As I enjoy the rolling green hills of my hometown, I have been fortunate enough to visit a few local yarn shops. The opportunity has helped me stock up on a few items and add a few unexpected goodies to my knitting bag (hello, cute stitch markers!).
I feel surrounded by artisans and makers here in the valley of the Great Smoky Mountains, and it is no surprise that the local yarn shops have a specific vibration of creativity combined with community. It was a joy to visit each one!
The Shops I Visited
I wandered each shop pretty aimlessly. In reality, I only had one project in mind to source yarn for, the Blooming Lavendar socks by Charlotte Stone, but I was hopeful to find new inspiration in the shops. As I circled the shelves, I found locally made items in addition to the great yarn selection. I also found friendly faces, ready to chat about fiber arts with me, as I slowly made my choices.
My Purchases
Stop #1: Loopville
Loopville is the store that I have visited the most in the past, so I was fairly familiar with the shop’s selection. When I arrived, a group was there chatting and knitting on the couches. I loved having their camaraderie as the background noise to my shopping!
I left with a single ball of Yarn Citizen’s Trinity Cashmere, in the color Seasalt. I have no plans for this yarn, but with the limited yardage, I was considering falling into the small scarf trend (ala Sophie Scarf) that seems to be accessorizing the necks of many knitters these days. The yarn is, as expected, incredibly soft!
I also purchased a set of 3 stitch markers, made by Dyestone Design House. I’ve been using one of their stitch markers (an oak leaf) as my beginning-of-round (BOR) marker from a previous visit, and I love the various designs they offer. This time, I chose a dainty blue and white beaded set, which reminded me of vintage vases.
Stop #2: The Bees Knits
After having lunch with a friend downtown, I made the short trip to The Bees Knits. It was spacious and filled with a selection of yarns that I had not seen before, like Universal Yarn’s Bamboo Pop Sock yarn. I loved the colors, so I risked the possible colorwork tension issues with a plant-based fiber and bought colors that would work for the Blooming Lavendar socks (plus an extra neutral for a pair of short socks). I don’t think I’ll regret it, but I can always pivot projects if the bamboo just can’t handle the colorwork.
I also bought a locally-dyed, University of Tennessee-inspired, yarn by Kathy Made It! I have no idea what I’ll make with this one, but Go Vols!
Lastly, I bought a healing hand salve by All Y’all Skincare in the Earl Grey scent. I cannot describe how much I love the smell of this item, and I am looking forward to using it during all of my knitting sessions to add to the relaxation!
Stop #3: Hook & Needle
This stop was the furthest away, but definitely worth the trip! The space was filled with a variety of yarn manufacturers for any price range.
Two things made this shop stand out. First of all, the friendliness of the staff was unmatched! I was immediately greeted and given a tour of the shop, which had an awesome knitting studio space for meet-ups. Secondly, the samples were clearly marked with the yarn/qty and included the associated Ravelry pattern. They even had a QR code to see the full list of sample patterns on Ravelry. This shop certainly made it easy to feel comfortable browsing and get inspired!
I found myself drawn to their notions, so I found another set of cute stitch markers. This time, the set was a bright array of floral markers by Yarn Essentials. I also found a “knit until” measuring tape marker, which I’ve been eyeing on the internet for a while. I was happy to buy it from a LYS instead. I also purchased a pair of gold scissors because, well, who can have enough scissors!
Thanks to the store’s sample knits, I also purchased some Rowan Summerlike DK for a future Poet Scarf by Sari Nordlund. I listen to Sari’s podcast with Kutovakika and have wanted to try one of her patterns for a while. I bought two colors with the intent of making one for myself and another for a gift.
I would call my LYS crawl a great success! I was so inspired by the spaces and the people within them. Even though I didn’t have a large project in mind, my small purchases will be reminders of this trip over the next few months.
How do you like to browse your LYS? Do you have a project in mind, or are you an aimless browser, like me? What do you love about your LYS experience? Let’s connect in the comments!
Happy Knitting!
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