Release Date: January 27, 2020
Street Team Member Grace Visits Longmont Yarn Shoppe
By Grace Gutierrez
2020 has arrived and to celebrate a new year and new decade, I decided to take up a new hobby for my new year’s resolution. I am always looking for something creative and meditative to do, and knitting seemed like a good idea. It is practical and generates functional, colorful, and cozy items. After speaking with some friends that already knit, it was recommended I visit Longmont Yarn Shoppe. This wonderful store (located at 454 Main St.) has everything you could possibly need for all your fiber arts and craft needs. When I walked in, I couldn’t help but feel all warm and fuzzy inside.
I explained to the staff what I was looking for and was given a full tour of the store. I thought asking for supplies to begin knitting would be as simple as picking out some yarn and knitting needles, but the amazing staff at LYS asked me questions to make sure I was getting the right items for what I wanted to create. Things like allergies, washing preferences, color, and material all played a part in what I ended up buying. The two skeins of yarn I chose were so soft and perfect for making a scarf, and I was told it is hand dyed and spun in Ecuador. After I chose the yarn, the LYS staff balled the yarn to make it easier to use while knitting. It’s super fun to watch the skeins turned into balls, and it really makes the difference when you begin your project.
Once I had all my supplies, I stayed for a knitting lesson with Gail, the owner of Longmont Yarn Shoppe. Gail’s knowledge and passion for the fiber arts is inspiring to say the least. The care and patience she had when teaching was impressive. She first showed me the process of casting on, but she had me do it multiple times to ensure I really knew how to do it so I could start other projects on my own. I was then shown actual knitting and Gail watched and made suggestions to make sure I wasn’t doing it in a way to hurt my hands. She just wants her students to keep making, so any suggestions for a sustainable practice, she was all about. She even mentioned if I ever got stuck on a project, even if it was using yarn purchased somewhere other than LYS, to bring it in and someone would help me. This actually happened a couple of times while I was knitting and someone would inspect the visitor’s project and work with them to fix it. The collaborative energy was exciting!
Along with private lessons for knitting, LYS offers classes for many different fiber mediums including crocheting, needle felting, wet felt, punch needle rug hooking, traditional rug hooking, tatting, embroidery, spinning, and weaving. I was overwhelmed by all these options, but the staff was more than happy to explain every single one of them to me. Kids classes are offered over the summer, and pop up shops and events occur all the time. Classes and information for all of these are listed online on the LYS website: longmontyarn.com If you want to try something new and are interested in any of these crafts, visit Longmont Yarn Shoppe! The welcoming vibes (and shop dog, Bandit) makes for an environment that is not intimidating but instead one that is accessible and fun, and one of my new favorite places for making.