Are you intimidated by yarn shops (part III)?

You know that yarn shop that you often walk by?  The one with all the gorgeous colors and textures in the window, teasing you, beckoning to you?  The one you've avoided entering, because you feel just a wee bit intimidated?  That one?

I'm giving you the tools to overcome any phobias you have about yarn shops!  I love love love a shop full o' yarn and I want to share that joy with you.

And guess what?  Yarn shops have egos.  Well, not the shop.  But the owner.  The manager.  The staff.  They are there to provide you a service:  sell you yarn, patterns, notions, tools, classes.  They are proud of their offerings and their service!  If you come in and ask where the red heart acrylic yarn is, that's more than a bit of a shock to most yarn shops.

(Not that there's anything wrong necessarily with red heart acrylic yarn ... if you like acrylic ... but most shops don't carry red heart.)

Being a retail business, most shops are going to try to sell you their higher end and more special yarns and fibers.  They want you to see their indie dyed and spun yarns, because they want to support those artisans.  They want you to buy addi turbo needles because (a) they're rather expensive, and (b) they believe they are the best needles.

In the end, most shops want you to introduce you to the best quality at a price you can afford.  I've been in many a shop with customers commenting on how expensive things are.  Audibly commenting.  True, some shops are REALLY expensive, but most are reasonable, given the goods they are carrying.  Their yarns are likely more expensive than craft store yarns, but they are likely higher quality yarns.

Have you ever railed against the prices in a shop?  Or made a disparaging or dismissive comment about their stock?  That may actually hurt the feelings of the workers in the shop!  Which created defensiveness and even anger.  The staff are people with feelings, who may take things very personally.

I just had to play devil's advocate for a minute, remembering what it's like when I'm vending at Stitches West or Renegade or other shows/fairs, trying to not let comments like those bother me.  Being human and all, it's hard.

If you're genuinely baffled about price differences between your yarn shop and the Hobby Lobby ... ask the staff about it!  I don't recommend a "why the heck are you so expensive compared to Michael's."  :)  But a genuine question showing authentic curiosity, such as, "I'm really curious about how the prices and quality between yarn shops and craft stores are so different - can you help me understand?"  In a nice, friendly, curious tone, not an aggressive tone!

Most yarn shop employees genuinely want to help you.  They love knitting as much or even more than you do (hard to believe anyone could love it more than you, right?).  They may not be extremely skilled in customer service, communication, human interaction, but they do want to be helpful!

So help them help you!

(And now you get why the youtube clip - be sure to watch it!)

Be nice, open, friendly, and you're more likely to get the same in return.  Go in on the defense, ready for a fight, already not happy about prices or selection, and you'll get defensiveness in return.

And yeah, I know it's not that simple all of the time, but this has worked for me 99.999% of the time!  When I feel that defensive crunchiness starting in a yarn shop, I remind myself that I can change the vibe, and set about to do so right away.  Even just a "hello, how are you" and smile from me can reverse what's starting to be a negative yarn shop experience!

But what do you think?  Have you had similar experiences?  Or very different experiences

Are you intimidated by yarn shops (part I)
Are you intimidated by yarn shops (part II)

Are you intimidated by yarn shops (part II)?

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Yarn shops can be intimidating!  So many choices:  colors, texture, fiber, knitting needles, buttons!  And those yarn shop sales people and teachers speak a whole different language ...

Many of my friends hate going to yarn shops because they can't understand the language.  They aren't fluent in fiber speak.  And sometimes the yarn shop staff are a little condescending, rather than helpful, in their communications.

For instance, yarn "weight" is a whole language unto itself.

Many shops organize their yarns by "weight." Many knitters, from casual to more experienced, are completely mystified by this whole weight thing.

Here's what you need to know about weights in a nutshell:

Yarn weight refers to the width or circumference of the fiber, as well as the yardage that exists within a standard weight (3.5 oz/100 gms is common).

Finer (skinnier) yarns will have more yardage per 4 oz.  Bulkier (wider/chunkier) yarns will have less yardage per 4 oz.

Weights run from lightest (super fine lace) to heaviest (super bulky).  Generally, the gradation of weight is as follows:

Super fine/cobweb lace
Fine lace
Lace
Light fingering/sock
Fingering/sock
Heavy fingering/sport
Sport
DK
Worsted
Aran
Chunky
Bulky
Super bulky/roving

So weight, related to the width of the yarn strand, can (and often is) be measured/determined by "wraps per inch" (WPI), which is measured by literally wrapping a yarn strand around a ruler to see how many times you can wrap that strand within one inch (p.s., this isn't very objective, given tension differences).  Weight is also determined by a standard gauge (this is a whole different topic!), or stitches per four inch swatch, using a standard needle size.  For instance, worsted weight yarn gauge is 16-20 stitches per four inches knit in stockinette using size 7 to 9 US needles.

Many shops arrange their yarns by weight.  If you're knitting a lace shawl, you want finer weight yarns (lace to fingering).  If you're knitting socks, you probably want sock (fingering) weight yarn.

Not all yarn manufacturers use the same weight terminology, but most use a standardized symbol system for yarn weight, which you can see on the Craft Yarn Council's website.

This is just a brief overview of yarn weight.  Here are a few additional resources for you:

Craft Yarn Council Standard Yarn Weight System
Knit Finder References
Knit Picks Yarn Weights

What do you find most tricky or confusing about yarn weights?  And which do you tend to knit with the most??

Are you intimidated by yarn shops (part I)?

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Yarn shops can be very intimidating for even the most intrepid knitters. A common theme from newer knitters is that they hate going into yarn shops for just that reason.

I visited a yarn shop with my bestest friend Kris this weekend. I had to spend a few minutes understanding their set up - every shop is different, so you do have to figure out the lay of the land every time you enter a new shop.

Luckily, most shops have a similar general layout:

1. The yarn
2. Needles/tools
3. Books/magazines/patterns
4. Lots of samples and swatches already knit up
5. An area for knitters to ... knit
6. A sale/clearance section
7. Buttons/other notions
8. Spinning fiber/tools (wheels, drop spindles)
9. Lots of impulse buys at the front counter

The yummy yarns will likely greet you at the main entrance. The knitting area is often combined with books and magazines, with tables and chairs.

What are you intimidated by in yarn shops?  The terminology?  Overwhelming choices?  "Snootiness?"  Let me know in the comments, and I'll share tips for dealing with your yarn shop issues!