The Yarn Basket, recently moved to 5 North Main Street in Philippi, and the Circuit Clerk of Barbour County located in the county’s courthouse, are the Barbour County Chamber of Commerce members of the Month in January.
Denise Gutwein and her sister Wendy Clark (left) are the owners of the Yarn Basket. Gerald Fogg is the Circuit Clerk of Barbour County.
The Yarn Basket features superior-quality yarn for knitting, crocheting, and weaving from natural fibers which are hand-spun and dyed. The new business also offers specialized tools for knitting and crocheting. The Yarn Basket is open three days each week, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. They may be called at (304) 621-7830 or emailed at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. They are on-line at www.theyarnbasketlic.weebly.com
Clark is a graduate and member of the faculty of West Virginia Wesleyan College where she earned degrees in art and art education as well as a Fine Arts Degree in weaving. She was an art teacher for thirty years and has managed a weaving business for the past ten years. Her sister Denise is a nurse.
“We aim to create a cozy, welcoming yarn store for special yarns and supplies,” Clark says, and we also offer instruction for both beginners and those more advanced. Call today for further information about our January classes and knit-alongs. Our new location gives us extra room, so we have expanded our offerings to include several new brands, including woolens, cottons, acrylics, and blends. Our special wenweave brand yarns are hand-woven in Barbour County, she says.
According to Gerald Fogg, the Barbour County Circuit Clerk is elected for a six-year term. He was recently elected to his second term. “The Circuit Clerk,” he says, “is the registrar and custodian of all pleadings, documents, and funds pertaining to cases filed in the Circuit Court and Family Courts. We also handle managerial duties, such as summoning jurors and docket management.
“Our mission is to support our judges, prosecutors, attorneys, law enforcement officers, process servers, and citizen jurors who administer justice in Barbour County. Since taking office in 2015, our case load has more than doubled, primarily due to the epidemic of drug abuse and the resulting increase in crime, child abuse, and neglect.”
Fogg is particularly interested in the preservation of the historic Barbour County Courthouse with its stained glass dome. “Visitors come from near and far to see the architectural jewel which we have in this rural county”, he says. Fogg attended county schools and graduated with a law degree from West Virginia University. He is married to a retired Family Law Court judge. Fogg welcomes clubs and informal groups who wish to arrange for a tour of the courthouse by calling (304) 457-3454, or by emailing This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.