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Yarn shop rudeness


lizzy

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Fascinating thread. Wow, there are some MAJOR jerks out there... I'm a Michael's, JoAnne's and eBay girl myelf:lol ... and the fact that I don't have a LYS might have something to do with that... but, if someone EVER treated me like was described in the original post or some of the incidents that others reported, I'd probably go off on them, make a scene, etc... then I'd end up going home, contacting the store owner to tell them how hideously their employee acted... and I'd probably follow up with e-mails to the companies whose yarn they carried (Colinette for example) and let them know how their product was being "put out" as not for crocheters.. you can BET they don't want to lose the very lucrative crochet business:no ... and suggest they may want to think of what type of shop they want carrying their product.

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Ugh. Snobs suck.

 

There is this crafting night thing going on here tonight, but I won't go, b/c it's a "cool crafters" night. It is, to quote the women running it, a "no painted hearts" night.

 

Why the hate for people who are more traditional? Why do we all have to put skulls and anarchy symbols on our handcrafts? One of the vendors was selling baby bibs with "scantily clad women" on them. Uh, okay.

 

I don't get the hate knitters have for crocheters; the hate "hip crafters" have for more traditional crafters (not ugly stuff crafters - tradtional doesn't have to be ugly); the hate expensive yarn users have for Red Heart users.

 

I just don't get it.

 

I taught myself to crochet with Red Heart Super Saver. I'm learning to knit with Walmart mainstays- even cheaper! If I could afford it, I'd use angora in a heartbeat! I've made "punk" stuff and I'm crocheting an old-fashioned doily.

 

Good taste, style and class transcend crafts and methods. I've seen some really ugly, tacky "trendy" and "hip" knits and some really beautiful, classy, original crochet patterns from back in the day. And vice versa.

 

Why is there this pressure to pre-judge everything and everyone instead of just taking people and their crafts as they are?

 

I know there is one online crafting forum I don't really feel like I fit in because I'm not "hip" enough. It's like high school all over again. Sigh. And I'm 32!

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I agree you should call the store and speak to the owner--of course having said that I don't know if I would have the nerve to do that myself if it were me....

 

Maybe you should go back and pick up the most expensive skeins--then when he asks what you are "knitting" tell him "I"m going to macrame a plant hanger!"

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Fascinating thread. Wow, there are some MAJOR jerks out there... I'm a Michael's, JoAnne's and eBay girl myelf:lol ... and the fact that I don't have a LYS might have something to do with that... but, if someone EVER treated me like was described in the original post or some of the incidents that others reported, I'd probably go off on them, make a scene, etc... then I'd end up going home, contacting the store owner to tell them how hideously their employee acted... and I'd probably follow up with e-mails to the companies whose yarn they carried (Colinette for example) and let them know how their product was being "put out" as not for crocheters.. you can BET they don't want to lose the very lucrative crochet business:no ... and suggest they may want to think of what type of shop they want carrying their product.

 

Amen!

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every now and then there are magazine articles on this topic (I think the last one I saw was in simply crochet this winter). It's too bad the mags can't afford to report on snobby shops by naming names (advertizing $$$ lost of they did). I saw a list somewhere of crochet friendly shops, maybe they (the magazines) could do something like that - making it an advertizing bonus to carry the crochet friendly sticker ...

 

I feel like crochet is thought of as the ugly step sister of knitting in many of the craft events I see advertized. None if any of these are held locally so I haven't gone to one, just kind of looks that way. Any body actually go to these events? Is crochet truely equal, or just included? Brings in more people, more $$$, etc, but do the knit snobs kind of resent it?

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I was reading this thread and just shaking my head. In the crochet class I go to a woman there went to our LYS (I had never been) she said when she walked in the owner looked up, turned up her nose and looked away. The woman in my class said she was looking at yarn when the owner came up behind her and said"Thats expensive yarn, you can't afford it and I won't put up with people stealing from me". The woman said she was totally embarrassed(sp lol) and ended up buying some expensive yarn from the shop just to show the owner she could. I said I wouldn't have bought a thing, and I would have told her where to put her 35.00 knitting needles.( crochet or knit doesn't make a difference to me (I wish I could knit, I'm hopeless lol) they are both creative art forms. I don't understand why so many LYS are like that. I'll be honest I can't afford expensive yarns, but I love to look at them and dream that one day (when we win Publishers Clearing House, DH thinks this is our year lol) I will be able to purchase some yummy expensive yarn but with a mortgage, dr bills, teenager, sick dog, etc etc etc I am just gonna have to keep on using reg priced yarns. After reading this thread I'd be afraid to walk into a LYS

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and said "Thats expensive yarn, you can't afford it and I won't put up with people stealing from me".

How did she know? Was it based on how she was dressed? Maybe she doesn't know that a lot of times people with money don't always look like they have money.

 

To the orginal poster, send a friend in to buy some nice yarn. After the purchase have her tell them that she's neither knitting or crocheting with it. She's taking the label off and tossing into her gerbal cage so he can make a new bed out of it. ;)

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Ugh. Snobs suck.

 

I don't get the hate knitters have for crocheters; the hate "hip crafters" have for more traditional crafters (not ugly stuff crafters - tradtional doesn't have to be ugly); the hate expensive yarn users have for Red Heart users.

 

I just don't get it.

...

Good taste, style and class transcend crafts and methods. I've seen some really ugly, tacky "trendy" and "hip" knits and some really beautiful, classy, original crochet patterns from back in the day. And vice versa.

 

 

 

Right on TIGA. On the snob note:

I work in book design, and FW Publications is here in town, everybody's worked for them either full time or freelance. They cater to all markets but most of what they do has been done by another publisher first and they are copy cats of a very pretentious variety, no slam to some of their authours. They always treat the "new hip craft" like they invented it (hand made greeting cards), but its a knock off anyway. And all these crafters thinking they're doing something original is amusing to me.

 

The work I see on crochetville is filled with intergrity and authenticity, and that's why I like browsing: I get inspired and many of my collegues make me sick.

 

OK thats off topic but I had to say it!

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How did she know? Was it based on how she was dressed? Maybe she doesn't know that a lot of times people with money don't always look like they have money.

 

To the orginal poster, send a friend in to buy some nice yarn. After the purchase have her tell them that she's neither knitting or crocheting with it. She's taking the label off and tossing into her gerbal cage so he can make a new bed out of it. ;)

 

Even better: Tell him that they are going to use it to make plastic canvas tissue box covers with it! :laughroll:lol

 

Can you imagine a worse use for some Koigu or Colinette?

 

Disclaimer: I make plastic canvas stuff. It is my cheesy, tacky, lame-o crafting outlet and I love it! Of course, I don`t make purses out of it (yes, they do have plastic canvas purse patterns), mostly coasters, fridgies and ornaments that I give away, but still, it`s a fun little thing to do with leftover yarn. But I`d certainly never use anything expensive for it!

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maybe he sat on his knitting needles the ah, wrong way? (muwahaha! could not resist) Call, write, go back get the jerk's name, and make sure someone hear's about it. I cheer the fact that you wrote the name of the store. I've lost it, really, gone back, get the yarn (again) and made a point of buying it. I was a cashier, and I've also been in your shoes. That should have NEVER happened. Have a hot chocolate, here's my fave hook, and a ball o' yarn, now vent! ;)

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How did she know? Was it based on how she was dressed? Maybe she doesn't know that a lot of times people with money don't always look like they have money.

 

;)

 

So true :-) Some of the wealthiest people I've met over the years don't "dress" the part. Barring mental illness, it's always a surprise to realize the guy who looks and smells like he's homeless is actually rich enough to putter around hand restoring old expensive cars and boats and only dresses up when he has to (board meetings, ect).

 

I get the "she must be homeless" look from people quite often these days. I'm not working outside the house, and sometimes I run to the store no matter how bad I look. Even had a cop offer me the address to a shelter once :-) Sweet, I guess.

 

There's a store here that I go into every week. Some days they treat me well, others days not. If I look "decent" they don't bat an eye if i want syringes (for my insulin) or pay by credit card. If I look "unkept", I have to tell them what kind of insulin I use (supposedly so I don't buy the wrong syringes - their way of screening diabetics from druggies I guess) and produce ID for the card.

 

Of course, the scary homeless crazy lady look has advantages - the neighborhood preteen thugs do not venture into my yard for any reason :-)

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In an era of big box retaillers forcing the mom-and-pop stores out of business, it is not wise for this guy to discourage any sales. I'd call the store owner and explain what happened and give the owner a chance to explain. If the owner is the person who took the yarn, then all bets are off of notifying other potential buyers. Especially an organization as strong as the knitters or crocheters guild.

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How did she know? Was it based on how she was dressed? Maybe she doesn't know that a lot of times people with money don't always look like they have money.

 

To the orginal poster, send a friend in to buy some nice yarn. After the purchase have her tell them that she's neither knitting or crocheting with it. She's taking the label off and tossing into her gerbal cage so he can make a new bed out of it. ;)

 

She was dressed in jeans and a sweater, she is a very timid woman and wouldn't harm a fly so she didn't say anything> It is true that how you are dressed deems how you are treated though. I have gone to the mall dressed up and had sales assoc. fall all over me. I 've gone is jeans and had them look at me like"go away peasant lol" When this happens I have to fight the urge to say "Listen Barbie, you work here making min. wage, you don't own the place". But I fight the impulse because dd would be embarrassed lol

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With all of us dressing more casually these days (even my businessman husband has stopped wearing a suit every day), it is really stupid to make any judgments based on someone's clothing. (That is also an advantage of going to the same stores and having them recognize you.)

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Here's something else to tell them, either if you go back or next time.

After watching the Knitty Gritty marathon yesterday I realized how much crocheting and our hooks are used in knitting.

They use it for finishing/edging, place holding, stitch loss catching, and even casting on in some instances. I'm sure there's more.

If crocheting is so below them, tell them to try any of that without crocheting and crochet hooks.

 

:)

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I knit and crochet and I am happy to say that I never have had this problem... I do feel that some yarn tends to work up better one way over the other, but I would never limit myself like that nor patron any store that would.

 

Way off topic, but when I went into a Baskin Robbins 31 Flavors one time I asked for a sample... I was not sure which one I wanted, so I asked for another... "only one sample!" I was outraged... I had my sister and her daugther with me (both anxious for ice cream) and I walked out of there. I never go there...

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Good point. You can crochet without knitting, but rarely can you knit without at least *some* crochet creeping in there.

 

I'm just learning to knit, and the first thing that jumped out at me was that the simple bind off method I'm learning basically creates a single crochet, although you are using the knitting needle (I'm going to try using a crochet hook on my next swatch - yup, I'm still at the swatch stage, lol!) to create and pull the loops through. So, even within the very act of knitting, you are crocheting.

 

Tell them to stick THAT in their pipes and smoke it, lol!

 

As to the yarns that are only to be knit, the reason I'm learning to knit is that I got this faboo Moda Dea yarn that is impossible to crochet. Okay, not impossible, but I've not yet achieived the ability to remain calm in the face of lost stitches of that magnitude!

 

So, pointy sticks it was. Anyway, if someone had tried to snatch the yarn out of my hands, telling me it wasn't meant to be crocheted, I never would have bought it, and therefore, never learned to knit!

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It really does make a difference how you are treated in a store. If they are friendly and nice, go back as much as you can. If they treat you badly, don't go back.

 

 

As for being treated how you are dressed, it is appaulling to treated badly because you aren't dressed in an evening gown to go to the mall! No one knows your circumstances and shouldn't judge by how you look. It could have been a very sleepless night (crying babies, unhappy husbands, recovering from surgery, etc.) and no one should judge you on how you look.

 

A week or so after my surgery, I asked for help in the grocery store and the young clerk was surprised that I asked. I hate to have to explain why I need help, so I just said that I needed help to my car. After a little groaning, the packer walked me to the car and put in the groceries. I am normally very healthy and never ask for help, but when I want it, it should be given without moaning and groaning. Little rant.

 

The customer should be valued as gold. Because without customers, your business folds!

 

:manyheart

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From everything I have been reading lately, it appears that the knitting craze of the past few years has dropped off. There are fewer new people getting into knitting, and many who did take it up have moved on to other activities. As a result, sales are flat or down. In addition, with all the new stores that have opened, LYS and on-line, and all the new yarns available through traditional manufacturers, handspinners, and fiber farmers, there is a lot of competition out there.

 

If today's stores want to remain in business, they will have to get more creative in order to attract new and repeat customers. One easy way to do this would be to go after the crochet market. I really like my LYS, but I do get frustrated by the lack of crochet magazines and patterns that they carry. I did notice that they have started crochet classes, so they are certainly on the right track.

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Let me tell you, when I go anywhere besides school or work, I look like I just rolled out of bed... and you know what??? I don't care what anyone has to say about it... I am one busy gal, and if I am allowed to walk around in joggers for more than 5 mins... THANK GOD! I take advantage of every second I can...

I am not in a workplace that has us dress up... it is very business casual... I can get by with cords and a nice top... but sometimes you just want to be in loungewear. I don't expect people to treat me differently and most of the time they don't.

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I have never had anything like that happen to me, and I'm sorry that it happened to you. We don't have a lys here, it is a lqs (quiliting supplies) that happens to carry a limited suppy of yarn, hooks, needles, and accessories. I don't quilt, have thought about it but for now crochet is my main hobby. They have always been friendly and happy to make a sale even if it is only a dollar or two. They don't look down on me because I am purchasing something other than quilting supplies, they care that my cash is the right kinda green, my check doesn't bounce and my credit card is accepted, lol

 

I don't know if yarn is specifically for knit or crochet, but most of the yarn I buy has both on the package. I am working with some fun fur now that I am knitting, but only because when I tried to crochet I couldn't see my stitches. Stretchiness, does seem to be a factor as well, because two needles vs one hook in crochet. (beginning knitter so just learning)

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Grifter, you make a very good point about the crochet market. There has definitely been a lot of knitters who got into it because it was somewhat of a craze the last few years, but will they still be knitting next year? Who knows.

So I think a lot of LYS owners are catering to people who might actually not be long-term customers. On the other hand, a lot of crocheters have been doing it for a while, and probably will until they die and will be buried with their hooks, lol!

 

A small note on the "crochet" yarn and "knitting" yarn, my LYS owner isn't snobby at all about yarn, but for some reason does refer to the acrylic as "crochet" yarn. She is also an older woman, and I do believe I saw on ebay a few times old vintage yarn that was actually labeled "knitting yarn" on the band. (It was wool yarn.) So for her, it might be just a label that she learned from childhood. I didn't realize that people might have referred to it that way for a long time! So for her I don't say anything because I realize that's just what she calls it.

 

Anyhoo, I also look like a hobo when I shop, and I'm not rich either, but at the same time I'm not a hobo, so I can't imagine someone grabbing yarn out of my hands and telling me it's not for crochet! I think the Irish part of me would come out fighting! :rant

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