I did some searching and came up with a couple shops that I could visit in the area. I started with one of the more local ones: The Alameda Yarn Co. I visited for a brief half-hour or so one afternoon after Husband was home from work and he and Joe watched Little Man. I had heard a few things on some of the Ravelry forums about this shop, nothing disparaging but nothing that really stood out, either. Basically, what I heard all around was that it had a pretty decent selection of "basic" yarns: Cascade, Classic Elite, Plymouth, etc. I was pleasantly surprised to find that it carried the basics but also had some items that were a little above basic (but not to the point of "ohmybobIcan'taffordthatever"). As I only needed something to get me through, I picked up a couple skeins of sock yarn and two circular needles.
OnLine Supersocke 100 |
Opal ZwergerGarn in Mississippi |
Two US #1 40" circulars and these two skeins of yarn from The Alameda Yarn Co. I have yet to do anything with them but I felt better knowing I had *something* to work on...
My next yarn adventure took place just last week. Our stuff had arrived by then and I was spending some time working on the baby blanket here and there...nothing pressing. And then I decided I wanted to go yarn shopping (again). The adventure took me to what I like to think of as the "real" downtown of Alameda (and probably is). We live a couple blocks off of Webster Avenue, which has some shops and eateries and restaurants and cafes and such. No yarn store. When I looked online, I noticed that there was another yarn store on Park Street: Silk Road. To me, it sounded like it was kind of in the middle of a residential area so I was very surprised to find out that there's a "real" downtown in Alameda.
I had heard some things about this shop, as well. I had heard that it's a fair trade shop and it has "some" yarn. It has a pretty good selection of yarn for a shop that doesn't stock yarn primarily.
Yarny goodness |
I picked up two skeins of Malabrigo Rios...
Playa |
Archangel |
....and three skeins of Swan's Island
I'm thinking of making a few hats out of these...specifically something for my Goddaughter and her older brother. And then something for....well, probably me. No idea what but I'll think of something.
My last adventure, to date, took me into the big city of San Francisco. On Monday, I decided that Little Man and I needed a day in the city because, well, we could. We took the Alameda/Oakland Ferry, landing at the Ferry Building, which is now a marketplace. We walked through the market and then took a walk up Market Street. When we got to San Francisco, I hadn't planned on going to a(nother) yarn shop. It was while we were in Old Navy that I decided we should head to one of the shops. I did a quick search on Google Maps and decided that if we were going to go, we had a couple options on getting there: walking (which would have been another three miles), MUNI (the bus system), BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit - the train system), or taking a cab. In the end, we took a cab.
We visited a shop called ImagiKnit. It's at 18th and Sanchez, just west of The Mission District of San Francisco. It's about four miles from the Ferry Building. Anyway, this is what I saw when I walked in the door:
It has two main rooms. The room you first enter (the one in the above photo) has yarn that is at least 50% animal fiber. The room off to the left (which you can only glimpse in this photo) has yarn that is at least 50% plant or man-made fiber. They have chairs in both rooms (cushy ones, too) and it's pure yarn from floor to ceiling.
Let's just say that I spent a pretty penny in here.
Spun elsewhere (England, in this case) and dyed here in California |
Spun elsewhere (Italy, in this case) and dyed here in California |
Tosh DK |
More Tosh DK |
Tosh Chunky |
More Tosh Chunky |
Malabrigo Sock |
I had to have something to carry everything in... |
So.....these are all future WIPs (except the bag - that's to hold the future WIPs).
I think I'm done buying yarn for awhile until I can either knit faster or otherwise sell some of my yarn.
Anyway, I hope you're all having a lovely WIP Wednesday. For more WIP Wednesday adventures, visit Tami :)
Yeah Yarn P0rn!!!!! I've been waiting to see whatcha got! I love's the yarn! I love the bag! I especially like the Opal and the Acqeurello..oh amd the Swan's Island...I've never worked with that..not sure I've seen it!
ReplyDeleteYarn p0rn is great, isn't it?
DeleteFrom what I can tell Swan's Island is an independent company located in Maine. I think you can order directly from them, too. I'm not 100% positive about that.
It was something I'd never seen so, what do I do when there are things I've never seen before? BUY ALL THE YARNZ!
I LOVE posts like this, seeing what people pick up, although it's not normally quite as gorgeous as this. Madelinetosh is such scrummy yarn, I'm hugely jealous ;)
ReplyDeleteLooks like there's going to be good shopping for you in your new surroundings! Put me down as Jealous(1)!
I do think we need a (jealous) button somewhere but, well, we don't have that option :(
DeleteI think my yarn shopping will be grand and lovely :) Too bad I have a ton of yarn from before we moved...
Wow lots of awesome yarn here! *g* I love it when I have amazing yarn in my hands and am already thinking of all the ways I could use it!
ReplyDeleteI have thought sin my head...and then the yarn sits in my stash and I don't get around to using it in the way I originally decided. ::sigh::
DeleteLooks like you've got some great options for yarn shopping! Great haul!
ReplyDeleteI think I've died and gone to heaven :)
DeleteThat photo from inside ImagiKnit and all the yarn you picked up there makes me happy.. we're planning on stopping in San Fransisco for a few days at the start of our honeymoon and of course, I wanted to make sure a trip to a yarn store was on the list of activities!
ReplyDeleteGo to ImagiKnit. Seriously. If you get a chance to wander to Alameda (it's literally in the bay - you can take the ferry), we'll go play. Just sayin' :)
DeleteMy GOODNESS, you are living my dream!!! I was born up in that area, but we left when I was very very young. Seems like there's a decent yarn community up there--not so much where I live now. :(
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed ogling your new stash. :)
You should look me up on Ravelry and oogle my whole stash :)
DeleteThere are quite a few yarn stores in the area. The only thing I'm having trouble with is that I'm having a hell of a time finding good, basic Cascade 220. I can find the superwash but not the regular 100% wool. Oh well...am i really going to need a wool sweater around here?
It's at the Yarn Boutique in Lafayette. Take BART to Lafayette -- about 3 block walk to La Fiesta Square. Or drive, 24 eastbound, Oak Hill Road exit. Do not bring the young 'un, because the store is crammed with yarn and there's no place to park a kidlet.
DeleteI've loved having a peek through your new stash! They'll make very pretty WIPs.
ReplyDeleteI hope I get some projects out of these :)
DeleteHooray! Great yarn you bought and yeah, you got to Imagiknit also. Don't you love the selection?
ReplyDeleteI about died when I walked into that place! It was almost a little too overwhelming. I was able to find things that I wanted and I'm glad I didn't buy all the yarnz (I wanted to).
Delete*jealous*
ReplyDelete