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Yarn Shop Reviews
Maryland
A Good Yarn
1738 Aliceanna Ave.
Baltimore MD 21231
410-327-3884
Wed-Sun: 10-7
Reviewed by Jodie Alaoui
The owner Lorraine offers classes, great customer service and a terrific selection of yarns for the hand knitter. She has many samples( that for the most part she knitted herself) that demonstrate just how wonderful a handknitted item can be. I love going there.
This shop was reviewed by a second knitter.
Reviewed by Jennifer Spiro
There are many things to enjoy about Baltimore's new local yarn shop.Located in a rowhouse in historic Fells Point, the shop has the full flavor of Baltimore at its best: it is friendly, warm, on the water, its inhabitants (yarn, knitting-related goods, and the humans) are both varied and eclectic. The collection of yarn ranges from your usual Yarn Shop suspects, like Brown Sheep and Classic Elite, to local and collective handspun goodies of all types of wool, silk, and alpaca. The owner, Lorraine, is friendly and knowledgeable. Classes are offered, ranging from Beginner Knitting to Finishing.
Lorraine hosts a Sit-n-Knit every Sat. morning from 10-12, with coffee, tea, cheese, and danishes. A $5 donation goes to the charity of the month. (Lorraine also collects other charity items.) This is a popular event, and if you're in the vicinity I highly recommend you visit on Sat mornings. It's a friendly and engaging group that meets!
Best of all, this shop is located in Fells Point. This means that you can tote the family along and let them peruse the local tourist and antique shops while you happily spend your time in the yarn shop. It also means that you can take your yummy purchases and sit and knit on Baltimore's waterfront, which is one of my personal favorite springtime activities.
In a Nutshell: We are fortunate in Baltimore to have a number of good yarn shops in the area, but there are a few things that set A Good Yarn apart: the location is easy to get to, with many interesting shops nearby so that the non-knitters in your life have something to do while you happily play with yarn; the shop is open until 7 pm Wed-Sun, which makes it easy to go to after work; and she sells excellent quality, unique local yarn. Especially check out the hand-dyed yarn. Collinette, Cherry Hill, and Lorraine's Laces have nothing on this luscious stuff!
This shop was reviewed by a third knitter.
Reviewed by Sally Johnson
Lorraine (owner of the shop) has excellent classes, some for the new knitters and others for the intermediate and experienced knitters. The classes are very well done, lots of information and help as well as a chance to work with other knitters you are just meeting. I have taken a number of classes there and enjoyed them all. There is a lot of camaraderie with the Saturday morning knitters and they are very welcoming to new folks. 8/08
The Celtic Knot Yarn Shop
8167 Main Street
Ellicott City, MD 21043
410-203-0133
Hours: Wed-Sat 11-5, Sun 11-4, Thurs until 7pm
Reviewed by Theresa Novak
This shop is located inside the Ellicott Square building next to Fisher's Bakery in the heart of historic Ellicott City.
This peaceful oasis is a comfortable place to hang out and learn about knitting, crocheting and felting. The knowledgeable staff specializes in personal attention and gentle guidance. They offer a variety of classes,
including a beginner knitting class and they also host regular fun, social Sit-n-Knit sessions.
The shop carries a nice variety of good quality yarns with lots of interesting novelty yarns. Their selection of needles includes the popular Addi-Turbos. They also sell patterns and kits for knitting chemo caps for local cancer patients, a cause that is close to the owner's heart.
In the fall of 2003, The Celtic Knot Yarn Shop will be moving to a new location across the street from their current location.
Cloverhill Yarn Shop
75 Mellor Avenue
Baltimore, MD 21228
410 788-7262
800-747-YARN
Reviewed by Jayne Caldwell
This shop is actually located in Catonsville. The women are knowledgeable and very helpful. They also carry looms and teach classes on weaving, braiding, spinning, lacemaking, knitting, crocheting; they call themselves A Center for the Interlacing Arts.
This shop was reviewed by a second knitter.
Reviewed by Ann Summerfelt
This shop is a fiber addict's dream: it carries tools, books, and supplies for weaving, spinning, knitting, braiding, tatting, dyeing, and
felting. Staffed by knowledgeable, friendly fiber artists with incredible design and color sense, I've never had a question on any technique go
unanswered, and I've asked some zingers! Classes are excellent. I can heartily recommend the Intro to Weaving class, which is really much more than an introduction. By taking the next step classes, one can go from newbie to competent weaver astonishingly quickly. The wide variety of yarns in all price ranges inspires me to complete my projects quickly so I can begin the next. The shop has the largest selection of fiber-related books and patterns in the region.
Located in a small shopping center that also has quilting and embroidery shops.
This shop was reviewed by a third knitter.
Reviewed by Elaine Shanks
Like most knitters, I take the opportunity to visit other yarn shops whenever possible and most shops have a pretty good selection of yarn. What makes Clover Hill Yarn Shop so special is that the staff (from the owner to staff) are friendly and welcoming to everyone... not just to their frequent customers. So many yarn shops develop a clickish atmosphere that you can feel at the first visit...sometimes you are made to feel like you are intruding in some way... but not Clover Hill Yarn Shop. They are the best.
Ewenique Yarns
130 N. Bond St., Suite 103
Bel Air, MD 21014
410-399-9929
Reviewed by Judy Thomas
I'm into all different kinds of craft but knitting always intimidated (and awed) me. I was hooked with my first visit to this shop. The owners, Maggie and Marianne, welcomed me so warmly that I felt totally comfortable. They were so encouraging and helpful that it's impossible not to get excited learning to knit. They have a shop filled with stunning yarns and samples of projects that really get a person fired up! I've never hesitated to go to them for help (and believe me, I've needed them a lot) and they never failed to go above and beyond what I expected. Any knitters in this area owe it to themselves to stop in and enjoy this shop!
Keep Me In Stitches!
304 West Patrick Street
Frederick, MD 21701
240-379-7740
Owners: Cathy Crome and Nancy Jones
Reviewed by Carlei O'Neal
Located in one of the many historic row homes in Frederick MD, this little shop has become my home away from home, and the sisters that own the shop literally Keep Me In Stitches! My mother and I recently stumbled upon this shop; she's never had the time to fully develop her knitting and crocheting skills, and I had never attempted either one. At Keep Me In Stitches! we received one-on-one attention from both Cathy and Nancy, and have since made this shop part of our Saturday mother/daughter routine. I am now officially addicted to knitting! Although the shop is tiny, it is packed with a variety of yarns, pattern books, needles, buttons, sample ideas, and I am sure many more things I have yet to discover. Their hours are very convenient even for the working woman. And the owners will go out of their way to help you with anything and everything related to stitching. I would never have chosen to learn in any other way from any other teacher!
This shop was reviewed by a second knitter.
Reviewed by Denys Louderback
Cathy and Nancy are two of the most delightful people I have met in a long time. They make you feel welcomed into their shop from the moment you step over the threshold. The selection of yarns is out of this world and it is so hard to pick just one type of yarn. My daughter and I have gone back time after time not only for yarn but for advice on how to do a project. Recently we have tried to stop in the shop on Fridays for a chat and to knit a spell. Oh, how I wish my Mom were still alive. She was a prolific knitter and would have gone ape over this shop. It is not up to my daughter and I to keep the knitting alive in our family. If you get a chance this is a must stop when looking for yarn. 5/07
Lovelyarns
846 w. 36th Street
Baltimore, MD 21211
410-662-YARN
Reviewed by Nancy Kane
This is by far the friendliest yarn store in Baltimore! Sue, the owner, is genuinely glad to help even if you brought in a project from another shop that was frustrating. She was gracious with mine, and I will be a loyal customer from here on! The selection is just beautiful. She carries a lot of alpaca, as well as gorgeous hand-dyed yarns (my favorite!) And I haven't been to the Saturday Stitch n Bitch yet, but have friends who come and just love it. Hampden is a great neighborhood to have lunch with a girlfriend, so we usually shop and eat, and enjoy a fun afternoon. 9/07
The Needlework Loft
4706 Bethesda Avenue
Bethesda, MD 20814
(301)6528688
(866)5NEEDLE
Reviewed by Paula M. DeBois
Needlework Loft is a visitor's delight! It has a
second floor location. It is also a stone's throw from
the Metro line.My visit was on a Saturday afternoon
during the holiday season. The store was bustling with
shoppers. Classic Elite, Jaeger, Brown Sheep,Debbie
Bliss, and Berroco are a few of the brands in stock.
This shop has an extensive selection of patterns,
books and tools.Sale yarns are carried in the hallway.
Needlework Loft also carries a large selection of
needlework items. On this afternoon there were a
number of sales persons. The ladies understood the
balance between the desire to browse and the need for
assistance. This store has the seductive recipe of
tactile treats, great staff and terrific ambience.
WoolWinders: A Knitting Salon
404 King Farm Boulevard
Rockville, MD 20850
240-632-YARN (9276)
Reviewed by Faith Hamby
Based on a true dedication to customer service and expectation, Woolwinders: A Knitting Salon sets itself apart from other yarn shops by virtue of its unique philosophy, a seven-point manifesto:
1. We are on Your Schedule. Not Ours.
2. Hang Up Your Coat and Stay A While.
3. Bring the Kids.
4. Try Before You Buy.
5. Help is Free.
6. Talk to Us.
7. Special Orders Don't Upset Us.
And from all appearances, Jaqui and Lew Rose, the owners of this two-year-old shop, are genuine in their committment to their customers. Just recently, at the request of its customers, the yarn shop extended its hours. Now, not only is the shop open seven days a week, but it's also made itself more accessible to its working customers by offering later weekday hours.
The shop itself is modest in size with a large main room and a back hallway, all stocked from floor to ceiling with various yarns. Woolwinders carries the expected favorites, as well as some truly luscious originals, including Berroco, Brown Sheep, Classic Elite, Colinette, Debbie Bliss, Muench, Jaeger, Lang, Manos Del Uruguay, Mission Falls, Noro, Rowan, Schaefer, Skacel, and Tahki. Knitted samples of most of the yarns are scattered throughout the shop. Some yarns, like Manos Uruguay's variegated hand-dyed wool, even have knitted swatches available for individual colorways.
Shelves not stocked with yarn are stocked with an impressive selection of books, magazines, and patterns. In the rear hall, there's a single, tall book shelf filled with binders of nothing but patterns for various types of garments: felted bags, ponchos, vests, sweaters, pullovers, and beginner projects. The sheer selection could be overwhelming if the staff weren't so happy to steer customers toward projects that fit their interests and aptitude. And all of the staff display a good working knowledge of what the shop carries, be it patterns, or notions, or yarn.
Still, it's Woolwinders' committment to customer service that creates the shop's sense of community and continuity. On any given day, it's not uncommon to find one or two customers simply knitting at a long table set up in the main room of the shop for just this purpose, and several employees even frequent the shop when they're not working. Moreover, the shop can become quickly cramped on Thursday nights and Sunday afternoons when its knitting group meets. Forgivable, considering these well-attended sessions are a testament to the shop's loyal customer base.
In keeping with the shop's philosophy, all knitters are welcome, regardless of age or skill level, and unlike some yarn shops, Woolwinders caters to beginning and returning knitters. In fact, the shop's own employees reflect a nice mix of young and old, beginner and advanced. This diversity is echoed in the classes the shop offers. In a few hours, returning, intermediate, or advanced knitters can learn new techniques, such as Aran knitting or the elements of garment design, and shorter classes on topics like how to make gauge and increasing and decreasing can be useful as a refresher course or an important skill building class for beginners.
Whether a beginning or advanced knitter, don't let the staff's familiarity with its customers - it's not unusual to hear customers greeted en masse by name, a la Cliff and Norm from Cheers - intimidate you, though. This yarn shop is not for Members Only. The owners and the staff are genuinely passionate about knitting and willing to help, whether this means finding a project, suggesting types of yarn, or even altering the project for a customer. More importantly, their willingness to help doesn't end with the ring of a sale. If a customer finds she's having problems with a project, she's encouraged to bring her project into the shop for free help -- and that all important necessity, moral support.
Located in Rockville, Maryland, Woolwinders is easily accessible from I-270 and within walking distance of the Red Line's Shady Grove Metro stop. Be sure to look for the shop's signature blue awning, as well as the sale bin and the rack of handknitted items often on display outside the shop during the warmer months. And while visiting, why not make a day of it? As part of the King Farm Village Retail Center, Woolwinders is within a block or two of several small restaurants and the fantastic Elaj Aveda Lifestyle Spa. What better way to pamper yourself than with an afternoon of relaxation, good food, and fine yarn?
Woolstock Knit Shop
4876 Butler Road
Glyndon, MD 21071
410-517-1020
1-800-242-knit
Reviewed by Phyllis Towns
There is a local yarn shop in Glyndon just outside of Baltimore, MD. It is owned by Leslye Solomon who also owns Fiber Fantasy Knitting Products (mail order and blockers fame). She carries all the knitting products she's always offered through the mail and a whole lot more. Yarns to die for from Anny Blatt, Anabel Fox, Berocco, Brown Sheep, Cascade, Dale, Mt. Colors,
Plymouth, Prism, Rowan, Sirdar, Trendsetter, you get the idea! All ranges of fiber including angora, cottons/blends, merino and llama blends and her luscious mohairs from Great Britain to name a few. The service is outstanding there. I've watched them help ladies that had projects from yarn bought who knows where without hesitation. It is truly the nicest yarn shop I've ever been in. Their goal seems to be to make you the happiest, most successful knitter possible. The classes are about $25.00 with unlimited support. If you want something they don't have, they'll order it. As a new yarn shop (opened in 10/98) they don't have an extensive selection of sale yarns but they do have a sale table that has a wide selection. The trip for me to this shop is 30 minutes and worth every second.
This shop was reviewed by a second knitter.
Reviewed by Sheila Flanigan
I would like to enter a thumbs up for a knitting shop called Woolstock. It is located in Glyndon, Maryland (a suburb of Baltimore). When I first entered the shop I thought Heaven was upon me.
The yarns are magnificent and well stocked. Orders will be processed. Staffers are experienced and willing to help. Classes are available.
The Baltimore area has long been lacking a good knitting shop. I have traveled to the Washington DC, Arlington, VA, area to locate good yarn.
Three cheers for Woolstock!
This shop was reviewed by a third knitter.
Reviewed by Jen Longley
Leslye, Phyllis and Mara are great -- so are the other staff.
I travel from New York City about every other month to see Leslye and her crew. The have helped me a ton with my knitting -- making time to help me by phone when I call or when I stop in. My Mom is a crocheter she loves the store too. We have both benefitted from a new technique the
staff have taken the time to show us. They offer great person, one-on-one attention. They have a great selection of books, yarns, wools and knitting supplies. They have all of the latest needles and goodies, as well as books and magazines and patterns. They have a great table in the back of the store that is always filled with people, and
the staff are available to help with patterns or stitches. It's just a great place that I love to go to -- even though it is 250 miles from my house!
This shop was reviewed by a fourth knitter.
Reviewed by Adrianne Avillion
I visitied Woolstock for the first, and last time, on July 30. The owner was outrageously rude as were the majority of the staff present. Although the yarns were beautiful, the condescending way I was treated was horrific. I purchased a pattern but was not able to afford to purchase the quantity of yarn needed today. I asked for a piece of paper to write down the color, lot # etc. of the yarn I later planned to purchase from this shop's Web Site. I was barely able to ask if I could write this information down, when the owner said, "No, so you can buy it somewhere else for less money?" She then removed the yarn I was looking at from my view and turned her back on my. The atmosphere in the shop was tense, and the staff treated each other as rudely as I was treated. Prior to this verbal exchange, I was pressured by two saleswomen to purchase yarn. The pressure tactics employed were more appropriate to a used car lot than an upscale yarn shop. This was a horrible experience and I shall never return nor will I recommend this shop to others. 11/10
This shop was reviewed by a fifth knitter.
Reviewed by Haka Craig
I have been traveling to my local yarn shops to check out selections and vibes for my knitting needs. I live in south central Pennsylvania, and would highly HIGHLY recommend visiting The Mannings weaving school, Uncommon Threads in York, PA, and Lancaster Yarn Shop. They all offer numerous varieties of high quality yarns as well as friendly, approachable staff. That said, I checked out Woolstock to see what they had to offer, and while they certainly have a numerous selection of yarns, the vibe was cold and unwelcoming. I received not a single "welcome" or "hello," nor did anyone ask me if I needed any help. Now, I am not the kind of person that likes to be catered to or sold to by any means, but I think any customer would appreciate the least of acknowledgement. Perhaps I don't look like I belong there? I am no yahoo and do realize they sell a premium brand of yarn (=expensive), but what they failed to realize was that I had premium money to spend if only they bothered to acknowledge me. Pity. 2/12
The Yarn Garden
2303-I Forest Drive
Annapolis, MD
410-224-2033
Reviewed by Jayne Caldwell
The women there are extremely helpful and knowledgeable. If a knitter/crocheter needs help, they are very willing to instruct. If you need special instruction, there are classes available. They have a wide selection of yarns, needles, patterns and useful gadgets.
This shop was reviewed by a second knitter.
Reviewed by Becky Whitt
A beautiful shop that was just full of yarn. Had loads of accessories; I purchased a knitters watch there. It is very difficult to find, but worth the effort. It is in the upstairs section of a strip shopping center. Just look up. Had a very large supply of moderate and high end yarn. We hit this one at the end of day, so I didn't get to spend much time, but could have easily spent a couple hours.
The Yarn Shop
309 South Main Street
Accident, MD 21520
301-746-6344
Owner: Carol Smith
Reviewed by Judy A. Carbone
The Yarn Shop, and it's wonderful owner, Carol Smith, are just delightful! Both exude a sense of joy and passion for knitting. When you walk into the shop, the first thing that will astound you is the wonderful array of colors and textures offered on the shelves. The selection Carol offers is varied, fun, and just amazing. There's no problem at all picking out several yearns for whatever project you may be working on...the problem will come when it is time to narrow down your selection. I typically want them all!! Carol is always so helpful in making suggestions for color or texture combinations and is always willing to help you learn a new pattern or offer you a tiny suggestion. I've even run to her when I needed a glitch fixed! She's fabulous! And so is the Yarn Shop. If you are in Western Maryland, near Deep Creek Lake, don't miss the Yarn Shop! It's well worth the trip.
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