Brangelina on it's way
Let me tell you a little story about a search for yarn, cantankerous salespeople and the lesson I learned.
I had promised to make a Brangelina hat and I, being the beginner knitter that I am, figured I could do one better than the pattern designer. Instead of using a lowly wool/acrylic blend I said I will make the hat in natural fibers.
So off I went in search of yarn. I searched high and low. I visited three yarns shops whose sales people in no uncertain terms lets say"strongly suggested" suggested. I ask, why are people who run yarn shops so snooty and cranky. You would think they would be relaxed and laid back with all the knitting.
If you read the blog from last week you will remember how well the Catalina worked out. I had to find different yarn and do it over again. I decided to use the yarn the patter calls for even if it is a wool blend.
I did not wan tot deal with those sales people again.Besides they did no have the yarn. So I ventured into the world of Internet yarn shopping. $12 worth of black yarn, with an $18 handling & shipping fee. Not good.
My last effort was to try the little yarn shop next to the Associated supermaket just two blocks from my apartment. It must be 12 feet wide by 25 feet long. And they had the exact yarn! In black! Three skeins, just what I needed.
What did I learn form this? First, do not promise a knitted project if you are a beginner and haven't made the item already . And more importantly there is no natural fiber yarns rated for anything between needles US 10 and US 15, and certainly not in black.Lastly, I learned to trust my own instincts about picking yarn, not just what a grumpy salesperson pushes at me.
I had promised to make a Brangelina hat and I, being the beginner knitter that I am, figured I could do one better than the pattern designer. Instead of using a lowly wool/acrylic blend I said I will make the hat in natural fibers.
So off I went in search of yarn. I searched high and low. I visited three yarns shops whose sales people in no uncertain terms lets say"strongly suggested" suggested. I ask, why are people who run yarn shops so snooty and cranky. You would think they would be relaxed and laid back with all the knitting.
If you read the blog from last week you will remember how well the Catalina worked out. I had to find different yarn and do it over again. I decided to use the yarn the patter calls for even if it is a wool blend.
I did not wan tot deal with those sales people again.Besides they did no have the yarn. So I ventured into the world of Internet yarn shopping. $12 worth of black yarn, with an $18 handling & shipping fee. Not good.
My last effort was to try the little yarn shop next to the Associated supermaket just two blocks from my apartment. It must be 12 feet wide by 25 feet long. And they had the exact yarn! In black! Three skeins, just what I needed.
What did I learn form this? First, do not promise a knitted project if you are a beginner and haven't made the item already . And more importantly there is no natural fiber yarns rated for anything between needles US 10 and US 15, and certainly not in black.Lastly, I learned to trust my own instincts about picking yarn, not just what a grumpy salesperson pushes at me.
re: And more importantly there is no natural fiber yarns rated for anything between needles US 10 and US 15, and certainly not in black.
ReplyDeletenever say never! i can think of at least one yarn, (sold in NYC!)
(brown sheep nature wool bulky, sold at Seaport yarns--and while seaport doesn't carry every color --they certainly have black!
at the same place you could also find some bulky weight 100% cashmere that is to die for, (and the price--while reasonable compared to other places--will kill you!)
I like LB wool ease. it has a good hand, and the solid (but not the heathered colors) knit up quite nice. i recently knit a beautiful scarf (phyllotaxis, from KNITTING NATURE) from this very yarn.