Friday, September 10, 2004

How to Find Yarn Shops Online

You've seen variations of this on any of a dozen online knitting lists:
> Hi All!
> I am going to Carmel for the week with my family and I was wondering if there
> were any Yarn Shops and things fiber that I must see.
> TIA!!!

There are a couple of really good online resources for finding fiber shops. Interweave Knits has made available online their Knits Travelling Sourcebook, which is regularly updated. Not only do they list fiber shops, they also list events, camps and retreats of interest to knitters. TNNA (The National Needlework Association) has a retail directory on their website, where you can search by either product (knitting/crochet) or by location.

Of course, you can also do a search on www.google.com. A search there for "yarn shops"+knitting+California brought back 1,570 results. A further search on "Carmel" brought back 35 results. This does not mean that there are 35 shops in Carmel, but that those parameters show up in 35 places.

Since time is a precious commodity while travelling, it's always best to call ahead for shop hours and closings rather than suffer a disappointment.

Hope that helps someone!

Tuesday, September 07, 2004

... and scurrying we've done!

Knitting, we haven't.

The last few days before leaving to take our older daughter to college were a whirlwind. I did take two projects with me, but there was never any time to knit. David's Once Again sweater was just too bulky to carry on, so it went along in the checked baggage. And that's all it did - went along for the ride - I didn't knit one stitch on it. I did knit a few rows on the shell (Takhi Lily, pattern from Spring/Summer 2004 IK), but that was the only knitting I managed. I've since completed the shell and it's rather nice to wear - so light and airy, it's like wearing a cloud.

I'm on the lookout for yarn stores every place I visit and I wouldn't leave Bloomington until I'd visited Yarns Unlimited. I spent an enjoyable hour browsing (and drooling) in this delightful yarn shop. I bought a pattern for hand warmers and some recycled silk yarn (which is gorgeous, indeed, and at a great price - $3.50/oz.). Oh! I wanted to buy more, but our suitcases were crammed full as it was. While I was waiting for the skein to be wound, we chatted with Suzanne who is the owner. She is a beautiful, delightful, warm person and it turns out that her Father is a 'cellist and her son is an Ethno-Musicologist! She was so kind and warm and she invited Melissa to call her at any time for some "Mom" time! She even gave Melissa her home phone number and asked Melissa to keep in touch with her. I can't tell you how much that warmed my heart. Just the fact that she was so genuine and considerate and warm and generous - she is an angel. If you ever visit Bloomington, please stop in to see her.

And, so now I must finish David's sweater. For awhile I thought that I would start over with new yarn - hey! any excuse to make a trip to my LYS - but I'm resigned to finishing it, just so I can say that it's done.

No other projects on the horizon, although I have plenty of patterns and a plethora of yarn. I finally organized my stash and I filled 10 - yes, TEN - storage bins with yarn. And yet, I still have an urge to visit my LYS. Why is it more fun to shop at the yarn shop instead of your yarn stash?