Talking of trash TV, after our Eggheads appearance last week, Gerard hits primetime tomorrow when he's off to Hell's Kitchen! I'm not kidding. I've advised him to kick up a fuss cos it makes good telly and we'll all get to see him...he says he's just going to drink a lot and see what happens!
Yesterday I made it out and into the shop. I haven't been round for a few days, and I couldn't make the Wednesday night knitting group last night either - sorry folks, I hope it was good 'un, and the Tube trouble didn't dampen spirits and put anyone off. So, in the shop all day, pottering about and it gave me time to do a bit of business stuff. It's always nice to speak to those people who keep us going, the people who actually make the yarn. One of our founding ideas was to include in the stuff we sell yarns from this country. To support our own producers is, to us, a vital part of keeping the knitting industry alive. We were always amazed that the choice of yarn elsewhere either ignored completely, or just paid lip service to 100% independent UK producers - department stores won't touch the stuff because they are all about making a profit (let's not get on our high horse here, by the way, of course we are running a business and we have to make a profit, but we can do this without neglecting some gorgeous yarns, and without ignoring what knitters tell us they want). I remember I was surprised to find most of Rowan's yarns are produced overseas!

Thanks to fimngersandtoes on Ravelry who put this in my head and started this bit of a rant. But, y'know, when you support LYS you encourage choice and diversity, and the knock on effect is that we have to compete with other LYS and that just makes us more determined to expand our range, find new yarns and suppliers. We already have at least three yarns in store that we wouldn't have if not recommended by customers and long may that continue!

3 comments:
I love the colours of the Jamiesons and the slightly tweedy look it has, I definately want to make something using it some day.
Missed you on Wednesday Craig - hope you are recovering and will soon be pain free.
Melissa x
Your support for British yarns is one of the reasons why I come back to the shop - especially when it's SP time!
I am not allowed to buy any more Jamieson's though until I have a finished item to show Elaine Jamieson at Ally Pally - she threatened to cut off my supply last year which is why I made a point of introducing Gerard to her!!
Unfortunitly you are not my LOCAL yarn store, but oh how I wish you were.
What you are doing is truly mixing the social and practical side of knitting, you seem to have the stock and events for everyone.
Jen
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