The importance of a LYS

To the non crafters who has stumbled here completely on accident, LYS stands for Local Yarn Store. I am fortunate to live in an area where I have two amazing businesses within a short drive from my home.

The first is located in Lebanon, New Hampshire and is called Scratch. Somehow I have worked less than two miles away from this hidden gem for almost three years before discovering it existence. I am not really sure how that happened. But now that I have found it, I am completely smitten with this amazing little store. 

Karen, Jessica and Travis run a friendly, inclusive, and comfortable shop that is homey and welcoming from the moment you first walk through the door. They feature beautiful color ways from fantastic indie dyers and often have trunk shows in the store so you have the ability to pick the brains of the people behind the magic. To me there is nothing better than to find out what the thought process behind my favorite color ways. Were they thinking of a specific project or we they thinking of a person? a feeling? nothing at all? 

The second location isn't one that I found myself. Would you believe it was found for me by my significant other? What a man he is. He listened to me gripe and complain every timeI was using my circular needles. He listened to every single concern that I had and kept not of them. Then, right before Valentine's Day, went looking. Not only did he find me the perfect set of circular needles. (I will get to those later) He found The Elegant Ewe. Located in Concord, New Hampshire, this shop is wonderful with is charm and charisma. 

Marci Richardson has created a beautiful little shop/ Everytime I have walked in I have been welcomed like an old friend. Kelly and Amy are always willing to answer my questions and lead me into the right direction to get exactly what I need for any project.

I have been to several local yarn stores. And one thing I have noticed about several of them is that they are stuffy, and as much as I want to love them because they provide me with the most amazing quality fibers. I have children. And I have found that in several places I have been children are frowned upon and not very welcome. Both of these locations welcome my children. They are allowed to look around, admire, and ask questions. They are never scolded or given the side eye. Comfort and a welcoming atmosphere are vitally important.

I keep compiling a list of stores that I want to go visit. Hopefully I will have more to add soon.

Something new...

It has been a while since I have had the urge to blog. So much has changed. But you know what hasn't changed? My love of fiber craft. It doesn't matter where I am or what my current situation is I have always had hooks, needles, yarn, and wool. (And yes I consider yarn and wool to be two separate things now that I have had experience working with both)

Crafting for me started very young. I would latch hook, plastic canvas, attempt to paint...The list of projects I attempted were endless. I crocheted off and on, not really knowing what I was doing but trying it out anyway. And then when I found myself pregnant with my daughter, who is now 17, I went to the local Walmart. Bought some of the cheapest yarn I could find, a single crochet hook and and within a matter of a few days completed my first baby blanket.

I was hooked. Pun intended.

Later in life I decided to knit. I had seen my mom doing it my entire life. It was magic. Two sticks, some yarn, wave them around and POOF a mitten! So off I went to my local book store where I found a great book: Stitch 'n Bitch: A Knitter's Handbook by: Debbie Stoller. I implore you to check out this amazing book at your local book store. Even though I am including the Amazon link please always shop local whenever feasibly possible and support your local small business owners.

This book opened my eyes to the witchcraft of knitting. I too became able to wave my magic sticks and create beautiful hand knit items to gift to my family and friends. And as a single. mom being able to hand make inexpensive gifts filled with love was incredibly important to me.

Here I am 18 years later still making magic and loving every moment. Even the frustrated ones. I can not count the number of projects that have been completed. It is probably a smaller number than the projects that got scrapped. I can not tell you about the gifts that have been given because I do not remember them all. But I can tell you what an absolutely wonderful journey I have had in perfecting this craft. A journey that is still not over because there are so many things left to learn.

So I have brought this blog I attempted years ago back from the dead. Do people even still read blogs any more? I don't know. But I guess we will find out. I find myself needing to share my excitement of a project that I am working on and  to share interesting patterns that I have found and great local yarn stores that truly deserve to be visited by anyone imaginable. So here is where I will share it.


Happy Crafting
-M