Tuesday, September 25, 2012

String Theory and yarnbombing Taos

I was passing through Taos yesterday and stopped at the new yarn shop. Yeah! New Yarn Shop!!! Ever since Taos Sunflower closed many many years ago (I know Martie, it was a good decision for you, but your shop was so great), Taos has been without a welcoming yarn shop where they let me pet the yarn and maybe take a few skeins home with me.


I heard rumors about the new yarn shop a few weeks ago. The name is fantastic: String Theory. The shop is still small and they are carrying mostly local yarn at the moment. But they will branch out and create fiber community and it will be fun and lovely. I'm sure of it.

These people are seriously funny. Check out their About page on their website. I met Guinevere who was sitting on one of the inviting leather couches in the shop knitting a bikini for a parking meter. And I already knew Alex from Weaving Southwest, a rug-weaving career cut too short. Anyone who invents a holster for rug shuttles definitely has potential in the weaving community. Alex is fantastic and I hope he gets his own loom and keeps weaving rugs. In the meantime he is apparently a genius crochet-er.

I have in my head an image of Alex standing at one of these Rio Grande looms at Weaving Southwest with big rag shuttles stuck in his pockets. But I can't find the photo. Perhaps I never really took it.

I do realize that my obsession with yarn shops is not exactly natural for a tapestry weaver. After all, most yarn shops are trying to sell to knitters who feel pretty good about a 4 oz skein of yarn costing north of $18. But for a weaver of large tapestries, that is a pretty high price tag considering the distance 4 oz will take you. I think yarn stores are my comfort food. They have beautiful skeins of yarn that have such potential all shiny in their wrappers. And knitting is easy. It is relaxing. It doesn't carry expectations with it (art, financial success, beauty, shows...).

Taos plaza was yarnbombed this week. I learned about it on Facebook (where else?) and was happy to have an opportunity to see it for myself. Here are a few shots of this ongoing project. I think it will be up through Taos Wool Festival.







I love these little guys on the wrought-iron railings.


And this is my favorite. Breath In. Breathe Out. Move On.
I am interested to see the bikini-wearing parking meters.



3 comments:

  1. I'm glad Taos has a new yearn shop too. Everywhere should have a yarn shop. Even though I also don't get weaving yarn at a LYS, I love going in and being inspired by all that color and texture. Then of course I have to buy some to take home,and that may be the main reason I also knit.

    Just saw that the spell checker changed 'yarn shop' to 'yearn shop.' Seems appropriate, so I'll leave it!

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  2. Rebecca: Thanks for this! I've been hearing about the new shop but haven't been in Taos since it opened. I'm so happy there's a new shop in town. Closing TS, then the loss of La Lana and WSW has left a gaping hole in the community when it comes to fiber. I wish them lots of success and look forward to visiting when I return next.

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