Deliver me, please.

A meaningless rant will follow. Consider yourself warned.

Please deliver me from the yarn stores that organize their stock by color, rather than brand or fiber content. I finally had a reason to be in New Haven, so I contrived to visit Yarn. I've heard sooo much about it. But I walk in, the joint is small and it's organized by color. I walk around for a few minutes and give up. I can't find a thing because my brain doesn't work that way. I need to find fibers that I like, then see the breadth of colors I can play with. I don't walk in and think -- "Need red yarn. Where is the red yarn? Aah -- box of red yarn. Now do I want linen or silk or alpaca; bulky, superfine or sport weight. . ." WHO DOES THAT???

I'm proud of myself, though -- I didn't force it; I spent no more than 7 minutes in the store. I learned from the whole Wool Connection fiasco. I visited there when I had to bring Thing 1 to a doctor's appointment in the same town. I've received their catalogue for years, but never had a good reason to be in Avon. I must have walked aimlessly around that store for an hour. I'd find a yarn that felt great, but I could never find it in a color that I liked or I'd find a yarn that reminded me of a yarn I wanted to try, but I couldn't find the yarn I was thinking of.

For example, I found Rowan Denim in Ecru and wanted check out the remaining available colors. I knew there were several in the blue family, but I couldn't find them in the wall of blue at the store. And did I really want to dig through an entire wall of yarn to see all of the shades of blue Rowan Denim is available in? And how would I know if I found all of them? I suppose I could have asked, but the sales people were busy helping other confused shoppers. And what's the etiquette on monopolizing a sales person at one of these stores? After the Wool Connection sales person fished out the Rowan Denim (that I had no intention of buying -- I really just wanted to touch and look at it) could I make her find every yarn it might be fun to touch? What would I ask to achieve that goal -- "Where is the good yarn that I like?!"

Those color-organized stores look pretty, but I resolve to avoid them. Color-organized stores, I relegate thee to the stratum of yarn acquisition sources just below Wal-Mart and craft stores. At least at those places, I can find what I'm looking for, I just don't want much of it.