Knitting for those who serve our country
Kelley Hobart | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 8 years, 1 month AGO
Knitting for those who serve our country
At Alpaca Direct, we are always looking for ways to give back to our community. I can not think of anyone more deserving than those who keep our country safe so we can enjoy our freedom.
This year we are taking part in a program called Operation Gratitude, Saying “Thank You” to all of those who serve. Nothing expresses gratitude quite like an item made with love. Our heroes are always deeply touched by the care and effort put into handmade scarves and hats sent to them by fellow Americans. If you would like to participate please visit www.OperationGratitude.com for the details. The items we make and donate will ship Jan. 15, 2017. If you would like to buy yarn for this event, we are offering a 20 percent discount code in our store to buy yarns going toward the donation. Just mention “Operation Gratitude” and our staff will help you pick out yarns approved for the program. Many of our local knitters are supporting this event and we could use your help too!
Don’t know how to knit or crochet? Some customers come in and buy yarn and donate it so one of our local knitters can make a scarf or hat since they don’t know how to knit. This is a great opportunity to touch someone serving in far way lands to protect our freedoms. If you have not recently knit or crocheted, or just want to brush up on some techniques I encourage you to give it a try this winter. Experience how knitting a few rows can put a smile on your face and help your stress melt away. If you are interested in learning to knit or crochet, we have classes for both beginners and more experienced knitters. We also have free open knitting groups each week (Tuesday 6-8 p.m. and Thursday 1-3 p.m.) where you can sit with other knitters, get advice and share stories.
In case you have not heard about us, Alpaca Direct is a direct merchant of high-quality yarn, apparel, gifts and warm alpaca socks. We carry a full line of fiber art accessories, including hundreds of needles and thousands of yarns. Our unique selection of products also includes Peruvian alpaca hats and gloves, hand-loomed lace scarves, warm alpaca socks, cuddly alpaca teddy bears and snuggly alpaca slippers.
Our building is handicap accessible, with ample parking and is easy to find. You can find us on Hayden Avenue, just two blocks west of Highway 95 at 1016 W. Hayden Ave. in Hayden. Our phone is (208) 209-7079 or online at www.AlpacaDirect.com.
ARTICLES BY KELLEY HOBART
Give the gift of warmth
As the old saying goes, "Cold feet, warm heart," but when your feet get cold, it's hard to feel jolly this time of year. For most of my life, I’ve struggled with staying warm when the weather turns cold. I remember always wearing jackets growing up and still being constantly cold until about 11 years ago when I discovered Alpaca. This was life changing for me. Finally… I was warm! I was determined to introduce the wonders of alpaca fiber to others and we had just started raising alpacas for my daughter’s 4H project. I wanted everyone to experience the warmth of alpaca apparel, but it had to be high quality and reasonably priced. My husband suggested we launch a website and a few months later “AlpacaDirect.com” was born.
Knitting for those who serve our country
At Alpaca Direct, we are always looking for ways to give back to our community. I can not think of anyone more deserving than those who keep our country safe so we can enjoy our freedom.
Elderly people give us joy and wisdom
Last Saturday we loaded up our Alpaca socks, scarves, yarn and teddy bears from our store in Hayden to attend the Home and Garden show featured at the Garden Plaza independent living retirement center in Post Falls. Our host Beverly was very gracious to allow us to be part of this very special event. They have quite a facility for our elderly community members! The best way to describe it is a town within a town. It's much like the Hilton in that you have a top notch place to live with all the amenities (Post office, gym, spa, hair salon, restaurants, activities) which are located inside of the living center area. I noticed how the guests were part of a close knit community since they live within walking distance of their neighbors and do not have to bother going outside or driving. Spending the day with these folks brought back fond memories of times earlier in my life where I spent a large part of my time with the elderly.