I ended up visiting five yarn stores on my vacation and, like a good knitter, I bought something at every one! Here you go:
My first visit, like two hours after I got off the plane, was to Artfibers, the fabled San Francisco mecca. If I had to compare this store to another, I’d have to say Habu in NYC. Not because they’re anything alike – really they’re not – but because they’re similar in that they’re SO DISSIMILAR to any other yarn store you’ve ever been to. Crazy different.
Artfibers is on the second floor of a building, so there’s no storefront. When you walk in, there’s a desk straight ahead in front of a wall of needles and notions and then it’s just wire shelving everywhere. Little notes identify the yarns and there are lots of swatches and everything’s pretty much on cones, so it’s not like you can really handle the yarn. (Oh but you can! More on that in a minute!) There didn’t seem to be any specific organization to the place, so I wandered around for a bit looking at stuff and made my way to the front of the store where there were a bunch of chairs and a couple of jars of straight needles. I was in the tasting area.
In case you’re not familiar with Artfibers, probably the most unique thing about the place – besides the fabulously different and varied yarns – is the tasting bar. It is allowed and ENCOURAGED for you to make swatches of yarns you’re interested in. I can think of no better way to sell yarn than to have customers actually KNIT with it! There are bins in the back with smallish lots of all of the yarns in the store – many in various colorways – and you just pick your yarn, take a seat and start knitting! It’s FANTASTIC! I made two swatches:
That’s Ming on the left and Kurosawa on the right. Both yarns are 50% silk, 50% extrafine merino – but oh my god they couldn’t be more different. The Ming is an incredibly soft single ply that knit up shows you that it will probably start to pill the minute it’s off the needles. As much as I loved it, I wanted sweater yarn, not something so delicate. So I went to the Kurosawa which is a FOUR ply. It’s like knitting with a fantastically soft cotton. It was a bit splitty in the knitting but the stockinette is just gorgeous.
Lovely, no? I’m seeing a long sleeve v-neck pullover. Simple – to show off the beauty of the yarn. This stuff will knit up nice and tough. I’d be surprised if it pills badly. Incidentally, I bought two cones of color #5.
While I was waiting to pay, I completely fell in love with Fauve.
It’s a cotton, hemp, nylon mix that’s just unlike anything I’ve ever seen knit up. I didn’t have time to make my own swatch, but the one online shows the yarn pretty well. There’s the muted hemp/cotton, and then this sparkly crazy nylon. I bought a little more than 300 yds – I might even make a scarf, I love this stuff so much. It took me forever to pick a color! I drove everyone crazy asking which one they liked best. I ended up with #4.
If you’re ever in San Francisco, you MUST go to Artfibers and knit up a swatch. It really is so different! I loved it!
The other yarn store in SF I wanted to try was ImagiKnit. This is more of a typical yarn store, but they have a TON of yarn. It seemed special enough to make the trip so on our last morning in SF, I hopped in a cab and went WAY across town. It was…okay. The store itself is very nice with a very shabby chic look and two huge rooms filled with yarn. There really is a TON of yarn – most of it’s your typical LYS fare – big names and some little names. I bought my requisite souvenir Koigu:
P900. I bought the last two skeins and even though they’re the same dyelot, they’re pretty different. I also bought some Claudia’s Silk Lace in the superfun Lipstick colorway.
I just love the color. Imagiknit, though, was a bit of a disappointment. Sure, there was yarn galore. Sure the store setting was comfortable and fun and there was LOTS of room. But I got that vibe. You know which vibe I mean. The vibe that says you’re not part of our little clique, which is the only reason we’ve got this huge store in the first place, so we can knit with our friends, and you’re not a friend, so we’ll gladly take your money, but we’re not going to be encouraging about it. It could’ve been me. I’m sure there are people out there reading this thinking this is completely wrong because it’s the best yarn store in the world, but I tried to engage them and they just didn’t care. I even did the embarrassing old lady trick where you try to make conversation with everyone and I felt like I was rebuffed. Anyway, the yarn is pretty and really that’s all that matters. I won’t make the effort next time though.
My next stop was Article Pract, across the Bay Bridge in Oakland. Now there’s a yarn store! The place is PACKED full and it was funky and seems like a lot of fun and I bought the best bag in the universe and it was ON SALE!
OMG! It’s all velvet and soft and the bl
ue faille lining is fantastic and matches perfectly and it fits great on my shoulder and the cutout is perfect for my arm and I love it so much I’m afraid to use it! It’s Offhand Designs, Ursula style and I was so happy I skipped to the car to show G. It’s the Sahara Stripe colorway. I was sorry I didn’t buy any yarn at Article Pract, and while they had lots of yarn, there wasn’t anything super special for me like the bag. I mean, really, I don’t need any yarn. But the woman behind the counter was very nice and really I was just so happy with the bag she could have called me fat and I would’ve thanked her. Yes – it’s THAT good! I would definitely go back to Article Pract. Very nice store.
On our first full day at the Lake, we drove the 72-mile loop that takes you all the way around and on the way we stopped at The Wool Tree in South Lake Tahoe. Unfortunately, they don’t have a website. It was a small, but nice store, with your typical LYS fare. The woman working there was very nice and chatty with me. I ended up with an older Interweave Crochet. Didn’t want to walk out empty handed.
My last yarn store of the trip was Jimmy Beans Wool. I was really hoping to get here and the last night we stayed in Reno, so it wasn’t very far from our hotel. When I walked in they were getting ready for an event later that evening with Ann Norling. Unfortunately I couldn’t stay, but I was certainly invited to. VERY nice group of ladies at the store. VERY nice. Solicitous without being OVERLY solicitous. Fun and funny and it’s a great little store. They have a SUPERIOR collection of Lorna’s Laces and when I asked for the Tahoe colorway, which I didn’t see on the shelf, they checked their inventory and came out with all I needed. I bought the two prizes while I was there and some other contest yarn and I was happy to spend my money with them. I’ve shopped online with them before, and will be happy to do it again.
So that’s the yarn crawl story. I love visiting yarn shops when I travel – most of them are pretty similar, but sometimes you get a nice surprise.
Here’s what I knit on most of my trip:
I’m loving knitting this! It’s my Wing O’ The Moth shawl (details here.) I love the yarn – the color, the feel – and I love the texture of the unblocked lace.
And here it is pulled out a little bit.
I can’t wait to finish and block this baby! I’m just about to the end of the first chart. I think there’s like 40 rows and the edging after that. Not long now.
And this picture is for Ann:
I can’t wait! More on this as soon as Annie gets her share. 😉
suddenly I’m feeling more potable!
That Mothy Thing Is So BEAUTIFUL!
Brilliant reportage on your yarn crawling. Glad I was there with you. In spirit, I mean. I wasn’t actually there.
That shawl. Holy crap, I love it! And what fabulous yarn finds!
I know what it is!!! ; )
The shawl is gorgeous, Cara.
I’m betting someone from Imagiknit is smacking her forehead right now saying, “I can’t believe January One was here!” And they’re all probably denying working on the day of your visit. I’m glad you had fun everywhere else, though!
I’m always just amazed at the difference in lace when it’s just off the needles (or still on the needles) and when it’s blocked. It’s just like magic!
Your shawl is going to be really magnificent when you’re done. I just love the color!
Your comments on the bag crack me up! And I know what you mean about some yarn shops that aren’t so friendly. Having just moved back to the Chicago area, I’ve been on the hunt for a new LYS, but none have matched the charming feel of my old one: Yarns in the Farms in Beverly Farms, Mass. But that’s OK for now. Enjoy the bag, and that Koigu is purty!
Oh, that bag is gorgeous. Just amazing.
Your shawl looks fantastic – such a difference when it’s stretched out!
Sorry but I must comment on Jenn’s comment above: Do you think that if it was not January One the behavior of the people in that store was more acceptable? just wondering.
I adore the new taller tower of yarns and am waiting patiently for the details
OK, you thought Imaginknit was snotty? You should have popped into Greenwich Yarns – I can’t remember if it’s in Cow Hollow or the Marina. The one (and consequently only) time I went in they had a professional finisher parked at the work table seaming projects for local knitters. I know a lot of places offer finishing but as far as I’m concerned, if you knit it, you shouldn’t farm the dirty work out. I like Imaginknit quite a bit although who can beat Artfibers? Really…
fun to live vicariously through you. 🙂
maybe some time i’ll get to do more yarn store crawling.
artfibres? sounds AMAZING!!!
i loved artfibers when i was in SF! i actually did buy ming and can’t wait to use it. it’s so soft.. mmmm…
I’m sorry we weren’t able to hook up while you were in town. Next time!
I hate traveling over that bridge but I’ve got to get to ArtFibers. Unfortunately, we had a similar store to Imagiknit over here in Mill Valley. I went in at least once a month because it was literally across the street from my work but I never got the warm fuzzies from them. They closed about a year after opening – none of my knitting friends were too surprised.
I am so happy for you and all of your great finds. I can’t believe I am two hours from Artfibers and I have never been there. I have, however, been to ImagiKnit and gotten that same vibe…I had heard fairly good reviews before I went there and yet walked aware after both visits feeling slightly shunned. (Not that I am glad you got the semi-cold shoulder, but a little happy it was nothing exclusive to me.)
The Moth is stunningly fabulous. I am feeling lots of love for that unblogged picture.
I’m so glad you liked Article Pract, that’s my darling LYS and I love it. I’ve been eying that bag longingly for over a year – I’m so glad it went to you.
So glad you had fun in the Bay Area!
Your description of ‘that vibe’ is SO dead-on for the store that’s 3 blocks from my office. I had to laugh! People come over from Seattle and rave about it, and it is a beautiful store, but it definitely has that vibe. I give my money to a much friendlier local store.
To each her own though – I was actually disappointed at how small Jimmy Beans was. I expected a lot more from them based on their website. Maybe it’s grown, I haven’t been to Reno for a year or so.
ah, yes, imagiknit…
i have only been there a couple times and got lucky with the people BUT there were always people there that gave THE VIBE. >:(…
and article pract? that’s my LYS of choice. glad you liked it and that you found a great bag and on sale too! good timing! :o)
i love the funky atmosphere of AP and i always try to make the people feel welcome when i am working there. glad you enjoyed yourself!
I live in San Francisco and I can’t agree more about Imagiknit – It’s even on my way home, but I refuse to shop there because they’re so rude and unhelpful. One time I bought the wrong size needles there – tried to exchange them unopened the next day, and they refused – all needles are final sale.
Artfibers on the other hand is awesome – they’ll make you up a free custom-sized sweater pattern for you yarn you buy, and don’t mind people coming in just to hang out and work on their projects – it’s a totally great place!
I’m so glad you liked Article Pract 🙂 That’s my LYS and I couldn’t love it more… they’ve got such great little details down (small playarea under their display table for little kids!!), and is just a fun atmosphere.
It was so awesome to see you again! Glad you had such a fantastic time. And I love that new bag from Artical Pract, gorgeous!
Looks like a great yarn crawl! Your bag is soooo pretty! I do know that vibe you can get from a yarn store (or any store) like that. It’s frustrating.
That sounds like fun! Except the snobby store part ~nasty bitches~ You have more friends than they have customers;) Anyway, WOM!!! Fabulous-it looks like the yarn is knitted before you knit it! Love your pics, welcome home and thanks for sharing:)
Good lord, woman! You with your photos of yarn porn! That tower is even more immense than your palette of STR balls, and it makes my heart go all a-flutter. Quit it! 😉
That is a CUTE bag.
Wowee – great reviews of the LYS in SF. What a beautiful shawl. Hadn’t seen that pattern before. Great colour!
Ooh your shawl looks so soft and it looks good unblocked as well as blocked. And I know what you mean about the “vibe”.
I’m going out to SF in August and have been trying to figure out which stores I’ll hit, so this is timely and really helpful info. Thanks! And welcome home!!
Next time you’re in the bay area, you should check out Nine Rubies in San Mateo. It is my LYS. The owners are awesome.
I’m afraid I have to agree with your perception: I live not far from SF and have been to both Imagiknit and Artfibers several times. Even after Emailing and calling Artfibers before my visit, and asking for some direction/help, I felt very ignored, and not in the “in crowd.” Same thing, slightly less, at Imagiknit. I’m not young (just turned 60) but I was and still am hip, and spent good cash, and plenty of it. Kind of a drag to be treated that way for sure. Sometimes now I go in, and ask if I can take a picture for my blog…that often changes how one gets treated!
I love the Fauve, too 🙂
i love the idea of souvenir yarns ! the kurosawa especially looks very nice, both on the cone & knitted up. and the bag ! the velvet ! the stripes !
i can totally understand that you felt “rejected” at imagiknit. my “local” yarn store has this vibe too-except that i don’t think ANYONE feels comfortable there !
Glad you had such a fun trip! I’m lusting after your yarn purchases, especially the Artfibers haul. I just wanted pipe in as another person who lives near Imagiknits but more often than not goes elsewhere for her yarn. They always have that vibe and I feel like I am intruding every time I go there (and it’s not an age thing either…most of the clerks look to be my age). It’s quite a pity since they do have a rather good selection and space.
The green shawl is looking divine. 🙂
Wow! Knit a swatch before you buy…what a fabulous idea!
Thank you for sharing your yarn crawl experiences. It’s nice to know that the JBW staff are as nice in person as they are online. And definately good to know about Imagiknit, I hate it when I get “that vibe.” Art Fibers is now on my list of yarny destinations.
Sorry you felt that way at Imagiknit… I’ve gotten the same vibe there. On my first visit I asked where the #30 cotton thread was and the girl said, “Crochet?!?” as if it were an evil, germ spreading thing. Grrr. Glad you enjoyed the rest of your trip, though!
Sounds like you had a great time and picked up some wonderful things.
The shawl is beautiful.
Okay, I lost all attention and comprehension and after you said you might knit a SCARF! What The Fuck??? Again my world is in disarray. You, a scarf? Holy Moley. Will come back soon and read the rest of the post and most likely comment again when I have regained my composure.
Drop-dead gorgeous!! Oh how I wish I wasn’t on the old yarn diet. Can’t wait to see this finished.
isn’t article pract amazing? When I take the bus to oakland I have to steel myself to look away so I don’t go in there and drool over everything!
I must post that I have found ImagiKnits to be helpful, well stocked and fun but perhaps I come from different perspective. I live outside of the US so to walk into that store,even while jetlagged out of my brains, is like being in heaven. I have no LYS, so to see the stock, pick up the right size length needles, fondle the silk bags, get organic wool for my daughter, see real Koigu and more for me is a supreme treat, no to mention keeping me sane while staying at a relative’s house. I’ve found the staff to be chatty, but sometimes also very busy — which is good for them, I’m sure! Maryjo
It’s so nice to have you back!
Reading about your yarn crawl is almost as much fun as participating in one myself.
Too bad about your experience at Imagiknit. When I was there, I talked to the owner for quite awhile, and really had a great vibe. Sorry to hear that, C.
The bag is fabulous!
Okay, time to stop lurking! That shawl is making me fairly light-headed with…well, lust. Must. Make. One. Now.
I so understand that ‘vibe’. In fact, I lived for 5 years in a town where just about every shop gave off that ‘are you good enough to shop here?’ vibe. >shudder< So glad that’s behind me.
I’m fortunate to have a great LYS about 15 minutes away, in Westfield IN. Not only are they friendly and helpful, with a great selection of yarn and classes–they bake SCONES! I mean, come on. Does it get better than that?
I love that bag! And it’s crazy how much difference blocking that shawl is going to make.
It sounds like so much fun! And I think it’s time to make a day trip to SF… knitting a swatch first? Genius!!
Oh my goodness, that bag! The colors, the velvet…I’m seriously jealous, here. The shawl is looking fantastic, too.
I’ve only been to Imaginknit once but definitely had that same feeling. Add to that the fact that parking is absolutely hidious around there and I just haven’t found a reason to go back. Artfibres is actually within walking distance from where I work, and I have found that while their yarns are beautiful they’re so focused on unusual yarns that I can’t find basic things very often. (No sock yarns, for example). But everything they have is handdyed and has really beautiful colors. I’m glad you had such a good time in my LYS area!
I love ArtFibers – and my SIL works around the corner from them, so while I can’t go there all the time, she can pick things up for me now that I’ve been there and tasted. I’ve never been to Article Pract but I’m on their email list and they’ve got a great vibe. I have been to the Wool Tree too (the first time they seemed cold, but the second time a bit better) – but you missed a yarn shop going up there, in Placerville, called Lofty Lou’s (http://www.yarn.us/). It’s also a nice yarn shop, and there’s a lovely cafe next door. Next time!
I have to say, I can’t agree with you at all about Imagiknit. I have been to every yarn store in the city since moving here last year, and they have always been the opposite–totally friendly and welcoming, willing to chat or give advice, and happy to talk about music with my husband when I am browsing. Also, unlike some places, I don’t feel like they will be mortally offended if I don’t buy something, as has happened other places. It’s become my go-to yarn store, even though there are others which are closer to my apartment (well, Artfibers is the closest, but they’re a special breed).
Thanks for the crawl report. I love that Art Fibers, but when I was in SF for 24 hours with my guy, I didn’t have time to swatch, and never made it to ImagiKnit. Don’t you think we need another trip to SF to do it right?
I thought I was the only person who felt that way about Imagiknit. I love their yarn but they always make me feel like I don’t belong there. My lys in Walnut Creek is even worse. I go out of my way to go to Article Pract. The yarn, people and classes there are fabulous and I’m glad to give them all my money!
Okay, I’m back. My nerves have calmed down from the scarf thing. Your trip sounds really awesome- so happy that you & your man had fun. How about Seattle on your next West Coast visit? Your knitting, as always is beautiful.
I’m so sorry you had a bad experience at ImagiKnit. I love them. The yarn selection is great & the staff is friendly & helpful. In fact, I almost always shop there, because I’ve had that unfriendly attitude at most of the other yarn stores in SF – they seemed to be more interested in carrying the latest yarn & being hip, than in actually helping somebody (the exception being ArtFibers).
But glad you had fun at ArtFibers & Article Pract (which I’m looking forward to checking out soon)!
Maybe I’m one of the few people who don’t like Jimmy Bean’s in Truckee. First impressions are pretty powerful. My first trip into the store, the lady was about to leave for the post office to send out orders. I gladly agreed to come back in 15 minutes while she ran out. When I came back, I bought 2 skeins of yarn and asked if she can wind it for me because I didn’t have a ball winder at the time. She said store policy was only to wind 1 otherwise it could take a long time to wind a large order. While I agree with her, there was no one else in the store at the time and I am only asking her to wind 1 extra skein. She clearly had the time to do it but refused to. It felt like they cared more about online orders than the customers coming into the store.
I really like the texture of your shawl unblocked. Although the lace pattern is very pretty.
You’re preachin’ to the choir on ImagiKnits, girlie. That place is horrific. The attitude, the vibe, is not fun. I once asked someone where a particular yarn was located and she mindlessly waved towards the back of the store and muttered, “Over there.” And if you’d like your yarn wound into a center pull ball they point you towards the swift because they “simply don’t have time to wind everyone’s yarn.”
You’ll still see me in there though. But it’s only to visit the greyhound that sleeps under the counter.
I have to say that I loved Imagiknit when I went there!! I thought the staff was super friendly and they even took an order from me and then called me when it came in and sent it to my home! All of them were more than happy to help. They are very busy, though, so maybe you just hit them on a bad day. Everyone has bad days, right?
Your trip sounds really fun!
Tammy
Thanks for the yarn crawl reviews! This will be very helpful for future trips to the Bay area.
Oh, and if you ever need another dose of the The Vibe, let me recommend Los Angeles. No one does The Vibe like some of our stores here. It’s sad. Because it’s yarn. I love yarn as much as the next guy, but come on. Is it something to be arrogant about? I think not.
Glad you had some great experiences, too!
the shawl is looking quite nice in that green–it shows the stitches well. have fun as you move on to the next chart!
wow, i love that apple green color! sorry, i only have eyes for the moth today . . .
Oooooh. Gorgeous eye candy!
Sounds like a wonderful vacation! The shawl looks lovely, and I especially like the bumpy pictures.
ArticlePract is the store I use mostly. My 4 year old likes going, even requests a stop there sometimes. And they’re nicely tolerant – I love the toys under the table. I try to keep him out of the yarn. He’s getting too used to the toys.
Another place for another trip is Lacis http://www.lacismuseum.org in Berkeley. Fascinating place. It’s my only reliable and non mail/internet order source for 00 DPNs. I never have time to browse around though!
Huh. I have to say I had the opposite experiences at Artfibers and Imagiknit than you did. The people at Imagiknit were friendly and helpful, and the Artfibers people were kinda standoffish…but I attributed that them being kept busy by this one woman, and they probably just wanted a couple seconds where they weren’t actively being talked at.
Maybe yarn shop reviews should be like good restaurant reviews: remain anonymous, and go there at least twice before you award the stars.
Wow! Your moth is going to be stunning after blocking. Just gorgeous (even though moths creep most knitters out!). And I love the Claudia’s silk. Glad you had an enjoyable crawl.
Oh how I wish I could go yarn shop hopping when we go on vacation. Usually it’s a case of me saying “Look honey, there’s a yarn shop!” as we pass by just over the speed limit. Why is it that men feel the need to ‘Conquer’ the road when driving?
Being an ex-yarn shop owner, I’d hesitate to judge a shop on one visit. You may have caught Imagiknit on a bad day.
Most of the time I tried to be as helpful and friendly as possible to my customers, but it is IMPOSSIBLE to be that way every day. So I always give a shop the benefit of the doubt on a first visit. Second and third a bummer? I never go back. Or if the staff is snobbish about the kind of fibers I like to knit with. I just hate it when I pick out a beautiful synthetic and they make snide comments-like natural fiber is the only way to go. Sorry, I don’t see it that way.
I read this yesterday and couldn’t bring myself to comment. I used to work at ImagiKnit and still teach there. I’m not the owner, nor the person who was at the register that day. Reviews and criticisms are part of everyday life. Reading the tone of the post and the some of the subsequent comments saddens me, especially in the light of the subject of the Yarn Harlot’s last post.
Blogs are public. You do not need me to tell you that you can write, post and discuss anything you want on it. If the intention was to discourage others from going to the store, you’ve probably convinced some of them. This is a far different forum than a word or email of complaint. I want to thank Bead Knitter for her fair and even-handed words.
Thanks for the honest reviews of those yarn stores.
To say the workers at a store were not helpful, or the yarn selection was large but not unique, etc. is not being ‘mean’. It’s legitimate commentary on her shopping experience there.
And it sounds like other people had the same experience.
If Cara said (and I’m making this up, mind you, if the following describes a real person it’s not intended to do so) that the person behind the counter was fat, had a godawful green mohawk, and was wearing the tackiest outfit in the world….well, that’s kinda snarky, and really not relevant to whether or not it’s a good yarn store.
But she (and the people who posted negative comments) didn’t say that anything like that — just that they felt they weren’t treated very well.
I had to join in with a bit of my experience at the famed ImagiKnit. With all the hullaballoo around blogs being public and all that, I’ll make sure my comments are thoughtful as well as precise.
My first experience at IK was not very good. I thought perhaps that my being a guy made me a bit of an oddball in the store, but I got the impression that I was being monitored (i.e. like I was going to steal something). At no point did anyone offer to help me or ask if I needed to reach something that was high up. Granted, the place was a little busy, so I didn’t go out of my way to ask for help, but just a friendly, “Hi, let us know if we can help” would have gone a long way. I found quite a bit of yarn to purchase and when I finally checked out, I was given a tatty, reused plastic grocery bag. Since most people like to keep their groovy, pricey yarn clean and free from schmutz, I thought I would ask for a better bag. The response I got was an annoyed description of how much the rent was in the Castro and how the prices would be higher if they had better bags.
Okay, that’s just CRAZY. I shop at Article Pract frequently and Stash when I’m feeling flush, and I always get a clean new bag if I need one. Plus, the prices are cheaper at AP, so the whole our prices would be higher argument doesn’t make sense.
My second experience at IK was created by a bit of desperation. I had a short time in SF to kill and I wanted/needed to get some yarn. IK was very close to my erranding so I popped in and zeroed in on some sock yarn I hadn’t been able to find in a while. This time, I was asked if I needed any help by a nice guy (hmmmm, not sure the gender had anything to do with it, but I suspect not) and when I checked out, I got a brand spanking new bag along with a thank you. Very different from the first visit.
So, I would say that everyone has their good and bad days and I would suspect all Yarn Stores have their great and not-so-great employees. That’s life. But, if you’re voting with your dollar and you’re not happy with a person’s customer service, I should think a comment to the store owner is in order.
Love Artfibers! Love it! Love it!
And you’re right, the store it is most like is Habu – not because it’s like it, but because it’s unlike everything else.
Anyway, I make time to visit it almost every time I get to SF… which is sadly not enough, but I do what I can. Trawling through my FO archives, a significant percentage of the sweaters I’ve finished have been from Artfibers yarn, which I’m proud of. Glad you liked it, toO!
hi! your shawl (and your afghan, and your monkey socks . . .) is gorgeous! i am looking for a “first lace shawl” project, and i was just wondering if you could offer any tips, advice, resources, etc. i really respect your work and would greatly value your opinion (jeezy chreezy, that sounded like a credit card offer.)
please keep blogging!
I think you’re totally right on in your most recent post. You absolutely have the right to talk about your opinions, and you made it very clear that it was your impression and it didn’t sound mean-spirited to me at all. Given how many forums there are for online reviews nowadays, it’s not like any of us are really holding our tongues on the subject. I think it’s not too surprising though that someone associated with Imagiknit would take your comments to heart. I probably would have too, if it were my shop or I worked there. I have issues with the Yarn Harlot’s latest post too, but that’s a different subject.
I live in SF, and Imagiknit is probably the YS I frequent most often, although I wouldn’t necessarily call it my LYS as I do most of my yarn shopping online. It seems like for whatever reason they have a really high turnover of staff there. I’ve been in there on days where the employees have been super nice and helpful, and other times where I have also felt the “vibe”. I don’t think anyone has ever been rude to me there, but some of the workers have definitely seemed standoffish. But it’s still my favorite YS in SF, mainly for the amazing selection. The owner has also always been really helpful the times that I’ve talked to her.
Yarn crawling is my favorite new way to to scope out a yet unexplored locale. From Portland to Taos to NYC I love to map out the yarn offerings and do a bit of sport-stashing along the way. And the souvenir booty when I get back home…heaven!
As cool as it is to go out into the world checking out new spots, it’s also good to get back on my turf, to my LYS. I’m really lucky because mine happens to be Imagiknit. Of all the yarn joints in all the world I know I can walk through their squeaky door and know I’ll find a staff who goes above and beyond to help me. The selection is HUGE (truly amazing)and could seem almost overwhelming if it weren’t for the folks working there. Their scary-good knowledge of Imagiknit’s stock, not to mention knitting, crocheting, felting…well, it makes going in a joy. It’s a one-of-a-kind SF experience!
There is one problem with the place – it’s way too easy to come out of there with bulging bags, empty pockets and a killer yarn buzz. I recommend staggering over to the tea lounge across the street for some liquid recovery.
I emailed you, but I want to comment publicly for the record that I don’t think you wrote anything uncalled-for at all. You weren’t rude, you weren’t nasty, you made it clear that this was just your experience.
I think the real problem is that so many of your commenters agreed with you. Must have struck a nerve. But anyone connected with the store should not get pissed at YOU, but should have some alarm bells going off that all is not necessarily as it should be at the store, based on these comments.
Sorry some folks got nasty with you, you don’t deserve it.
The Moth is so beautiful! It’s inspiring me to try knitting a lace shawl. I stick mostly to socks…dang, that is so pretty.
re: LYS “vibes”: I got what you were saying. I also got what the commenters were saying. Some had bad experiences, some had good. Personally, I put the place on my list to visit next time I’m in SF. The descriptions of place sounded intriguing. If I’m one of the unlucky ones who get the “vibe”, I won’t buy anything. But that was my policy before I read about your experience. Fact is, I’ve run into plenty of yarn shops with the “vibe” and have put many a beautiful yarn back because of it.
ps. I’m a long-time lurker, first time commenter. Love your blog, especially the photos. 🙂
Dude, your post was fine. You expressed an opinion. Some people agreed. Good on you baby. 🙂
I just read your most recent post, and honestly couldn’t remember what it was you’d written that was supposedly so offensive. I came back to this post to see, and I still can’t see. You were simply stating an experience that you had one time at a store. We’ve all had that experience, at different stores, and it all depends on the day, the store, what’s happening there, who’s on checkout – a million different things. I agree with the post above – if you’d said the owner was fat or ugly or something, that wouldn’t be right, but you were perfectly fair and even-handed, and simply reported a feeling you got in the store. I’m glad the blog will still be going 😉 If we were all to only write about things we liked, blogland would be pretty boring, I think. So long as we’re not mean about it.
You weren’t mean and to anyone reading this who cares, I’m more likely to visit Imagiknit next week while I’m in SF than I would have been if she hadn’t saud anything.
(s little late but I just had to read your original post to see what it was about)
All I can say is – this is YOUR and you say what YOU like not what you think others may want to hear. Anyway, many agree w. you, amongst them – me! You go Cara!!
I’m late to the party, but it needs to be said:
Blogs may be public spaces, but they’re also one person’s account of *their own experience* in life (and, in our case, in yarn). As long as you’re not being snarky about a person in specific or directly encouraging everyone else to think the exact same way that you do, there’s nothing wrong with giving an honest account of your own experience. (And, from the comments, it seems like your version of things wasn’t unique, either.)
And from the “your mileage may vary” department, there’s an LYS here in Omaha (one of two total) that has that same vibe, and there are people here who love and would defend it until their last drawn breath. (Including employees of said store, which begs the whole “consider your source” argument, but that’s beside the point.) They’ll extole the virtues of their favorite until the proverbial cows come home. It doesn’t mean that *my* experience there is any less true or valid. I’m just sayin’.
This is late too, but I had to add my 2 cents to the IK debate. I’ve been living in SF for a year now, and have to say that IK has become my LYS if only because it is a) within walking distance and b) right across the street from my favorite tea shop, Samovar. Since I stop for tea on a regular basis I figure I might as well stop into IK for whatever my knitting need of the moment is, right? It has taken all of this year for the owner and staff to even begin to acknowledge me as a regular customer. But I have come to the conclusion that they aren’t necessarily rude, they’re just clueless. I have many examples that I could share, but this is the most recent. I forgot my in-progress Lady Eleanor shawl at the store and had to go back to get it. As the saleswoman handed it to me, I asked if she knew of any knitting groups that met in the area. She didn’t, but did rave enthusiastically about their begin-to-knit sessions that they hold for whenever I needed help. I left thinking “you told me about begin to knit sessions when you had my Lady E in your hands? Isn’t that a clue that I already know how to knit?” So now I take it all with a grain of salt, knowing it’s not me – it’s just them.