LYS Stories - All Sides

[QueenofSporks]

I've forgotten where I saw this story, I think it was either on crafster or on a blog, but this poor guy trying to buy sock yarn at his lys had the police called on him by the owner, because she thought he was casing the store. I think that tops the "bad yarn store experiences" list.

I hardly ever go to the local yarn stores, as their prices per skein are often much higher than the internet. Also, I tend to get stared down by old ladies knitting thin fancy-fur and eyelash necklace scarves they wear over turtlenecks. You know what I'm talking about. I'm 19, but I'm a moderately advanced knitter, and I always get treated like I don't know the difference between dk weight and bulky weight yarn. They always are really pushy with classes, too ("No, really. Thanks, but I know how to knit socks. Seriously. No, I knooow that you knit them with 'four needles!' Yes. I understand.")

I've just sort of chalked this up to ageism, since things like that happen every once in a while, but seriously, LYS's can be a scary, scary place.

[soozeq]

I've forgotten where I saw this story, I think it was either on crafster or on a blog, but this poor guy trying to buy sock yarn at his lys had the police called on him by the owner, because she thought he was casing the store. I think that tops the "bad yarn store experiences" list.

I think I remember it from the knittyboard. And there's a new one now, a knitter got her SO to drive her 20 minutes to a store that was open on Sunday (cause her nearby ones weren't) to buy yarn and he needed to use the restroom. They directed him to the deli down the street because `ours is just for women'.

sue

[talmina]

"No, really. Thanks, but I know how to knit socks. Seriously. No, I knooow that you knit them with 'four needles!' Yes. I understand."

I've just sort of chalked this up to ageism, since things like that happen every once in a while, but seriously, LYS's can be a scary, scary place.

Start doing two socks on one set of dpn's like in this article http://www.knitty.com/ISSUEfall06/FEATextreme2in1.html and take it in there and see their reactions.  I've found the only way to deal with ageist yarn stores is to beat them at their own game.  My gran was spun out by double knitting, she had never seen it before, I will have to start a DK scarf to show her properly how it works when she is down next

[motleycruiser]

Start doing two socks on one set of dpn's like in this article http://www.knitty.com/ISSUEfall06/FEATextreme2in1.html and take it in there and see their reactions.  I've found the only way to deal with ageist yarn stores is to beat them at their own game.  My gran was spun out by double knitting, she had never seen it before, I will have to start a DK scarf to show her properly how it works when she is down next

Ok that is too cool...That almost makes ME want to take up knitting again.
I can just see the faces now 

[fyberduck]

Can you imagine there was a time when people knitted their own stuff because buying it ready-made was too expensive?!  I don't think those old ladies could have imagined such snobbery.

I say, the cheaper I can get needles, the more stuff I can make!  The only reason I don't care as much for the aluminum ones is that they set my teeth on edge... metal scraping, you know. 

Handspinning, baby!  And, I loooove going to Goodwill and getting retro plastic and balene needles - they're so funky.

I've forgotten where I saw this story, I think it was either on crafster or on a blog, but this poor guy trying to buy sock yarn at his lys had the police called on him by the owner, because she thought he was casing the store. I think that tops the "bad yarn store experiences" list.

I hardly ever go to the local yarn stores, as their prices per skein are often much higher than the internet. Also, I tend to get stared down by old ladies knitting thin fancy-fur and eyelash necklace scarves they wear over turtlenecks. You know what I'm talking about. I'm 19, but I'm a moderately advanced knitter, and I always get treated like I don't know the difference between dk weight and bulky weight yarn. They always are really pushy with classes, too ("No, really. Thanks, but I know how to knit socks. Seriously. No, I knooow that you knit them with 'four needles!' Yes. I understand.")

I've just sort of chalked this up to ageism, since things like that happen every once in a while, but seriously, LYS's can be a scary, scary place.

OMG!  That's horrible   We always complain that one of our LYSes treats us like shoplifters, but at least they've never called the police!  And, the ageism thing really, really bothers me (I am so glad I am not the only one this happens to!!).  I've been knitting for a lot longer than the "older" knitters in town and they have the chutzpah to call me, get this, a "baby knitter".  It's a good thing for them I keep my knitting with me, or I might have lost my temper more times than I can count.

[Melesse]

Out of the 3 non-Walmart/Zellers/Michael's LYS I've been to around here, there's only one that doesn't act like I have some strange disease.

My first experience was at Herrschners. I had been crocheting for about a month by that point and went in with my copy of the Happy Hooker looking for yarn to do Go for Baroque (an intermediate level piece). The woman there couldn't stop sneering at me. "You're doing that and you've only been crocheting for a month? You can't do that. You should find something easier, like a washcloth." And when we went to get a hook and I mentioned that my tension is very tight, so I should by a size or two larger than recommended, she responded with "of COURSE you crochet tight, you're a Be-ginn-ER." (It's been months and months now and I do many different projects and I still crochet tight. Pfft.)

The fancier LYS is just generally snobby and pushy. I say I'm looking for something on the inexpensive side for a project that's going to use 1500 yards or so -- she's handing me $20 per skein yarn. Plus the standard breathing down my neck and ghosting me like I'm going to rob them or something. Oi.

The only place I can stand is the Paton's/Bernat/etc factory outlet store. Good selection, friendly staff. It's pleasant being there.

[intergalacticj]

i live in scotland, i dont think there are any places to buy yarn apart from LYS's (there is one in my town) so i dont get any of those snazzy bargains everyones gets in walmart or whereever *boo!* whenever i go into a yarn shop i always feel kinda intimidated ... im always being watched, eek! but one place i went to a woman told me that they never see young knitters so maybe thats the reason, im 20!!! 

[ondrayuh]

And when we went to get a hook and I mentioned that my tension is very tight, so I should by a size or two larger than recommended, she responded with "of COURSE you crochet tight, you're a Be-ginn-ER." (It's been months and months now and I do many different projects and I still crochet tight. Pfft.)

you know what. i've been crocheting since age 12 (so that's 12 years of crocheting for me!) and i still crochet tight. i have to remind myself when im crocheting something that shouldn't be tight to loosen up. so i echo your ppfffttt to that lady.

knitting however, i learned 2 yrs ago and started super tight but am loosening the longer i do it. odd...



<3 andrea

[AgentAlmost]

I've actually never had a problem with any of the employees of any of the LYS'es around here, but the customers, well, that's a whole other story.

The ones that are the easiest to spot are the ones who find everything they've made in the last year and wear it so they can show off. It's cool to show off your creations, but when I see someone with a handknit scarf, hat, and sweater on, holding a handknit bag, I get nervous, and if I notice either handknit socks on their feet or handknit mittens hanging out of their pockets I keep a safe distance, if I notice both, I leave and come back in an hour.

I rarely bring FO's in unless someone asks me to, but I've seen a few people bring in some really neat stuff only to get totally ripped apart by their fellow customer. And it wasn't constructive, it was more, well, pre school like when you'd bring in something cool for show and tell and someone would be jealous.

Yarn snobs really get to me. Some people are on tight budgets and don't want to spend all of their disposable income on enough yarn for one project. Besides, sometimes wool's too warm and cotton's just not the right thing, and personally when I'm venturing into new territory I'd rather do it with cheap acrylic and save the pricey stuff for when I know what I'm doing.

[yarnsniffer]

I'm 19, but I'm a moderately advanced knitter, and I always get treated like I don't know the difference between dk weight and bulky weight yarn.

I have the same problem at one of the LYS's in my town.  They just outright ignore anyone under 40. 
Also, I work at a yarn store, and have had customers judge me based on my age as well.  Once a lady came in, walked up to me (I was standing behind the counter), and said, very slowly, "I have a question that you probably can't help me with.  I need to talk to an <i>experienced</i> knitter."
The problem with her project, btw, was that she hadn't knit a gauge swatch and couldn't figure out why her sweater was so huge.