What do you think?

I was perusing the spring issue of Knitter's yesterday, and came across an ad for Yarn of the Month Club.  So I went to the website and checked it out.  The club consists of a monthly shipment of 4 samples of yarn, just enough to swatch.  The premise is that it allows you to try out yarns without investing in a whole skein.  The cost is $8.50 per month.

So I said to myself "Self, what if you did something like that at the Yarn Gourmet?  You could call it yarn tapas."  Tapas, for those of you who haven't had the joy of experiencing them, are appetizers ranging in complexity from very simple to very elaborate.  They are Spanish in origin, and heavenly in reality.  A selection of tapas is usually eaten as a meal, allowing you to try several different dishes instead of being limited to just a few.

Yarn tapas would consist of three to four yarns every month, about 10 yards each, in a small Ziploc bag for $8.  The beauty of this versus the YoMC is you don't have to subscribe, you can pick up the tapas any time it is convenient for you, and it will be yarns that I carry, so you don't have to go find the tapas yarns you liked.  Each baggie would have a photocopy of the yarn labels, so you have full information (and so I don't have to type it all).

I also am thinking about the knitters who like knitting with beads.  If you haven't knit with beads, trust me - it is not as complicated as you may think, and creates gorgeous results.  Beads can be expensive, though, and carrying an inventory of all the available colors of glass beads would be very difficult.  BUT - if I had one pack of each available color, anyone who wanted beads would be able to choose the color that works with their yarn, and then order them from me.  The vendor is normally very prompt, so the delay in gratification would be minimal.

BTW, The Yarn Gourmet opens TWO WEEKS FROM TODAY.  I am still waiting for ARTyarns,  Berroco, Malibrigo, some of the original Brown Sheep order, K1C2, and some of the Trendsetter.   As soon as I have cash flow I am going to order Mountain Colors, Fiesta, and several other lovely yarns.  Any requests?  I can't order any Plymouth yarns - they want a $3,000 minimum order, and that just ain't in the cards nor the bank.  Even Prism only requires a $1,000 minimum for the first order, no minimum after that.

I have invited the Frog Pond Knitting Group to meet here next Wednesday night, 12 May, to see the shop and give me some input on how the shop is arranged, and if I am missing anything I really should have.  I have been doing this so much lately I can no longer see the yarn for the sheep.

Back to work with me.  Please knit responsibly.