And our winner is….imaginary drum roll….Just So Carfty!! 
Here’s a shot of her new Grape Ape Stitch Marker.t is being tested on my dad's vest, but it will be free in time to make the mail on Monday.
As promised, here’s some of the stuff from Sit and Knit. Amazing place. I know, badly lit shots of yarn are a bit dull, but in the pic you can see the beginnings of the grape ape socks. I turned the heel today, so I should be able to show a picture of how it looks knitted up soon. Also, have you tried Louet Sales sock yarn. Soft? Yes! Machine Washable? You bet! I love this stuff, it is knitting up wonderfully.
I'll try not to gush too much, I wouldn't want the folks at Fiber Protective Services thinking the yarn and I were inappropriately close.
Now, it’s Friday. I have had the hardest time thinking of a question for today. Really, I got to go to a real yarn store, so my fiber curiosity is fairly well satiated right now.
Still, I have only been to four real knitting stores in my time, all have their good and bad points. For instance, I know displaying yarn to the ceiling looks good, but I am only 5’ 1 ¼ ", so a bit impractical. And I can’t be the only one, I can’t imagine the Globetrotters knitting.
So what works for you? What are you looking for? Selection? Location? Helpful staff? Sale
What makes a great local yarn store?
4 comments:
Hahahaha!!! Fiber Protective Services. You crack me up!!
Well, I must admit I do most of my yarn shopping on Knit Picks - because you just click click click and the yarn comes right to you. But, with more free time now, I hope to frequent LYS more often. I like a helpful staff that does not hover over you (kind of "we're here if you need us, but brouse away"), good selection with a variety of price points (hate when all the yarn is super expensive), accessible inventory (one LYS I went to had all circular needles in the back room - you couldn't browse the selection, you had to just tell them what size you needed and they brought it out), and last but not least, a friendly atmosphere. You know, happy knitters hanging out. Fun conversations. Things like that make me want to come back!!
Great question! I have definite opinions about this one. My experience in many LYS's has been not so great. Too often the proprietors behave as if we were hopelessly addicted to what they are selling, therefore they need not provide actual customer service. Ok, so maybe we are addicted, but still.
I second everything that Karen said, and would add a few other things:
1. Stocks actual animal or plant fibers in a variety of weights. There is one LYS around here that seems to carry only novelty yarn and bulky weight stuff. Grrr...
2. Varied selection is great, but if it's crammed into too small a space, so that it's impossible to see or find anything, that's bad. I like a place that doesn't look like a yarn version of the Giant Stay-Puft Marshmallow Man exploded therein.
3. Friendliness! I have been to too many LYSs where I tried to have a BRIEF conversation with an owner/employee about my project and the response was a look like "and I care because?" Then I see that same person have a 30 minute conversation with a "regular" about a garter stitch scarf. What's up with that? Some LYSs are basically a hangout for a crafty clique.
Whew! ::climbing down off soapbox::
A great LYS most of all has welcoming and friendly staff above all. (something my lys lacks). I could take any shortcomings from my lys if they just acted like my business mattered and were willing to smile at me when I came through the doors!
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