LYS

LYS = a new term for me. Local Yarn Shop. So I've been checking around here. There are two yarn shops where I live. One has lovely yarns but I need a way bigger budget to shop there. The other one has been in this city for years but unfortunately it is not visible from the street. It's a shame because it is the BEST one in this area. Why? Because they stock a good variety of yarns for all budgets, the clerks are all attentive, they know what they are doing, they are polite, know their merchandise and they ball your yarn for you.

What... not all yarn stores ball your yarn? Well yes and no. There is a store I frequented in a nearby town. They balled the yarn allright. I should have paid attention when I heard the yarn baller thumping it's way through the process. I should have paid attention when another clerk approached my Miss Wind'em and Move'em Out-A-Here and suggested that she slow down the process. But no, I trusted that she knew what she was doing. Now, I see I have yarn that goes from thread width to a chunky consistency throughout the entire ball. Hmmmmmmm. Good thing this project will be felted.

And while I'm ranting about those who ball yarn improperly, here's another one. Those that don't ball the yarn at all. I'm at the register today in a store in a little bigger city around here, a store that is recommended in a certain book that I just read and that a friend of mine said is the greatest. I pay for my two hanks of Cascade 220 yarn and then ask "can you ball this for me?" It must have sounded obscene to her with the shocked look I received. But then she looked me straight in the eye and remarked "I don't have time for that." Well, speaking of time, I knew the time was about to run out on my parking meter so I had no time to argue. All the way home I'm kicking myself for not feeding the meter and stomping back in there to demand my money back (would have been useless anyway since the receipt clearly says "no refunds"). So here I sit with two hanks of yarn, waiting for hubby to come home so we can wind the balls the old fashioned way.