Knitting

Patterns, projects and techniques

Local Yarn Stores and Customer Service

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Today I was disappointed with my local yarn stores. It may have just been a bad day for the clerks also, as we had 6 inches of snow drop last night, but I was ready to spend money and they didn’t help.

I wanted a certain pattern for a sweater I saw online at the Brown Sheep Company. I had the required yarn because I bought it for a class, but this yarn wasn’t right for the pattern we were using in the class. Now, I should have used this yarn as a credit on the material I did use in class, but I so loved this Lamb’s Pride Worsted and wanted to keep it.

So, I called two of my local stores and ask if they had this sweater pattern made by Brown Sheep Company.

No they did not have the pattern. So not what I wanted to hear.

End of conversation. What?

Neither store volunteered to order the pattern I wanted. Not what I expected from either store because they both usually have great customer service. A good yarn store earns customers by word of mouth as much as they do advertising.

I really wanted that pattern! So I called Brown Sheep Company and asked if they sold to individuals. NO, they didn’t, but they did give me the name and number of a store that could help me. Ellen, of Needle Magic (1-877-922-0117) was highly recommended by the person at Brown Sheep. Ellen found the pattern, told me the required amount of yarn necessary, and took my billing and shipping info happily. She informed me that she works at the mill, but not for the mill and has access to all patterns and yarn that Brown Sheep carries. I will defiantly call Ellen again for more supplies.

Happy, Happy, Joy, Joy, I can’t wait to get the pattern to start using some of my stash.

And, I will also give my local yarn stores another chance at allowing me to spend more money with them. Must work hard to keep them open! LOL

Next Pattern:

Have you read?

Felted Bag Knitting Patterns

I feel like felting is a knitting genre that deserves a resurgence. My first knitting book (which came out in 2008, eek!) was all about felting, but I don’t feel like there are a lot of felting knitting projects out there these days. I really like the technique as an easy way to make a thicker, more durable knit fabric, and it’s actually perfect for knitting bags.

The ZZ Bag from yamagara recently caught my eye and got me thinking about felted bags, and maybe remaking one of the bags that was in that book. This one has a fun zigzag pattern and is worked in worsted weight yarn. You can find the pattern on Ravelry.

A lot of the other knit and felted bag patterns I could find were older, but that doesn’t make them bad patterns. I’ve always loved the booga bag from Black Sheep Bags (the pattern is on their website but the photo is broken so you can also check it out on Ravelry). This is a fun one because you can use all your leftovers or a self-striping yarn (the original was made with Noro) to give it a colorful look that’s super easy to knit. 

An envelope purse is another easy shape to knit, and this version from Lavender Hill Knits on Etsy comes in different sizes for younger girls and teens or adults. The small version is worked with one strand of worsted weight yarn, while the larger uses two held together.

The Japanese knot bag is a classic, and a felted version is a lot of fun. You can find this pattern from Cindy Pilon on Ravelry and knit one for yourself using bulky yarn. I also love her bag The Curve, which is also on Ravelry and has a fun rounded shape and contrasting handles.

And there’s also the amazing stained glass bag from Knitting Dream, which also uses a Noro yarn, but you could use wool scraps on the different fans to give it a unique look. There are two size options to choose from and it’s not as tricky as it looks.