly, online bullying is something that many people experience and it's not always easy to shrug it off.  Teresa was brought to tears more than once throughout this ordeal. We know that behind every news story about someone's mental health is a real person, a real family and real consequences. Kindness costs nothing, yet it can make all the difference.

After a lot of discussion between the two of us, we decided that we would try our best to turn something negative into something positive.

That's how Don't Feed the Trolls was born.

Instead of allowing the negativity to define the whole Crowdfunder experience, we decided to create a yarn inspired by it. The dark tones represent the uglier side of social media, (As Lady Gaga once described it, social media can sometimes become "the toilet of the internet.") while flashes of vibrant colour remind us that kindness, hope and compassion will always shine brighter.

More importantly, £5 from every skein sold will be donated to support Hadleigh Mental Health & Wellbeing Hub, helping people who may be facing struggles far greater than an unpleasant comment on the internet.

For us, this colourway isn't about the trolls.

It's dedicated to everyone who chooses kindness instead.

It's about the customer who sends an encouraging message.

The friend who shares a post.

The stranger who reminds you that good people still far outnumber the bad.

Even after running small independent businesses for more than 20 years, there are still days when it all feels daunting. We don't always get everything right, but if there's one thing this experience has reinforced, it's that community matters.

Whether you've supported our Crowdfunder, bought a skein of yarn, popped into the shop for a chat or simply wished us well, thank you.

Your kindness has meant far more than you'll ever know.

And as for the trolls?

We'll keep doing what we love.

We'll keep dyeing yarn.

We'll keep welcoming people through our door.

And we'll ALWAYS keep choosing kindness.

If you'd like to own a skein of Don't Feed the Trolls and help turn a negative experience into something positive, the colourway is available across a selection of our hand-dyed yarn bases. £5 from every skein sold helps support the wonderful work of Hadleigh Mental Health & Wellbeing Hub.