Holland Yarn Store Roundup
Hopefully yesterday's post wasn't so cheesy that you have unsub'd. I get sentimental when cocktails are involved! Also, this will be the last post of my trip home. I wish they hadn't been dragged out so long but work is really getting in the way of my blogging time! (But the pay is much better!!!)
OK- The closest medium sized city to where I grew up is Holland, MI. And, as far as I can tell, there are only 2 yarn stores. The first is downtown on 8th street- Lizzie Ann's Wool Shop.
You can't see very well but they have a bunch of mini sweater ornaments in the front window. They are so cute!
It's a spacious shop with lots of higher end yarns. The ladies here were nice and let me browse without interruption.
Plenty of space to sit and knit. And LOTS of samples. After the Lansing/Grand Rapids yarn fest, I reeled in the purchases a little.
They have a great selection of buttons. I was still checking out options for the February Lady Sweater.
Once I'm done knitting, I'll have to figure out which ones to use.
They also sell kits for the cute sweater ornaments in the front window. I snagged a couple. I'm thinking they make good gift tags for Christmas presents. And once I have the pattern, I can make lots of versions of them.
Then I headed over to Washington Square to my mom's LYS- Friends of Wool.
I LOVE this yarn store. Not because it's got the best high end yarns, although it does. I love it because I really feel like you could just come in, plop down, and knit as if you were there every day. Plus, the owners (Ruby and Rose) go to the church I grew up in. And they are very sweet.
The shop is smaller than Lizzie Ann's but it's absolutely stuffed with yarn. From Cascade to Philosopher's Wool to Noro. They have everything you need without being flashy or fancy or pricey.
There are lots of samples around the shop.
Check out the mittens!
Of course, I couldn't leave without a purchase.
Black Cascade 220- Can you believe there's none of this in my stash?!?!?
Grey Cascade 220. Not the most exciting purchases. But they are destined to be something really cute...
I'm thinking a flock of sheep will someday emerge from my knitting leftovers. I also bought a small bottle of Gloves in a Bottle. That lotion is AMAZING! It's really helping my hands deal with the amount of washing that takes place in the hospital. If you have trouble with chapped hands, try it.
When I went to pay, Ruby looked at the name on my credit cards and said, "I thought you were one of Jo's girls!" I almost started crying when she came around the counter to give me a hug. She looked me square in the eye and told me how much she misses my mom. It was an incredibly sweet thing to say. Then they told me stories of how my mom once tangled a skein so badly that they had spread it all over the store try to work out the knots. She said the store looked like it was covered in spiderwebs but that was OK since it had been close to Halloween. We all laughed and I held back my tears until I was outside. Sometimes I really miss living in a small town.
OK- The closest medium sized city to where I grew up is Holland, MI. And, as far as I can tell, there are only 2 yarn stores. The first is downtown on 8th street- Lizzie Ann's Wool Shop.
You can't see very well but they have a bunch of mini sweater ornaments in the front window. They are so cute!
It's a spacious shop with lots of higher end yarns. The ladies here were nice and let me browse without interruption.
Plenty of space to sit and knit. And LOTS of samples. After the Lansing/Grand Rapids yarn fest, I reeled in the purchases a little.
They have a great selection of buttons. I was still checking out options for the February Lady Sweater.
Once I'm done knitting, I'll have to figure out which ones to use.
They also sell kits for the cute sweater ornaments in the front window. I snagged a couple. I'm thinking they make good gift tags for Christmas presents. And once I have the pattern, I can make lots of versions of them.
Then I headed over to Washington Square to my mom's LYS- Friends of Wool.
I LOVE this yarn store. Not because it's got the best high end yarns, although it does. I love it because I really feel like you could just come in, plop down, and knit as if you were there every day. Plus, the owners (Ruby and Rose) go to the church I grew up in. And they are very sweet.
The shop is smaller than Lizzie Ann's but it's absolutely stuffed with yarn. From Cascade to Philosopher's Wool to Noro. They have everything you need without being flashy or fancy or pricey.
There are lots of samples around the shop.
Check out the mittens!
Of course, I couldn't leave without a purchase.
Black Cascade 220- Can you believe there's none of this in my stash?!?!?
Grey Cascade 220. Not the most exciting purchases. But they are destined to be something really cute...
I'm thinking a flock of sheep will someday emerge from my knitting leftovers. I also bought a small bottle of Gloves in a Bottle. That lotion is AMAZING! It's really helping my hands deal with the amount of washing that takes place in the hospital. If you have trouble with chapped hands, try it.
When I went to pay, Ruby looked at the name on my credit cards and said, "I thought you were one of Jo's girls!" I almost started crying when she came around the counter to give me a hug. She looked me square in the eye and told me how much she misses my mom. It was an incredibly sweet thing to say. Then they told me stories of how my mom once tangled a skein so badly that they had spread it all over the store try to work out the knots. She said the store looked like it was covered in spiderwebs but that was OK since it had been close to Halloween. We all laughed and I held back my tears until I was outside. Sometimes I really miss living in a small town.
posted by Unknown at 3:17 PM
8 Comments:
Very nice yarn stores and may like these purchases the best! The cute mini sweater patterns, buttons and the sheepy sheepy pattern are cool!
Wowza, those FLS buttons are just amazing!! I haven't even found one suitable one yet:) What a great story to hear about your mom, and such a warm moment when people remember someone so warmly!
LOVE your buttons! And, of course, everything else! So fun to be on vacation and yarn shop diving vicariously through you!
Love the buttons!! Great find!! Looks like you had lots of fun yarn shopping on this trip home!
Love the buttons! I've been wanting that sheep pattern...so cute! I have an alpaca one like that! Those mini sweaters are the cutest things....they make a perfect, wonderful, awesome gift!:) Hope you had a wonderful week at work...so proud of you! Your Mama would love the woman you have become and I know she is beaming with pride at what you have accomplished! Love that the woman at the yarn store gave you a hug and a special memory...so touching and moving. Yes, the eye faucet is on! Love and hugs!
Cool buttons! And I love how Ruby told stories about your mom! That's the kind of lys we should all have!
That is the sweetest story and totally makes up for the Olympic cheese (just kidding on the latter!)
These stores do have great displays, and that is one thing that is sorely missing from two of the three lys I frequent. Thanks again for sharing it all with us!
Those little sheep are great!
Everyone has to have black cascade in their stash!
That mitten rack is too cute in their shop.
Post a Comment
<< Home