Knitters the world over are known for their friendliness, warmth, and an all are welcome vibe. Knitters in Utah are kinda mean and insular. I was a founding member of the Salt Lake City Stitch N Bitch not long after Debbie Stoller’s book came out. It was a good way for a woman new to town at the time to meet new people and build community. That is until each meeting began to take on the feeling of a sixth-grade lunch table. There were cliques and an in crowd, and I wasn’t one of the “cool kids.” Since I had barely survived my adolescence the first time, I stopped attending meetings and the only social knitting I had was with my gal pals.
Since then I’ve tried MeetUp groups and groups affiliated with yarn stores. The MeetUp groups are oddly unwelcoming despite being public groups. I have been led to believe that if you sign up to come to a MeetUp, you're likely taking the seat of one of the regulars. They like and know her, unlike you who are essentially a carpetbagger. As for yarn shoppe groups…Well…The welcome is there, but so is the expectation to buy. I can’t afford to buy something every week. As a consequence, I wasn’t in the in crowd at those groups either. I don’t think of knitting as a wealthy woman’s hobby but it is often treated like one.
So, now you see where I found myself. Few knitting friends and fewer places to talk about knitting with those who are as passionate about it as I am. And then I learned that two new yarn shoppes were soon to open in Salt Lake City. And they promised to be a haven of joy and connection. First up was SLC Knitting Hive. Great location. Beautiful Store. Kind owner. Fantastic selection. If they have a good knit night, after more than 25 years of knitting I will have finally found my home.
My best-friend Audrey and I bought some Misti Alpaca after we fell in love with a sample scarf in the store. Buddy knits are the best knits, and it has been divine sharing the project with a friend. I will report back soon on the other store.
