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Of course, the danger of going to yarn stores while traveling is impulse purchasing and then having to pack your awesome finds.
Occasionally, a yarn shop will carry something you've never seen before or it will have a vibe that's different and interesting. These are the real gems and the reason that our tradition continues. You may remember that Cassandra visited Loopy Yarns in Chicago and found some gorgeous Madeline Tosh yarn that is currently being transformed into a sweater.
Sunny day in Seattle |
As I traveled the five blocks to get there, I enjoyed the gorgeous sunny day as well as the discovery of streets I hadn't walked yet. I approached the Cost Plus, which is on a corner, and followed the directions I'd found on the website:
(We are located on Elliott Avenue, north of Lenora Street-the entrance is past Cost Plus. Look for the tall black gate and take the elevator or stairs to the second floor, Suite 204)
Weird hall |
I opened the door onto what can only be described as heaven. The shop is fairly small but makes use of every available bit of space. Floor to ceiling shelves are brimming with color and texture. It becomes immediately clear that Cascade is their work-horse yarn of choice - I've never seen such a large selection of Cascade varieties in one place. Obviously it would be impossible to carry the entire line however her representative sample is the one of the best I've seen. The shop also carries high-end favorites such as Noro, Malabrigo, and Shibui. There are a few novelty yarns as well as some unique items like the yarn made from sugar fiber which I was compelled to buy. In the center of the space, there's a "room" that has a large work table and some notions - like buttons. Behind the counter by the front door there's a spare but complete collection of needles and accessories.
I bee-lined to the back of the shop for some reason and found, in the back room, a small sale area and some of the more interesting yarns. This is where I discovered the sugar yarn. I also met a woman heavily laden with skeins who turned to me and said, "This place is amazing! I love everything in here!" I felt the same.
Sometimes it's the little touches that make a difference. The knitted samples on dress forms were all lovely - lots of Louisa Harding (I was told that the previous owner really loved Harding's stuff) - and there was a rack of finished scarves so customers could see how the various yarns knitted up. I was able to see how my sugar yarn would look when worked, which made the decision to buy it much easier. The store is neat as a pin and beautifully organized.
To be honest, I think that one of the reasons I love this shop so much is because the owner has a similar aesthetic to me. I'm not a huge fan of multiple colored or self-striping yarns. I don't like novelty yarns. And I don't like anything that's too fussy. So Much Yarn delivers exactly what I'm looking for - good quality yarns in beautiful colors without whimsy (I kind of hate whimsy).
My two purchases - the tan is the sugar yarn |
- Alex
So Much Yarn...
2107 Elliott Avenue, Suite 204
Seattle, WA 98121
Phone: 206-443-0727
Toll free: 866-443-0727
Store Hours:
Mon: Noon-6 | Tues: 10-8 | Wed, Thurs, Fri, Sat: 10-6 | Sun: Noon-5
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