My friend Maureen is in town, so we of course went yarn shopping. That is just what you do when you get two fervent knitters together, you hunt down fine yarns. We headed to two stores in Central MA and came home with lots of great stuff.
The first one was a little shop that I had never been too. It was nice, but there was nothing that screamed WOW! to either of us. They did have some baby yarn that I love to work with though, and I'm always looking for ways to make baby hat knitting fun. Making baby hats for charity is fun and a good cause, but making the same one or two pattern with one skein of the same-color yarn gets boring after a while. Then....I saw a pattern that I've been looking for since last summer on vacation in Williamsburg, called "Babies and Bears." I was so sorry that I didn't buy it last summer when I saw it so you can be sure I snapped it up at $6.00 this year! I also found a book of 99 different stitch patterns, and there's a decorating idea on Pinterest that I want to try in my craft room.
When we got to the register, the cashier was having difficulty with debit and credit cards. Apparently since it's a tax free shopping weekend in Massachusetts, a lot of people were shopping yesterday, bogging down the system. Luckily the yarn shop is in a bank building so an ATM was nearby. So while Maureen went to get some cash to purchase her finds, the woman started to ring me up. The stitch book didn't have a price on it, and I was surprised when she asked how much I would pay for it. I said "I don't know, twelve dollars?" She gave it to me for ten. While pretty cool, that wasn't the coolest thing that happened there.
She started to go through my yarn, which was five different skeins of baby yarn. "That's an odd lot you've got there." And I answered "Yeah...I knit baby hats for charity and this is how I keep it interesting." She had a couple of questions, such as where I send them. I told her about Stitches from the Heart, and how I knit 50 baby hats to commemorate my younger son's first birthday. (I can't help bragging a little, I'm still pretty proud of myself) And that I send Stitches from the Heart a box every six months.
She slides the yarn across the counter, and says "take it." You could've knocked me over with a feather! I said "What? Are you sure??" She said yes, absolutely. Then she went on to explain that the yarn shop owner's husband passed away from cancer last year and that the shop owner often donates yarn to charity causes to honor him. And that they're a drop-off location for knit/crochet items, as she indicates over to a shelving unit brimming full with baby sweaters and hats of all sizes. I had seen the pile when I had walked in but had assumed it was samples for the store. She then told me that they have a hard time getting stuff out to the places that they donate items to, and half-jokingly asked if I would like to deliver some of it. I said "You know what? You've given me the yarn to make more hats. If they're going somewhere local, I will give you guys a call and I'd be happy to drop off some things for you!" I still can't believe this exchange happened. I'm always thrilled to help out in a case like this.
The second shop was a small shop that just opened. It was my second time there, and the owner is just so nice and personable. Maureen and I left with out favorite sock yarn, as well as a few other things. We're starting a knit-a-long today on a shawlette called "Hitchhiker." Each of us chose our favorite colors, mine is different shades of purple and gray called "Lotus" and her's is a deep green and some blue. I really like that place, it's small but the personality and coziness of it is what makes it great.
So another great day on the books for me and Moe! I love getting together with my old friend and fellow yarnie. And fun stuff always happens when we get going!
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