Well, when I say "local" I mean "the only proper wool shop within an hour's drive".
So on Saturday I took myself to Alford and explored "The Wool Shed".
And it was great - really it was! Seeing and squeezing some of the yarns I read about on the internet! Colours! Textures! Pattern books to browse through!
They had 3 skeins of Jitterbug sock - just the three! Fruit Coulis, Popsicle and Velvet Plum. And I found myself considering buying all 3 - just because they were there and they were so BOUNCY! But I managed to control myself and remember that I really want Velvet Bilberry, and that I don't exactly lack sock wool right now...
They had Banana Silk - yuck! Horrid scratchy stuff! They had Tofutsies - hmmm, a bit thin and hard for a sock yarn I thought - some nice colours though. They had Debbie Bliss and Rowan, some Silkwood, some HipKnits, some Katia, some Lana Grossa.
They had lots of Noro and I spent an indecent amount of time browsing the pattern books and deciding I wanted to knit a chevron-lace pullover from "Naturally Noro". But it was then that I started to get grumpy. Because there were no price labels. None.
After asking the assistant for prices on four separate occasions, I began to resent it. I was getting all twitchy - the implication seemed to be that if I needed to ask, I was not a serious buyer. But who buys yarn "blind"? Surely everyone makes decisions based on a judgement of quality and price - works out the "value" of their choice? I could equally have knitted said chevron jumper out of Kureyon or Silver Thaw... but lacking the price information, I wandered round the shop in a dither. In the end, I walked out with nothing. In the hour and a half I was there (this was a sunny Saturday afternoon) only two other people came into the shop - and they didn't buy anything either, despite me overhearing their conversation and assessing them to be a) American, b) compulsive knitters, and c) rather well-heeled! So how long do you give this shop? Survival chances?
And although I wanted to support my "local" yarn store, I came away empty-handed, with a mental shopping list which I will almost certainly take online. The irony being that the Wool Shed is setting up its own website... where I presume they will have to show their prices! Maybe I should email them...
P.S. Have you ever squeezed Lana Grossa "Bingo"? B-O-I-N-G!! Supersoft, super-bouncy DK-ish merino - I am off to investigate patterns!
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5 comments:
What a shame - it's full of lovely wool, I've only ever bought from the bargain bucket so far. It does seem a bit odd not to have prices on things doesn't it.
It was good to meet you on Saturday btw - hope to see you again soon.
Okay, I need to confess that I'd noted the existence of The Wool Shed.
As in - it's funny what you check out online when you have a quiet, unrequited interest in a desirable man you happen to know (in real life) who lives at the opposite end of the country!
What do you think?!
Yup - important things first: how far away is the nearest wool shop?!
Clearly, I haven't told him about my online reckkie of the local yarn landscape (mind you, nor have I told him that I've thought of names for our first 3 children, 4 orphan calves and extended menagerie of pets).
Y'know *nonchalent shrug*, I thought that this info might make him feel...a little stalked?!
So in the very unlikely event that I manage to capture the interest/affections of this man and I manage to swing a date (or two) up North - I'll let you know!
Very happy to pack a big flask of latte-style coffee, an enormous bag of kitkats and arrange to meet in Alford (if the shop hasn't gone into liquidation by then - just think of the bargains, if it does) and I hereby solemnly promise to be on yarn price asking duty!
The shop staff will be able to write me off as a tourist...oh hang on...maybe that is why the yarn isn't priced: one price for tourists and another price for residents?!
opps, an erroneous sentence popped into that comment, the "What do you think?!" towards the top, should be right at the very end!
G. - I am fascinated! Having crossed the country to be here with my man, I am intrigued by your story! Good luck!
That is such a pet hate of mine - unpriced yarn! It's really annoying and like you, I generally end up walking out without buying anything. Ironically I'm so shameless when it comes to yarn, I'd probably have spent money even if it all cost twice what I'd expect, but not being able to look at prices at the same time as yardage, washing info etc just freezes something in my brain and I can't move on to the next step, choosing and buying.
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