Wool Is Not Enough …

Hi everybody! Yes, I’m still here. Sorry for the disappearance – I’ll put up a post about it soon. In the meantime, I have to tell you about my favorite new LYS – even though Sho calls it her VLYS (Very Little Yarn Shop). I’m talking about the kiosk in the Tinseltown Plaza in Vancouver called Wool Is Not Enough. Funnily enough, Anne and I heard mention of this shop last week when we were discussing the upcoming Yarn Harvest in the lower mainland with our Sunday knitting group. As I had done a post a couple of months back on the yarn shops in the lower mainland, I was a little confused when the name Wool Is Not Enough came up on the list of the stores participating. I decided I would have to investigate. I didn’t have to do much however, as I got a call from Janine, one of my background agents, on Thursday. Steve, I was thinking of you as I saw a knitting stand across the street in the Tinseltown mall today. I was actually on my way to the office when I got the call, so I went to check it out right after.

As it turns out, shop is probably a stretch. Shoshana (the owner) has invoked her Virgo creativeness, and with the help of her husband, has set up a large kiosk in the mall – with yarn! In using the small space available to her (retail rental space in Vancouver is extremely expensive), Sho has set up a kiosk and now has the only portable knitting store in the lower mainland – probably all of BC. Don’t let the small size fool you though, Sho has carefully selected a variety of fibers to carry to meet the needs of most knitters. There is yarn in all weights from fingering lace to extra bulky, and fibers from acrylic blends to alpaca, bamboo blends, and of course wool! Shoshana also carries a variety of needles (double pointed, circulars, circular interchangables, and straights), books and magazines, and various accessories. Actually, I’d like to point out that she saves you up to 40% off the Canadian prices of the books by selling them in Canadian dollars at the US dollar price! She also has the ability (and will soon as soon as she get a feel for which yarns to carry) to have more than double the amount of yarn than she currently has. The great thing about the yarns that Sho is carrying is that even though the quality is fantastic, she has been able to keep the prices down, with most balls under $10. Unlike some stores her mark up is right at the suggested retail as well.

Of course, no LYS or VLYS would be complete without classes. Sho offers classes at her shop at the best rates in town. She even has lunch hour corporate classes available as well. I’m also pleased to say that I have taken to the shop so much that I will be teaching a continental knitting class there starting at the end of this month. If you’re in the area and would like to learn how to knit continental style, make sure you sign up. The class will be limited in size and spots are going fast. Her hours are in a state of flux right now as she experiments and finds out what works best, but they’re generally from 12 noon (nothing happens in the mall before 12) to 6 or later. On a Tuesday (big movie night), or a Thursday and Friday, she’ll probably be open late.also, on the nights when there’s an event at GM Place or a Canucks game, you’ll probably see the needles clacking away as well. There’s also a knitting group night – Thursdays – where you can get together and knit your night away. If numbers are big enough (4 or more), the group is held at the Starbucks right beside the shop. This past Thursday we had a knitting triangle and just sat at the kiosk knitting away. I’ll have to alternate weeks with my other knitting group that meets on Thursdays as well.

Shoshana has a website at this link – WOOL IS NOT ENOUGH – where you can read her blog and get the lowdown on what’s in store (or kiosk). Make sure you check it out and if I happen to be there when you stop by, be sure to say hello and stay and knit a stitch or two with me!

Hugzzz

P.S. I just realized that the initials for Wool Is Not Enough is WINE! Hmmmmm? I wonder if that was intentional??