Tricoter

By anonymous on Saturday, September 08, 2007 at 02:01PM PDT

nice enough, but it's one of those places that displays by color rather than type of yarn...sometimes hard to find things if you're looking for a specific yarn. owner or manager brings in dog, who barks and acts somewhat aggressively, follows you around. I don't like it when the sales staff does that...I won't stay for the dog to do it! unfortunately they are the only yarn shop in Seattle that carries Socks that Rock.

By sockfanatic on Monday, September 10, 2007 at 01:11PM PDT

I have to say I wasn't impressed with Tricoter when I went in and I have numerous friends that have horrible customer service stories to tell about them. Yes, they carry Socks that Rock, but I'll make the trip to Bainbridge Island to shop for it instead of going to Tricoter.

By anonymous on Tuesday, September 18, 2007 at 01:25PM PDT

Expensive high end yarn that is sorted by color . I have found the help to be pretty pretentious and snotty. I went with very well behaved toddler in my arms and you would have thought that I had just exposed them all to small pox. I am an avid knitter that has been known to drop a fair amount of money on yarn, but I will NEVER shop there.

By anonymous on Thursday, November 08, 2007 at 03:25PM PST

I wasnt impressed either. reminded of of the yarn shops in Manhattan....a lot of pretty yarn, artfully arranged but not really useful or easy to find. dont think I'll go back, in spite of being in one of my favorite parts of town ...

By anonymous on Thursday, December 06, 2007 at 12:48PM PST

I have never visited this yarn store. I am amazed at how many negative comments I have read about this store on the internet. Besides offering knitting classes, perhaps they should have 'courtesy classes' for the employees!

By burningpaper on Tuesday, December 11, 2007 at 02:22PM PST

Every time I try to visit this store, it is closed, even though the website (and the door!) list that it should be open. I have heard mixed reviews otherwise, but am in no hurry to attempt to actually visit here.

By anonymous on Thursday, December 20, 2007 at 09:23PM PST

While I understand the comments above, I have to say that I just love Tricoter. The ladies there taught me to knit, and were quite patient. I recommend that you go in when you have time to sit at one of the large tables and knit a few swatches. They are really quite kind once you start talking to them, but it can feel a bit like walking into the lunch room at a new school the first time you go in. Because they knit like artists there, the yarn arranged by color is quite nice. Most of the yarns are also in the drawers below, or in the back arranged by type, so it is available to look at that way if you need to. They have made countless patterns for me for free, based on the gauge of the swatch I knit in the shop. While I was learning, I would knit a piece at a time, then take it in if I had any problems, and they showed me how to do everything. They help you put things together, and will block your finished garment for you. Nice!

They have dozens of sweaters to try on, so you know how a shape looks on you before you spend the money on the yarn. I know they can have an attitude, but given that they help you complete your project so your investment makes it onto your back, and doesn't just populate your yarn basket, it seems like a good deal to me.

By yrnldy on Thursday, January 17, 2008 at 01:25PM PST

I'm sorry to say my knitter friend and I had the same reaction to Tricoter as most of the others here. We were greeted by an dazzeling, rail-thin, overly "stylish" woman who shreiked "WelcometoTricoterwherewehelpyoumakebeautifulthings!" Somebody must have told the staff to make the customers feel welcome, but we just wanted to hide. This shop was excellent about 15 years ago, but the publication of their books and the move to a posh neighborhood (with impossible parking) seems to have negatively affected the store rather dramatically. Tsk. And I can't shop there anyway, because I just don't have the right jewelery. A woman sitting at the table was knitting a skirt (!) with yarn that cost more than my house. At my visit in late October, Tricoter did not have any sock yarn at all. They told me it was "too early." Yipes.

By yrnldy on Thursday, January 17, 2008 at 01:27PM PST

PS The Dog Thing is true.

By anonymous on Friday, April 25, 2008 at 11:12PM PDT

I just signed up and was so surprised to see the negative comments about the most attractive and welcoming yarn store in the area. I have been knitting and shopping with Tricoter since they first opened in North Seattle in the 1980's. Since they first opened their doors, their displays have always been artfully arranged and organized by color rather than brand or fiber.Once you have shopped this way, stores with large inventory organized by manufacturer can feel overwhelming.

As for being welcomed in, I find this more inviting than having someone sitting behind a counter, waiting for you to come over and ask for help. The atmosphere is a happy community of knitters and is always respectful.

Tricoter is an experience from the moment you walk through the door until you leave with a swatch (they will even wind a ball and you are not forced to purchase it), a pattern and a beautiful palette of yarn to knit with. They want you to be successful and will patiently sit and help you. They provide the best finishing services in the city and will even complete your projects, if you give up on them. Their finishing makes your project look fabulous!

As for cost, if you are talking cashmere, then so be it. But would you spend your time making a skirt out of yarn you bought at a discount store. If you are going to take the time to knit, make it something that will last and that you will enjoy. I have made 4 skirts at Tricoter. One is from sock yarn (OMG), "Socks That Rock" and that was less than any rent I have paid recently. I have also made another skirt (their original pattern) that probably cost $75. Many successful yarn stores publish books. They create a lot of original patterns and this gives a lot more access to these patterns since everyone is not lucky enough to be able to easily drive there.

As for the dog, you failed to say that it weighs about 4 pounds and may have followed you because he liked you. As for the barking, sounds like you were growling a bit and maybe he was just defending his beautiful yarn. The store welcomes well behaved dogs and children.

Sorry to be so rambling, but the dis on this wonderful, friendly store was too one-sided to not respond to.

By anonymous on Monday, April 28, 2008 at 02:15PM PDT

Many of these reviews are really unfair and judgmental. My mother and I have been to Tricoter many times, including when it first opened in a funky location in North Seattle. Neither of us has ever experienced the store as pretentious. I guess we weren't looking for it either. By the way, I have seen people dressed up and down (I'm talking sweats and not designer sweats), and everyone is treated with courtesy.

We have left the store with and without yarn or patterns and have always felt welcome. Even if someone doesn't rush to ask if I need help the minute I enter the store, someone will always make contact with a smile or "please let me know if you need help."

This is a store that gives personalized service so that knitters will be satisfied with their yarn and pattern choice. I don't know many stores that encourage you to pick up some needles and knit a swatch. Yes, you can certainly purchase extremely expensive yarn, but you can also find yarn at all price ranges. Is Tricoter's yarn more expensive? I've found that some are and some are not--no different from any other retailer. What you get is the extra care, attention, pattern making or help with alterations, etc.

The most outrageous comment I have read has to be about the store manager's tiny dog, Mr. Wilson. I have never, ever seen this dog be aggressive. He spends most of his time following his "Mom" or sleeping in the office. If he likes you he may quietly wait for you to pet him. Once I saw a customer with a small child that kept running after Mr. Wilson. Even then Mr. Wilson showed more patience than I would have been able to show, especially since the child's mother seemed oblivious. I agree with one of the other reviewers that this is a store that welcomes well-behaved children and dogs!

I will continue to shop at Tricoter and recommend the store to other knitters. As a long time knitter, I appreciate that we have such a gem in Seattle!
-A.F.

By anonymous on Sunday, May 04, 2008 at 09:06PM PDT

Arent dogs so perceptive to negative people.

By anonymous on Monday, May 05, 2008 at 08:55AM PDT

A friend an I went in to Tricoter over the weekend. I've been in many times, and it was her first time. She had heard all the negative comments that you see in some of the other posts and was a bit apprehensive at first. When she saw the beautiful yarn, some of which she had not been able to find since her last trip to Europe, she was overwhelmed. Julie (the one with the famous tiny dog) was there and helped us just the right amount - she was there when we needed something, but she let us explore as long as we wanted. We were invited to knit swatches and we both walked out with a project.

There was a class going on and the ladies taking the class were so proud of what they were making - absolutely beautiful scarves!

This is a yarn store that is about fashion, beauty and community. I find way more attitude at Acorn Street Yarn. Yes, the owners are well dressed - they are successful business women and they enjoy their success. They dress in beautiful Missoni and their own beautiful designs because they are the kind of women who should be celebrated by all of us - women who have taken their passion and vision (and hard work) and created something beautiful for all of us to enjoy.

The snobs here are not the ladies at Tricoter.