Community Yarn Swap & New Shop Hours
Can you all believe that it's nearly October already? Where has the time gone? The good news is that our Community Yarn Swap is coming up this Saturday, September 26th from 10am to 3pm. If you haven't started clearing out your stash, there is still time!
We do have a few rules about what can be swapped. The yarn you bring must be:
Full/Complete balls/skeins/hanks (no scraps this time, sorry!)
Clearly labeled with the fiber content listed (for allergy purposes)
Clean! No stains, insect damage or presence, or exceptionally strong scents (such as pet odors, cigarette smoke, air fresheners, etc. The wooly scent of lanolin is fine
The FAQs we've been hearing are below:
Q: Do we have to bring home anything that doesn't get picked up?
A: No! You may leave your offerings and go home with your finds. Any and all yarn left over will be distributed to a number of local teachers who host knitting/crochet/weaving clubs
Q: Can I bring acrylic? What about polyester or another synthetic fiber? How about yarn brands you don't carry?
A: Yes! Please do, as there are many people who love/need/use these types of fibers. All yarn and yarn brands are fair game as long as you make sure they follow the above rules regarding it being a full skein, labeled, and clean
Q: What about notions? Notion tins? Needles? Knitting or crochet tools? Project bags?
A: Yes, please! Bring them and add them to the swap. We're sure someone else will want them. If not, we'll find a good home for them, either with the Sno-Valley Senior Center or with a school that has a stitching club, as appropriate
Q: I have a big stash that needs clean out but I'm trying to be good about not bringing yarn home. Do I have to take some yarn home with me?
A: Good on you! Nope, as stated above, all yarn left over will be distributed to teachers and there is absolutely NO obligation to take X number of skeins home with you, regardless of how much you brought
Q: Is the swap going to be at the shop?
A: Yes, it will be during our open hours so come any time you can!
Q: Can I bring pattern books or magazines?
A: Yes! As long as they are in readable/usable condition and haven't had pages ripped out or excessively marked up, you're absolutely welcome to bring knitting/crochet books and/or magazines
Q: Can I bring hand-spun yarn?
A: Yes, as long as you know the fiber content and write and attach a label that states the said fiber content. The yardage would also be ideal to add to that label as that is information most people want to know. The same rules apply to handspun as industry yarn: it must be clean and free of any strong odors (like cigarette smoke, the scent of lanolin is okay). It also must be a "whole" skein, in the sense that it shouldn't be a collection of scraps and should be considered "finished" AKA plied if that was the intention
Q: Can I bring yarns that's on cones as opposed to traditional hanks/skeins/balls/caked?
A: Yes, as along it has a label, is a full cone of yarn, and is clean and free from strong odors
Q: Will there be any kind of organization to the swap or will it be a free-for-all?
A: There will be 3-6 foot tables, taped off into sections by yarn weight. So please sort your yarns by weight if you're pre-sorting them. Otherwise, you're welcome to do it at the shop and there will be a staff person to help. There will also be a smaller table for needles, notions, project bags, books, etc. Yarn will not be sorted by fiber so please be cautious if you have an allergy to a particular fiber. There will be nitrile gloves available if you need them to avoid reactions. If the tables get full, which they likely will, there will be large, labeled rectangular bags under the tables for overflow that people can pick through
Q: Do I have take home anything that doesn't get swapped?
A: No! Any leftover yarn or yarn specifically designated for it, will be split up and distributed among several local teachers who run knit/crochet/weaving groups
Q: I have some full skeins but they don't have tags. Can I bring them?
A: Unfortunately, they cannot be added to the swap, due to allergen concerns
We're so excited for you all to come and bring by some yarns to swap and hopefully find some new goodies to take home. We also would like to announce that starting on Monday, October 5th, our shop hours will be changing to the following:
Monday: 11am - 5pm
Tuesday: 11am - 5pm
Wednesday: 11am - 5pm
Thursday: 10am - 8pm
Friday: 11am - 5pm
Saturday: 11am - 5pm
Sunday: 12pm - 4pm
YES, we WILL be open on Sundays! A last note is that we have not one, but TWO knit-a-longs (KALs) starting in October. The first is a Colorwork Sweater KAL that will be taking place on Saturdays, with two different pattern options (see previous post for details). The second is the Stephen West mystery shawl KAL that will be happening on Fridays. Note that to accommodate these KALs, we will be opening half an hour early on the first four Fridays and Saturdays of October, just for the KAL participants. Swing by the shop for more details, to sign up, and to pick up our monthly calendar!
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