People just aren't knitting anymore? Say it ain't so!

Two road trips in the past few days and visits to two new-to-me LYSs in two different towns.

1) This was really a "Fiber Arts" shop - and it must look like heaven to a quilter. But when I asked about yarn, the Owner said she's discontinuing most yarn, because "People just aren't knitting anymore." Oh, Really? I replied. And I mentioned being on the Socknitters list with thousands of others who knit socks. Her eyebrows KNIT together in a puzzled frown. The Owner said that we could look through catalogs and she'd special order for me. That was a great offer, but I declined since I don't know when I'll ever be up that way again.

2) Yesterday we visited a newly opened YARN shop. What fun! DD1 & I went to visit DD3 at college, so they both went into the shop with me. We did a lot of browsing - and squeezing of the yarn! :-) There was a smallish, but respectable, selection of sock yarn. Only one Step - in an orange colorway. Yuck. I bought a ball of OPAL Feelings in #1703. Also, touched a skein of Buffalo yarn! $60 per 50 g. I'll pass on that one!

OTN: February socks. Two legs and heel flaps completed. Doing the heel turn on the first. I should be able to do a lot of knitting tomorrow...These WILL be done in February!

A Really Local LYS?

My excursions to LYSs around the state (and the dearth of any in town) have made me yearn for a nice sized, very well stocked, shop nearby. I live 1-1.5 miles from a major shopping mall area. A LYS in the fringes of the mall would be great. The area pulls in shoppers from as far as 50 miles away. It would be perfect. Why hasn't someone opened one there?

I've been thinking about this for several weeks. But, hadn't mentioned it to anyone - until my DD2 mentioned getting a 39/40 on her Intro to Business assignment this week. She said she created a business plan for a Local Yarn Shop. Eh? How cool! All we need is the money to get it started. Hmmm...think I'll buy a lotto ticket one of these days.

DD1 talks about wanting to have an Independent Bookstore/Coffee Shop. I could see a LYS adjacent [but no food or beverages allowed in the yarn side.] DD3 is a psych major and a knitter. Maybe she could help teach classes. Or design patterns.

OK - enough daydreaming. Time to refill my coffee mug and get knittin'.

LYS vs Crafters' Big Box

I'm not looking forward to my trip to the CBB tomorrow...my 3rd in a week. But, I'm not willing to wait for those short 5s & 7s. Maybe they are all laid out the same, but the yarn dept. at the one nearby is in the farthest corner from the door. My ankle will be ready for the recliner by the time I get home!

Saturday I went to the other CBB in town since I was going to be up that way anyway. Whoa! I've only been in that one a couple times since moving here...and not at all recently. I was amazed at how much larger it is than the one that's a mile from my house. [And my local CBB used to be a Super KMart, so it's a Big building.]

They are Big stores, but the yarn depts. are very small and there's NO sock yarn at either. What??? Lots of super chunky yarns, and feathery, fluffy yarns, but no sock yarn.

Which brings me to the LYS [Local Yarn Shop] issue. There's the small one in the next town. The LYSOwner is a very nice lady. But, the shop is quite small and the array of yarn and knitting supplies are limited. I bet I'm not the only person in this town of over 50,000 people who would like to see [and who would use] a well stocked LYS here.

I could order online, and I suspect I will do that for some yarns. But, buying online [and waiting for a shipment to arrive] is not as fulfilling as driving over to the shop, browsing, touching [squeezing], chatting with the LYSO....

OTN [On the Needles]: 2nd Trekking sock. Didn't get much done yesterday or today. Don't think I'll meet that Wednesday evening goal.
OTN: mitten #1 for Sport - in the same Bernat Camouflage "Mash" yarn as the cap.