I haven’t really been knitting lately. I’m making more bobble hats for my former boss, but the last one should get done today. I worked on a sock last weekend, the boy’s sock with the leg that is 10 1/2″ long. But mostly I’ve been doing LEGO sorting. The boy loved LEGO as a kid so we have a ton of sets, and all the pieces got jumbled together over the years. Now we are I am systematically going through each booklet and finding the right pieces for each set. It’s endless and boring and mind-numbing and very soothing and satisfying. There’s nothing like finding the last, right piece after searching through a plastic tub for ages. Anyway, that’s where my brain is right now. I don’t know what it means but I’m sure I’ll get back to fun knitting soon enough.
I am still appreciating pretty yarn, and I will show you my two “wins” first. The gray and black is Knit Picks Hawthorne that I ordered on a whim because I was ordering other yarn from them and needed to get free shipping (as one does, right?). The other is Christmas Silly String from BaH Yarns and I bought it on a whim when it popped up on my Instagram feed. I very much would like to knit it next, but first I must finish a bobble hat.
Now for the losses. I have two Christmas presents for the boy that are stuck somewhere in the ether, one coming from the UK and the tracking just says it’s on its way and check back for “regular updates”. Ha. One is from Etsy and there is no tracking number and the seller said “oh yes I’ll get you that tracking number tonight” and never did. I have a beautiful skein of yarn that I ordered from a small dyer whose yarn I love, and I ordered it November 2 and it has not been shipped, has not arrived, and I can get no answer from them through email or Instagram. I want to believe that there is something personal going on to explain the poor service, so I’m trying to sustain some empathy even though I have no evidence to support it. And then there’s this.
On the left is an Instagram photo of a special colorway preorder to support a domestic violence shelter. Good cause + purple = I ordered it. I knew it was a preorder so I waited. After four weeks, I’d heard nothing, so I sent a quick polite email just asking for an update. What do you know, it was ready to ship out that day! It came quickly at least. The right photo is the skein that arrived. One of these things is not like the other. I know colors can vary from one device to another, but I looked at her photo on multiple devices and they all showed purple. And mine … is gray, with flecks of blue and mustard and one big black splotch. Like it? It’s yours for the cost of shipping!
It’s for a good cause, so I don’t want a refund or anything like that. Someone told me I should give the dyer a heads up. If nothing else maybe she’d find it helpful to know that her photos don’t match her yarn? I don’t know. That’s awkward and I haven’t decided if I want to do that. But if I don’t, I know I’ll never order from her again. What do you think? Am I being too picky? Should I send an email or cut my losses and move on?
bonnyknits 
Well, in spite of the “missing” yarn, what you did acquire is lovely. I want to believe the vendor will do the right thing. Sometimes, private crafters only frequent the post office once or twice a month. The lack of communication is concerning, though.
Yes, I definitely checked her website & social media for shipping notices, even checking that specific colorway, and made sure I waited past any 4-week timeline. I try to be patient, especially in these days, but maybe my patience has a limit!
I kind of dig the yarn, and would gladly pay shipping. Unless we get a heat wave and we can meet to knit again soon.
I don’t anticipate a heat wave but the yarn is yours if you want it! I have too many pretty yarns so this would just go to the bottom of the pile, never to see daylight again.
It is going to be a long winter. I think the yarn would be great for a colorwork cowl or socks. Probably socks. Plus I’ll get to try her yarn, which I’ve wanted to do and will probably never buy due to your experience.
Postal woes are such a pain. Like stepping on Lego in fact! The purple and black Knit Picks is lovely! The last yarn though, is it worth checking that she sent the right one? My cynical side says that she forgot to dispatch yours (hence the notice on the day of chasing), ran out of that specific yarn, and just posted the closest one she could find? I don’t know. I have been let down by an indie dyer before and I won’t use them again. It was too much hassle for yarn.
I had the same thought–I opened it and immediately checked the label because I was sure it couldn’t be the right yarn! The label is right but I’m thinking the same thing as you, and the indignant part of me wants to message just because of that doubt. Thankfully there are so many other good indie dyers out there to choose from!
Yes there are 🙂 I do love a good discovery.
USPS is so behind. I think you should say something, just so she knows. While we’re on the subject of disappointment, I fell hard for a Thanksgiving Day promo from a shop where I was supposed to get a gift with purchase. And yes, I ordered enough to get the gift. I ordered it three minutes after it went live. It took USPS over two weeks to get my order to me. I finally got it yesterday and guess what!? You got it. No gift. I’m sure they’re out now, but I said something anyway. I haven’t heard back. And no, I probably won’t order from them anymore. They lost a really good customer. Is that how you feel, too? Because I’m hoping that I’m validating how you feel. I’m really impressed that you sort and save your lego sets like that. I never had the patience.
Yep, that’s how I feel. Sorry you didn’t get your gift. I know most of the time it’s an honest error but it still sucks. I think I’m going to say something because I know I would want to know, if I were her. When I was selling things on Etsy, I would hate to think I had an unhappy customer who stayed silent.
The lego sorting really pleases the OCD/perfectionist bits of my personality. Who knew I’d find legos to be good therapy for depression/anxiety?? 😀
The whole color difference happend to me to (my “Olive” yarn had no green). I’m wonder if it’s an end of dye lot thing? But yeah, I never reached out to the dyer about mine.
I LOVE your Christmas yarn, I hope you get to knit with it soon,
I guess I should just be glad it doesn’t happen more often. This is the first time I’ve actually wondered if they sent me the wrong yarn! But I did email them and they refunded me, minus the donation & the shipping, so I’m okay with that.
I hope your missing yarn gets to you soon! I had a thing I ordered from Etsy that looked like it never shipped at all and it just arrived in the mailbox last week. So it’s possible! That yarn definitely does not match the photo at all. “Slight variation” is one thing. That is a totally different color.
Oh yes, sometimes things do just show up when they’re least expected! I will do my best to remain optimistic!
I hope you get your missing yarn – it’s so disappointing when you don’t get stuff you ordered. No communication from the dyers makes it very hard to be positive about it – I know!
Best of luck with the missing packages! I have to say, though, the yarn you started the post with is lovely. I look forward to seeing how it knits up.
Thank you! I need to remember that it’s not like I’m lacking in pretty yarn. 🙂
Good point… 🙂