Beware the Blogging Knitter

While pursuing yet more fun on my graduation vacation with my parents, I found myself in the small town of La Connor, WA. It is one of those adorable towns that is full of antique shops, bakeries, and artisan galleries.

It also had a yarn shop. The yarn shop was called Jennings Yarn & Needlecraft.

It was, without a doubt, the worst yarn shop experience of my life. (And that includes the shop where staff followed me around because they thought I was going to shop lift.)

Mom, Dad, and I went in there. I was actually initially impressed. It had quite a nice selection of Noro Kureyon (although it was priced quite a bit higher than the going market rate)...not to mention quite a few inspiring luxury fibers. (Angora. I love angora.)

However...the service was abysmal. The owner/employee was standing right there at the counter when we came in. Yet, we spent a good 5-10 minutes in the shop before we were even acknowledged. (The person cannot claim that she didn't see us...I mean, Dad is 6'5"...) Once we were acknowledged, it was with a curt hello. And that only came after Mom POINTEDLY stared at the woman as we walked by the register. Another 5-10 minutes passed, and the lady finally finally left the counter and came back to the back part of the shop.

She asked: "Did you want something?"
I answered: "Nothing specific."

Rather than saying she was available to help if I had any questions, or muttering any other number of polite stock sales phrases, she wheeled on her heel and went back to the register. I was baffled. I even had to stand at the counter a moment or two before she bothered to ask if I was ready to check out.

As we walked out of the shop, Mom marveled at the utter horror that seemed to pass for customer service. I told Mom that we could take comfort in the fact that they didn't know who they were ignoring. I am a blogger. I am a knitting blogger. One should not raise the ire of a literate and proliferate knitting blogger. I would eviscerate them in online literature.

Jennings Yarn & Needlecraft is in a delightful setting, but the staff is definitely below par. The fine fibers can not begin to make up for the shabby treatment. I can find better yarn elsewhere, the same yarn at a better price elsewhere, and anything I want online. I do not have to put up with your snottiness. And no one else should either!

AVOID THIS SHOP!!!

Magazine Review: Knit 'N Style

I looked in my library's catalog to see if any of the branches subscribed to knitting magazines since my branch does not. One branch gets Interweave (yay!), and another gets a title I hadn't heard of, Knit 'N Style.

I placed holds on the two most recent issues that were available for check out. They came yesterday in the shipment.

I quickly realized WHY I hadn't heard of this magazine.No one has informed the editor or the art department that the year is 2010, not 1989.

The layout is sloppy and hard to read. Articles and features are virtually indistinguishable from the advertisements. The photos of yarns being reviewed are muddy and unappealing. Worst of all...the projects are...well...ugly. Most of the looks are dated, and the ones that even flirt with currency are made out of the least attractive yarns possible.

Quotes from myself and others who also looked at the magazine in the break room:

"Well, that is unfortunate."

"It looks like someone vomited yarn on that woman. And ugly yarn at that."

"That poor girl. She is actually a very pretty model."

"No way would a MAN ever in a million years wear that sweater. Seriously? A turtleneck with giant buttons on the side? On a guy? I think not!"

In short: I do not like this magazine. I do not recommend subscribing to it. Not only does it not meet my required 3 patterns to purchase policy*, it doesn't meet a minimal standard of graphic design aesthetics.

As my dear friend would say...it is less than ideal.

*I won't buy a book or magazine unless I can honestly say I'll make at least 3 of the patterns in it.