Shop Hop around SE Minnesota: Yarnventure 2013

Yarn shop ‘hops’ are a great way to get to know a number of shops in an area. Each shop is unique and exploring all the products, getting new ideas and meeting new people who also love fiber arts is great fun. If you have not yet explored the shops of southeastern Minnesota, this coming weekend is an excellent opportunity to do so.

Yarnventure 2013 is a shop hop including five shops in southeastern Minnesota:

• What in Yarnation! in Cannon Falls
• Northfield Yarn in Northfield
• Beelighted in Zumbrota
• Hank and Purls in Rochester
• Yarnology in Winona

All five shops are open 9 a.m. – 6 p.m. both days – Friday, June 14 and Saturday, June 15. If you make it to all five shops and get your card punched at each of them, you are entered to win the Grand Prize which is worth over $500! There are also five First prizes and daily prizes at each shop, too. (as if you needed an incentive beyond just checking out new yarn stores…)

Don’t miss out!

I didn’t know I needed that!

Last night, I went to a reception at What in Yarnation! for designer Bernadette St Amant from Hand Painted Knitting Yarns. She had a large array of HPKY products and enough knit up samples we each could have worn two or three and there would still be some leftover! It was very cool to see the variety of yarns and the many neat ways they were crafted into finished objects, from shawls and wraps to afghans and everything in between.

One cool thing I learned – HPKY makes kits based on their Lengthwise Garter Shawl pattern (scroll almost to the bottom of the page). These kits include five different yarns, all color-coordinated, and of course, the pattern. It is an easy, doable pattern for virtually any level of knitter. At this point, you may be asking what was so cool about them? Well, the package some of them with the needle needed and sell them at hospital gift shops! Since we do not always get to plan enough to grab our knitting when having to head to the hospital, I thought this was a great idea! Everything you need to get started immediately, something to keep your hands busy while waiting, and an easy enough pattern you can knit while distracted.

And while I went to meet Bernadette and to learn more about the yarns and patterns, I really was not planning to buy anything. Really. I certainly do not NEED any new projects. Really.

So, how is it I ended up buying something? Well, as the samples were being tried on, one in particular drew my eye. It looked nice on everyone who tried it on, which is a big selling point for me. And best of all, the kit could be ordered in the colorway of my choice. After a bit of a dilemma about whether I should spend the money or not, I ended up ordering the kit for a Fringed Vest (near the top, about third pattern listed). I chose the colorway Idomeneo, the rich version. And of course, at least one of the yarns has glitter in it. Can’t wait to get the yarn and get started!

Cuz I did not know I needed it, but clearly I did.

Now, I need to finish up a few things so I can start this new project as soon as it comes in…

Minnesota Yarn Shop Hop Finale

As someone who worked in a LYS for the majority of the hop, I’m happy to have met so many great people during the event. It is always fun to chat with other knitters – and my favorite part is helping someone find just the right yarn for just the right project. I joke that helping others find projects is what keeps me from having to make them all myself! ha ha

I also enjoy hearing about what people like from exploring other stores, yarns, etc. People would come through Yarn Garage and bubble with stories from other stores, which is great to hear, too. And fortunately, no one seemed terribly put off by the rather unfriendly weather we had for this year’s Hop.

While I do not know any specific numbers, I know our store gathered a good number of donations for the local food shelf, had a lot of foot traffic, and loved sharing our love of fiber with fellow enthusiasts. Like many Hoppers, I’m tired but happy.

So, did you go? What did you get? What was the best part? What was your favorite discovery? And do you have any suggestions for future Hops?

Minnesota Yarn Shop Hop, Day 1

Despite some distasteful “mid-winter” weather in April, many knitters made it out to Yarn Garage Thursday to kick off the Yarn Shop Hop with a bang! Traffic was steady, despite Mother Nature throwing just about everything she had at us. Each of the sixteen participating stores has brought in an exclusive hand-dye for the event. Pictured below is some scrumptious Freia Fine Handpaints in two unique colorways created just for us: Loring Park (blues) and Powderhorn (green/purple). During the Hop, a free pattern is available designed specifically to use the featured yarn. This year’s pattern is for a great dropped-stitch, cabled cowl (also pictured).

Three more days to check out the sixteen participating shops – don’t miss out!

Don’t miss the Yarn Shop Hop!

It is THAT time of year again! This will be the seventh annual Yarn Shop Hop in the Twin Cities area. Each year, we see more participation from both customers and yarn shops. This year, there will be a total of sixteen shops, several participating for the first time. The fun begins Thursday, April 11 and continues through Sunday, April 14. Don’t miss out!

Why participate in the Yarn Shop Hop?

• Each shop will have special, exclusive yarn brought in just for Shop Hop.
• A free pattern is being offered by each shop designed to compliment their exclusive Shop Hop yarn.
• Prizes! There will be a first prize offered by each store as well as one Grand Prize drawn from all participants. The Grand Prize is worth over $2000!!
• Do good and collect unique charms – for each store that you make a $5 donation of cash or non-perishable goods, you will receive that store’s unique charm on this year’s theme: “I Yarn @ …” (outdoors, yarn store, etc). These charms are often worked into the free patterns designed to compliment the special Shop Hop yarns.
• It is just plain fun! Explore new shops, tour around with friends or make new friends as you visit the stores. Plus, there’s YARN! 🙂

Yes, you can shop anytime, but you would miss out on many of these once-a-year opportunities. Find out more a Minnesota Yarn Shop Hop. I will be at Yarn Garage in Rosemount for three of the four days of the Hop (working, not shopping… well, mostly).

Drive safely – who expected we would be measuring snow in inches at this time of year!