Blazing Needles was my first stop.
I liked: the layout of the store,
the varied ways they displayed hand knit samples and other products
i imagine knitting here on winter evenings would be cosy
but by far my favourite thing about this store has got to be the people that work there
What a hoot!
I walked away with a skein of yarn to make a hat for S. I'd hoped to return for their knit night but never made it back :(
The only other yarn store I visited was The Wool Cabin.
though this store was much farther from my hotel, it was well stocked and so worth the visit.
I didn't have as much time to browse as I'd've liked and bought just a handful of very cute buttons.
I would probably have bought more yarn was I actually knitting these days.
I don't know what's up with that :(
Did I miss something? What's with the no knitting? Is it a mojo-gone-walkabout thing?
ReplyDeleteLove the look of the yarn stores. I visited one while I was on holiday but got all shy and didn't take any pictures!
It's a combination of factors really: life, knit mojo going AWOL and nothing inspiring to knit.
ReplyDeleteI know what you mean, I walked into Blazing Needles feeling all shy and self-conscious but was quickly brought out of my shell and made to feel at home. I smiled the whole time I was there and spent ages hanging out with them.
I don't know, don't you think the standard of American LYS' is so much higher than ours ? :-(
ReplyDeleteI'm sad to say, I agree. I've often pondered the difference myself.
Deletelower business taxes? lower rent? what's common there, is a much larger inventory of yarn, books and notions - I do think this makes a HUGE difference.
Then there's the shops themselves, the spaces. A lot of yarn stores there are spaces in which knitters would want to hang out: colourful, laid out in an interesting manner and often full of heretofore unknown things. But surely it's more than the novelty factor?
Also (and at the risk of being ageist), could it be that stores there are mostly owned or managed by younger (and often trendier) women?
I don't know but there's no denying the difference.
Interesting: I apply your age theory to the LYSs within 30 miles of me, and I find that you are correct ... :-)Although one of the busiest ones is the old-fashioned one full of mainly big brand acrylic/blends ..
DeleteGlad to see you had fun Stateside :) Though sad to hear you've no knitting mojo :( Those yarn stores look totally amazing! I'm amazed at your restraint!! xx
ReplyDelete