A Trek Across Michigan for Yarn

Not that I need more yarn or am keen on purchasing commerical yarn, but I'm always on the look out for yarn stuff. As my job takes me across the state of Michigan from time to time I'm always on the look out for yarn/fiber shops. I couldn't let this week go to waste. While planning my route to Traverse City (to attend a conference) I had to find as many yarn shops as possible to visit. This is how I made out:

Starting out in Lansing (A) I swung by the Tawas Bay Yarn Company in Tawas City (B) to check it out. What a great shop! She (the shop owner whose name I've shamefully forgotten) has a great selection of everything you would expect in today's yarn shops. I picked up some sock software to create my own sock designs as well as yarn for a future baby project. She also had a nice selection of patterns created by Michigan knitwear designers...that was neat!

Then I was on to Traverse City (C) for my work-related obligations. After a few days at the Grand Traverse Resort (always a wonderful stay), I moved on to Glen Arbor (D) to Mary Turak's Yarn Shop at the Village Sampler. Mary has beautiful original hand knits and does amazing color blending work with different yarns. I couldn't resist a hand-dyed sock blank and a couple of skeins of yarn. Her shop welcomes book discussion groups and a very warm and friendly atmosphere.

Back in the car and on to The Yarn Market in Beulah (E). Again, a nice selection of yarn and very helpful staff. The shop has a nice area in front to sit and knit looking out onto the quaint downtown street. I picked up some Debbie Bliss silk yarn (on sale, yay!) and some other colorful yarn that compliments the silk. It's all on my loom right now making its way to scarfville (I'll post a pic when it's complete).

Then about 60 miles later I ended up in Ludington (F) at Nautical Yarn. All I can say is YARN, YARN, YARN! This place is a yarn gold mine! I browsed and chatted with the yarn expert until closing time but didn't escape without a memento...two skeins of this wonderful hand-dyed yarn from Vermont and a few other skeins of something or other.

Then it was the long drive back home (G). I arrived home about 10 p.m. with skeins of yarns dancing in my head. I could have got a lot of knitting done over the 500+ miles if it wasn't for the fact that I had to do all the driving, but that's o.k. too. A good 19-hour historical fiction audiobook was great company. BUT I was very glad to get home to hubby, the critters, the sheep, their wool, and my wheels. Spin On!