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Yarn Shop Hoppin' 101
by Anna Horn

What self-respecting, fiber fondling knitter can resist an excursion to a new – at least to them – yarn shop?

The wools of all sorts, cottons, silks, and even the newer bamboo and soy yarns are difficult to resist. Besides, isn’t there some saying that you begin the process of dying when you stop learning new things? (Well, something to that effect.) If you’ve been a knitter for any length of time, you know that yarn brands, style, and even types vary from shop to shop. With the reemergence of knitting in the lives of women from numerous backgrounds, a yarn shop would have to be the size of the Mall of America to house all of the yarn that’s out there. That kind of makes yarn shop hoppin’ akin to going on an Easter egg hunt for your yarn stash.

Who can resist such fun?

I hate to spoil this yarn buying convention, but I feel its’ important to go over some general rules and tips to follow before embarking on your woolen laden journey.

Speak to any knitter on the major fiber-related discussion boards out there and the key term that will pop up in every yarn shop conversation is “customer service.” Even in the skein and hank world, the way a customer is treated speaks miles about a yarn shop. Oftentimes, way before you’ve arrived. If you haven’t already, get out there to the discussion boards and take a general census of some shops you may plan to visit. How long does it take before someone offers assistance? Did they offer suggestions when you looked stumped or asked for help?

Online yarn shops aren’t exempt from this rule either. Things like; how long does it take to process your order before your items are shipped? Do they ship to Post Office Boxes and do they offer payment via PayPal are things to consider when browsing a virtual LYS (Local Yarn Shop).

Now we get to the meat and potatoes of yarn shops; the selection! Some shops stick to the “staple” yarns like Lamb’s Pride, while others offer one-of-a-kind hand-dyed yarn from local spinners and dyers. I live within a good 30 miles of about 6 yarn shops. I can honestly say that each shop has something different to offer. That’s probably the main reason why I love to yarn shop hop! You don’t have to travel far in order to experience new things either. Since I live near the Seattle area, I know of at least two major craft conventions. At these conventions vendors come from all over the state to sell their yarn goodies, often at discount prices!

There you have it, my sisters of the knitting sisterhood; your golden rules to getting the most out of your yarn shopping dollar. Go forth, get knitty with it, and knit on!

Ann knits, blogs at Anna's Yarn Mansion, and treats herself with chocolate
in the Pacific Northwest. When she isn't yarn shop hoppin', she's working as an
academic librarian to pay for said trips.

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