Perfect Friend, Perfect Shop, Perfect Day!

Some days are so good, you just want to bottle them and bring them out when the humdrum, mundane, doldrums set in.  Sunday, May 22 was such a day for me.

Linda arranged a birthday celebration for me that was over the top perfect.  She picked me up at 10:00 and by 11:00 we were at Spun a wonderful, new LYS in Ann Arbor.  I have been in Spun before but Dick was with me and I really didn't get a chance to look deep. I have even purchased yarn.  I just haven't told you about this fairyland of fabulous fiber.  (I try to get an alliteration in when ever I can!)

If this isn't a welcoming window, I don't know what is! (All of a sudden I realize most of my sentences end in exclamation points.  If I wrote using exclamation points and in all capitol letters you would get an idea about how excited I am visiting Spun) The window is an absolutely Roy G Biv experience saying, "You ain't seen nothing yet!"  Just come inside and be WOW!

I have never seen a LYS announce its specials on a huge blackboard in the window.  Remember when I set one of my knitting goals for the year to learn Brioche?  Well, that announcement is calling my name.  My first thought was Linda and I could go together.  We haven't attend a knitting class together in a very long time.  This time of the year is too busy for Linda, but I really don't mind going alone.  I love knitting classes where I develop new skills.  

As you walk in, you are welcomed by several of Lydia's cousins, all dressed to the nines.  What have I repeated over and over?  "I am a sucker for a knitted sample!"  If you carefully look at the table on the left side of the picture you will see. . .   YES, gradient yarn, my new obsession.  Not only did they have one company they had two with gradient yarn sets.  Be still my heart!  

There they are.  Linda gave me a gift certificate for my birthday and I was sure one of these packages would be saying "Happy Birthday, Jan!" before the day was over.

The rows were filled with all of my favorite yarns; Madelinetosh, Malabrigo, Shibui, Why Knot?, Mrs. Crosby, and many, many others.  I really thought I was going to have to wait until the first week in May, 2017 when we returned to North Carolina to find my yarn utopia, but here it is in Ann Arbor a mere 30 minutes away.  Ok, I'm going to say it. . .  Spun is every bit as wonderful as Black Mountain Yarn Shop and Silver Threads and Golden Needles and I can go any time I want.  Seven days a week!  I think I have told you about the LYS which introduced me to high end yarns and changed my yarn purchasing forever, Yarn Expressions.  Well, Spun is right down the hall from where Yarn Expressions used to be.  So in addition to enjoying Spun, I could reminisce about Yarn Expressions.

Spun is a "Family-owned local yarn shop in Ann Arbor's historic Kerrytown neighborhood."  In addition to the fiber companies I've mentioned, they also cater to Michigan hand dyers and spinners.  As a matter of fact, it was an Ann Arbor indie dyer who stole me away from gradient yarns as my birthday yarn.  

Color, color everywhere!  You look down, you look up and all you see is exquisite fiber just waiting to be taken home.  Sitting here and there are also unique accessories and knitting gadgets. I love Knitting gadgets.   

Taking place while we were visiting was a class on different cast-ons and when to use them.  Boy do I need that.  I graduated from long-tail cast-on out of necessity when I made the Survivor Shawls and found out that long-tail cast-on was way too tight.  Look at it!  Isn't that one of the friendliest sights you've ever seen.  I can't wait to take my first class here. Brioche in June is calling my name. Handouts were waiting at the table for attendees.  I must admit that I really wanted to take one. I didn't want to make a bad first impression.  

This is my birthday gift.  This is a beautiful, hand dyed silk yarn made in Ann Arbor.  I love that.  This yarn is so touchable. I am sure if you touch the screen, you will be able to feel its soft, silky yumminess.  Happy Fuzzy Yarn has named this colorway Galactic Gumshoe (someone else who loves alliteration!) 

After my birthday purchase, Linda took me across the street to Zingerman's where we had Hummingbird Cake as birthday cake.  

​I wasn't kidding when I said Perfect Friend, Perfect Shop, Perfect Day.  I now have a three way tie for first place for my favorite LYS, Black Mountain Yarn Shop, Silver Threads and Golden Needles and SPUN!  I am totally enchanted by this exquisite shop and can't wait to come back for a class.  

If you are ever in Ann Arbor, head to Kerrytown.  You will find the fabulous SPUN and many other unique shops then have lunch at Zingerman's.  Doesn't that sound like a perfect day.