Favorite Yarn Shops Bay Area

So Happy to say that Sonoma has a new yarn shop!!!!!!

 

Noma Knits is fulfilling our dreams of having a local shop back in town.  https://nomaknits.com

Our local knitters are very happy to see Marie's smiling face and the beautiful shop she has created.   

Wouldn't you love to shop here???  There is a coffee shop right next door and the library across the street.   Oh and did I tell you...it's located 3 blocks from my home....Love it.   

In addition to yarns by Berroco, MadTosh, Manos de Uruguay you will find locally sourced yarns and of course all the other needles and notions you will need to complete your project.  

There is an On-line shop and you can find Noma Knits on Facebook and Instagram https://www.instagram.com/nomaknits/.   

The shop is located at 

730 W Napa St., Sonoma California 

Hope to see you there.....

Oatlands & Hobart, Tasmania

 I really don't know what I thought Tasmania would be like... a wilderness, rough terrain and hardly anyone around.   Well it was a little of that, but not completely.  We took a tour from Port Arthur and the vistas were outstanding.

And one day we traveled from Hobart to Oatland, a tiny village in the countryside.   Of course this visit was about getting to a lovely yarn shop and to have a cup of tea and crumpets. 

Favorite Yarn shops Cape Cod

Summers in Cape Cod-I've been going there for many years, to visit a great friend.  Vacationed with my daughter 20 yrs ago, or to meet a group of friends from high school or just hung out with my friend for a while.  The Cape is Beautiful.    In addition to the quaint towns, fantastic lobster rolls and cod, a beautiful seashore and lighthouse, there is yarn.   I've been to a few shops around the Cape but these are 2 of my favorites (and you can shop online.)

Adventures in Knitting-This is a shop I visit every time I'm in Chatham.  Even attending a weekend retreat that they sponsored in Provincetown over 12 years ago.   It was lovely and the featured instructor was Vivian Hoxbo..my introduction to Domino Knitting.  Loved it.

Now when I visit, it to see Claire (a wonderful and talented instructor) and to sit and knit with the girls.   This shop is fantastic; big, roomy, a huge selection of yarns, books and other knit/crochet essentials and an  instructional and meeting area with a table that fits at least 20 people.  I know that for now with Covid that if they do meet it's outside in the parking lot socially distanced and with masks.   https://www.adventuresinknitting.com

A Great Yarn. So sad to say that this wonderful little used book and new yarn shop is closing by the end of the year.  All items are 15% off in September and each month that percentage will go up.  They carry beautiful yarns, kits and knitting notions. My friends and I would spend some time in Chatham in August at a local hotel/motel just a few steps from this shop.   I will miss going there...wouldn't it be nice if someone bought it and continued offering this wonderful service to the community

.http://agreatyarn.com

Favorite Knit Shop - Southwest

    Santa Fe is a wonderful place to visit. I met a long time friend, her sister and her sisters' friend in this lovely place.   We stayed right off the plaza and visited museums, an art and craft show, shops and restaurants.  We also took the local tour tram and visited 10,000 Waves Spa.  A lot packed into a few short days.    A lovely place and wonderful hosts.   I did not visit a wonderful knit shop in Santa Fe and I understand it is just a few minutes from the hotel.  Guess I'll have to go back.   

Before I flew home, I stayed in an Albuquerque Old Town Bed and Breakfast, the Bottger Inn.  A lovely place and wonderful hosts.   

But the best thing.....I found my most favorite yarn shop ever in Albuquerque.   

What would your ideal yarn shop to have?

I'd like a variety of yarns including local spinners and dyers, a welcoming and knowledgable staff, a great selections of tools and sample projects on display, a comfortable, well lit place to work alongside others and cats.

The Yarn Shop at Nob Hill - Albuquerque, New Mexico

Stephen Wests  Suriously Holey

 The Shop is in a fantastic area of the town, next to the University of New Mexico campus and Nob Hill, an area filled with shops and a variety of ethnic restaurants.  I spent the entire day there.   What else should one do when the temperature is 106 degrees.  Better to stay out of the heat and knit.   My unusual purchase was Wolf yarn..looking forward to making mittens!

This is a beautiful cat, deep brown coloring. He just roamed the shop. About an hour into my stay, a young couple stopped in the shop in order to adopt the cat. The shop takes cats from the local shelter and helps them connect to new owners.  A Wonderful thing.  

Knitting in Scotland May 2018

Scotland- May 30, 2018

As we traveled the Irish Sea toward Scotland we attended great classes. JC Briar is a wonderful, creative and super smart instructor.   We had classes in reading lace patterns,  cables, Brioche and shawl design.   So many things to think about and skills to learn or improve.   If you ever get the opportunity to take one (or more) of her classes, I would highly recommend it..she is brilliant in so many ways.   I know she does Stitches Events https://www.knittinguniverse.com/stitches/ and teaches at Black Sheep in Oregon.

In Scotland - North and South Lanarkshire

The New Lanark Mill

http://www.newlanark.org/visitorcentre/

New Lanark quickly became known under the enlightened management of social pioneer, Robert Owen. He provided decent homes, fair wages, free health care, a new education system for villagers and the first workplace nursery school in the world! Now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, New Lanark has been beautifully restored as a living community,

Edinburgh next-til next time..

Cruising into Ireland 2018

More Cruising and Knitting

Lisburn and Belfast May 23, 2018

The Linen Mills of Lisburn 

Our Instructor at the Belfast Botanic Garden  5/23/18
JC Briar-she loves gardening too!

Real Irish Stew and Guiness@ Kelly's 

End of day Cafe

Dublin May 24 & 25, 2018

This Knit Yarn shop

 As you would have it, we just happened to arrive in Dublin for the first annual Woollinn festival...what luck

Off to Cork- another wonderful treat-

May 26,  2018

Our first stop - Little Island - home of Hedgehog Fibres

shopping 

Arm fulls- waiting on line to pay

In the town of Cork

Scribes and Vibes Craft Shop- yarn and fabrics

At the end of everyday--
-Back on Board to "Show and Tell" and Knit a bit