my first trip into a yarn shop....

and oh boy, did i get sensory overload...but, had fun!!

i was in central NJ on business yesterday and the garmin said there was a yarn shop near by...Carriage Yarns in Ocean, NJ.....

First, the place is lovely, and the owner could not have been nicer or kinder....if you're in New Jersey..GO!

i came away with...a set of the denise interchangeable needles, and enough margarita ribbon to make a top. i saw the pattern, it looks easy, yarn shop owner agreed, ti WAS easy, thought my 14 year old daughter would love it. Got home and said DD "no way would i wear that". sigh...so, i thought, OK, i'll call and ask if i can return it. left the house for an hour, where the big dog promptly took it off the kitchen island. I now have six skeins that i cannot possibly return , i guess i will call for a seventh to make the top bigger for me.....

i also bought a skein of crystal palace (i can't remember the name), but it's lime green and is an eyelash type. you knit it and it's furry . THAT the DD loved, and i've started on a scarf for her.

Now, understand, my tastes run towards the cottons and the wools...so this whole novelty yarn purchase was a shock to me I also bought a debbie bliss book for alpaca silk..just some gorgous sweaters in there. but, on my goodness, the cost of her yarn!! i'm making the grand assumption that at least my first foray into that i can use a cheaper yarn....correct? can anyone suggest a good substitute???

anyway...wonderful wonderful experience. i can see that stash enhancement could be deadly to the pocketbook!

betsey

Reply to
betsey
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Oh what a fun time! I know exactly what you mean. Like a kid in a candy shop. ENJOY!!!

Wendy A Knitting Fool in CT

Reply to
myswendy

There are several inexpensive subs for the alpaca silk. You can look online at elann.com or knitpicks.com, or find the DB brand for less at yarnmarket.com or yarn.com. You can go with the same fiber content, or use something of a similar weight.

sue

Reply to
suzee

Oh yes! Carriage Yarns is lovely! I have been buying yarn there for decades (it was located in Asbury Park when I moved there in 1978). There was an original owner (quite a 'card', and not nearly so friendly). The new owner has added a few chairs, a few more selections, and a whole binder of free patterns from the internet. The result is a place where you would not feel funny pulling up a chair and staying to knit awhile. Often, you find folks doing just that.

Last time I was there I was with my daughter. Her friend was in the hospital, and had taken up knitting. My daughter picked up tons of really nice yarns, and I chose some big needles in bamboo for the new knitter. She really loved it, and made me a scarf!

Needless to say, I was tempted as well, and bought myself a few things, including the denise interchangeable needles.

Reply to
L

sue-

thank you so much....

my concern/question is needle size/guage....i'm not sure how to go about that and if it affects sizing, etc.....

betsey

Reply to
betsey

tern, it looks

'm making the

Betsy i liked your description of the New to you YARN shop adventure , may you have many mnay more joyous adventures like that ,, mirjam

Reply to
mirjam

You use whatever needle size it takes to get gauge. Most people will knit looser or tighter than the pattern designer so have to compensate by going up or down a size (or two). There's a lot of threads about gauge on the knittinghelp forum btw, if you want to search. Or just watch for a day or two and they'll come up again....

sue

Reply to
suzee

tern, it looks

'm making the

I am a great believer of Guague !!!! i manke guages for each new thread and note it down in copybook

20 st =3D X st ,, on needle number ?? mirjam
Reply to
mirjam

On Mar 6, 11:09=EF=BF=BDam, "L" wrote= :

i'm enjoying the denise interchangeable needles! i'm knitting a scarf now on them....

It's sad, but the current owner is putting the shop up for sale--her husband is now based in Germany full time, so she wants to be there. as she told me "i'm hoping someone will love this shop and have as much fun as i have!". she's a lovely lovely person....

betsey

Reply to
betsey

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