Yarn shops are getting creative! They have come up with ways to get us all through the crazy, ways to cope, and ways to stay afloat. Sisters Sherri & Susan, owners of Rainy Day Yarns, located in Gig Harbor, Washington are pulling out all the stops. These gals just got through a major move. In February, Sherri and Susan, and Rainy Day Yarns, made a big move to a much larger space for their business. When they were in the planning stages of acquiring and designing the new space, the virus was about to break in China.
The plans were made, the move was done, and they had their grand opening. Bigger space, bigger rent to pay. The store is closed now because of quarantine measures put into place in the state of Washington and the girls are working from home. Believe me, that hasn’t stopped them, it’s barely slowed them down. The first move was putting all of the yarn online, uploaded to the existing website; no easy task. Rainy Day Yarns also has a yarn of the month program – – YES, both gals are yarn dyers. Sherri carries the house name, and Susan has Sunsoaked Sister. Yarn Of The Month is still in the works, and they are dying yarn.
Rainy Day Yarns has a very strong social media presence. The store is on Instagram, and Facebook, and something is always going on, non-stop. We’ve gone from hand washing and sneezing or coughing into our elbows, to sanitizing your establishment and Purell, to business establishment shutdowns, working from home, and social distancing. NO, this doesn’t slow these sisters down – – today they had an online sale with $5 skeins of yarn and a $15 surprise mystery purchase. Rainy Day Yarns offers curbside pickup, and also free shipping on orders over $25.00. If you are within a 20 mile radius, they have their Yarn UBER service where they will do a phone transaction, then deliver to your front porch.
Today I hop on Instagram and they are playing Knitter’s Quarantine Bingo – I LOVE IT!! These girls are unstoppable. Lots of stores are coming up with creative ideas like special COVID kits, knit alongs and much more. Look for the silver lining…it has to be here somewhere. Special time with family – the kids. A jump on that spring garden, car detailing…save the money and do it yourself. People are eating healthy and cooking from home and cleaning up the house and doing special projects. We are building a new deck off the back of the house. Am I stressed, you know I am….I’m starting new knitting projects like every day. Hey, maybe that’s a square on Knitters Quarantine Bingo??
Before you know it, life will slowly get back to normal. I’m sure it will be gradual, but you can get back to running those errands, commuting to work, watching the grand kids and eating out. It’s been tough on everyone, and our economy as a nation – my kids had a wedding planned for May 16 in Seattle; that has been cancelled. Don’t feel things are only tough on you…we are in this together, and you are not alone. As our grandma’s used to say “this too shall pass”! As I always say, support your local yarn shop…and WASH YOUR HANDS~
Sisters Sherri & Susan with MOM