How We Choose Our Inventory - Part 3
Written by Cleo (they/she)
In Part 1 I talked about two general categories of yarn that sell best: the affordable basics and the unique showstoppers. In this blog post I want to talk about the yarns that don't quite fit into either of these categories, the ones that are truly high quality and maybe a little fancy but not necessarily unique or eye-catching.
(Read about how Jane looks for those head-turning yarns in part 2 here!)
They're the yarns that are very lovingly and intentionally designed to be your surprise favorites. The ones you make project after project with. The yarns you suggest to your friends with the caveat, "I know it's a bit more expensive, but I promise you it's worth the money." They're yarns that at first glance just seem like any old yarn, but I promise you they each hold their own secret that makes them very, very special.
Why Call One Store a "Specialty" Yarn Shop?
I had a few reasons to use the word "Specialty" when naming my second location "Cleo + Rory's Specialty Yarn Shop" (or Rory's for short). Right away I knew I wanted Rory's to carry entirely different yarns than Cleo's (our original location in Bushwick), because there are just too many good yarns out there to double up! Plus, the two shops are pretty close to each other, so carrying the same inventory just didn't make much sense. So in part, it was to communicate to our existing customers and people who already knew about us that this store was going to be different.
Second, it was to communicate to anyone who comes in, whether they're an existing customer or completely new, that the yarns in the shop are going to be part of this third category of yarn I described above: the quietly special yarns. When choosing yarns for Cleo's, Jane and I usually always consider the balance between a yarn's style, quality, availability, and affordability. Unfortunately, affordability can play a big role in whether we bring in a yarn or not, regardless of if it's an incredible yarn in all other ways. I decided that at Rory's, I didn't want the price of a yarn to stop me from stocking it if it was one I truly thought was worth its price.
Choosing Yarns for Rory's in Ridgewood
The yarns I have chosen for Rory's are generally ones that I believe are the best of their categories. Many of them I have been personally working with consistently for a decade or more: Woolfolk Tynd, Ito Sensai, MadelineTosh Pashmina, and Blue Sky Fibers Baby Alpaca Sport (coming soon to our website!) are some of these. Others I have known for less time but I know already they have true staying power: Kinua Yarn's Luxury Fingering Blend and Amano Sami XL (both also coming soon!), Wooldreamers Mota, Galler Yarns Heather Prime Alpaca, and Koigu Chelsea have all made quite the impression on me recently.
Most of these yarns are unlike any other I have worked with. Almost certainly they are the only yarns of their kind that have been made with the intention, consistency, and reliability they deserve. When choosing yarns for Rory's, I paid close attention to the yarns I could not find equivalents of anywhere else.
Fiber, Dyes, and Quality
The yarns I chose for Rory's do have a few things in common, though. With a focus on quality and longevity I do have less yarns that are machine washable. This is because the superwash treatment process on wool changes the fiber in order to make it machine washable. The benefits to this are that superwash yarn will not felt when washed, and it holds bright colored dye a bit better than most non-superwash wool.
However, fabric made with superwash wool does stretch significantly after being blocked, and it cannot be machine washed very many times before it starts to look a little felted (the many dog sweaters I have made for my dog Rory and have washed many, many times are a good example of this). The superwash process also tends to make yarns all very similar to one another. Many companies use identically manufactured bases to dye their yarns making them only unique in dye, but not fiber, ply, or weight.
So since most hand-dyed yarns are superwash wools, we don't have as many hand-dyed yarns at Rory's than at Cleo's. Notable exceptions, however, are Dream in Color's Smooshy Cashmere (coming soon to our website!) and Hu Made DK, a yarn dyed in NYC!
Ethical Sources
Another factor I consider when choosing yarns for Rory's are the values of the companies producing them. I am especially drawn to companies that are transparent about where their fibers come from, prioritize animal welfare, support skilled workers and artisans, and invest in preserving traditional textile practices. Many of the yarns we've brought into both shops (but Rory's especially) come from companies like Wooldreamers, which works directly with Spanish shepherds and wool producers, Manos del Uruguay, a Fair Trade nonprofit made up of women's cooperatives across rural Uruguay, Kinua Yarns, which partners with Peruvian artisans and fiber producers, and Koigu, a family-run company that has been hand-painting their yarns on a small scale for over 30 years!
Going with Feeling Over Facts
The special thing about all of the yarns at Rory's is that I cannot tell you in a few sentences why they are all great. They are all so unique and incredible in their own individual ways I would have to give each one of them their own paragraph to really tell you what they can offer. But also, even writing about them in detail can only go so far. Because the beauty of any yarn isn't in a description of its best qualities, it's in how it feels to work with, how it transforms from hank to fabric, and how it wears with you over time.
I'd love to have you visit either of my shops soon and feel for yourself & pick something out for your next project. I think there's a strong likelihood you might pick up your next favorite yarn!