Yarn Buying Co-ops aka Group yarn buys

GinnyG · 01-09-2008, 10:45 AM

This may be a "touchy" subject but I am truly puzzled by the concept of Yarn Co-ops. In the last two months I have joined two co-ops (that I learned about here) and have had very unsettling experiences.

I withdrew from the first co-op because an email was sent out that you would be "removed from the list if you did not participate in 2 out of 3 yarn buys. I don't like being strong armed into buying yarn.

Today I requested removal from another because a buy I had been waiting for for months opened and closed in a matter of hours leaving most of us out in the cold while a select few were able to buy large quantites of yarn.

I understand that the people who organize these do it for little thanks and lots of work. It may sound like sour grapes but is there any co-op out there that isn't run this way? Do they actually work? I'm just curious about the experience of others.

GinnyG · 01-09-2008, 11:28 PM

So I can't help but be curious, I notice that 66 people have read this post with no response. Are yarn co-ops not something that others participate in or have I asked a question I shouldn't ask?

astonh · 01-09-2008, 11:32 PM

I'm one of the ones that read the post but didn't, obviously comment. I was curious what a knitting co-op was, or wasn't. I've never participated in one so couldn't add any pro/con comments. I am interested in seeing what they are and how others have faired with them though.

Plantgoddess+ · 01-09-2008, 11:37 PM

Same here, I did see a thread last Nov about a coop that was taking delivery of some yarn, but I have not been involved in one nor do I know much about them.

WildMountainHoney · 01-09-2008, 11:55 PM

I'm another that read and didn't reply - wondered what a knitting co-op was (I was imaging a quilting circle type - all working together on one project).

Maybe if you called it a yarn buying co-op, as that seems to me what you're talking about?

Of course I still can't help - I've seen all sorts of buying co-ops (alot run on yahoo groups or similar, for fabric and baby carriers, etc) but have never participated. Sorry to be of so little help.

GinnyG · 01-09-2008, 11:57 PM

Well, that is why I asked the questions. The "concept" sounded great. A group of people buy yarn in bulk and presumably get a discount. There had been some comments here about them so I started to lookinto it and found two I joined.

It didn't turn out as I expected and I am still wondering if it is a valid concept or somehting that doesn't usually work out.

Lady Violet · 01-10-2008, 12:04 AM

i participated in a co-op a few months ago. my experience was good. it was my very first and i had just set up my paypal account (that wasn't cooperating). the hostess was very nice and worked with me to figure everything out. she even contacted the supplier when a skein i wanted somehow didn't get included. i ended up getting it straight from the supplier at co-op cost.
if you have a strict deadline for getting your yarn, a co-op may not be the way to go unless it's months away. things can happen like freak ice storms, death in the family, basically anything.
when you join a co-op you have to remember to factor in two shipping fees and usually a co-op fee (probably $1 or $2). it still can be a really good deal.
this is all based on my short experience with co-ops.

brittyknits · 01-10-2008, 12:38 AM

I'm another reader/non-poster

-- I've just heard of them before.

brittyknits · 01-10-2008, 12:39 AM

And clearly can't type

-- what I meant to say was that I have NEVER heard of them before.

jeanius80 · 01-10-2008, 02:26 AM

hey ginny! i am pretty sure i am in the same groups. this last buy that opened/closed in a few hours is fairly uncommon as far as i could tell. but i agree with you about the last few co-op owners messages about being moles ect. it sucks. i was pretty mad about the needle buy being screwed up by the manufacturer, and the pull out of the other mmm buy. and all i wanted was a pattern(which i ended up buying direct from the designer instead).

as for the recent buy, i am mad. i totaly think we should have been given a specific open time a few days in advance so it would have been more fair. like i said on the group (prior to her shutting the group down w/o notice

) that the skein limit pretty much sucked, that the dyer imposed. i can understand a limit/minimum per colorway. but 150 skeins on a group buy? suck suck suckity suck.

definite bad taste in my mouth. not sure i'll be buying from any co-op in along while.