Well, here we are just a few days before Christmas. Just like every crazy year, I decide a week before the holidays to knit gifts for everyone. WAAAAA…What am I THINKING?!?! (I am such a procrastinator. Hopefully no one else is quite so bad.)
Seriously, I think many knitters find themselves in a crunch-time as the holidays approach. Our intentions are good! But our expectations can be kind of ridiculous.
Yarn people’s good intentions
On the plus side, though, our good intentions often take us to gatherings of fellow “yarn people.” Whether you’re a knitter, a crocheter, a weaver, or a spinner—you can always find a crowd of welcoming people at your local yarn store (LYS).
This past Saturday, 12/20/25, I found myself in a lovely group of ladies and gentlemen at Yarn Alchemy in Bentonville, Arkansas. YA is my local yarn store and my second great “Happy Place” (after the Bentonville Temple). Every Saturday morning, Ashley Spencer, the owner of Yarn Alchemy, hosts a Coffee & Crafts time from 10:00 a.m. to noon. She doesn’t run anyone out the door at noon, though; Ashley likes people chatting and crafting in her store. And we love to be there.
The pictures give you an idea of one of the smaller groups on Saturday mornings. After all, it is just a few days before Christmas.
As you can see in the photos, people—men and women of all ages — participate in these lovely gatherings. (I’m in the center of the photo with red hair. Yup. That’s me!)
Here’s a closer look at some of us. Left to right: Sherri, ??, me, ??. The lady in the green cape is a new attendee. I think she had a great time.
And here you see the scamp that took the pictures. Steven loves his selfies! He is also an accomplished knitter and spinner. His “dad” jokes are the absolute WORST! But he is a delightful young fella whom I love to tease, mostly about his scraggly beard.
Everyone’s Welcome
Y’all come by Yarn Alchemy some Saturday after the first of the year and visit/craft with us!
Happy Knitting!
Anita