Northern California shops?

[buggaboosmommy]

Hello! Since I'm new to the Fairfield, CA area I was hoping someone knew of some shops around for yarn/patterns/hooks, etc? Any help would be wonderful!!

Donna :garden

[midnightCrocheter]

Hi Donna,

I am wondering if you got any answers ? I will be in Milipitas for a week and want to check out yarn shops around Milipitas. Can someone suggest me good yarn shops :( ?

Thanks,
Yamini

[Frangipani]

Here's a fre shops I Googled:

I know of a luscious shop in Healdsburg if you ever make it up that way (about 15 min north of Santa Rosa)

Best Inspiration
Fengari in Half Moon Bay has moved to new digs—right across the street from its old location. The shop is sunny and spacious, with shelf after shelf of tempting textures and styles. Many of the yarns are available in a dozen or more colors, some as many as 20. Just try to walk out empty-handed. We dare you. 415 main st., half moon bay, (650) 726-2550, www.fengari.net.

Best Hand-Dyed
Black Mountain Weavers sells the textile equivalent of Marin's famous artisan cheeses and heirloom veggies. Yarn spun and dyed by eight local craftspeople is sold at the co-op; Charmaine Kreiger's supersoft merino wool is richly colored with natural dyes from fennel, indigo, and onion skins. 11245 Hwy. 1, Point Reyes Station, (415) 663-9130.

Best Edited
Alameda's one-year-old Yarn is a medium-sized store with everything a knitter needs: a mix of the basics—scores of wools in dozens of colors—as well as a smattering of top-quality hand-dyed and novelty yarns. Attention, summer knitters: The cotton selection is particularly yummy. 2311 Santa Clara Ave., Alameda, (510) 522-9276, www.yarnyarn.com.

Best Selection
With hundreds of different yarns for sale—thousands if you count all the colors—ImagiKnit, in the Castro, is a dazzling yarn museum. Plan to spend longer than you think you'll need to at this relatively new knitters' destination. 3897 18th St., S.F., (415) 621-6642, www.imagiknit.com.

ImagiKnit Sound amazing!! The offer classes on spinning, felting and pattern design! I may have to visit this place when
I come home!!

Hope this helps!
Bec

[Frangipani]

Donna and Yamini,
I also found this great LIST of yarn shops in the bay area.
http://66.102.7.104/search?q=cache:faQ55iDMpn8J:www.thehendricks.net/california.htm+yarn+Milpitas+CA&hl=en

[buggaboosmommy]

Thanks Bec! I'm still learning my way around so I'm not venturing to San Fran or Sacramento alone yet. lol But it's always nice to know for when I get the courage, lol

Thanks!!!
Donna :cheer

[Frangipani]

I know what you mean Donna! It took until I was 23 to venture on to the dreaded hills of SF with my manual car!! :eek Shocking experience! :lol

Well the second link should be helpful then.
Bec

[HeatherM]

Hi! I used to live in the Fairfield area (now in Eureka). There is a great yarn shop in Rocklin called Filati. (I think that's how it's spelled.) It was pretty easy to get to off the freeway. Also there is a great shop in Tahoe (if you're ever there on vacation or something). :)

[Faith]

I live in Alameda, but tend to venture to a store in SF near my office called Art Fibers. They are located at Montgomery and Sutter, and accessible by both Muni and BART (Montgomery Street Station). They have an online catalog and accept phone orders.


ARTFIBERS
124 Sutter St., San Francisco, CA 94104
415.956.6319 toll free 888.326.1112
www.artfibers.com (http://www.artfibers.com)

[kdcrowley]

Buggaboo, I am primarily a knitter, but here goes.


In Davis, there is In Sheeps Clothing.

In Sac, there is Rumpelstiltskin.

In Martinez, there is Peaches yarn.

In Walnut Creek there is FashionKnit.

I believe that there is a yarn shop in Benicia, but don't know the name.

There are some shops in Napa and Sonoma as well, that I have heard good things about.

You just missed Lambstown in Dixon on July 30.

There is also West Valley Alpacas in Esparto/Winters. They are by appointment.

In October, Yolo Wool Mills will have a Mill In. Plan on going, for the interest value anyway.

Of course, there is always the Jo-ann and Michael in Vacaville, which have a fair selection for the chains.

Good Luck.

[klouised]

You all are making me miss Cali!!! It's been 14 years since I've been there. Reading all the different places brought up lots of memories. I grew up part of the time in a small place called Lathrop and the other times in Newark, Sunnyvale, and Redwood City. I also worked in Stockton and Palo Alto. I can't believe I'm saying this, but I miss the San Fran hills. (Sigh)

[ankhesenamun]

If you happen to be close theres Knitting Arts in Saratoga. I work there and am doing my best to expand the crochet books, classes, and supplies there. I think we have the most of the local shops. Please check us out! www.goknit.com (http://www.goknit.com)

Jennifer Reeve

[new2me]

If you happen to be close theres Knitting Arts in Saratoga. I work there and am doing my best to expand the crochet books, classes, and supplies there. I think we have the most of the local shops. Please check us out! www.goknit.com (http://www.goknit.com/)

Jennifer Reeve

The original poster, Donna, might not be close enough to you, but this Donna is, lol. I'm hoping to stop in this weekend! I've heard from a co-worker that your shop is wonderful. I may have to leave my checkbook at home though, lol.

[buggaboosmommy]

Nope..not close enough! I wish though..the closet yarn shop we have is about 45 mintues away...and driving that in California can take hours!

Donna

[new2me]

45 mintues away...and driving that in California can take hours!

Donna

Ohhhh, ain't that the truth!!! :D

[HookandCrook]

LOL @ the traffic. You need to learn the backroads in this area. It's the only way to survive.

If you like nice yarn and don't mind it being a bit pricey, Sheep's Clothing in Davis is a great shop. I'll warn you up front -- be cautious in saying you crochet. Some of the staff have a real thing about knitting being the only true yarn art form. Just saying cuz I got caught and it wasn't a pretty thing to listen to my response. :eek :lol

The Michael's in Natomas is the best Michael's in the area, with the Michael's in FF second, and the Vaca one is a dump -- in my opinion. ;)

Has anyone listed SweaterBabe's site? It has listing of shops in Northern Cal:

http://www.sweaterbabe.com/directoryCA.htm

I've been to:
A Time When...Needleworks
4615 Manzanita
Carmichael (a burb of Sacramento)
916-481-YARN (9276)

and it's a nice shop.

If you get the chance, do take a trip to Lacis in Berkeley. Their antique lace, and other things are worth the trip -- simply to drool.

Lacis
2982 Adeline Street
510-843-7290

I've yet to find a nice yarn shop in the area of Oregon where I'll be moving, so Herrschner's will be seeing lots of my moola. LOTS - because I've been on a yarn diet while we pack and I intend to make up for this. :devil

Enjoy your stay in NorCal, and if you want back road directions, drop me a pm or an email. :)


HnC (currently in Vacaville -- packing for Oregon)

[Bexx]

There is a Michael's craft store in/around the Elk Grove/Laguna area - which is not too far from South Sacramento.
And really....um...I live in the quasi-ghetto (Franklin/Florin) and have walked around a lot with no problems. The area where Michael's is, the worse thing of course - is the traffic and crazy yahoo drivers.
I don't go there often, mostly because I get depressed. Too much I want to buy and not enough moola to buy it with. :lol But they had a broad selection of yarns the last time I was there.