Sandwiches… check; knitting… check; mittens… check; shawl… check; woolly socks… check; thermal undies… check; keys… check. It’s an odd combination of things to need for work, but I think that covers the most important stuff. And so, yesterday, I set off for my day in charge of Red Apple Yarn.
a woolly tribute in the shop window
The loss of our friend Pauline has left a hole in our little knitting community. Whilst Red Apple Yarn is owned and run by Jude, it was Pauline who looked after the shop when help was required. Minding the shop this week was already in her diary and no one expected that she would no longer be with us to do it. The Knit Nighters, however, were determined to fill the hole and so we volunteered our services to keep the shop open this week so that Jude didn’t have to close up for her holiday… and yesterday was my day.
I should explain that Red Apple Yarn lives in the old Post Office in Lampeter and it still has many of the original features – wooden doors and window frames, the old counter (now L-shaped rather than running across the room), the wooden panelling and, most importantly when you’re sitting in there all day, a very high ceiling. It’s very difficult to keep warm, and the big, heavy outer door needs to be propped open otherwise no one would dare venture in, but it makes for a chilly work place… hence all the warm clothing.
Despite the temperature, I loved my day there. I settled down to knit and talk about wool. I found chatting to the gents whilst the ladies browsed a good ploy. Of course a wool shop on a rainy Thursday is not the busiest place in the world*, so I had time to make use of the huge swift that Jude has in the shop and wind a couple of skeins that were too big for my antique one (skeins must have expanded in the last 100 years!). I cast on for my new top-down jumper and drank a lot of tea. I failed to locate the gift vouchers and a specific colour of yarn, but on the whole I think I had happy customers. In addition, I didn’t break the till – which I was slightly intimidated by. So, I’m hoping that I’ll get the chance to help out again in the future… it is a very happy place for me!
-oOo-
* Apparently, however, Sainsbury’s was heaving as people stocked up for the Easter weekend, when no food is available in the UK**
** No, really… we may all starve
The Snail of Happiness 
Wild Daffodil
/ March 30, 2018Looks like such a wonderful place to be, especially when the weather gets a bit warmer. So glad you enjoyed your day.
Bank Holiday mass panic buying always amazes me – that reminds me I must get some milk to put in the freezer! 😉
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The Snail of Happiness
/ March 30, 2018I didn’t get too cold as I went prepared; there is a small back room to retreat to where it is warmer, but I wanted to be in the shop.
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crawcraftsbeasties
/ March 30, 2018Oh yay, I’m glad your day went well… Even if it came about because your knitty family lost someone recently. Red Apple Yarn looks like exactly my kind of place – it must have taken serious determination to resist the siren call of all that lovely yarn!
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The Snail of Happiness
/ March 30, 2018I didn’t entirely resist…
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crawcraftsbeasties
/ March 30, 2018Heehee! I won’t judge you… I couldn’t have, either!
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The Snail of Happiness
/ March 30, 2018only three balls… it would have been rude not to!
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crawcraftsbeasties
/ March 31, 2018Absolutely! Gotta support local business! 😉
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coppicelearner
/ March 30, 2018I shall have to try and organise a visit to the quilt exhibition on a day when you are minding the shop – but not bring a credit card or much money or I will spend too much! Glad you enjoyed your day.
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The Snail of Happiness
/ March 30, 2018how about we meet up and go to the exhibition and shop together and have lunch? I owe you an email – I’ve been very lax!
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tialys
/ March 30, 2018What a delightful place to spend the day – even better if it was warm too but you can always prepare for that.
Is Sainsburys even closed at all over the Easter?
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The Snail of Happiness
/ March 30, 2018I suspect Sainsburys is open all weekend, but there seems to be a very strange attitude when is comes to food and bank holidays in the UK
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KerryCan
/ March 30, 2018I could LIVE in that shop–it looks so warm and welcoming (despite that you said about it being cold inside!)
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The Snail of Happiness
/ March 30, 2018I did think about building a nest out of all the wool! I really didn’t mind it being a bit chilly – it was totally worth it and I went prepared.
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willedare
/ March 30, 2018Such beautiful colors of yarn all around the store! Thank you for this glimpse into your day at Red Apple Yarn.
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The Snail of Happiness
/ March 30, 2018It saddens me that the internet, for all that I love about it, is depriving us of real shops. I’m delighted to be able to be part of a community helping to keep at least one of them open.
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katechiconi
/ March 30, 2018Ah, that explains why Sandwiches was item No. 1.
Good Friday in Australia is a retail free zone. Nothing is open. Nothing…. Which explains why I had to make a 7.30pm run down the road; I hadn’t realised we’d be short of milk.
It sounds as if you had a whale of a time, in more or less your natural habitat!
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Laurie Graves
/ March 30, 2018Looks like such a bright, cheery place. So good that the Knit Knighters could keep it going.
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The Snail of Happiness
/ March 30, 2018It would have been a shame for the shop to have to close for a week… no good for the business either if people turn up when they expect it to be open and there’s a ‘closed’ sign.
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Laurie Graves
/ March 30, 2018Yes, yes! Glad you and your knitting buddies could keep it open.
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thecontentedcrafter
/ March 30, 2018Well done you!! It certainly looks like the kind of place one could spend a lot of time in – and I love that there is the option/service of winding a hank into a ball too. I’m guilty of doing a lot of my buying from on-line retailers, because I don’t have a lovely local store any more – but did they disappear because of the move to online? It becomes a Catch-22 doesn’t it. Your comment about the panic buying of food for a long weekend made me smile wryly. It happens here too, even though there is just the one day when the shops are closed. I needed to pick up some milk on Thursday and couldn’t find an empty parking space and the roads were backed up too – though Ed Sheeran being in town over Easter added to that insanity! Apparently he is very popular here.
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The Snail of Happiness
/ March 30, 2018I really enjoyed spending a whole day in the shop – it gave me an opportunity to poke around and find all sorts of bits and pieces that I didn’t know were in there! I’d certainly be happy to step in if required again. I love being able to squish the yarn and see the colours for real… several times I have been disappointed by on-line purchases because I’ve ended up with colours that don’t resemble the pictures on screen.
I hope that Mr Sheeran does not disrupt your weekend too much – I’m sure he’s a lovely young man really!
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thecontentedcrafter
/ March 30, 2018Apparently he is a lovely young man and if the country is going to go bonkers over anyone I’m glad it is a good person! I’d be the same as you if left for a whole day in a shop – inspecting the array of options would be a great way to occupy ones time 🙂
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redappleyarn
/ April 1, 2018Poke around!!!!!
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anne54
/ March 30, 2018Ohh, I would wander into that shop too, and spend hours looking at everything. Then, of course, I would have nothing to eat because I missed the food shops! But I am sure I could find a hot cross bun somewhere.
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Born To Organize
/ March 31, 2018I love yarn shops, but would be over the moon to find one in a former post office. What fun. I’m so glad you could step in to Pauline’s shoes. How bittersweet.
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gillyflower
/ March 31, 2018Looks a wonderful place to spend the day, despite the cold. Good on you – and try to find something to eat!
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The Snail of Happiness
/ March 31, 2018I think we’ll probably manage to find a little food somewhere…
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arlingwoman
/ March 31, 2018This looks like a wondrous shop and how great that you could go mind it. Glad you dressed warmly and got to start something new while there.
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insearchofitall
/ March 31, 2018How lovely that you could help out while it’s sad for the reason. I too would have to look at everything and squish all the yarns and I don’t even knit. 😉 Colors of anything draw me in. That is the most amazing store. You are very good at planning for the day.
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AJ
/ March 31, 2018Oh that looks like such a wonderful shop and so great you all volunteered. I’ve always thought it would be fun to work in a yarn shop!
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The Snail of Happiness
/ March 31, 2018I think I might have found my dream job!
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redappleyarn
/ April 1, 2018It can be arranged!!!
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The Snail of Happiness
/ April 1, 2018hurrah – I loved my day in the shop
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Helen
/ March 31, 2018What an amazing shop – so much yarn!!
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TammieLP
/ April 1, 2018Hmmm, why am I likening this to letting a kid mind a toy shop! Sounds like too much fun to be work for you. (Note: My mom, a quilter, “works” in a local fabric shop, so I’m sure she would relate to this post.)
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nikkibnb
/ April 1, 2018Oh what a lovely and inviting shop!
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The Snail of Happiness
/ April 1, 2018not good for the bank balance, though!
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redappleyarn
/ April 1, 2018It is beginning to sound like I could make money offering work placements!!!!!!!
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The Snail of Happiness
/ April 1, 2018Interns – that’s the answer!!
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