Why crafting with your Local Yarn Store is the best!

I recently finished the first sweater I have ever knitted myself.

Here it is:


Do you like it?


The reason I am sharing it with you here is because Yarn Extraordinaire was a huge part of my success in completing this project.

I remember the really warm July day when I marched into the shop with my free pattern in hand (Leaflet from Knitty.com).  All the regular ladies were seated around the work table busy with their projects and chatting away. I sat down among them passed around my pattern and said, "I want to make this but I need help choosing yarn."

Immediately, the needles were down and the books of yarn swatches and samples were out. Skeins of yarn came off the shelves and weight and gauge were checked against the requirements of the pattern. Questions flew around the table: "What are you going to wear with it?" "Doesn't this colorway look nice with you hair?" "Are you sensitive to wool?"

You wouldn't believe all of the choices available, but soon we had it narrowed down to two colors of the beautiful Berroco Peruvia: Chipotle and Aquamarina. I chose Chipotle because of the rich brown that I love and the flecks of reddish-orange to compliment my red hair. Julie wrote down what I wanted her to order and in no time it was ready to pick up.

I picked up the yarn and the ladies working the counter couldn't believe I was thinking of knitting a thick wool sweater during one of the hottest summers on record, but I was!

The yarn knit up perfectly to gauge and as the sweater began to take shape I would stop into the store to show my progress. And, now it is complete! I love sharing the whole process of knitting with others who also love to knit. And now that this one is done, it is time to look through my list of things to make, head down to the Granbury square, and sit once more with my friends who are always ready to help any knitter choose the perfect yarn.

Maybe one of these days I will help you pick your perfect yarn :)
Stephanie

Please share your favorite memories with us of working on projects at Yarn Extraordinaire in the comments!

And, if you have a special project to share, please email your story and pictures to lonestar(dot)knits(at)yahoo(dot)com - We would love to feature you in one of our blog posts!