Updated January 31, 2026 at 8:42 AM EST
The weekly gatherings of knitters at Needle & Skein, a yarn store in Minneapolis, are typically filled with giggles and storytelling. But, earlier this month, a heaviness hung in the air.
“It was just collective exhaustion,” said Paul Neary, a shop employee. “Minnesotans — we’re not going to say the big thing, but we often know what the big thing is just by looking at each other.”…