If you follow the shop's social media, you may have noticed some posts about me in a big giant convention center with a very large amount of yarn around me. Friends, I went to a fiber industry trade show and WOW! What an experience!
First of all, it was WORK! Imagine hundreds of vendors, all of whom are selling things that you really like and that you know your customers will like BUT you have a budget because money is a thing that vendors want in exchange for those goods.
How do you choose? Well, I had a pretty good idea that I needed to bring in a few fresh hand-dyers and a few new lines of yarn. Until now, ALL of my purchasing has been done from in-person sales reps and looking at stuff on the internet. So getting to handle the yarn and see the products and ask questions is really, really helpful. I definitely decided against a few yarns I was considering and brought in several that I didn't think I'd be at all interested in.
But more excitingly, I found yarns and products I didn't know existed, and that I'm REALLY thrilled about. I got the chance to talk to the artisans and get to know them, and NOTHING is more interesting in this business than getting to know the people who have been brought into this very odd industry by their very specific interests.
I won't ruin all the surprises, but you'll be seeing some great new products -- learn to dye kits, paint it yourself wooden garlands, tiny little critter kits, and some genuinely spectacular totes and project bags.
BUT THE YARN, Y'ALL! I was blown away by so much of it. I've been in this industry for a long time and I am telling you, there is so much amazing yarn right now. I'll be bringing in a full line from Rowan -- every yarn and color in their Mode line. Berroco hit it out of the park for Fall with some yarns I can't wait to get my hands on. Skacel has some fabulous yarns that have never been in the Chattanooga area (and I'm finally bringing in Addi Clik sets!). And I found some of the most delightful hand-dyers! I tried to get a broad selection of fibers and weights and dye styles from all of them, so it will be a little bit of something for everybody.
I know you're all asking WHEN?! Well, some of it will be in next week, some won't be here til October, and the rest of it is spread out in the months in between. Some of the yarns are brand new for Fall and won't be available to ship until August. Some of these producers are one and two person businesses, and they'll get it to me when it's finished. So the answer is now and very much not now.
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