The independent yarn stores of the U.S.A
Image courtesy of Canva
I already expressed my love of independent yarn stores in last week’s post. If you’d like to read about why I think you should shop local, small businesses when looking for gifts (both yourself and for loved ones), you can read my blog post here: https://wanderandcreatewithemma.com/blogs/yarn-stores-canada
My USA friends, you have so many great yarn stores! I wish I had more time (and money) to visit, much more than I got to.
It’s the individuality of each yarn store that I love. Much like independent cafes, each one has its own character and provides a different experience compared to the bright lights and stark, white interiors of big retailers. You also get the personal touch that can be missed in commercial spaces. Yarn store owners and employees tend to share our passion for all things fibre and want to share their knowledge and enthusiasm with you!
You’ll see from my list below that despite driving across the U.S., from the East Coast to the West Coast, I missed many opportunities in the middle! We were moving so quickly by this point of the road trip that I didn’t make much time to visit yarn stores in some of the towns we went through. We loved the road trip, though, so hopefully, we’ll be back again one day so that i can tick a lot more yarn stores off the list! You can let me know in the comments which yarn stores I should visit in the future.
You can visit my ‘USA LYS’ highlight reel on Instagram to see clips from all the USA-based yarn stores I visited this summer, but in order to capture them more permanently, below is a breakdown of them all. Even if you don’t live close to any of them, I recommend checking out their online stores!
If you are unable to support financially, there are other free ways you can show your support, including:
Following any social media accounts
Like, sharing and saving social media posts from your local yarn store
Recommending them to friends
Attend any events they hold, for example, knit nights
If you live in or have visited any of the below states, let me know your favourite yarn store in the comments below. Where should I visit next?
Looking for more tips about planning your trips to include yarn stores, as well as small project ideas and packing trips? Visit my previous post.
Snapshots from three of the yarn stores I visited. Left to right: Sea Brea’s Yarn, Circle of Stitches, By My Hand
Portland, Maine
Maine was the first state we visited on our road trip. We instantly fell in love with the New England vibe. Portland was no exception. We really enjoyed walking around the city and there were at least four yarn stores that I would have loved to visit. Unfortunately, I only had time for one, and it was Knitwit Yarn Shop. It was fabulous, with lots of U.s.-based yarns along with lots of accessories, including the stores own stitch markers.
Salem, Massachusetts
Famous for the 1692 witch trials, Salem certainly does embrace all things witchy. Circle of Stitches is no exception, from stocking locally dyed yarn from a company named Toil and Trouble to their own spooky stitch markers, this is definitely the place to visit if you enjoy the supernatural!
Crescent City, California
A big jump here! Although we crossed multiple states on our journey from the East Coast to the West Coast, we were moving so quickly and not stopping in many towns, so A LOT of yarn stores were missed. I hope to revisit some of those states to make up for it. But for now, we jump all the way to California.
After exploring the beautiful Redwood Forest, we went to Crescent City for a coffee and a wander around. I dropped into By My Hand store. They stock yarn, fabrics, and other embroidery, sewing, knitting and crochet products. The staff were really friendly and helped me select some yarn that would be great to use for a baby blanket.
A selection of the goodies I collected on my road trip in USA
Cannon Beach, Oregon
Wow, this place blew us away! We spent two nights in this area, and it quickly became one of our favourite places on the road trip. The Oregon coast was beautiful, but this town, in particular, was stunning. The expansive beaches were amazing, with a small town packed with independent coffee shops and stores - including a yarn store! Coastal Yarns was a great place, and luckily it had more of the yarn I had purchased in Crescent City, as I already needed more for the baby blanket I was making!
Port Townsend, Washington
Port Townsend was the final stop on our journey around the Olympic National Park before making our way toward Bellingham. This historic town was a joy to walk around. I saw DIVA Yarn and Trim on the map, and it was very accessible, being located on the main street. James had just told me that he’d like me to knit him and hat. As he never normally asks me to make him anything, I was more than happy to oblige. DIVA Yarn and Trim had just the kind of yarn I was looking for.
Coupeville, Washington
Coupeville was a fairly random, unplanned visit. We had taken the ferry from Port Townsend to Whidbey Island, on our way back to the mainland. As we were driving across the island, we went into the town of Coupeville for a coffee and some food. We happened to drive past Sea Brea’s Yarn, and it looked so lovely I had to stop and pop in.
It’s possibly the cutest yarn store I have ever been to. It had such a warm and cozy vibe, it made me want to find a comfy chair and get knitting. It may not be somewhere you happen to be passing, but I really recommend a visit to this area!
That’s it! Let me know where I should visit next time I’m on my travels!