To Brattleboro and Back Again: Part the Second

The other delight of  Saturday's NEH meeting in Brattleboro wasn't so much in Brattleboro after all, but just seven minutes up the highway in Putney.

And what is in Putney?

(pause also for a moment to admire Kelly's fabulous Kristin Nicholas cardigan masterpiece that she finished a few weeks ago.  Man o man, the embroidery and the colourwork: but wow, what a thing of beauty)

The charm of the shop at Green Mountain Spinnery is that it is about as big as a closet. No one believes me until they've been there themselves and then they all make the little pinch with their finger and thumb and say: "oh my gawd, the shop is only. this. big." like I hadn't been clear enough.  Through doors on both sides of the shop, which you could almost open simultaneously without moving your feet, it is possible to glimpse things such as this:

A whole whack of Mountain Mohair just hanging out, ready for tagging and shipping.

David Ritchie (an utter sweetie, and so cute in his wool hat) was about the premises, and was happy to chat about the state of wool, and to let me and Kelly admire the carders (this is just one of many),

I guess it must happen a lot, knitters wandering past the shop, into the office, not knowing for a moment or two that they've stepped behind the wizard's curtain and are looking directly at the mechanisms that make the magic, which is just wool, after all.  But what wool it is:  local, honest, much of it organic.  I love this place, not just on principle, but because of Mountain Mohair, which is one of my all time favorite worsted weight yarns.  And it was a hoot to show Kelly how small a yarn shop can be. 

Only. This. Big.

and yet, not at all.

Comments

[Mary K. IN Rockport]

Oooh, can one just walk right in? I have friends in Brattleboro and might have to pay them and Green Mountain Spinnery a visit - although I think we'll wait until after snow and mud season.

[Lucia]

It is pretty amazing, isn't it? On one of our all-too-rare weekend jaunts it was Grant who spotted the sign. Yes, one can just walk right in and wander in awe -- but it doesn't take long to wander, as it really is all packed into a tiny space.

[Earin]

You've nailed it. The first time I visited I keep looking around...where was the rest of the store? Was I not seeing the door that led into the huge warehouse? Not everything has to be big to be great!

[Melanie]

Oh yeah. Last year my husband and I headed up to eat at Curtis's BBQ and ended up stopping at the Spinnery on our way home. Walked in, looked around, and realized that the vestibule I'd just walked into was, in fact, the entirety of the shop. And then on a quest for 7 matching skeins the nice lady behind the desk at the time had to climb a ladder into the *attic* which made me feel immensely guilty. But oh, how I love the Flyingdales I made from their NH Organic.

[Angie]

Curtis's AND Green Mountain?! Now that's a great day... the only way to improve it would be to stop at Webs on the way home (because we all know that NOTHING improves a day like a stop at Webs!)

[Laurie]

I didn't know! THAT BIG? I like the carder picture.

[lanea]

I want to go there so badly. I'm glad you enjoyed it.

[Beth S.]

So when you go to a festival where Green Mountain has a booth, it's just like being in the store? :-)

I'd like to find out first-hand.