Posted by Stitchy McYarnpants On March - 12 - 2005   ShareThis

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Jon and I are taking off for a Caribbean cruise tomorrow, so I figured I’d write up a quick post to publicly apologize for abandoning the cats on favor of icy Pina Coladas and non-stop buffets for a week. Sucks to be you, kitties.

I also wanted to cover a few things before leaving. First is that I had a freaking blast last week celebrating Wendy’s birthday in JP. I love me some Wendy. My gal Melanie was in attendance and I had the pleasure of meeting Elisa and Jackie, two great, funny bloggers, and all-around good-time Charleys. It’s so good to know that the internet houses such wonderful people. I also met a bunch of non-blogging-but-still-totally-cool friends of Wendy’s. I can’t wait for her to age another year so we can do it again!

Next, I wanted to concur with Melanie about our first (and last) trip to Wild and Wooly in Lexington. I realize that a lot of people are loyal customers, so it can’t be all that bad. It’s a nice store with a huge selection of yarn, but we felt extremely uncomfortable with the sales woman on duty. As soon as we walked in, she asked if we needed help or were looking for anything in particular. I appreciate this and often take people up on the offer. But this time we thanked her and told her we were just looking around. I think she may have decided not to like us when we asked about the pricing of yarns. None of the actual yarn labels are priced individually. It turns out that either the shelf is labeled or you have to ask. Maybe she thought we were cheapskates. In my case, she would have been correct in that assumption. What can I say, I love yarn that’s on sale. Is that so wrong?

Anyhoo, we wandered around ooh-ing and aah-ing and touching the pretty yarns. I’ve never actually spent much time with Rowan yarn, so I lingered a little, trying to get a feel for the different types I’ve heard so much about. Again, she asked if we needed any help finding something in particular. We politely declined, repeating that we were just looking. There were lots of books to dig through, so we were poking around. A few minutes later, she came around the corner and said “You’re still here?” and started handing different books to us. Books we either had already seen or would have gotten to. She seemed frustrated and it weirded us out. It sounded like she was wishing we had gone. With that, we made our way downstairs. The woman there asked us if we needed anything, we said no thanks and that was that. It was entirely pleasant to browse through the vast selection of yarn. When we were done, we thanked her and headed upstairs where we were greeted with “Oh! You’re still here?” With that, we abandoned any thought of loitering long enough to make a purchase and left. It was very uncomfortable. Maybe some stores don’t want people just looking around, but I rarely go into a yarn store with something exact in mind. Maybe it was just a bad day. Maybe we just didn’t seem like we were going to spend a bunch of money and we were taking up floor space. Who knows. But it’s one of those things I felt I should share. I’m not advocating anyone boycott the place, I just figured I’d mention it.

We ended up going to the always warm and friendly Knitting Room in Arlington where I bought some Feeling and some Berroco Suede (on-sale Berroco Suede – mmmmm). While we were there, someone dumped an entire cup of iced coffee on all of the books. The woman working there dealt with it so beautifully. I was impressed with her grace and kindness to the extremely embarrassed and apologetic customer.

In knitting news, my hoodie is just about done! I decided to try blocking before seaming to see of that makes it easier. I haven’t had time yet, so when I get back, that will be the project at hand. I’m looking forward to wearing it. It’s the less sophisticated little sister of Melanie’s newly finshed (and beautiful) Rogue. It’s made of the same yarn, some is even the same color. Hers has a hood, mine has a hood! Hers has a front pocket, mine has a front pocket! Hers has amazingly intricate cables throughout, mine . . . is covered in cat hair and pizza crumbs.

Last, I wanted to show you what I’d be doing while floating around the deep blue sea. I started another Bonne Marie Burns brand ChicKami. It’s a variegated (yes, I failed Spellcheck again with this word) yarn (Endless Summer Sonanta, thank you Elann!) that I was all set to hate, but I really like the stripeyness of the yarn. It’s not pooling as badly as I was afraid it would. My goal is to be wearing this before the cruise is over (on Friday – booooo!)

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I also got Lavish Lace that was delivered in light speed from Amazon. I didn’t expect it to arrive so soon and I couldn’t be more delighted. What a gorgeous book! I have 4 skeins of Koigu KPPPM (my first ever) and will pick something to make while I’m lounging in the sun.

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There’s not a whole lot you could do to wipe the permagrin off my face at this point. As of this very moment, life kicks ass!

Have a good week, everyone!

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15 Responses

  1. Timmy says:

    Just recently found your website and love it! I put a link to it on mine :) Hope you have a great time on your cruise! And sorry to hear about that scary trip to the yarn store…some store clerks can be so rude!

  2. Emily says:

    Have a wonderful time! Eat, drink, sun, knit! Don’t get too drunk and steal anyone’s boots.

  3. Teresa C says:

    Could you email me and describe the woman that was hounding you? I am a semi-frequent customer and think I know who you are talking about, just wondering if it is the same.

  4. Elisa says:

    Bring us back some sunshine, will ya?

    Oh yes, and have a fabulous time!

  5. melanie says:

    I love you.

    Have a great time on your cruise!

  6. Anonymous says:

    I’m so torn. I mean, I like you for being you, but I hate you for going on a cruise and leaving me here in the snow like this. Have you told Dot? Give her my number.

    Steph
    (yarn harlot)

  7. Marlena says:

    I hate stores that don’t label their merchandise. Reading both hers and your descriptions of the experience, I don’t think I would ever shop there again. I got the same kind of reception at a hoity-toity sore nearby, and I would rather shop online than buy my yarn from them!

    Have a ball on your cruise!

  8. Geogrrl says:

    Just gotta say, though, that even though the owner/manager/clerk of the other store was nice about the customer who spilled iced coffee–accidents like that are the reason most stores have a sign at the entrance asking you NOT to bring in food or beverages.

    Those books now cannot be sold without a significant discount, and the store has to eat the loss.

    As for the other yarn shop, I’m surprised they stay in business if that’s their attitude. If it’s not the store’s attitude, I’m surprised that clerk hasn’t been fired.

  9. I completely agree with you about Wild and Wooly in Lexington… such a cute little town and attractive shop. I was irritated no end because I am ashamed of my cheapness and didn’t want anybody to know the degree of recoil of which I’m capable when some few grams of thread prices out at $10+!! The clerks on duty when my darling daughter and I visited didn’t hover too much (there was a yarn rep in the store talking to the owner, and I got the impression there was a lot of eavesdropping going on)– but as I read your entry, I’m wondering if that is because of the stout, no-nonsense MATRONLY (regrettable, but true) appearance I have. (If I ever knit anything for myself, they’ll sell LOTS of yarn, trust me!!) They are faithful about sending their class announcements. And I wangled a copy of an “in house” pattern out of one of the clerks because I bought The Box of Scarves “book”… It was supposed to come with a specific yarn purchase only… so in that sense they were “nice” enough.

    Maybe some shop owner will tell us why they don’t put prices on things… (Laziness doesn’t count!!)

  10. Jennifer says:

    Just found your blog, too. Those photos of your cat-with-styrofoam-peanuts is hysterical! Thanks for sharing!!

    Jen

  11. Jess says:

    I used to live in the area and went to Wild & Woolly more than once — frequently, everyone was pleasant and helpful. Once or twice I felt the same way you seem to have on this trip. I don’t have a whole lot of cash, and I like to browse yarns so that I know what other knitters are talking about, but I can’t always buy. I didn’t always feel comfortable in that store; but I felt that way in other businesses in Lexington, too, so maybe it was just me. I still get their mailings, though, even in Ohio! -_^

  12. Kristine says:

    Hi! Sorry I didn’t send this to your email, but I couldn’t find the address…
    I just wanted to let you know I linked to one of your old posts (the yarn sores) No worries about bandwidth theft, but if the post bothers you, I’ll take it down (I actually think you might consider it amusing, there’s been a fresh outbreak of yarn sores in Alexander McQueen’s spring fashions) anyway- I hope you enjoyed the cruise!

  13. Lynette says:

    Hi there Yarnpants,

    Good job. I must commend you on choosing to take a cruise during non-hurricane season. I am from NC and am always amused by folks who find great cruise vacation deals in September or October, actually go on them and then lament that they spent all their time on the boat, not visiting the ports they were supposed to because of “bad weather”.

    Also. A spring cruise is a great way to inspire you to knit all those teeny lacy cotton thingies that husbands love so much. Hope you had a good time, welcome back to your blog. We’ve missed your voice.

  14. maryse says:

    so i googled wild and woolly so i could get their address and this post is like the 6th entry for it. this was before i knew you. isn’t that weird?

    also i’m going on saturday with grumperina et al. and if we get that attitude she’s prepared to scowl at them and i will give them the stink eye.

    good times.

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