Yarn Crawling

From September 28 through October 7, thirteen yarn shops are participating in the annual Charlotte Yarn Crawl.  In addition to taking advantage of special discounts, shoppers receive a “Passport,” which they have stamped at 11 stores, in order to be eligible to enter drawings for twenty-six door-prizes. 

As I work full-time during the week and always seem to have family obligations on the weekends, I have never actually completed a Yarn Crawl, but this past Saturday, after mailing a baby cardigan I'd just finished, I did visit Cottage Yarn, where the owner, Sara Furr, was offering a special 15% discount off all yarns in the shop.  As I need to be on a self-imposed yarn fast (and had visited the store on the pretense that I needed to check in regarding a knitting retreat this coming weekend), I tried to restrain myself, but ultimately left with one ball for a baby hat. 



I mailed this sweater off to my niece on Saturday morning.  With a grandmother and a great aunt who are avid knitters, this baby boy will certainly never run out of knitwear. 

I wasn't planning to buy any yarn, but these bright colors caught my eye.  I can't wait to see how this yarn knits up. 

The next day, after visiting an aunt who lives in Charlotte, I decided to stop at South Park Mall.  In true fashion, however, I never made it to the mall as I remembered that a nearby knitting store, The Fiber Arts Studio at Yarns to Dye For, would be open on Sunday for the Yarn Crawl.  I bought my spinning wheel there a couple of years ago from the owner Debbie, but rarely get over to her part of town.  She has an interesting selection, including some lovely Louisa Harding Grace yarn that caught my eye.  I held off on buying yarn, but had to purchase a pattern book for Debbie Bliss’s Riva Yarn.  I have a large stock of Riva I bought on sale a few months ago, so now I have some great patterns from which to choose.  I also couldn’t resist a Louisa Harding book.  Her designs and the styling of her photographs are so wonderfully romantic and enchanting.  I have two balls of Grace in my stash, so I only need one more ball to make some fingerless gloves featured in the book.  Luckily the third ball is in a contrast color (with beading), so I won’t have to hunt out any particular shades or dye lots.
 

I was happy to find these books at a discount on the Yarn Crawl.

I bought this yarn back in the summer, but haven't cast anything on yet. 

Here’s a list of participating stores, and a link to the website for the event:

Baskets of Yarn—1318 E3 Central Avenue, Charlotte, 28205 - 704-733-9053

Charlotte Yarn—1235 East Blvd, (Kenilworth Commons),

Charlotte, 28203 - 704-373-7442

Cottage Yarn—7717 Matthews-Mint Hill Road, Mint Hill, 28227 - 704-545-8440

Foothill Fiberarts— 414 Turnersburg Hwy, Statesville, 28625 - 704-871-1030

Knit One, Stitch Too— 9709-C Sam Furr Rd (NorthCross Shopping Center)

Huntersville, 28078 - 704-655-9558

Tangles on Main—200W. North Main Street, Waxhaw, 28172 - 704-243-7150

The Fibre Studio At Yarns To Dye For—4724Sharon Road, Suite K (Sharon

Corners), Charlotte, 28210 - 704-643-7720

The Needlecraft Center—102 S. Main Street, Davidson, 28036 - 704-892-8988

The Yarn Shop by Rainy Day Creations—315 Main Street, Suite 2,

Pineville, 28134 - 704-889-1308

Things Remembered—3805 South New Hope Road,

Gastonia, 28056 - 704-824-0473

Time To Unwind—3692 N Hwy 16 (Denver Plaza),

Denver - 704-966-1300

TranqWool Knitting Provisions—516 S. Salisbury Ave.,

Salisbury, 28159 - 704-431-4527