The Yarn Shops

This weekend was my first journey into New Mexico - Taos, to be exact. Entering this small tourist town I really had one goal - YARN! So my friend and I sought out a yarn shop. The first one we encountered demonstrates why shopping in person always tops shopping online.

We walked into the small shop, the walls lined with bookcases piled with yarn. The middle of the room was occupied by a large antique table piled with antique boxes, these too were filled with yarn. There were knitting magazines scattered around the table and shelves and there was an old, spunky woman standing behind the counter.

My friend and I made our way around the store and after finding a few things we knew we needed some experienced advice, and this woman had it. With each of our questions her animation grew and she walked us around and around picking up skeins having us touch them and compare colors to see what we wanted. Her wrinkled hands and cracked fingernails were testament to how many times yarn and needles have been held in her hands, what inspiration.

With joy from all of her wonderful advice and excitement for knitting my friend and were on the sidewalk again walking along when we spotted some hand spun yarn hanging by a doorway. We walked in that door to discover two large rooms full of hand spun yarn and weaving!

The shop lady looking up tight with her jet black hair, bright pink lipstick, and reading glasses resting on the end of her nose, took one look at us and said, "I have a sale bin over here." Though she had us pinned correctly we were a bit offended, but when we went to check out the shop lady transformed and amazed us with a generous heart. She gave me 75% off all of the yarn I had chosen, when the sale bin was only to be marked down to 20% off. God has his ways of teaching us not to judge others, my lesson was learned and my yarn joy overflowed.

Now I have beautiful yarn and my mind is reeling with creations. Hopefully soon things will be popping up in my shop.