Yarn stores I have visited - Last Update April 2007
Early in 2004, I began my life as a true yarn junkie. After decades of cross stitching, a stint with jewelry making, some attempts at quilting in the mid 90s, miscellaneous things like kumihimo, and a short run with crochet, I began to knit, finally. And so I began to want more and more yarn, more and more.
I have to travel a few times a year for my work, and we take a vacation every year or so as well, and I always try to work in a trip to a yarn store.
Here is the chronicle of the stores I've visited.
2004
My LYS - Needle Nook in Moscow, Idaho
While visiting my parents, who now live in Arkansas, my mom and I went to the House of Yarn, her LYS
In May, I had to go to Seattle for a meeting. My husband was a trooper and accompanied me to Weaving Works, which is a great store. Shawn helped me pick out some Manos de Uruguay which I used for a felted bag for my mom for Christmas.
In June, I was at a conference in Boise. Several of my colleagues and I headed over to Knit-Wits. Silly name, but a nice store, where I bought Lopi for more felted bags.
Christmas at the Oregon Coast with Shawn and his mom, Jessie, and her dog, Sam. We went to Cannon Beach on Christmas Eve day and I found a nice little shop called Yarn by the Sea, where I bought some Fizz in Mahogany.
2005
In January I had to go to Boston for ALA Midwinter. Had the chance to visit two yarn shops. Woolcott & Co is on JFK in Cambridge. It was very nostalgic to be back there, riding the Red Line on a cold rainy day. The store was very cozy and I bought sock yarns.
There was also Newbury Yarns on Newbury St. I walked over there in between meetings. I will never forget this place -- the stock was arranged not by fiber content, or weight, or brand, or any other designation I've seen used. She had her store arranged by color.
In April, I had a conference in Minneapolis, and Shawn again was a trooper, coming with me to Depth of Field, which is a cool name and a cool store with a big bargain loft up a flight of stairs.
2006
ALA Midwinter was in San Antonio. I headed to the Yarn Barn. I'd found two different addresses online, but the cabbie, whose wife is a knitter, knew exactly where to take me. This is a huge wonderful store, and they had a bunch of sock yarn on sale. I also bought some beautiful Ironstone mohair, which I will someday make into a shawl or big scarf.
In the summer, we went to Oregon on vacation, and we went to A Yarn for All Seasons in Newport. A nice variety of yarns, including more Noro than I'd ever seen in person. She also stocked some Socks That Rock, including the color called Seal Rock. As I had just sprained my ankle at Seal Rock during this trip, I had to have it. The real tragedy of this trip, though, was that Angelika's was closed for the week. Next year!
In September I traveled to Provo, Utah for a meeting. I was very excited to realize that there was a yarn store a block from my hotel. Heindselman's claims to be the oldest yarn store in America. They had a nice stock, including Pastazza, which I'd been curious about. And sock yarn, of course.
In October, a conference over on the "west side" took us to the Portland area. Oddly enough, of all the times we've been in Portland, I had not yet visited any of the many yarn stores there. This trip changed that! First stop was Knit-Purl, downtown on SW Alder. The prices are a bit high, probably due to the real estate, but she has a nice basement with bargains. This is a must visit for any Koigu fans -- she has a whole wall of KPM and KPPPM in a wide array of colors. In addition to a few finds in the basement, I also splurged and got myself a set of Lantern Moon dpns. Oooooooh. They are so nice. I can't believe I'm saying this, but they are worth the price.
Second stop in Portland this trip was the Yarn Garden. This is a very nice store, lots of good stock, a coffee shop attached. THere's a room full of books and other goodies, too, such as those sequined Lantern Moon bags. I have to say, though, that this store had the rudest staff. Admittedly, I don't like being followed around a store, but at least say hello to me when I come in, OK?
I also scored some good deals at Powells this trip on a couple of knitting books.
Back to the coast for Christmas and this year we again visited Cannon Beach. The yarn store is under new management and is now called Coastal Yarns. She stocks a ton of Blue Moon, and I just could not leave the store without some KidMo in the color called Blarney Stone (which has no bright green in it, as you might expect). And, get this, she'll wind your yarn for you before you leave the store! Excellent, friendly, not too obtrusive service.
2007
Went to Kansas City for the GWLA meeting and was fairly close to an excellent yarn store called The Studio A very nice shop with friendly staff that also sells fancy needlepoint canvases. I got some "Tofutsies" sock yarn (an unusual fiber blend of cotton, wool, soy silk and chitin shells), some Fizz (will need to get some navy yarn to go with; note to self, check the stash), and some Charm which will go with the teal and copper Fizz and mohair shawl I'm redoing (an unfortunate incident with a triangle shawl idea).
I have to travel a few times a year for my work, and we take a vacation every year or so as well, and I always try to work in a trip to a yarn store.
Here is the chronicle of the stores I've visited.
2004
My LYS - Needle Nook in Moscow, Idaho
While visiting my parents, who now live in Arkansas, my mom and I went to the House of Yarn, her LYS
In May, I had to go to Seattle for a meeting. My husband was a trooper and accompanied me to Weaving Works, which is a great store. Shawn helped me pick out some Manos de Uruguay which I used for a felted bag for my mom for Christmas.
In June, I was at a conference in Boise. Several of my colleagues and I headed over to Knit-Wits. Silly name, but a nice store, where I bought Lopi for more felted bags.
Christmas at the Oregon Coast with Shawn and his mom, Jessie, and her dog, Sam. We went to Cannon Beach on Christmas Eve day and I found a nice little shop called Yarn by the Sea, where I bought some Fizz in Mahogany.
2005
In January I had to go to Boston for ALA Midwinter. Had the chance to visit two yarn shops. Woolcott & Co is on JFK in Cambridge. It was very nostalgic to be back there, riding the Red Line on a cold rainy day. The store was very cozy and I bought sock yarns.
There was also Newbury Yarns on Newbury St. I walked over there in between meetings. I will never forget this place -- the stock was arranged not by fiber content, or weight, or brand, or any other designation I've seen used. She had her store arranged by color.
In April, I had a conference in Minneapolis, and Shawn again was a trooper, coming with me to Depth of Field, which is a cool name and a cool store with a big bargain loft up a flight of stairs.
2006
ALA Midwinter was in San Antonio. I headed to the Yarn Barn. I'd found two different addresses online, but the cabbie, whose wife is a knitter, knew exactly where to take me. This is a huge wonderful store, and they had a bunch of sock yarn on sale. I also bought some beautiful Ironstone mohair, which I will someday make into a shawl or big scarf.
In the summer, we went to Oregon on vacation, and we went to A Yarn for All Seasons in Newport. A nice variety of yarns, including more Noro than I'd ever seen in person. She also stocked some Socks That Rock, including the color called Seal Rock. As I had just sprained my ankle at Seal Rock during this trip, I had to have it. The real tragedy of this trip, though, was that Angelika's was closed for the week. Next year!
In September I traveled to Provo, Utah for a meeting. I was very excited to realize that there was a yarn store a block from my hotel. Heindselman's claims to be the oldest yarn store in America. They had a nice stock, including Pastazza, which I'd been curious about. And sock yarn, of course.
In October, a conference over on the "west side" took us to the Portland area. Oddly enough, of all the times we've been in Portland, I had not yet visited any of the many yarn stores there. This trip changed that! First stop was Knit-Purl, downtown on SW Alder. The prices are a bit high, probably due to the real estate, but she has a nice basement with bargains. This is a must visit for any Koigu fans -- she has a whole wall of KPM and KPPPM in a wide array of colors. In addition to a few finds in the basement, I also splurged and got myself a set of Lantern Moon dpns. Oooooooh. They are so nice. I can't believe I'm saying this, but they are worth the price.
Second stop in Portland this trip was the Yarn Garden. This is a very nice store, lots of good stock, a coffee shop attached. THere's a room full of books and other goodies, too, such as those sequined Lantern Moon bags. I have to say, though, that this store had the rudest staff. Admittedly, I don't like being followed around a store, but at least say hello to me when I come in, OK?
I also scored some good deals at Powells this trip on a couple of knitting books.
Back to the coast for Christmas and this year we again visited Cannon Beach. The yarn store is under new management and is now called Coastal Yarns. She stocks a ton of Blue Moon, and I just could not leave the store without some KidMo in the color called Blarney Stone (which has no bright green in it, as you might expect). And, get this, she'll wind your yarn for you before you leave the store! Excellent, friendly, not too obtrusive service.
2007
Went to Kansas City for the GWLA meeting and was fairly close to an excellent yarn store called The Studio A very nice shop with friendly staff that also sells fancy needlepoint canvases. I got some "Tofutsies" sock yarn (an unusual fiber blend of cotton, wool, soy silk and chitin shells), some Fizz (will need to get some navy yarn to go with; note to self, check the stash), and some Charm which will go with the teal and copper Fizz and mohair shawl I'm redoing (an unfortunate incident with a triangle shawl idea).
posted by Beth @ 12:58 PM
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