I get my yarn fix

I knit. I love to knit. The idea of taking some yarn and a couple needles and in a few days having a piece of art is amazing. While I’m knitting at home, I watch a lot of Netflix. This wasn’t really an issue when I lived in Philadelphia, had a half-hour commute, went to work at noon, and stayed up well after all my friends had already gone to sleep.

Now I get home around 8pm, not that much earlier than before, but now I need to be snuzzled in bed around 11pm. (This is extremely hard for me for a number of reasons, the most important being my circadian rhythm disorder. That’s for another story.) This doesn’t afford me the luxury of watching 2-3 movies a night anymore.

I’ve also lost my knitters. While I still run a blog and podcast with several of them—one long overdue for an update, I know—I miss the interaction of weekly visits to one of our favorite coffee shops for hours of “social knitworking”, and the occasional bottle of wine.

Enter Looped Yarn Works.

Last Thursday, I trekked over to the cozy store just north of Dupont Circle; I needed a few knitting notions that I’d not yet unpacked or simply couldn’t find. Besides grabbing some stitch markers and a new tape measure, I discovered that I’d just coincidentally stopped in on their regular open knit night.

I tend to be shy when meeting new people, and especially in groups larger than half a dozen, but so far I’ve been content to sit, knit, and listen in on the conversation. I’m slow to remember names, but the group is friendly and funny. In addition to a lovely, well laid-out store with friendly and knowledgeable staff, I’ve found a little place I can hang out and get a regular fix.

I’ve been told of other yarn shops in the DC area, but this one will most likely be my go-to shop. It’s not too far off my route home from work, and I’m happy to fork over money to people who seem genuinely interested in my current projects and willing to help me if they can. Indeed, last night I purchased 9 skeins of Malabrigo worsted for a sweater for my father, and was asked to show it off when it’s finished.