The Good, The Bad and the Ugly--Your LYS!

[Chel]

I thought that in light of AineePooh's thread regarding her recent LYS visit, I thought we could take a moment to share info on our LYS's-complete with location and why we like them.

Personally, I planned my vacation last year around Yarn Shops that I could visit on the way to and from my best friends wedding. In doing so I found a store I LOVE!!! Of course it is in Ohio and I am in Maryland, but perhaps my info would help someone who lives near there or plans on passing through.


My *Thumbs up* list:

Lambikins Hideaway
217 South B Street
Hamilton, OH 45013
Its HUGE by LYS standards. Great selection, lots of sale priced yarn. An entire wall of Mmmmmalabrigo-(I laid against it). Great selection-and only an 11 hour drive from me!!!

The Celtic Knot Yarn Shop
8480 Baltimore National Pike
Suite 426
Ellicott City, MD 21043
I love the environment here. Large and open and airy with the most comfortable couch ever. Very inviting to drop by and knit a bit. A very nice selection, staff very friendly and helpful. This shop holds a special place in my

Crazy For Ewe
22715 Washington St. (on the Square)
Leonardtown, MD
Lots of Noro! A nice selection of what I would consider more upscale yarns. The owner Ellen is wonderful. She is extremely pleasant and readily invites you to sit and knit a bit. The first time I walked in there I purchased 3 hanks of Misti Alpaca Chunky and knit an entire scarf in an afternoon while chatting away.

Springwater Fiber Workshop
808 North Fairfax Street
Alexandria, Virginia 22314
Spinning, weaving, knitting Oh MY! This is a school for lovers of the fiber arts. They have a modest shop with a great selection. Staff is helpful but not overbearing. Larger than average book selection with seating to look them over.

Hunt Country Yarns
1 West Federal Street
Middleburg VA 20118-1206
I love the friendly staff, and the owner is a great guy. This shop has decent prices and a great selection. I have been able to find some yarns at prices well below other shops. Plus it has the benefit of being located in historic Middleburg Va. Lots of antique shops, a British Tea Room and shop (squee!) and a general old world feel that I just love. I am there at least 2x per month!!

[Jeremy]

My LYS is actually not the closest one. Its Saybrook Yarn www.saybrookyarn.com in Old Saybrook CT. They have a big selection and really friendly people. They understand that you might buy yarn elsewhere but really repay your loyalty by doing stuff like keeping a record of your purchases for easy return without your slip, a knitting night on Thursdays for one dollar where there is always an instructor there who doesn't mind showing you how to do something or interpret a pattern etc. Interestingly, two (three if you count me I just taught Continental knitting there) are men.

I also really like the Yarn Barn www.theyarnbarn.com
in Woodbridge CT.

[marykz]

Fiberworks
http://www.fiberworks4yarn.com/

17830 New Hampshire Ave
The Alloway Building - Suite 101
Ashton MD 20861-3641

Owner helpful, if a little prickly if she doesn't recognize you. definitely understands budgets, offered many useful yarn substitutions for something I wanted to make, didn't push. smallish supply of buttons, large variety of yarns of all types. pretty good selection of needles/ supplies/ bags. offers beginner classes. helped troubleshoot a project where I didn't buy anything for it at the shop. (of course, I bought Other stuff...)

[Chel]

I have been looking at Fiberworks but haven't made it up there yet. See? This is what I am talking about. Next time I have a day off I am going to Ashton!!!!!!!!

[vaknitter]

I live in Charlottesville, VA and don't care for either of the LYS ... The Needle Lady on the Downtown Mall has great selection, however they are a little snooty and cater to people that do not work full-time and charge you for EVERYTHING - even advice and help !!

I have fallen in love with Limerick Fibers in Gordonsville, VA. The first time I walked in Paula was answering questions and showing me how to make i-cord and pick out yarns etc. They have a FREE knitting night every month, offer a wide range of classes from socks to spinning and dyeing your own yarn !! I love that it is owned by mother & daughter.

I know they carry a lot of Cascade and Plymouth yarns, but I usually go in looking for local stuff, I also stock up at the The Fall Fiber Festival that happens the first weekend in October he in VA which is a great source of local fibers (wool, alpaca, angora etc).

I am so jealous of those who have LYS to stop by, sit on the couch and knit away an evening or afternoon. I am so recharged by my monthly night out knitting - at 30 I am the youngest one there, but hey...

[Chel]

Hehe now I have 2 new yarn stores to day-trip to!!!!! Keep it coming!!!!!!!!

[Skater]

The Needle Lady on the Downtown Mall has great selection, however they are a little snooty and cater to people that do not work full-time and charge you for EVERYTHING - even advice and help !!

Are you KIDDING?!?! That's awful!

[vaknitter]

Not kidding at all - went in there when I was first learning to knit and asked if they could help clarify instructions for turning a heel in socks and the woman first critisized my yarn (granted didn't choose best quality wool for 1st pair of socks) then told me they have a knitting class on various days of the week all midday while some of us are working...when I told her I work fulltime do you have something on Sat or in the evening, she offered to answer my question for $10/hr !!! I even gave them a second chance and asked them to order specific colors of Lambs Pride (which they carry) and then it never came in and when I questioned it never coming in they told me nobody that works there remembers seeing me in the store regularly so they could not do a special order !!!!!!

Yes, I'm still bitter

[CateKnits]

The Yarn Garden in Annapolis isn't bad, but it's also not really worth a special trip.

If anyone's ever in Rochester, Village Yarn Shop (I think that's what it's called) in Midtown is AMAZING in terms of selection. Wild Wools on South Ave is my favorite in terms of people, though. The lady that owns it is awesome and even remember me and my roommate AND what we'd last bought yarn for, even though we hadn't been in there in a couple of months.

[Kaydee]

If you're in Boston, go to Windsor Button. Its the only LYS I've gone to here, but the staff are really helpful. My first project that I was making didn't have anything about what kind of yarn to use, and the girl looked at the picture to help me figure out what weight I should be using (I had no clue!). I told her I wanted a green color so she showed me a few and told me how many skeins I would need (she was right on, I didn't have too much leftover). I also thought it was great that she showed me yarn in a variety of prices, not just the expensive stuff...she recommended with the amount of yarn I would need to get something that was a little cheaper. Its also not just a yarn store (there's stuff for sewing, etc), so if you need extras for a project you're likely to find them there. I'd definitely recommend it!

Contact info:
35 Temple Place
Boston, MA 02111
617-482-4969
http://www.windsorbutton.com/