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Hi, folks!

This post will be a little different, as my lovely fiancée has written a guest post to share on the blog! Enjoy reading this article that combines travel and knitting– all in one! 🙂

Top Yarn Stores I’ve Visited in My Travels (GUEST POST)

If you are a knitter, crocheter, or general yarn enthusiast, yarn stores may be an important part of your travel itinerary. It used to be bookstores, which I will happily visit, but I have to admit that a hand-dyed skein of local yarn is the best souvenir. Trust me when I say they squish perfectly into a suitcase! You’ve probably read about many of the trips Rebecca and I have taken, but did you know that we also stopped by many a local yarn store? Rebecca is definitely more of the sit-in-a-comfy-chair type while I shop around, but she’s always down to check them out. She’s even visited a few without me to bring back a gorgeous skein! The best part of shopping for yarn on trips is that you can come back and make a keepsake with the yarn when you return home.

1. The Craftivist (Atlanta, GA)

While I was visiting Georgia for work, we visited the Craftivist, a charming store in Atlanta. Not only did they have a fabulous selection of hand-dyed yarns (my weakness), they also had a spacious beautiful shop with friendly staff. I could have walked around there for hours! I purchased two gorgeous skeins of yarn: Emma’s Yarn Practically Perfect Sock in Something Blue (which I had always wanted to try and did not disappoint) and Ryan Yarn Sock in The Tree that Owns Itself. I even went back to The Craftivist for their knit night. While being away from home for three weeks, it was so nice being surrounded by other knitters from the local area and getting chat with them!

2. Woolstock (Copenhagen, Denmark)

We visited Denmark in June 2025, so here’s a little sneak peek for you. We went to few adorable yarn shops such as Sommerfuglen, but the store that really stood out was Woolstock, where I ventured by myself for a quiet, relaxing afternoon. It’s a yarn café!! Dream realized. Not only did they have a cute selection of yarns and a few very lovely hand-dyed options, they had a tasty iced latte and delicious pastries, too. If that’s not enough, enter the very sweet shop dog pictured below. Aside from the lack of AC, which seems to be a Europe thing in general, it was a very pleasant place to finish my newest Riley Sager book and knit on my sock. I purchased two lovely skeins from them—one was a South African dyer (could not resist the green colors) and another local one. But best of all, I left them my signed hardback book that I did not want to take back with me (that wasn’t out in Europe yet) in exchange for a lovely canvas bag with their logo that I had been eyeing! Win win!

3. A Verb for Keeping Warm (Oakland, CA)

When we were in the Bay Area, I insisted that I HAD to go to this yarn store that had been on my list for ages. Also… great name! Not only do they have a stunning collection of some of my favorites- Spincycle (more than I had ever seen in one store) and lots of La Bien Aimee, they also have their own line with tons of natural dyed products. I believe they also do workshops, too. The store was crowded. We went during the local yarn crawl and there happened to be a large tour group in the store, but I walked out happy with three beautiful Spincycle colorways and a desire to go back. It was worth the drive across the bridge! And while we were in the area, we also checked out Mo’s Bookstore in Berkley, a can’t miss bookstore.

4. Monarch Knitting (Pacific Grove, CA)

Just a short drive from Monterey is a cute town called Pacific Grove, which Rebecca recently wrote about. But what you may not have read about was my personal highlight, the stunning yarn store we visited! It was a large shopped filled with so many adorable notions and, of course, fabulous yarns. I walked out with a hot pink colorway and a periwinkle from their own yarn line as well as a color unusual to me, an off-white beige, which I thought would be perfect for heels, toes, and cuffs on socks. The staff was extra friendly and fun to talk to. There were also a lot of regulars in the store, which is always nice to see. Yarn stores can really be wonderful community spaces.

5. Boston Fiber Co (Boston, MA)

Tucked away in the city is this beautiful little store filled with a smartly curated selection of yarns and notions. I had a wonderful time shopping their collection after a long day at the conference I was attending. The last remains of fall foliage really made this a memorable stop! If you are in Boston, I would highly recommend a stop at this store.

6. Gather Here (Cambridge, MA)

We spent the day in Cambridge and stopped by Gather Here, a rather enormous, beautiful yarn and craft store. They had the most incredible Hedgehog Fiber display (pictured below), probably my top indie yarn dyer out of Ireland. I have never seen so much of it in person, and even though I usually try to get locally dyed products, I could not resist. The store had fabric and so many other crafting supplies. It was a lot more overwhelming than Boston Fiber Co, but worth a visit! We ate a delicious lunch at the cute restaurant just down the road that I found. Including our visit to Harvard’s bookstore and the glass flower exhibit, the day was basically my perfect travel day.

7. Looped Yarn Works (DC)

Looped yarn store in DC is a little hidden from the street, but worth a stop. I chatted with the salesclerk (possibly the owner?) who let me know it is the last yarn store in DC proper. The others are in Maryland and outside the city, which is a real shame. But this one is a gem! You walk up steps and find the space on the 2nd floor. You know you’re in the right place when you are greeted with the kitschy vintage photo of women knitting. Inside, the shop is light and bright with large displays of colorful yarn. There is so much to choose from! I picked out a skein from Germany (couldn’t help it), which I had never heard of, and then saw in Denmark. I also grabbed a local dyer’s work, too. I could have spent hours and hours in this cute shop, but time was limited, so I picked out my favorites and we headed to our next stop.

8. Yarnivore (San Antonio, TX)

Tucked away in a non-descript strip mall is the last yarn store on the list, but you can be sure I’ll be looking for more on my next trip! This yarn store is surprisingly large and inviting. They make it known that they are a queer-friendly store with signage and yarns that speak to their values. I wish I had grabbed one of the Bad Frog skeins, but unfortunately I got overwhelmed with the choices and short on time. I walked out with a beautiful periwinkle skein to pair with a color Rebecca had purchased for me in Vancouver on her recent trip. It was a fun stop, and I wish I had had more time to explore!

Thanks so much! Any other knitters, crocheters, or crafters who follow Rebecca’s blog? I would love to know. If you want to see more yarn-y content, let Rebecca know! Until next time. 🙂

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Published by Rebecca

Blogger, world traveler, poet, foodie, part-time penguin. Welcome!

34 thoughts on “Top Yarn Stores I’ve Visited in My Travels (GUEST POST)”

  5. It is quite obvious that your fiancé had a great time seeing new yarns and new places and made some great memories. I am not much of a knitter, but I always keep some colourful yarn around in case a desire to knit strikes during the cold winter nights. I find that the rhythmic, repetitive motion of working with yarn can be meditative and stress-reducing, while creating a finished product provides a rewarding sense of achievement. Thanks for sharing, and have a good day 🙂 Aiva xx

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    1. Indeed! There is something therapeutic about knitting, and my fiancée loves to knit in the coziness of our home, especially when the weather gets colder. Thanks for reading, Aiva, and have a good rest of the weekend!

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  7. Thanks for the guest post. So many good yarn shops! I thought Craftivist looked very inviting. We have a great shop south of Madison called the Sow’s Ear. When Eagle was small I bought yarn there and knit a scarf that I sewed close and made it into a snake stuffed animal for them. That was my most ambitious project. I’ve never knit past the scarf stage. : )

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  8. This was such a cool read! I have no idea how to knit, crochet or even sew anything on other than a button, but I do admire crochet/knitted pieces and people with this talent! If we ever cross paths IRL, I’ll make sure to gift you a Jamaican coloured/Rasta coloured (red/green/gold) skein as souvenir ☺️ now this reminds me, I gotta badger my husband to write a guest post about his travels! He goes on work trips fairly often, and even lived in China for 10 months before we met because of work. 🤭

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    1. Thanks, Elle! It was fun having my fiancée contribute a blog post; it’s possible you’ll see more guest posts from her later on! A skein with Jamaican colors sounds gorgeous, and I’d happily accept! It’d be cool to read something from your husband, as his time abroad in China would be interesting to read about! That is, if he wants to! 😊

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    1. Yes, Yarnivore is a cheekily-named store; I’m impressed with just how many yarn puns there are out there! My fiancée wants to write more guest posts, so it’s possible you’ll read more of them soon! 😊

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  12. I’m the daughter of a quilter, but I’m not much of a knitter. I did start an afghan maybe 30 years ago. It’s still sitting on the closet shelf half-finished. I like your idea of visiting shops on your travels and then making a keepsake with the yarn when you get home. Nice to “meet” you, by the way. Rebecca keeps you rather secret. 😉

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    1. Wow! It’s remarkable you have an unfinished afghan almost as old as myself! 😆 Visiting yarn stores has now become a destination in itself whenever we travel, and I’ll make sure to relay your greeting to my fiancée. Thanks for reading!

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  15. Oh I loved this! I love a craft though I am not familiar with yarn at all – the only thing I ever made with yarn are pompons! But I learnt so much through this post! Who knew that there was such variety in yarns and dyes! I also love the idea of visiting yarn shops when traveling and now I want to do the same with fabric shops!

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    1. My partner made pom-poms for a short while and found it a fun side project! Likewise, I didn’t know there were so many varieties of yarn and dye, and it’s really cool to learn about such a niche, yet super-popular passion. Now, I visit yarn stores whenever I travel, and it’s a lot of fun!

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