Another one bites the dust

Happy Birthday! Don't you just love close-out sales! I remember a few years back when one ACMoore closed down. What great sales I found! Mostly on cross stitch supplies.

It is sad, though, to see these stores closing down. I just lost a LNS a few months back. But at least we have the internet to get goodies that are not local. But nothing beats actually seeing and touching yarns before buying.

Diane

Thats right, seeing and touching is the thing LOL. It's not actually my birthday for a few more months, but this way I can get so much more (see the evil grin on my face LOL). I just went through all my stash and wrote down any size needles or DPs that I don't have so I won't unnecessarily buy any duplicates. Gives me more money for yarn..... Marie and the cats

Hi Marie!

I got a postcard in today's mail from my LNS here in San Angelo. She is having a 50% off retirement sale for the next 2-1/2 months and is selling "everything but the dog" (fixtures, yarn, threads, canvases, fabrics for cross stitch, cross stitch and smocking materials). That is sad. She has only been carrying yarn for about a year now. I might have to stock up on those wonderful bamboo knitting needles!

BonnieBlue

Hi Marie,

Must be the current trend as the LYS close to me where I've taken the Project Linus afghans just closed for good on Friday. I knew they were doing it but there wasn't much of a sale on yarn as the man has two other stores and took everything but the fabric to them.

At least you will have a great time shopping this weekend.

Hugs,

Nora

The sale was an ordeal! I went a couple of hours after openning time, thinking that I would miss the huge crowd waiting to get inside. Wrong. The line reached outside the building, down the side walk-and around the corner. The fire marshall was there and told the manager that there were too many people inside for safetys sake. So, they had to count the people that finally made it through the cashiers lines and when about 10 or 15 people left, then they would let 10 or 15 of us that were waiting in line in. Took 45 minutes for my turn. So many people, you couldn't walk down the aisles. The cashiers lines were backed up all the way to the back of the store. I managed to squeeze into a few places and get the things I had written on my note.....then I got into the line that ran along the side of the long yarn aisle. So did a lot of other knitters/crocheters. The lines moved so slowly (took over 2 hours to get to the cash register) that we were able to put our baskets in a line and *shop* up and down the yarn shelves and the smaller specality yarn/embroidery aisles as we waited in line. Worked for us! As I thought, I spent more than I should have (I think they have long lines on purpose to encourage *impulse buying* while you're standing around waiting-and looking LOL. ) Was able to get all the things I needed- DPs, a couple of different sizes of circs and straight needles that I didn't have, a really cute crochet book of fancy little purses and bags made from filet and lace crochet for only 90 cents, a big book of 100 knitting stitches, some bobbins etc. I got myself into trouble buying the sock yarns and specialty yarns that were on clearance. Greed took over my commom sense, but it was fun to get all the new things. And one of my last chances to do so, as that's the last yarn shop in my city and will soon be closed...... Marie and the cats

Hi Bonnie: I recently got a package of the bamboo cable needles and I just love them. The yarn loops stay on without sliding off the way they do with the metal cable hooks. The wood is so smooth and nice to work with. The note in the package said that the more you use the bamboo needles and the more the oils from your hands gets into the wood, the easier they are to use. They recommended placing the cable needles tucked behind the ear between sections of stitches. Just don't forget that you put them there! Marie and the cats

I dunno, Marie, if I would have had the fortitude to stick around that long. Were you pleased, overall?

Kather> The sale was an ordeal! I went a couple of hours after openning

That sounds like an ideal day!!! I love sales like that! My LYS had one two years ago when they were in a much smaller place, and the lines were the same way, winding around the yarn aisles, and we just kept shopping while we were in line. And no one seemed the slightest bit upset by it. In fact, a couple times, the line was moving *too* fast, and I would hop back and let people in front of me so I could keep shopping! The LYS by me just had a major sale of summer and discontinued and just non-moving yarns, and it continued after the sale weekend. I went in for the knit-alongs, not intending to buy, and I caved every time I got near a yarn bin. I decided I might have been better off just putting in an offer to buy the shop. :)

The two of you have the patience of the saints... shopping in a place that is that crowded and the lines that long would make me absolutely crazy! I seriously would take one look at the lineup waiting to even get into the store and do an about-face and head back to my vehicle. I am definitely NOT a shopper... I need to know what I want, (prefer to know) where in the store to get it quickly, and find the shortest possible check-out line to pay and get out fast! My two sisters swear that I'm adopted because I don't like to take forever shopping like they do... LOL ...in all honesty, I take after my Dad in my shopping style. :o)

Peace! Gemini

Here's what I did: I went through all my *stuff* before I went to Craftmart, and composed a list of things and gadgets that I didn't have and a few things that I would like to have, and took the list with moi.......the only thing that happened that I didn't like, was that when I got home and was going through my new treasures, was that one of the size 3 DPs had apparently fallen off the cardboard container it was on. Couldn't find it anywhere, wasn't in my car, any of the bags or stuck in any of the yarn. Of course everything is a No refund No exchange policy now because of the closing sale.....I did stop by Craftmart again on the way home from the doctors yesterday. There were no lines or waiting and they had another pack of the #3 DPs so I bought it. I figured, a lot of socks are made using 5 DPs at a time and they come packaged by 4s, so this way I would have a set of 5 plus 2 spares. (See-knitters justification for buying more stuff). I did get a number of balls of different kinds of the specialty yarns, a bunch of self striping sock yarns, some more waste canvas for cross stitiching on tee shirts and totes, 2 more heavy duty large size tote bags that zip closed across the top, different kinds of knitting needles to add to the collection, extra packs of DPs, bobbins. All stuff that I can use and make fun stuff with hee hee. Marie and the cats

It is fun, isn't it? Worked for me shopping like that. The lines moved so slowly that we had plenty of time to look around and *shop* LOL. In fact I ended up with much more than I intended LOL. And I had a great time talking to a lot of other people that had the same enthusiasm for yarn that I do. It gets boring around my house because my sons are Marines or physical trainers and I no longer have my mom, so it was good for me to be around lots of other people with a common interest... Marie and the cats