I had a magnificent time in Oklahoma -- the weather was spectacular, the knitters most gracious, and the yarn shops superb.
Case in point:
How could you not visit a store with a convertible as its mascot, and a placard that proudly proclaims:
Yarn * Classes * Fun? Having visited many a yarn shop in my day, I can wholeheartedly recommend both of the stunning Loops locations (Utica Square and Renaissance Square in South Tulsa).
Shelley and her staff take to heart the creed: "Find a great project fast." They are experts at helping people match yarn to project, select colors that work together and figure out how much yarn a garment requires.
Every customer that comes in the door is attended to in a friendly fashion -- this is not one of those yarn shops where the staff sits behind the counter, deeply engrossed in their knitting, pausing only to stare at you over the tips of their reading glasses, as if you were a horsefly harrassing them at their picnic.
And this little genius of an idea is quite popular as well: a computer for customers to look up patterns and yarn requirements. Who among us hasn't wished we could remember how many skeins we needed for that one sweater we saw in a back issue of a magazine that's in a closet somewhere at home? Or held one delectable skein in our hand, wondering what we could make with it?
If only my high school students were this enthusiastic. (Although most of my students were lovely, rare was the day when someone greeted me at the door with a "Welcome!" and some shamrocks next to my name.)
Has anyone ever experienced this phenomenon? Knitting people tend to have very interesting backgrounds. In Tulsa, I met someone who was a heavy equipment operator in the Army (and who served for a year in Iraq):
A medical student who was obviously brilliant but who could not have been older than 17:
(Sorry, darlin' -- I'm sure you've been told that 10,000 times. Take it from me, at some point in the near future looking younger than you really are will cease to become a detriment, and you'll be thanking your lucky stars that your genes are what they are.)Among those I did not manage to snap a picture of: a hydrologist, an interior designer, a chef, and a CPA. We probably could've spent half the workshop discussing the intricacies of everyone's chosen profession. In addition to being silly, I'm also a nerd. I love to learn new things, and there is much to learn about the world.
I know you're waiting for the yarn pictures.
Fine, I'll stop yammering and pony up:
Loops Tulsa, you could not have been nicer or more chic. Thank you for having me!
Workshop peeps, I could not have asked for a better group. I hope you both learned something and enjoyed yourself. You were worth the long trip!
The trunk show will hang out in Loops South through October 10th -- please stop by and say hello to my babies! 