"Come on in! We're AWESOME!"
This was the sign I noticed - much smaller than the sign out front that declares that YARN is sold here, but it's what grabbed my attention and made me smile. The chalkboard by the door made me laugh out loud (do take the time to walk up and read it for yourself).
My first experience at Stitch in Time began with these positive postings outside, and I had been hopeful about this local-enough-to-me shop (I live in Brighton) after having learned that it has been in business 27 years and that the owner, Charlene Hatfield, is a certified instructor with the Yarn Council of America. Wow.
And wowed I was upon entering. Among the first items I spied were my favorite brands of needles, then some beautiful yarn, and more beautiful yarn. Then Charlene popped around the corner - it was a Wednesday, and she was at the table with those gathered for open knitting each week, available from 10 AM until 6 PM. I was given a verbal guide to the store, invited to open cupboards and doors to look and touch anything, and had some of the specialty yarns highlighted - some from Dublin, Stitch in Time's own line, and others from indie dyers from the US. The armoire stocked with Jamieson's Shetland Spindrift has to be seven feet tall, six feet wide, and stocked with more colors than I have seen anywhere I have looked (as I haven't yet been to Scotland)!
I have found *my* LYS here in Michigan! The feeling of warmth and welcome exuded by each person I met, the caliber of Charlene's knitting knowledge and ability to elevate my skills, and the inspiration that adorns the walls, tops of cabinets, and shelves all combine to make *this* the Gold Standard shop in The Mitten! Stitch in Time, you ARE awesome! read more