The Point of everything

The Point NYC (now closed)
37a Bedford Street
Bedford St at Carmine St

The point at The Point on Bedford is enjoyment. They're a bakery and yarn store, with lots of tables and not much space. I am rather picky when it comes to retail staff. They should be attentive without being intrusive, as well as helpful and knowledgeable without being pedantic or condescending. With a full room of knitters (not shoppers), The Point's staff nailed my requirements.

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Yarns Definitions (or, that comes from what?)

Yarns
Yarn	From	Reference
Cashmere	wool from the Cashmere goat	Wikipedia
Alpaca	wool-like fiber or fleece of the alpaca (same family as llama)	Wikipedia

Mom’s blue hat

This was knit flat using 29” circulars for two reasons: 1) I knit during my commute and on public transportation, where I’m not likely to get a seat, using circulars is just easier and 2) I was figuring out the pattern as I worked and that’s harder when knitting in the round. The first time I did this I had to add about 5 inches (40 stitches) after I completed most of the hat, because it was much too small around.

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Yarn Connection

Yarn Connection (now closed)
Madison Avenue off of E. 37th St.
Upstairs

Tight, tiny store, dusty. Old magazines. Needles located behind the door. The staff had their favorite people and was more than willing to chat with them. I asked for help and got it, but not good help – I told the woman I am allergic to acrylic, showed her the yarns I’d picked up, at my request she located other colors for me but she never bothered to tell me that two of the balls I’d picked up contained acrylic. What part of allergic didn’t she understand? And of course the store had gone out of business, so I couldn't return it.

Knit New York

Knit New York (now closed)
14th Street between 2nd Ave and 1st Ave, closer to 2nd.
Down short flight of stairs from street level

Large, white, clean shop. Never tried to the café.

First trip: helpful people, gorgeous colors in the yarns, very pricey but great sale bins. Spent $70 mostly on yarn.

Second trip: unnecessarily aggressive staff were beyond unhelpful (ended up with wrong sized needles because she wouldn’t listen), still pricey yarns in an astonishing variety of colors, uninteresting sale bins. Spent $16 only on tools.

A. C. Moore

A. C. Moore in Glendale (Queens), NY
Union Turnpike between 69th Ave and Woodhaven Blvd.
In back on the left in the Stop and Shop shopping mall

Huge, fluorescent lit craft store. Yarn is straight back from entrance, against the far wall. The staff is not helpful, is frequently dismissive and downright rude. More interested in chatting with each other than in helping you. But they’re quick to ring you up, don’t have to be told to open another cash register, and answer questions accurately (surly manner not withstanding). Yarn is basic stuff – Patons Classic Wool, Peruvian wool, Alpaca, cottons; some of the better blended yarns (cashmerino, silk/wool); and “other” yarns like the Spa stuff and the ones with Soy Solids (?). Very reasonable prices. Items easily 10-15% cheaper for the exact same items in Manhattan stores. Example: clover bamboo US10.5 29” circular needles were just under $10 at AC Moore, and US11 24” circular needles were $11.50 at Knit NY. Reams of Red Heart for $2-3/ skein.

Michael's The Arts and Crafts Store

Michael's in Rego Park (Queens), NY
Metropolitan Ave at Woodhaven Blvd
In the shopping mall with Trader Joe’s, Staples, Home Depot, around the corner from Panera Bread.

Huge, florescent lit craft store. Yarn is in the far left corner of the store, against the wall. Less yarn than AC Moore with comparable prices. Yarn includes the basics like wool and cotton. Lots of cotton.