Yarntopia

The act of knitting is ancient; it doesn't get more low tech than handknitting. Sticks and string connect us to generations of people who knitted for clothing and survival.  There is no denying, however, that the high tech world has impacted and forever changed our craft.  There are so many tools available thay I will only scratch the surface in this post.

When Amy and I began planning Yarntopia, blogs were all the rage in the knitting world.  Truth be told I miss the yarn blogosphere.  It is still there, but it has been replaced by social networking sites.  Blogs were a great way to post and track projects and to get to know other knitters on a personal level. Having blog friends around the country (and sometimes world) was so cool. Then came Ravelry.

Ravelry began as a place for fiber folks to log their projects, stash, needles & hooks; an virtual inventory.  It didn't take long for the Ravelry groups to explode in popularity as people were able to connect worldwide with others who love to create with fiber and yarn.  Now, Ravelry is the go to place to find patterns from independent designers as well as favorites from magazines and books.  Have a yarn but don't know what to do with it?  Go to Ravlery, search for your yarn and see what people from around the world have done with it.  It also brings designers up close and personal with their fans and is a great resource to get  pattern help if you get stuck.  

Facebook and Twitter are also great tools for staying current with others. Yarntopia has both a Facebook page and a Twitter account.  I love using them both, but really love Twitter the most. For Yarntopia we utilize Facebook more than Twitter but that is only because more of our folks are on Facebook.  If you don't do Facebook, consider starting a page.  You don't have to post much, but it is a great way to know what's going on at the store.  We take photos and post them to Facebook whenever new merchandise comes in or if something exciting is happening.  Our Twitter and Facebook accounts are linked, so Twitter lovers aren't left out.

The newest entry in the digital marketing world are the QR Codes. These are little squares with what appear to be random black and white pixels forming a pattern. Smartphone owners can download a free app to read these codes. When you read the code you will be taken to a specific website. I took an outdoor walking tour in Vermont last summer that used these codes to take participants to the websites of the artists participating in the event. Very cool!

After you download the QR Code Reader, scan this image and see what happens.  Then bring your phone and come see us!

Check out our links page for other great websites that add a modern touch to the ancient craft we love so much.

Till next time,

Sheryl & Amy