While Some Were Sweating in Maryland . . .

I was in New York City this weekend to ride in the Five Boro Bike Tour.  A series of last minute developments landed me in New York on Saturday night in time to meet my stepson at Wild Ginger in Soho for dinner (he's a vegetarian, and loves the place).  I managed to get to the neighborhood in time to visit Purl at their new location on Broome street.  I had never managed to see the old space, so this was especially exciting to see the shop in the glorious new setting with all. that. room.

Now, I understand I was there on a Saturday, and to judge a shop on their Saturday doings is almost unfair, but I had such good predisposition about the place that I thought nothing could harsh my mellow about it. I mean, people LOVE Purl, right?

I kinda wish I hadn't gone at all now.  While the staff was nice enough -- two of the five of them even enthusiastic -- I found the whole vibe a bit chilly.  I couldn't figure out how a knitter would orient themselves in the place, or be anything but overwhelmed by the anonymous bins of yarn lining the walls. 

Pretty the store certainly is, but user friendly it is not.  I guess one would have to know what you wanted specifically since yarn weights seem distributed about the place according to whim, and I couldn't find a critical mass of something worsted sized except for Cascade 220, which I recognized by touch. They carry nice stuff: Fiber Company and Alchemy, Louet, Tillie Thomas, and Lobster Pot yarns. I saw Kidsilk Haze on a lower shelf on the right under what I think was "the fuzzy lace" section. I thought I wanted something smoother to make an Abrazzo from the current issue of Twist, and could only find a basket of Jade Sapphire merino lace that fit that particular bill.  I ended up buying some Louet KinLin as my souvenir purchase, even though I really wanted a sweater's worth of something, but by that point my crest was fallen and I had lost interest. What I will make with it, I do not know.

(image borrowed from the Purl Blog)

I did try to strike up a little chat with the staff, but I think they just thought I was a knitting wierdo.  It is New York, after all.  They must get a lot of odd ducks through the place, and what I thought of as an inviting opening remark may have just seemed, well . . . not inviting?  Anyway.  It was such a strange thing to walk out of there feeling sad, since you know, that's never happened to me before when it comes to yarn shops.

But a big pretty yarn store it remains.  Checked off my list, and I never need to do that again. 

And the next day, I rode 42 miles in the company of 32,000 other cyclists through the five boroughs of New York, and saw many parts of the city I had never visited before, including Queens and Staten Island.  It was a beautifully organized event full of happy if slightly overheated bike enthusiasts.  My cycle buddies (and brothers) Hugh and Tim were great fun and made me a family member for the day.

(

(the only photo I took, at Astoria Park). We had a celebratory dinner at the Gramercy Tavern (recommended by a NYC knitting friend), which was fantastic on every level. It's a restaurant made of the attention to fine details, and the food's pretty awesome too.

I made not a stitch all weekend, but I did make it to Kinokuniya Bookshop for a Japanese knitting pattern fix.

I picked up this beautiful book, called

編んでみようアランもようのウエアと小もの

(here's the Ravelry link) with several things in it I would love to have the time to make. But for now, I shall just dream, and truck along on the second sleeve for Vivian.

Comments

[Lisa]

That feeling you had at the new Purl? Imagine that in a place the size of a matchbox. Packed with people.

[kristin]

Oh man, that's a bummer. We visited NYC a month ago and ended up there on a very rainy Sunday. We were really the only ones in the stores. The staff was so nice and welcoming at both stores (they were in the old space then) and I walked out with a colorwheel quilt kit. Bad yarn store experiences are the worst, aren't they?

[Jocelyn]

I've been to the old location a couple of times (super-tiny - even by NYC standards). As an ex-LYS employee, I did pretty well with the "name that yarn" game. While I appreciated the aesthetic appeal of no tags or labels showing, I couldn't understand why they didn't have labels under the cubbies to indicate what the yarn was and the price (at least). I don't really get it. Next time you're in NYC, check out Knitty City on the Upper West Side. Very roomy, very friendly and lots and lots of yarn.

[Colleen]

Will you be at the sheep and wool this weekend?

[Becky]

You had a perfect day for the Bike Tour! I was amazed when I was walking toward 6th Avenue and saw so many bikers...what a site. Didn't you love the folks with the crazy things stuck to their helmets? Never been to Purl - have you tried Brooklyn General?

[Laurie]

The bike tour sounds wonderful! Sorry you had a less than wonderful experience at Purl. Honestly, from your description, I would not have liked it either. I'm reminded of the time I went to a three-day Rodney Yee yoga workshop. I was glad I went because I could say I'd done it. Would I ever do it again? Nope! Not in a bazillion years!

[Stephanie]

I can't believe you and Ken did the same ride and didn't see each other! (32 000 cyclists can't be that many...)

[Linda D]

So I'll be borrowing that book from you... ;-)

Going to NH S&W - need/want a copilot/driver? I'm looking for companionship for the ride.

[grumperina]

Ha, very interesting to read about your visit to Purl. It's hard to organize and run a shop "just right", you know? Even for seasoned veterans like the Purl staff...

[Rebecca]

Hi, I had the same sort of experience in the old PURL store last year when visiting NYC for a conference. I dragged two non-knitting friends all the way across-up-down(?) town to the shop only to be treated poorly when I requested a yarn they were out of. . .next day went to Knitty City where they offered to order, 'cause they were all out as well, and send the yarn to my home. Have ordered from Knitty City several time since; try them next time you are in NYC.