the blue blog archives: yarn mitzvah

I have been the recipient of a yarn mitzvah - a very good yarny deed. A knitter friend of mine (one of the people who helped teach me to knit!) has developed chronic tendonitis and has come to the conclusion that he'll never knit through all of his stash. So he gave me this entire bag of Cascade 200 in a beautiful forest green.

Sure, he could have sold this yarn on eBay or tried to swap it with somebody for something, but he really just wanted to give it away to someone he knows will use and enjoy it. Isn't that a wonderful thing?

Since I can't really repay him for the yarn without going against the principle of the idea, I've decided to thank him by doing a yarn mitzvah myself. I'm going to give away some Phildar yarn from my stash. No swapping, no trading, no money. I'm giving them away. Buuuuuut, I'd really love to see whoever takes the yarn to do the same: find something yarny that someone else would appreciate (it doesn't have to be a lot) and offer it up on your blog or give it to a deserving friend. And if you don't have a blog, I'm happy to post it here for you. It would be great to see the mitzvah be passed on from one person to another.

So here's the rules. Post a comment to the entry with the yarn goody you'd like to have by Sunday, April 10 and start thinking about something yarny you'd like to give away. I'll pull names and announce the winners after my vacation next week.

(Yup, I'm going on vacation all next week! Can anyone recommend a good yarn store in the Columbus area? I've heard that Wolfe Fiber Arts, which I really loved, has closed. Where can I go instead? Help!)

posted by alison at 9:18 am | in yarn mitzvah

Comments

I'd just like to be the first person to say, "Great idea....count me in!" Thanks!

Posted by: keri at April 7, 2005 10:33 AM

Je n'ai pas de blog mais je suis une passionnée de tricot et votre idée me parait géniale, je suis intéressée par le fil CASCADE 200 forêt qui pourrais être utiliser pour réalisder des ouvrages pour les enfants de la DDASS par un club de dames de mon petit village, je me fais leur porte parole. Je vous en remercie, nous sommes prêts à vous dédommager des frais de port car nous sommes loin de vous dans le sud de la france.

MERCI

Posted by: Gisl at April 7, 2005 10:52 AM

What a lovely idea! A fibery "Pay It Forward" -- I really like the ring of "Yarn Mitzvah".

Posted by: Theresa at April 7, 2005 10:57 AM

Sorry Gisl, I'm not giving away the Cascade 220. This is the yarn that a friend gave me and that has inspired me to give away something else. I'm giving away the Phildar yarns in the next two posts: yarn goody #1 and yarn goody #2. Sorry to disappoint you. :0(

Posted by: alison at April 7, 2005 11:27 AM

You are coming to Columbus, Ohio for vacation???? Yes, Wolfe Fibers Arts closed in a dramatic way right after the first of the year. We are left really only with 2.5 stores. There is Temptations in Dublin right off of North High Street. A nice fairly high-end store mixed with some knickknack antiques. There is The Yarn Shoppe on Kenny and Old Henderson that caters to really the synthetic afghan crowd and crazy scarfs, but carries some nice stuff like Maggie Ireland. They have just opened another store in Pickerington and supposedly are carrying completely different merchandise other than the staples. So thus the .5 stores. There is rumored that sometime the first of April the people who bought out Wolfe's are opening a new store, I will check to see if I can find out where for you. There was also rumored that there was a new store opening in the old Graceland mall. I will try to run by Graceland today when I am out running errands to see if there is anything there. Wouldn't want to send you on a wild goose chase. If you need any other help with stuff here in Columbus let me know.

Posted by: kittykitty at April 7, 2005 12:37 PM

I don't know if you've been there before, but I wouldn't recommend the Yarn Shop. They've been rude to me and I've heard the same from others. After a couple frustrating visits I've decided not to shop there again.

According to their web site, the shop that bought the Wolfe Fiber Arts inventory is opening April 15th, so you might be around for that. They're called the Knitter's Mercantile and I think they were originally were a web store based in Dublin. (http://www.knittersmercantile.com)

I also heard that someone bought the old Wolfe Fiber Arts house and was planning on keeping it as a yarn store, but I don't think it's reopening any time soon. I was sad when Wolfe Fiber Arts closed and I haven't found anywhere else I really like in Columbus, so I hope this new store is good.

Posted by: Adriane at April 7, 2005 2:27 PM

Hello,

I love both yarn goodies and I love your idea of "paying forward" *smile* If I had to pick (and I will *smile*) I would have to say that I would like to be put in the drawing for the Phildar Licorne. Thanks and have a great vacation!

Posted by: stacey at April 7, 2005 2:55 PM

Hello,

Posted by: stacey at April 7, 2005 2:57 PM

ooh I'm all about the cascade 220. If you're driving through NE ohio to get to columbus, there's a great yarn/fabric store called Sew Krazy in Wooster ohio. It's my favorite yarn store.

Posted by: Peggy at April 7, 2005 3:57 PM

Such a nice idea, with a great inspiration. :)

Posted by: K. Anne at April 11, 2005 2:28 PM