I decided to go to A Tangled Skein last night. After not going for several months (cat issues, roommate dramas, etc.) I thought it my obligation of sorts to come by at least once to say my good-byes. It has been my main source of yarn for the past six years and I am really sorry to see it go. Admittedly, I found it hard to gather the courage and motivation to stop by.
Of course they have been selling off the yarn for about a month now and most of the regulars have taken full advantage of the sales. All but for my tight budget I would have gone sooner to do the same. I am making a big push as you know to reclaim momentum lost this last year in commissions. Being able to buy fine yarns at a reduced price is great, but emotionally it has been a struggle to buy the yarn from ATS. I’m not sure why; my buying yarn would not quicken its demise, that’s obviously going to happen on schedule. I think it’s more of fighting the feeling that by somehow buying ATS yarn I was picking at a dead corpse, taking advantage of their misfortune for my own personal gain. I worked through that feeling and bought yarn anyway…and will probably go back to buy more next week along with books @75% off and patterns for $1. Even at those prices I didn’t want to buy too much; still trying to decide whether I will go to Maryland Sheep and Wool this year to get my annual Brooks Farms stash. I need to invest in a new winder and swift also, but all of that is second to scoring some new technology gadgets.
My next four projects are related to conventions and weddings. I picked up several skeins of Berroco Seduce in black/white and solid black and Cascade Yarn Ultra Primo Cotton in coffee. I was surprised I picked the Seduce, working with it can be a challenge given the slippery texture, but having used it for five/six projects, it has grown on me. I have a shawl for a wedding-type of event in mine that needs that drape and I’m partial to the weight, although I wish it was a bit lighter. The Ultra Primo is for a shrug I’m making to showcase my talent during the BlogPaws convention this year, clinging to the Coffee theme of the blog. I have something cute in mind for the kidz and I wanted all of us to look coordinated.
I think the sting of losing ATS will be buffered a bit by still seeing friends from the store regularly. My good friend, Jennifer Woods who is an extraordinary knitter and teacher is planning to continue teaching within the neighborhood. Most of us who sat with her in Sit-n-Stitch on Wednesdays or with the original Takoma Park/Silver Spring groups are looking forward to reorganizing the social group we once had (how most of us met each other before ATS) and perhaps convince some of my other very talented friends like Rebecca Roberts to teach spinning. Guess I could find reason to start teaching crochet again, hopeful that my living situation will stabilize and allow me the time to plan.
For now, I’ll just crochet.
Of course they have been selling off the yarn for about a month now and most of the regulars have taken full advantage of the sales. All but for my tight budget I would have gone sooner to do the same. I am making a big push as you know to reclaim momentum lost this last year in commissions. Being able to buy fine yarns at a reduced price is great, but emotionally it has been a struggle to buy the yarn from ATS. I’m not sure why; my buying yarn would not quicken its demise, that’s obviously going to happen on schedule. I think it’s more of fighting the feeling that by somehow buying ATS yarn I was picking at a dead corpse, taking advantage of their misfortune for my own personal gain. I worked through that feeling and bought yarn anyway…and will probably go back to buy more next week along with books @75% off and patterns for $1. Even at those prices I didn’t want to buy too much; still trying to decide whether I will go to Maryland Sheep and Wool this year to get my annual Brooks Farms stash. I need to invest in a new winder and swift also, but all of that is second to scoring some new technology gadgets.
My next four projects are related to conventions and weddings. I picked up several skeins of Berroco Seduce in black/white and solid black and Cascade Yarn Ultra Primo Cotton in coffee. I was surprised I picked the Seduce, working with it can be a challenge given the slippery texture, but having used it for five/six projects, it has grown on me. I have a shawl for a wedding-type of event in mine that needs that drape and I’m partial to the weight, although I wish it was a bit lighter. The Ultra Primo is for a shrug I’m making to showcase my talent during the BlogPaws convention this year, clinging to the Coffee theme of the blog. I have something cute in mind for the kidz and I wanted all of us to look coordinated.
I think the sting of losing ATS will be buffered a bit by still seeing friends from the store regularly. My good friend, Jennifer Woods who is an extraordinary knitter and teacher is planning to continue teaching within the neighborhood. Most of us who sat with her in Sit-n-Stitch on Wednesdays or with the original Takoma Park/Silver Spring groups are looking forward to reorganizing the social group we once had (how most of us met each other before ATS) and perhaps convince some of my other very talented friends like Rebecca Roberts to teach spinning. Guess I could find reason to start teaching crochet again, hopeful that my living situation will stabilize and allow me the time to plan.
For now, I’ll just crochet.
