Yarn Shops in Portland, Oregon

I had a wonderful time in Portland last week - for business and for yarn. The photos above were taken from the top of the tram at the university. It's a free ride down and you get great views of the skyline. But now onto the important part - YARN!

There are a number of yarn shops in Portland but (as usual) I was limited to which ones I could see as I was sans car. I took the free shuttle downtown to Powell's bookstore as it was midpoint between two stores.

My first stop was The Knit Knot Studio.



The Knit Knot Studio
1238 NW Gilsan
Portland, OR 97209
503-222-3818

This was a tiny, little yarn shop. I'd say it the store space was no bigger than my bedroom, but with higher ceilings. It was well lighted, had nice displays and had a decent selection of yarns given its size. As I walked around, I found two yarns I really liked - one was some kind of cashmere blend and was uber expensive while another beautiful hank (also very expensive) was from Blue Heron Yarns in Easton, Maryland. Even if I loved it enough for the price, I refuse to buy yarn from my home state when I'm all the way out in Portland.

I kept searching around the store for something from the Northwest, or at least the West coast. I was going to ask the store owner if there was anything specific to Portland but she was busy with an enthusiastic customer. I listened in to their conversation (not that I could avoid it since the store is that small). The owner was very nice as she explained some kind of yarn to the customer (she also said hello when I walked in) but when talk turned to payment, my ears perked up. It seems she doesn't take any credit cards that give the customer points or miles or have some kind of rewards/points associated with purchases. The credit card companies charge a higher percentage for those cards so she doesn't accept them. This is the first time I've ever heard of a retailer not accepting such cards. I was shocked. I understand that the economy is shaky and owning your own business requires you to find cost-cuts where you can, but this was ridiculous. If times are tough, you should either lower your prices to increase the volume of sales, move to a cheaper lease/rent location, or work on marketing to increase sales. Limiting your customer's choice of payment? Not a good idea to inconvenience your customers. The only credit card I use has reward points so when I heard her say she wouldn't accept it, I left. I had found nothing in the store that was worth the price let alone the hassle of not being able to use my credit card. So in summary - it was an okay store but I can't honestly recommend you stop by there if you're visiting Portland.

I was slightly disheartened after my first stop. It's rare to find a yarn store that disappoints. Though it was now 3:00 pm PST, it was 6:00 pm EST and I was starving. I stopped by one of Portland's many microbreweries, Deschutes. Sadly, another disappointment. Of the 6 beers I sampled, only 2 were good. My burger was extra well done instead of medium and the heaping pile of fries was unappetizing.

I left the pub and headed toward the second yarn store on my list. I must say that I was not expecting much given the first two stops that left me unfulfilled. Plus it was quite chilly and I was the genius who didn't bring a jacket as it had been 80 degrees in DC the day before. Cold and disappointed, I walked to KnitPurl.

My third stop was a charm.



KnitPurl
1101 SW Alder
Portland, Oregon 97205
503 227-2999
866 656-KNIT (Toll Free)

What a wonderful store! Not too big, not too small, wonderful layout and an amazing selection. This next photo, which they so graciously allowed me to take, is for the Queen.



Have you ever seen such a selection of Koigu in your life? They seemed to have every color! Click on the photo and see the larger version. The selection made me drool. I wanted to buy it all though I had no idea what I would use it for. I also found some beautiful silk blend yarn but it was expensive and from a New York state producer. Luckily I had come to the source of some fabulous sock yarn from Shi Bui Knits. Here's my purchase which came in this cute little bag:





I got one skein in Earth (left) and one skein in Tweed (right). They were about $10 per skein and should make a pair of socks per skein. I'm hoping this yarn will be the motivator for me to get out the DPNs and learn to make a pair of socks, regardless of the simplicity of the pattern.

Needless to say, I highly recommend a stop at KnitPurl when you're in Portland. And if you're looking at the Shi Bui Knits sock yarn online or at your LYS, it's worth buying.

After the great experience at KnitPurl, I went back to Powell's bookstore to wait for the shuttle. I popped into the gigantic store which stretches more than a city block. I perused the craft book section but didn't find anything I needed. I also checked for a new release, Dark Banquet: Blood and the Curious Lives of Blood-Feeding Creatures by Bill Schutt. Dr. Schutt was one of my favorite professors in college and since I loved his classes so much, I'm anticipating his book to be just as entertaining and informative. Sadly, I didn't find it at Powell's (but I did order my copy from Amazon when I got home). And yes, this is a shameless plug for his book. But I really do think it will be a great read! :)

I'm trying to convince Sean that we should use our frequent flyer miles to make a trip out to Portland. Not only are there more yarn stores to visit, but there are also numerous vineyards around the Portland area that I'd like to visit. I also think he'd enjoy the vibe of the city and the other things to see and do - just so you know the suggestion isn't a completely selfish one.

I will leave you with one of my favorite photos from my trip. This has to be one of the funniest street signs I've ever encountered. Enjoy!

Traveling Again

Last week I was in Birmingham, Alabama. Yes, this Yankee girl ventured into the deep South for a work trip. I'm not going to lie to you - I was a little scared. There's just a little too much Nascar, NRA and neoconseratives for this chica to handle. Expect for the general lack of urgency (why do they talk soooo slow and move so slow??? Or maybe I just need to learn to slow down...) it was an enjoyable trip. I kept my inner NY-girl in check and didn't make an ass of myself. Score one for me. While there are a couple of yarn stores in Birmingham, they were both far from my hotel so I couldn't check them out. I have heard, thanks to first hand reports, that both are fabulous.

Next week I'm off to Portland, Oregon - land of tasty pinot noir, a huge used and rare bookstore chain, and oodles of fabulous fiber. I have to double check how many LYS's are close to my hotel. I'm hoping to be able to check at least 2 (if not more) during my short stay.

Then in November, Sean and I are off to the wedding of a future Congressman or Senator in Columbus, Ohio. From what I've seen, there isn't much to do in Columbus. Luckily, we're driving up there and I'm going to map out stores to see on the way and while in Ohio.

As you can imagine, I'm racking up tons of frequent flyer miles and points. Too bad I can't turn them in for more yarn.

New Project: Afghan for the Sandman - Blue Edition

KMP's bun in the oven is due mid-December. I'm happy to report that both blankets have been started. Here's the first one...





I'm using the Afghan of the Sandman pattern from Crochet Garden again. The first time I made this blanket in pink for little Brodie. As I loved they way the blanket turned out, I thought it would be a great blanket to make for all the new nieces and nephews.

All the details are available on Ravelry. Details about the second blanket coming soon!

Completed Project: Knitted Dish Cloths

While camping back in August, I was being crafty near the campfire. My friend's Mom, Grandma and Aunt immediately wanted to know if I made dish cloths. I said I hadn't before, but I was sure I could figure it out. While they may have wanted round ones, they'll have to do with these...

King Charles Brocade Dish Cloth




(The color in this photo is truer to life. The yarn is called "Blueberry" but it really is a bright teal color.)

I made this by taking the King Charles Brocade pattern from one of my instructional kniitting books, added enough repeats so it was long enough and knitted the first three of every row to make the border. Uber simple.


Aunt Ann's Dish Cloth



This is a super easy dish cloth to make. I got the pattern from my cousin whose Mom (my Aunt Ann) had given it to her. I must admit it was really cool to make this pattern knowing that she had used the pattern and my cousin had usedthe pattern and now I had used the pattern. It's nice to know there are still traditions passed down generation to generation.


These two dish cloths accompanied the lace dish cloth and a photo book of pictures from camping that were sent up to my friend's parents as a thank you for having us all up for the weekend. From the email I got, they loved the book and the kitchen additions.

Completed Project: Sean's Blanket

What do you get when you have 18 skeins of yarn and a husband who needs a big blanket? Voila!



Yes, 18 skeins of Lion Brand Colorwaves in Carribean created this 50" x 81" blanket. It's HUGE.



Finished it the last day of September and full details on Ravelry. And of course, Sean loves it. :)

The Lamb Shoppe in Denver, Colorado

The trip out to Denver was a great one for both work and for fiber-goodness. Lucky for me, the hotel in which I stayed had a free shuttle which conveniently took me to see one of the best LYS's I've been to so far - The Lamb Shoppe.



Located in a more residential than commercial area, the Lamp Shoppe is a wonderful store that is worth the visit when in Denver. The set up of the store is great, with high ceilings, warm paint colors, tables and chairs, and oodles of yarn. I was instantly smitten when I first walked in the door.



They have a great selection of yarns, from local and regional companies to a great selection of Debbie Bliss and Noro. There are plenty of books and patterns for purchase and the store is definitely crochet-friendly. The staff is also super-friendly. When I asked about regional producers of yarn, they led me to a beautiful hank of lightweight yarn, dyed pale blues and greens, and perfect for a shawl or scarf. The price tag was appropriate - $48. But my wallet was not up to that task.

Instead I opted to get 3 balls of Louisa Harding Grace Silk & Wool (which was on sale) and some skull buttons I could not do without.



The other part of the store that I absolutely loved? See the fine print on the business card? The store is a "Yarn and Coffee Bar". Yep - they have a cappuccino machine. Talk about my idea of heaven! Fiber goodness with a latte. Absolutely perfect! Though this picture is blurry, you can see the coffee bar next to the register. (And it saved me the need to blur out their faces, right? Putting my less-than-consistent picture taking ability to good use.)



So I must say that if you are in the Denver area, this is a yarn store you must find time to visit. My thanks to the owners who let me take the photos, too. :)

Random Updates

Sean is off umpiring while I'm enjoying the afternoon at home. I'm looking forward to going to see some of his games once the temperatures cool down. It's fun to sit outside on a cool afternoon, crocheting away while watching Sean's baseball game. It's not fun to sit in the glaring sun, sweating and overheating, with bugs buzzing around and biting. Hence, I'm home today catching up on mundane things such as laundry, bills, and blogging.

So just a few random updates in the life of Crocheting Commuter...

The print of "Happiness" that I bought at MS&W has been framed and is up on the wall in my craft room. I've also selected the perfect color to paint the craft room but I have to wait for the dry wall inspection before I paint anything. I should have it painted before MS&W, girls. :)



Stitches East is in Baltimore again this year. Sadly, I won't be able to go because Sean and I will be driving up to Ohio for a wedding. No worries though. I've already found a few yarn stores to visit on the way.

I've got a ton of travel for work starting this week and through October. When making my travel arrangements, I tried to arrive in enough time to check out any LYS stores around town. This week, I'm off to Denver. While there aren't any stores within walking distance of my hotel, there are a few within walking distance of each other. I'll take a cab downtown and walk to a few. If anyone has suggestions of which ones to see, let me know. I use Sweater Babe's Yarn Shop Directory to find LYS's in each city. On the side bar of the blog,you can see a list of all the LYS I've visited so far.

Yesterday I bought yarn to start the two baby blankets for KMP's bun in the oven. The due date has been pushed up to mid-December so I've got to get started. While at Joann's (which was a mad house as it was a demonstration day), I checked out their October classes, hoping to take course 2 of cake decorating. Alas, there were no Saturday classes. The only one I could sign up for was a one 2-hour session candy making course. My concern with the course is that the only thing on the list of class materials is the Wilton Candy Making for Beginners Guide. I'm wondering what the 2 hour course is going to add to the instructions in this book. They better make it worth the $15 class registration fee by giving some additional candy making tips or letting us do some hands on work. I'll be sure to let you all know.

Wilton has some fabulous ideas and projects using melted and molded chocolate. I can see myself going a bit crazy with ordering molds and candy melt colors so I can make fun stuff for holidays throughout the year. I'm also hoping to make some fun candies for bridal and baby showers I'll have this year and next.

The pattern writing is going well. I'm really excited about having a few patterns up on Ravelry. Even if I don't sell many, it's really cool to have finally written the patterns. I've got at least two more coaster patterns to write up and publish and I've got about 6 pot holder ideas to work up. But with all the other projects right now, who knows when I'll get them all done. But I'd rather have too many projects and lots of inspiration than be in a creative slump.

Until next update, have a blessed Mabon!

Completed Project: Lace Dish Cloth

My first dish cloth - yay! I finished it last week.





During my camping trip last month, I started making Jessie's pot holders. Marian the Librarian's mom, grandma and aunt love to use knitted and crocheted dish towels so when they saw me crocheting, they wanted to know if I could make dish cloths. I said sure, though I hadn't made them before I thought I could figure it out. While they did want round ones, I'm not ready to use the DPNs to make them. So this one, one with a King Charles Brocade, and a plain stockinette stitch are what they will get.

Here are a couple of other photos so you can see the design.

Front


Back


As usual, all the details are on Ravelry. I don't see the sense in spending double the time to post here on the blog everything that is so conveniently listed under my projects in Ravelry. If you're not signed up for a free Ravelry account, what are you waiting for??? It's the most amazing database of everything you need to organize all your projects, find cool new projects, see photos of completed projects, and meet great people. Seriously - go sign up.

Because of the pattern, it's given me hope that I can once again pick up the BUBBLES bubbles wrap (that I haven't touched since July) and try again.

Another Pattern

The Froggie Coaster Pattern is completed and up for sale on Ravelry!

Yarn Order - The Details

Details about that big ol' box of fiber goodness I got last week...



This was the precipice of the yarn order. I needed to buy more Colorwaves yarn for Sean's blanket and Smiley's has the best price for it ($1.99 a skein). But - I had to order a minimum of $50. Here's what made up the rest of my order:



Four skeins each of Cervinia Sorrento in Denim Heather, Charcoal Heather, Beige Heather and Brown Heather. This is 100% acrylic yarn though it looks and feels really nice. I'm planning to make a charity blanket with it.




One skein each of Bernat Handicrafter Cotton in Blueberry and Blue Haze. The names would have you assume the yarn is from the blue family. I beg to differ as I find this yarn to be more of the obnoxious teal family or drab gray family. Oh well. It will be used for dishcloths (that is, if I ever get my first dishcloth made).




One skein of Wendy Peter Pan Baby Yarn in Baby Blue. This will hopefully turn into a hat and booties for KMP's bundle of joy due in December. I best get a move on this project because I am no speedy knitter.




Lion Brand Jamie Classic in Lemonade (4 skeins), Pistachio (3 skeins), and Lilac (3 skeins). I bought this to make another charity blanket of daisy squares. The pistachio is not as green as I would have liked, but it will work for the background of the squares.




Susan Bates 29" circular knitting needles in sizes 7, 8, 9, and 10. I've got a bunch of circulars in smaller sizes for socks so I thought I might as well make the set closer to complete with circulars in the larger sizes.


Where am I going to store all this new yarn? It won't be pretty, but I'll try my best to cram it all into my little yarn cabinet.