OOOO-EEEEE, What fun. Three days of leisurely browsing in a number of yarn shops in the Santa Rosa/Sebastapol and South Bay areas of northern(ish) California. Beautiful weather, really nice people, the best sidekick ever, and wonderful privately-owned yarn shops.
First stop:
Balls and Yarns
899 Gravenstein Hwy South
Sepastopol, CA 95472
Service & Friendliness: 5
Yarn Quality: 5
Yarn Variety: 5
Knit Samples: 4
There was a cozy sitting/ knitting area and the owner/ proprietor was super friendly, helpful, and encourag- ing. There was some frilly black yarn that I didn't get and now wish I had. I did get some really cool slippery lime & cranberry rayon ribbon yarn (Gelato made by Fiesta Yarns) to make a long, horizontally-knit scarf. Wonderful shop. Will happily return.
The next stop, also in Sebastopol was an unfriendly, unforgettable shop, so I won't even mention it here.
Shop #3:
Cast Away
Santa Rosa, CA
Service & Friendliness: 4
Yarn Quality: 5
Yarn Variety: 5
Knit Samples: 4
On a quiet, tree-lined main street sits this inviting yarn shop with a seafaring decor. The windows have white paper-mache birds wearing brightly knit scarves, and as you enter the shop you're greeted by an old wooden dinghy heaped with colorful yarn. There was lots to drool over and lots of beautiful project ideas. I tried on a beautiful, draping scarf that I would have never picked for myself in a zillion years...and it looked really, really good on me. The pattern was designed by one of the employees, Ramona Gaynor, so I splurged and bought not only the pattern ("Ruffle Scarf"), but the yarn to go with it, Rowan's "Kidsilk Haze" in a deep aqua color. What a beautiful sheen it has!
Next stop,
Knitterly
#1 Fourth St.
Petaluma, CA 94952
Service & Friendliness: 4.5
Yarn Quality: 5
Yarn Variety: 5
Knit Samples: 5
I've been here before, it's a really special shop. It's on a great side street with a tree-lined parking lot across from it. The store is older, dark wood, comfy sofa, huge oak table to knit at. Great books and patterns....and they even sell stuff that comes in the packages separately. In other words, if you want one stitch holder instead of the 20-in-a-package, it's yours! Now that's customer service!
She had samples of an "Improv Scarf", where you hold two yarns together, gartering and putting in a couple of lacy/eyelet stitches in any way that you desire to create a pattern. I loved it....so of course I went hog wild and bought enough yarn for three scarves! One of the yarns was Koigu KPPPM by Koigu Wool Designs. It's 100% Merino Wool. I got a cranberry with touches of orange, an aqua/green with touches of orange, and a beige with touches of aqua and pink. Debbie Bliss' "Angel" Super Kid Mohair & Silk yarn is the second yarn in each sweater. Delightful, huh?
I also bought some Denim Blue Cascade 220 worsted weight yarn to felt myself a belt - I'm tired of my capris falling down after I've worn them for a couple of hours. This was her suggestion. She's says that after it's felted you can even cut it! Sounds like the felting shrinks it about in half....can't wait to get this one done!
The next morning we headed west from Novato to
Black Mountain Weavers
in Point Reyes, CA
11245 Main Street
Point Reyes Station, California 94956
Although they have a small amount of gorgeous hand-dyed and locally spun yarns, needles, and pattern books, this is a coop of knit and fiber artists, who show and sell their crafts. It was ultra-inspiring, the creativity, the elegance, the, the, the.....glory! ! of the beautiful works in this shop. I wish I'd taken some photos of some of the items. It was a very small shop, and the woman who was holding down the fort was just lovely.
(We ate lunch just down the street at the Station House Cafe -- I'd LOVE to go back there, mmmmm.) and also did a bit of Christmas shopping next door in ,which carries handmade goods from all over the world...for incredibly reasonable (inexpensive) prices!
Yarn Bombing! I've finally seen it with my own eyes! In the middle of Point Reyes Station, on Main Street! I've GOT TO DO THIS MYSELF! ! !
After leaving Point Reyes, we headed to south Marin Country and
Bluebird Yarn & Fiber Crafts
328A Pine Street
Sausalito, CA 94965
Service & Friendliness: 5
Yarn Quality: 5
Yarn Variety: 4
Knit Samples: 5
Still in Marin County, we headed a little north to
Atelier Marin
217 San Anselmo Ave.
San Anselmo, CA 94960
Service & Friendliness: 5
Yarn Quality: 5
Yarn Variety: 5
Knit Samples: 5
Dede's taken lots of classes here, and I've been here before, too. The gal that owns and runs the store has terrific taste and has set up the quite-large shop in a very appealing way, putting all the baby yarns, fingering yarns, sport-weight yarns, aran-weight yarns, worsted, bulky, chunky...all together with their like kinds along the perimeter of the room. In the middle are samples, yarn displays, needle racks, chairs, and a big table in the front. Wonderful shop (she has one in San Francisco, too, although the floor space is smaller, the shop is crammed with yarns of every type and variety...been there before, too.) I didn't buy anything at Atelier today.
