Santa's come early this year!

And we must have been on the nice list because Santa's bag was full of yarn and fiber goodness! How about some Plymouth Kudo or Baby Alpaca Grande Hand Dye in your stocking? Or try some of the spinning fibers from Ashland Bay Trading Co.. We also have Crystal Palace Mochi Plus and some beautiful Namaste Needle Binders in a rainbow of colors.

And have you seen the gorgeous new yarn from Dream in Color? It's called Knitosophy and it's the same great Smooshy sock yarn you know and love, but in a range of new 'flash-dyed' colors. Kicky and colorful, this yarn will knit up into lovely socks, scarves, hats, or...? This yarn is not even on the Dream in Color website yet, so you will have to come in and see it for yourselves!


Happy Holiday Knitting and we'll see you soon!

Yes, We're still here!

It's been a while since we've posted, and boy, do we have lots to tell you!! We have received a ton of new yarns over the last month or so... Berroco Peruvia Quick, Mission Falls 1824 Superwash Wool, Sirdar Snuggly Baby Bamboo (are you drooling yet?) as well as a few more from Cascade like Alpaca Lace, Baby Alpaca Chunky, and 220 Tweed. We have also added some colorways from Malabrigo in both the Chunky and Sock yarns. And if you haven't seen the new Namaste bags, clutches, and accessory cases, you must get in here right now!

We've made a few small changes to the shop over the last month, too. You will likely see some new, smiling faces in the shop as we've had a couple of people join our staff. We've added Open Knit Nights on Wednesdays from 6-8:30 PM and our new Sunday hours are 12-5 PM. And don't forget to check out our new classes and knitting groups!

*Please note that these are all additions the current class schedule*

Intermediate Knitting Group 2:30-4:40PM
$60/6 class series or $15/drop-in session

• Sundays with Sue 11/8, 11/15, 11/22, 11/29, 12/6, 12/13

Beginner Knitting Classes 12-2PM
$55/4 class series

• Wednesdays with Connie 11/4, 11/11, 11/18, 11/25
• Sundays with Debi 11/22, 11/29, 12/6, 12/13

Spanish Intermediate Knitting Group 10:30AM-12:30PM
$30/3 class series or $15/drop-in session

• Thursdays with Connie 11/12, 11/19, 12/3
• Saturdays with Connie 11/14, 11/21, 11/28

As you can see, there are lots of great new things going on at Main Street Yarn! So come on in and check us out...we'll look forward to seeing you soon!

Is it Fall now?

I don't know about you, but Fall is my favorite season. Time to get out the handknits and wear the funky socks I've made in the past year and time to knit in earnest for the holidays! I found the bottomless basket of sock yarns at my house this past week and there's no way they can all be socks! If you're on Ravelry, check out some of Stephen West's luscious small kerchief-type shawls, and Evelyn Clark's, too. These two designers have come up with some fabulous ways to use up 100gm of sock-weight yarn. I've already made three, with more to come!

Speaking of Ravelry, if you're not too sure about how to use all of its features, I'm bringing my laptop to our Stitch-in this coming Friday night (9/18 from 6-8pm). I'll set it up and give you all some tips on how to use this fabulous resource. See you there!

Oh, one more thing: we've marked all the yarns we had on 25% discount down to 40% off and added a few more to tempt you! See you around the sale tables!

Labor Day

Okay, it's September already. September! Either I'm getting really old or time is flying by (no comments from the peanut gallery!). Anyway, this is just a note to remind you all that the shop will be closed on Monday, Sep 7 for the Labor Day holiday. Enjoy a day off with your family - but before that, come check out the new Elsebeth Lavold Silky Wool and Hempathy yarns. These have been a couple of my all-time favorites for a few years now. Both are DK weight, perfect for those in-between-seasons sweaters and wraps. Hempathy also makes great lacy washcloths for your gift-giving pleasure.

And, our fall sale is still in effect through Sunday and there's lots of good stuff left at great prices. See you this weekend!

Fall Class Schedule is Up!

Our brand new Fall class schedule is now posted on our website, www.mainstreetyarn.com. Go to the "Classes" page and you can download your very own copy. This quarter, you can learn intarsia, how to knit socks on 5 DPNs, buttonholes, bindoffs and cast-ons, lace and more on the knitting front. You can also learn to spin on a wheel or drop spindle, get a crochet refresher or pick up a felting needle and a cookie cutter and make some fabulous holiday ornaments. We think there's something for everyone - so check it out! Printed copies are also available in the shop.

It's the most wonderful time of the year!

Back to school time, that is (or so I hear - all my kids are beyond that stage!). In any case, to honor the season, we're having a SALE! We're clearing out some wonderful yarns to make room for NEW wonderful yarns. Somewhere around 45 yarns are on sale 25-50% off, just in time for you to decide what to knit for the fall. We'd love to help you save some money, so come check out our sale!

Yummy!

Yes, more new yummy yarns: Cascade Alpaca Lace and Lace Paints, more lovely natural colors of Eco Alpaca and Autumno - oh, the Autumno! You will love them.

PS: A sale is in your future. Stay tuned for more info coming this week!

The Yarn Train has arrived...

...and with it, Malabrigo Chunky, Lace, Sock and Silky, plus Araucania Ranco, Dream in Color Classy, more Silk Garden and Silk Garden Sock. Come see, quick! They are flying off the shelves!

We're closed this weekend.

Because of the difficulties finding parking during the Mill Creek Festival, the shop will be closed on Saturday, July 18 and Sunday, July 19. Come see us regular hours on Monday!

And, don't forget to visit the first-ever Stitch-in this Friday night, July 17, from 6-8pm. All you need to bring is yourself, a friend and your stitchin'! See you there.

This week at Main Street

Yarn is comin'! Can you say MALABRIGO? CLASSY? RANCO? The price tags are printed and ready to stick on the skeins, so we can get all these beautiful yarns on the shelves post-haste!

In other news, Tuesday, July 14th is Spin-in night - come spin yourself or spin vicariously (knitters can horn in, too). Friday, July 17th is Stitch-in night - our first ever at Main Street. This is a time for knitters and crocheters to gather for friendship, shopping (10% off) and knitting (of course). We know it's the height of vacation time, but if you're around, come hang out with us.

Both the Spin-in and Stitch-in are from 6-8pm - see you there!

Happy 4th of July!

Can you believe it's July already? Maybe it's working in a new yarn shop that has made the past few months fly by - or maybe it's (gasp!) my age, but I can't believe we're this far into the summer already. If you're looking for a cool spot to knit, our shop is air conditioned and we have yarn and would love company, so come on in.

While you're in here, check out the new Smooshy sock yarn colors we got and the cute little baby sweater Deb knitted out of Pagewood Farm sock yarn. Some of the one skein books on the market are perfect places to find patterns other than socks for some of these beautiful yarns.

We're closing the shop on Saturday for the 4th of July holiday, but we'll be open regular hours on Sunday in case you run out of yarn while picnicking, lying by the pool or watching fireworks. See you then!

Mystery KAL Wrap-up Tomorrow

Many of you have been enjoying our spring Mystery KAL - that's Knit-along in plain English. Sue Falcone has done a great job of putting together clues so that participants can knit their item and be surprised by what it turns out to be! Friday night, June 26 from 7-9, you can all come and see what the mystery was and vote for your favorite one. We'll have treats and lots of ooohs and ahhhs over the finished (and not-so-finished) mystery items. See you there!

What are you knitting?

Yes, it's summer - but we're still knitting - are you?

Joni is knitting Knitspot's Papaver socks out of Malabrigo Sock - a yarn we'll be getting later this summer. And she's also knitting Knitspot's Totally Autumn throw (free pattern on Knitty) from Dream in Color Classy, which should be arriving in the shop any day now!

Kim is knitting an adorable baby sweater hopping with bunnies, from Zara yarn.

Linda is working on a gorgeous cabled vest from Donegal Tweed by Tahki.

Debrah has not had time to knit - because she has a BRAND, NEW GRANDDAUGHTER! Emmeline Jean was born this past Monday to Debrah's daughter Andrea and her husband Paul. Congrats, everyone! (She's beautiful!)

Today is WWKIP Day!

What will knitters do today? Why, KNIT in PUBLIC, of course! Weather permitting, Main Street Yarn invites you all to enjoy the space outside our shop between the hours of noon and 3pm to show the community of Mill Creek that you are proud to knit in public. We'll have sweet treats to share, so bring your chair and your latest knitting project and show the world your stitches. If you have stash or needles you'd like to swap, bring them along and make your swapping wished known. Remember...might as well face it, we're addicted to yarn - so join us!

WWKIP Day
Noon to 3pm
(In case of rain, the event will be cancelled)

Yes we did spin!

Tuesday night was Main Street's first-ever Spin-in and it was a big success. The only thing that wasn't great was that I forgot my CAMERA! But trust me, 11 of us were there spinning beautiful fiber into even more beautiful yarn. Two people even learned to spin for the very first time! And two other people bought cashmere/silk fiber (names will not be named to protect the guilty)! Oh, and one of those cashmere-buying customers also bought a spindle that she desperately needed...one cannot have too many spindles, I say. Luckily, another customer saved me from myself by buying a lovely canarywood spindle that had been calling my name!

If you're wishing you had been there, not to worry. There will be a spin-in on the 2nd Tuesday of every month, so put it on your calendar and show up in July!

Summer Class Schedule

It's available for download on our website. Check out the new crochet and spinning classes, many new knitting classes, plus the new beginner level knitting help groups and a crochet help group. We've set some Open Knit times, as well - but if the ones we chose don't fit your schedule, just be sure to call ahead to make sure our table is free when you want to bring your group in to sit & knit! Go here to get your copy: http://www.mainstreetyarn.com/classes.html

Please welcome Tracy!

Tracy Lowen is our newest employee at Main Street Yarn and we are so excited to have her here! She comes to us via Pacific Fabrics, where she worked and is still teaching knitting and crochet classes. We plan to put her to work post-haste at MSY doing the same thing. Come mid-June, Tracy will be leading one of our brand-new beginner level knitting help sessions and we are anxious to see what other types of classes she'll come up with for you all. Judging from the wonderful knitted and crocheted samples she's shown us, Tracy will bring some excellent skills to the shop. Come meet her: she's in the shop Mon, Wed and Thur mornings starting this week! We wish you the warmest of welcomes, Tracy! For you, a bouquet of brand-new drop spindles - because we just know Joni's going to make a spinner out of you!

Calling all Spinners

Judging from the amount of spinning fiber we sold at last weekend's LYS Tour, there are spinners who shop at Main Street Yarn! We're so excited about that and so we got on the email and ordered a herd's worth of fiber from Ashland Bay this week: Colonial wool, merino, merino-silk, alpaca, cashmere-silk and more, in colors and dyeable ecru. We hope to be shelving it next week, so be sure to stop in for first pick. Our True Creations spindles and nostepinnes should be here early next week as well. Mark your calendar for our first-ever Spin-in on Tuesday, June 9 from 6-8pm. Bring your spindle or wheel and come spin with us!

Post-Tour

Well, I don't know about you-all, but us-all had a great time hosting LYS Tour-ers at Main Street Yarn this weekend! We were totally living vicariously through you because we were working and definitely caught your enthusiasm. And wasn't it nice we got that sunshine we ordered for you? We'd like to shout out to our daily drawing winners: Deniese, Taj, Sue and Kathy - hope you enjoyed the goodies and will come back to get more later.

We're putting more yarns on 50% clearance this week to make room for some new ones. Come check it out. It'll include some discontinued Rowan yarns like Country and Harris Aran, plus lots more!

LYS Tour, Day 2

Yesterday was such a fun day. It was great to talk to all the shoppers who visited our shop - and we were living vicariously since we were working. It's times like these that we can all bond over our craft! As if by magic, Mr. UPS man delivered a boatload of new books and Mr. FedEx brought us our brand new batch of Claudia's Handpaint sock yarn. Later today, Mr. UPS came back and dropped off some Classic Elite Alpaca Sox, some Lush and some Moorland. Aren't you all lucky? Looking forward to seeing many more new faces this weekend. The sun's out - enjoy your travels!

The Tour, the Tour!

We're so excited that this year's LYS Tour starts today. We have yarn, we have a great one-skein project, we have chocolate and we have smiles for all of you! Have a great trip, get some fabulous patterns and yarns and do come see us!

Meet Main Street Man!

Here's the new addition to our Main Street Yarn family: he's Main Street Man! This character was an art project created some years ago by Debrah's son Tyler and we think he's swell (especially wearing this oh-so-stylish hat knitted by Sue). We thought he deserved to hang out with us in the shop and give us some color. If you rub his head, he might give you tips about what is that perfect yarn for your next project!

Speaking of perfect yarns, we have more new ones. Today we got Highlander, a worsted-weight alpaca blend tweed and Socrates, an alpaca blend sock yarn that we think would also be perfect for shawls and lacey scarves. It's living on our new sock yarn wall, which is just waiting for more shipments of new sock yarns. Come see or visit our website homepage for a photo of our new red sock wall - www.mainstreetyarn.com.

Check out our updated website

Joni has put in one or two hours creating a new website for the shop and it's ready for viewing! Go to www.mainstreetyarn.com and you can see info about our staff, download your very own copy of our current class schedule, see what events are coming up at the shop in the next couple of months and find links to the companies we buy our yarns from. The site will be updated on a regular basis, so check it frequently so you stay "in the know."

Oh, man...

We have been yarn shopping, not for our personal stashes (well, maybe a little), but for the shop! Today we ordered a boatload of Claudia Handpaint sock yarn and a trainload of Dream in Color Classy and Smooshy. And then there was a little Trekking sock yarn and a wee bit of Jojoland cashmere and some Jojoland Melody and a tad of Jojoland Rhythm, with a gorgeous entrelac shawl sample that you will just about kill to own. Well, you can own it for under $50 - no need to kill or anything - along with a few dozen hours of knitting. And then yesterday there was the Jaol angora/lambswool...and tomorrow? Who knows?!

Meet the Stixlady!

We have a new logo around the shop - you'll see her on our business cards, newsletter, shop sample cards and our new website (as soon as it's up and running). She's the Stixlady. The parent company of Main Street Yarn is known as Stixlady LLC, so we thought we'd create the Stixlady to represent us. She's happy, she's fun and best of all, she's knitting! We hope when you see her, you'll think Main Street Yarn, a happy place where we all walk around brandishing knitting needles.

It's sunny!

And did you know that just outside the shop there's a nice bench where you can sit and knit? Picture this: a lovely stroll down the Town Center window shopping, a cool drink from Starbucks or Jamba Juice, an hour or so knitting in the sunshine while sipping that beverage and then a visit inside Main Street Yarn, where you'll find friendly faces who love what you love: KNITTING! We've restocked our 50% off case, so come check it out.

New Yarns!

So, Debrah has owned Main Street Yarn for just over a week and we've already gotten a shipment of new yarns. Just a couple so far, but you'll like them all the same! The first is Cascade Greenland, a 4-stitch per inch superwash wool with a nice tight twist and some beautiful colors. This is going to be great for cabled projects and kids' items. We also stocked up on the new Cascade 220 Tweed. Tweeds are hot this year and with this yarn you'll get all the fabulous characteristics of the Cascade 220 you've come to know and love. We also got some new colors of Cascade 220 Superwash and 220 Superwash Handpaint. Come check them out in person and watch for more to come!

Almost time for the next KAL

Yes, it's true - Sue has put together another fabulous KAL for the summer and it's so secret that she hasn't even told US what it is. But judging from the Mission Falls Cotton kits that are in the shop, it's going to be yummy! We'll start sending out the clues on Friday, May 22 and you'll get five of them, one each week, to help you finish your item. Then we'll meet up on Friday, June 17 from 7-9pm for a fun show & tell party! The skill level for the mystery item is between beginner and intermediate, would make a great holiday gift and a person between the ages of 3 and 90 would love it! Cost to sign up is $10 and you'll spend about $50 for the kit. So come in this week to get the best selection on colors!

What would make your dreams come true?

Dreams for Main Street Yarn, that is! We will be adding new classes, yarns, books, patterns and other things to the shop just as soon as all our vendor accounts are set up. If you were to walk into Main Street and find your dream yarns or be able to take your dream class, what would that look like to you? Inquiring minds want to know! Share your thoughts here by commenting, or shoot us an email at mainstreetyarn@gmail.com or just stop in and tell us in person. We're making a list!

Come and knit with us!

Remember that big, beautiful table in the shop? Well, it's open many times during the day and just begging for a group to gather round it and do some power knitting. If you and your friends are looking for a place to gather to chat, knit and have a cup of coffee or a soda, this might be the place for you. What better place to meet than our beautiful shop, where you're surrounded by yarn? Just be sure to check the class schedule to make sure there's no class going on when you want to come. We hope to add a second table soon, so there's room for classes AND those of you who just want to come hang out with us!

A Happy Day One

We can't say enough how precious our first day at Main Street was. Thank you so much to all of you who stopped in to meet and encourage us, sent us sweet emails and brought us flowers. The shop looks so bright and cheery with all the blossoms around! Debrah is busy setting up all the yarn vendor accounts so we can go shopping for some fabulous new yarns to tempt you all. We'll keep you posted. In the meantime, there is plenty of great inventory to get your creative juices flowing right now! Let us help you choose just the right yarn and pattern for your new summer creation.

Main Street Yarn Under New Ownership

Today is a very exciting day for StixLady (aka me, Debrah Cruze). It's the very first day I am the proud new owner of Main Street Yarn. First off, I just want to shout out a big THANK YOU to Marie Connelly, the original owner of the shop. Marie laid a strong foundation when she opened Main Street Yarn four years ago this month. She has been an invaluable help during this transition and I will be forever grateful. Thank you sincerely, Marie! We hope to see a lot of you as we're working to continue what you started. Best wishes for happiness in this new season in your life.

A few notes about me. I am a lifelong needleworker, quilter and heirloom seamstress extraordinaire, crocheter and knitter, of course! I'm married to Kerry and we have three grown children, Andrea, Tyler and Grady, plus four grandsons and one granddaughter due in June. You may see a young woman with a growing belly around the shop - that's Andrea, my daughter. She'll be teaching classes and working part-time with us after Miss Emmeline Jean is born!

I'm sure the burning question on all of your minds is: will there be changes at Main Street Yarns? Of course! You'll still see many of the wonderful, familiar staff you've grown to love. Given that my bottom line is hospitality and welcoming you to our second home, the shop, whatever changes I do make will be nothing but positive and geared toward YOU - our friends and customers. Please stop in soon because I'm anxious to meet you!