Replies

1. 
   Tish | Dec 01, 2002 01:44am | #1

   I don't know about any of the Rockville stores.  I shop at Inez's Creative Stitchery in Kensington.  It's near to my home, and has been around forever.  Some of the older ladies in my church have told me that Inez's was the only place to get good yarns for many years.  Outside of Baltimore there's a shop called the Cloverhill Yarn Shop.  It used to be The Weaver's Place, but they switched from a weaving shop with knitting supplies to a knitting shop with weaving supplies.  I went there on a field trip with my weaving class two years ago and it was a great place.  There used to be a good shop ion College Park, but it's gone.  I know nothing about Northern Virginia.

   I've driven up to Oxford, PA to The Mannings to get weaving supplies, and their yarn supply is excellent.  They carry knitting yarns as well as weaving yarns.

   Since school started, I've hardly woven a yard of fabric.  I'll be just able to finish the scarf I warped up in August in time for Christmas.  I've got a dresser full of yarn I bought last summer, and I recently brought home my late mother's yarn stash.  I don't dare go into a good yarn shop.

   A Juicy Tidbit for all you knitters:  My husband's step sister decided that she'd like to learn to knit, so she went to a craft shp and asked about lessons.  All group knitting lessons are fully enrolled for nine months, but she can get individual lessons in two weeks- at $50.00 an hour!  It's the same all around the DC area.  Knitting is the new hot thing.

1. 
   stitchmd | Dec 01, 2002 02:08am | #2

   Thanks for the tip on Inez. Where is your relative who wants to learn to knit? I would gladly teach her for half that much.

2. 
   rjf | Dec 01, 2002 04:05pm | #3

   You're right about going into a good yarn shop.  The one nearest to me is about an hour and a half away.  That's good if compulsive buying is a problem.  (Could it be genetic?)  On the other hand, if you have to order online all the time, that's frustrating in a different way.  When I read your notes about good shops, I'm very envious of seeing and feeling yarn in real life but realize that if I have to order it, I must really want that particular thing.  But wouldn't it be nice if we could order a few more hours a day?                                  rjf

1. 
   Tish | Dec 02, 2002 08:22pm | #4

   I love the sensory rush of row after row of vertical bins stuffed with quality yarns.  The possible future projects start popping into my head, and if I don't have a small ruler (for guage) and a pocket calculater with me, I just want to buy more "to be sure there's enough."

   I'm going to become horrible, I think.  I've already priced yarns on-line after seeing them in stores, but I haven't bought them yet.  When I find a yarn that I want, but can't get enough of one dye lot, or can't get a color the manufacturer has but the retailer doesn't have, I really want to order it.  As I prepare for larger weaving projects, it will be more of an issue.  Next summer I want to get a finer reed and try making some light weight cotton fabrics, and the knitting stores don't carry as much cotton as is available.

   But I know that going into a hard-working independent retailer and scoping out the high-quality yarns, then buying over the internet is horrible.  It's what makes nice community shops disappear.  I need to be thoughtful about making the internet choice.

1. 
   rjf | Dec 03, 2002 03:29pm | #5

   You're right about encouraging the retailer!  I really need to see stuff in real life.  Besides, you get to see yarns you never would have considered for a project but turn out to be exactly right. 

   I went to a weavers' workshop not long ago where the weaver recommended a 24-dent reed for many things.  I thought it would be difficult to get the sley hook through but she said the finer reeds have more flexible dents so it's not hard at all.  But I think those might need to ordered since I've only seen up to 15 or 16 in one store I get to.  I've been looking for cottons that are some where between perle and homespun and quite fine.  My bathroom needs a new curtain and since it's only one, it might be fun to weave.

   Will you get a long enough break between semesters to get some weaving done?  It seems like a good winter activity when it's too nasty to go out.      rjf

1. 
   carolfresia | Dec 03, 2002 05:00pm | #6

   RJF, where do you think one could get a 24-dent reed? I haven't seen one listed for sale where I usually look for these things.

   Carol

2. 
   rjf | Dec 03, 2002 06:59pm | #7

   I think Halcyon yarn will special order and I think they sometimes have one on hand.  Web's will also special order, I think.    Web's is http://www.yarn.com and Halcyon is http://www.halcyon.com, I think.  Haven't used it for awhile.  Now, why do you think one address is in read and the other blue?   (at least on my machine)     rjf

3. 
   carolfresia | Dec 03, 2002 07:53pm | #8

   They're both in blue on my computer. I've never seen Webs--will take a look.

   Carol

3. 
   stitchmd | Feb 01, 2003 05:25pm | #9

   Thanks for the advice on Inez. I was thrilled to find they also carry embroidery materials and kits with lots of thread and crewel supplies, not just cross stitch which has been mostly what is available recently. The yarn selection is pretty good and the knitting and crochet instruction book selection is amazing.