BellaOnline Forums Hobbies and Crafts Knitting Where do you buy yarn?

I'm curious. I buy yarn from pretty much everywhere...How about you?

Where do you shop most multiple choice
	Local Yarn Shops
	Department Stores
	Internet Shops
	Conventions/Fiber Fairs
	Other
Votes accepted starting: 07/09/09 08:17 PM
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Yarn shops used to be all over the place. Now they are few and far between. There is only one in our area. I know one can order yarn online, but I like to see the color myself up close and I like to feel the texture. JoAnn's used to be a good source for yarn, and Michael's also, but, their choices are not so good. They do not offer as many colors and types as they used to.

In my area, Santa Cruz, there are actually 4 bonafide knitting shops and two fabric stores with yarn. In the area between San Jose and Monterey there are about 30 shops (at least). It is amazing! So although I buy my yarn from nearly everywhere, I do buy most from the local shops.

P.S. Don't tell my family they have no idea how much yarn I have. If you are on Ravelry my ravelry name is Margeknits.

When I can afford to, I purchase yarns from the 'net. I live in a very, very small town, so we have one very limited source. I usually have to go to another town to purchase anything other than the standard selections.

I'm like Sara, we have nothing around here, but a minimal selection at Wally World. If I'm buying for a project (more than one skein) I generally get it online from Joann's.

However, I've been pleasantly surprised at how much I've found at thrift and close out stores. A few times I've actually found quantity of the same dye lot.

I bought a skein the other day still in the bag. When I got home and opened it, there was a double pointed needle punched through the bag and into the yarn. That was a bonus! I'm hoping I'll luck up and find a cable needle. I need one of those!

I am a lucky duck to live close to a yarn shop that sounds like one you read about in a novel. The owner is helpful,friendly and promotes classes in such a fashion, that you don't want to miss out and sign up! Let's not even talk about the yarn! It's a tactile PARTY!!! And you're encouraged to touch!
Every Saturday there's 2hrs of hanging out with spinners,knitters,weavers and crochetters....and HOMEMADE GOODIES!
Oh yes I'm a lucky duck!
L.L.Leight

Have you seen the discussions on how to cross cables without a needle? Check these out:

Knitting Help

Wendy Knits

You Tube

I buy yarn at Joanns when I'm at home but when I travel, I always hit the local yarn shops to get something special. When I was in Oregon recently, I went to very nice yarn shops in both Medford and Ashland.

I remember way back when, Hobby Lobby used to have lots of great types of yarn but went there recently and saw just basic yarns. Very disappointing.

When I get much better at Knitting, I want to buy some handspun yarns from stores I've seen on Etsy. Since I need practice tho, don't want to waste very expensive yarns. they sure look beautiful though.

Ah, don't sell yourself short though. One thing I'm not sure I've successfully stated anywhere is that price isn't always an indicator of great yarns. Price can be an indicator, but how it feels, how it wears, how it is spun also play a huge roll.

Yarn that splits or pills, or stretches (when it shouldn't) can make a finished product look bad, wear poorly and make you miserable.

Enough said.

I, too, try to hit LYS's when I travel and use the yarn as a souvenir. Very fun to have a hobby. When I travel I also look for used book stores to see if I can find any hard to find knitting books.

There is a Yarn Outlet in the city near me. They carry standards like Bernat and Sirdar but they also stock all the special yarns like silk blends and organic fibers, etc. The yarn outlet invites anyone to "Sit and Knit" even if you didn't buy your yarn from them. They even help you figure out a pattern problem. I prefer to shop there. Sometimes I go to Joann's as they have an extensive button section and the yarn department "calls" to me to come see! The same thing happens to me when I go to Michaels! So occasionally I buy yarn there as well.

I agree with you, Marge, about buying yarn or knitting books as a souvenir from travels. I have way too many knick knacks and at my stage of life, I'd like less clutter, not more!

I noticed that Joann's is starting to carry more organics too. I try to use the coupon in the weekly paper every week, at least, even if I just buy a nice skein of yarn with it.

Well, it use to be Walmart till the remodel and they discontinued the majority of their yarn. Now I have to travel to another town to go to JoAnns or buy from the interent.

Good thing I have a large stash of regular yarns. So mostly what I buy is for my knitting machines and I get that off of ebay.

One thing I know almost nothing about is how to buy yarn for knitting machines and I was unable to address it in any of my articles. I will have to fix that lack of knowledge very soon.

Is it possible to wind your own cones from hanks or skeins?

I love yarn its crazy how much I have at home. I can't take my youngest son with me to the stores, he won't let me buy more. He says I have to finish a project first.
But when I do....Hobby Lobby here in my town has a wonderful selection of yarns. I wouldn't make something to wear out of them but I love making afghans from their yarn.
If I need high quality yarn we have 2 wonderful shops here in town I got to. I can feel it and sit and knit or crochet for a bit. Love it. and was pleasantly surprised to see one of them mostly catered to college kids. So a new generation is coming up knitting. I like to see that.
Also my favorite online shop is herrschners, I buy from them probably more than anywhere else. I love their sales and when I am looking for cross stitching items I cant help but get some yarn as well.

Thanks for reading,

In a few weeks I'll be heading to Michigan to visit my parents, they have a Hobby Lobby in the vicinity I'll have to check it out. (But before I do, I too should finish a project or two).

Marge, Thanks for the cross cable links! I've been looking at that stitch. It takes me a while to think over the instructions for a stitch before I actually try it. I think this stitch would make an awesome scarf.

We're in the midst of getting a new roof. The contractor's wife is opening a new resale shop in a few weeks and already has a large bag of yarn set aside for me, and has promised me all that comes in. She has some needles too, so I'm hopeful one might be a cable.

With all the banging, I can't really do anything but knit right now.

Buy yarn? Well...I do have to admit that I do buy a bit on rare occasions. But mostly I just spin my own

I just bet you do! That is something I'm waiting for my second child to move out and I can turn her room into a studio!

For me it started out at Woolworth's then to stores such as Joanne's. If I were a professional serious knitter (making sweaters for sale) I'd go to a Yarn Shop that carries good quality yarns. I only have made afghans or yarn crafts so it doesn't really matter (but cheap yarn is definitely out)

There is still time to make a sweater for yourself