This Saturday is Small Business Saturday across the country, nestled in between Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Have you ever heard that small businesses are the backbone of the United States economy? Well, it is definitely true and here are a few facts that prove it, taken from the last census in 2010. The data showed there are 28 million small businesses versus only 18,500 large companies in the US. Of the 28 million, more than 22 million are individually operated, without any employees. But what is perhaps most impressive is the fact that the total gross domestic product, which is the measure of the United States’ total economic activity, is almost $17 trillion. And small businesses contribute approximately $8.5 trillion—roughly half. In spite of this the failure rate of small businesses is almost 50%. So, this Saturday support a small business in the knitting community. Buy yarn, patterns and kits as holiday gifts, or start a new project whether large or small. It can be your way of saying thanks to the millions of hard working individuals doing their best to stay in the business of supporting you and your love of knitting.