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
View Results

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.