Support your LYS
For those wonderful knitters & crocheters who seek out independent Yarn Shops …We Thank You from the bottom of our hearts. Whether you purchase online or visit our bricks & mortar stores we are forever grateful for your patronage.
As a yarn shop owner myself I understand the sheer amount of toil involved in providing shelf after shelf of squishy, soft & beautiful yarns, the late nights stocktaking and the pressure of keeping up with trends.
The upside (and what makes it all worthwhile) is the absolute joy on customers faces when they pop in with their finished project, or send us photos of the recipient wearing their labour of love. Seeing a new knitter master increasing/decreasing is pretty awesome too.
Sadly you cannot live on happiness alone, your local yarn shop has to flourish in order to continue providing a service. Whilst I’m very happy to exchange unused balls of yarn bought from my shop, I’m not overjoyed to have to refuse to exchange yarn (clearly bought from eBay, that I don’t actually stock). Yes, that has happened!
Fellow yarnies, your LYS doesn’t just sell yarn, when you buy from us you are also getting a service. Help with a pattern, picking up dropped stitches, yarn substitution…all of these are what makes shopping at independent yarn shops a real pleasure. We don’t just sell you the yarn, we commit to you as a customer, as a friend. We are here to help, to share, to enable you to complete your project. Personally I will happily spend time sourcing you that odd ball of yarn you need to finish your shawl or seek out a discontinued skein to complete your sweater. I have a wonderful rapport with like-minded LYS and we will all go that extra mile.
When the time comes to think about your next project give your LYS a call or pop in. We have knowledge of which yarns will be on sale soon, which are being discontinued, which ones are handwash only – in the long run we can save you time or money or heartache. We can recommend yarn substitutions, show you how circular needles remove the weight from your knitting, find you the right crochet hook for your grip. All these little things can add so much to the pleasure of creating with yarn. Support your LYS, keep us going and we will be there for you when you need us.
Join your local Knit & Natter groups, I was amazed to discover so many in our area- weekends & evenings sessions prosper too. Check out your local library, or your local pub as well as the yarn shop’s own knitting/crochet groups. These groups can only continue with your presence. Can there be anything nicer than working on your latest WIP with Friends & Tea & Cake?
Sharon x