Every Thursday afternoon I try to get to my LYS, Mary Clare, to attend a Knitting Group. I have grown really fond of the group members, though seemingly on the surface the only thing we have in common is knitting. These ladies are all older than me, have led totally different lives than mine, some have grown children others are still coping with the consequences of puberty in the teenage population, and others have none, but without fail, when I go the group I laugh my head off.
I love walking into my LYS and knowing that it is MY local yarn store. I know the owner Clare, her children often come into the shop, and I know that she she is always happy to chat when I go in. In fact a couple of weeks ago, I went in to get some extra yarn for a project that needed finishing urgently and ended up staying there all afternoon and chatting while I carried on with the project.
My love of this shop is positively evangelical and I try and drag all my crafty friends there whenever I can, I hope I have made several converts. In fact I know that I have because Clare tells me so! Yesterday I had a phone call from one of my best friends informing me that she was taking me out to lunch as she had taken the day off work. Of course in my role as friend I had to accompany her to the pub, it was my duty! My friend picked me up and we had a lovely lunch and I suggested that we popped into Mary Clare on the way home, as my friend has expressed an interest in going on a workshop. We went in, and spent probably 45 mins wandering around and chatting with Clare. I only bought one thing.
It's a fat quarter of lovely material I have had my eye on for some time. My chair in the knitting group often faces the wall of fabric that is in the shop. Opened out the material looks like this.
I intend to use it as a lining for my Sushi Bag. This was the only purchase made in our visit to the store and it cost a grand total of £2.25. However, Clare was friendly, helpful and we have even decided to make our Friday afternoon visit a regular event. We are going to go to Mary Clare to complete our UFOs, our Unfinished Objects. All crafters have them laying around the house. These are the projects that excited us once, but got cast aside for many reasons, be it Christmas or a brand new yarn. Some of our UFOs only need sewing up and others need much more work. My friend is a stitcher, not a knitter, but this group will be spanning the great craft divides.
This LYS is becoming my home away from home and the only thing I wish it had, was more comfortable chairs! Oh and by the way my friend went into the store today to book us both up for a Blackwork Workshop. It is her very early birthday present to me. I hope it will urge me to start stitching again, but I'm not holding my breath.
PS My postie brought me a bargain from Kemps today.
It is for my Milkweed Project contribution. So despite my loyalty to my LYS, I still cannot pass up a bargain. Dragging my friends there to spend money, just assuages my guilt.
Hope that changing my commenting system isn't too annoying for people who read my blog. I'd be pleased if anyone could tell me if it feels any different to them.
ReplyDeleteNow that I'm back at work I can't get round to Mary Clare very often :( On the plus side I can now walk to Button Boutique within 15 mins thanks to being based in a different building.
ReplyDeleteLove the fabric you bought!
PS. I find this new commenting stuff a pain! But you're not the only person to have installed it and I suppose I'll just have to get used to it!
ReplyDeleteIts strange but I don't think this new system is working, so Lesley you may get your wish and it may be ditched, because for me there is no change.
ReplyDelete