Knitting's Dark Side
Y'all. I'm in Texas visiting my brother and SIL. It's strange to be back in Tejas after a 10-year absence, but that is not what this post is about. I started writing this post in my head a couple of weeks ago and a short visit to Twisted Yarns just reminded me to post it.
I write instead to the crazylove given to the LYS. I understand, of course, that there are many very nice and lovely and welcoming shops but I've gotta say that those are rare. Two of my favorites have been Kraemer Yarn Shop in Nazareth, PA and Woolcott & Co in Cambridge, MA.
They all may be local and unique, but my complaint for each is the same. In Bethlehem, it was Tangled Yarns. You practically had to twist Barbara's arm to order something for you and then you'd be lucky to get a call when it was in. More recently, it's Montoya and even CloseKnit in Evanston. I was psyched to have two(!) LYS so close to my new house when we closed last year but that ship has sailed.
I have gone to these stores straight out of bed with a skull sweater and bedhead as well as after work looking like a well-dressed commuter but I'm usually treated like a crackhead (at worst) or a girl from a rival sorority (at best) when I need assistance.
The most recent example: I rushed into CloseKnit right before closing to buy some Lamb's Pride for a last-minute gift. I asked how long until they closed as soon as I walked in and was shortly informed '5 minutes.' I put my World Market bag down inside the door so as not to crash around the shop with it and I swear to God the woman there looked at it as if it contained a bomb. In less than 2 minutes, I had my yarn and needles at the register and a new knitter came in to ask about the Lamb's Pride Bulky she'd recently purchased from them to make a gift 'for a man.' She wanted to know if it would shed. The woman ringing me up said of course not - which is absolutely untrue (it is 15% mohair). I couldn't believe it.
Even though I don't have a ton of extra money, I don't mind spending a little more to support local shops. However, I think I'm over the LYS. I've had a much better time ordering yarn from the manymany online retailers and have received more communication and support from THE UK than from most of them.
I'm wondering how many of you really love your LYS - like, loved it from the first moment you stepped in and not months later, after you'd spent enough money to get street cred or major orthodontics.
Now. To offset my surliness, I leave you with a cute photo of Barley trying to boil his brains as I go...
posted by amandamonkey @ 12/29/2006 04:33:00 PM
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