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05/13/2009
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05/13/2009
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05/13/2009
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05/13/2009
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Description:
Join us in the U.S. Capitol for a little yarn crawling.
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| Coming from central Florida, where you have to drive at least 4 hours to get to another state, we got a kick out of visiting yarn shops in D.C. and two states all in the same day. Our only disappointment was that the subway conductor didn’t honk his horn every time we crossed a state line, though there were highway-style “Welcome to...” signs in the Metro tunnels. Our final DC-area stop was Knit + Stitch = Bliss in Bethesda, Maryland. It’s a straight shot on the subway from the city center, but they also have their own parking lot that they encourage people to take advantage of as long as no one knits while driving. Bethesda’s one of the most affluent areas in the US, and a lot of that money is obviously being spent on yarn-- Knit + Stitch is one big shop.
They had the largest stock we saw in the area with Plymouth, Jojoland, Blue Heron, Louet, Great Adirondack, Encore, Rowan, Artful Yarns, Gedifra, Karabella, Crystal Palace, Cascade, Aussi Wool, Lang, Trendsetter, Berrocco, Inca Alpaca, Classic Elite, Fortissima Sock Yarn, Knitcol, Wendy, Mission Falls, and Manos del Uruguay.
They had a big selection of hand-dyes, including Walk In the Woods, Claudia Handpainted Yarns, Artyarns, and Ellyn Cooper’s Yarn Sonnets. There was a particularly interesting hand-dyed line from Schaefer called “Color Concepts”, with colorways named after famous women. Being in the Washington area, it was almost too much to resist buying a skein of “Eleanor Roosevelt”.
They have buttons, labels, books, and a very funny staff-- some of whom I think just happened to be hanging out at 10 in the morning on a day off because it’s a place to have a good time. With space to knit up front, and a separate room in the back, there would be no reason not to hang around for a while. There’s even a Starbucks just below, strategically placed for periodic re-fueling.
Knit + Stitch = Bliss
4706 Bethesda Ave # B
Bethesda, MD 20814
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| Speaking of cute, we’re convinced the DC area does it well. Our next visit was outside of the District in the suburb of Alexandria, Virginia (accessible by public transit). Knit Happens sits square in the middle of Alexandria’s “Old Town”. We were thrown at first by the mix of tiny neighborhood shops and giant corporate stores like Ross Dress For Less all in matching 19th Century buildings, but eventually we just surrendered to the fact that it’s adorable, and no other explanation was necessary.
Knit Happens helpfully separates their yarns by fiber type, with sections for cashmere, camel, alpaca, and a huge selection of organic fibers. They carry Alchemy, Schaefer, Ella Rae, Rowan, Sublime, Fibra Natura, Misti Alpaca, Jade Sapphire, Fibre Company, Hand Maiden, Dark Horse, fun kits for mittens and knit pins by Knitwhits, Frog Tree, Classic Elite, Noro, Debbie Bliss, gorgeous tiny skeins of angora from Lorna’s Laces (some knit up into precious little baby booties), Regia, and a wide range of yarns from local dyers Urban Fever, Neighborhood Fiber Co., and Yarn Love.
The commitment to community in their stock is an extension of the overall atmosphere. The staff and customers were so friendly to us, and at before 5 in the afternoon they were full of customers and knitters who had already parked themselves for Wednesday night drop-in knitting. It felt like a truly local shop, but one that welcomes us outsiders too.
Knit Happens has a full selection of books and magazines, some knitting bags, and a complete collection of needles by KA and Addi. There were also some fun plastic needles from Crystal Palace-- plastic is always useful for the flying knitter, or in case you’re going to watch a session of Congress and plan on knitting to occupy yourself during all of the standing ovations.
Knit Happens
127 N Washington St # A
Alexandria, VA 22314
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| We were surprised that there were only two shops within the borders of the District of Columbia. It’s not like Washington’s residents have more important things to do- like running the country and all. Maybe they haven't discovered the Zen qualities of knitting. I've seen more than a few people on the morning DC newshows that could use a little knitting!
And who would want to live in a place where pretty fibers aren’t a national priority? Still, what they miss in quantity they make up for with quality. Both of the shops in the District are branches of Stitch DC, and they both feature a nice selection of sophisticated yarns.
Their larger location is Stitch DC Capitol Hill, right across from the Marine Corps Barracks and down the street from the historic Washington Navy Yard. Stitch’s street is full of ethnic and international restaurants, cute shops, and apparently soldiers who prefer hand-dyed natural fibers to cheap acrylics.
Stitch DC Capitol Hill carries Loop-d-Loop, Lorna’s Laces, Cascade, J. Knits, O-Wool, Trekking, Karabella, Buffalo Gold, Suss Yarn, soft and beautiful little 25g skeins of Debbie Bliss Pure Cashmere, local spun yarn by Chez Aristote, Classic Elite, Shokay, Stampato, Blue Sky, Louisa Harding, Louet, thick fuzzy Polar Knits in rich colors, Be Sweet, Zitron, Noro, Jade Sapphire, Fibra Natura, Aslan Trends, Katia, Tahki, and a very cool wool/mohair blend from Jaeger Fur that looks like it was shorn from an Ewok or Wookie (after washing of course).
The store has lots of light, and it’s multiple rooms give you plenty of spots to sit and knit-- they even have a patio that they can open up in nice weather. With all that space, it’s no wonder that of the two locations, Capitol Hill is where focus is on classes. That’s reflected around the shop too, with a bunch of books and knitted up samples nestled among the stock. There are of sources for inspiration, and fine yarns to turn the inspiration into reality.
Stitch DC - Capitol Hill
731 8th St SE
Washington, DC 20003
Stitch DC Georgetown is quite a bit smaller, but is a welcome oasis of calm just off of the busy intersection of M Street and Wisconsin Avenue, the two main shopping drags in the upscale Georgetown neighborhood. Now a word of warning, DC’s Metro trains don’t stop in Georgetown. Our local guide told us that the residents voted to not have a station because they wanted to keep the riff-raff out, of course we still managed to sneak in. The closest station is about a fifteen minute walk away, but it’s worth it if for nothing other than to visit the famous university and find out exactly what a “Hoya” is.
The Georgetown location carries Karabella, Jade Sapphire, Feza, Cascade, Tahki, Blue Sky, chunky yarns from Be Sweet in sorbet colors, Sublime, Quiviut Silk Merino, Trekking, Aslan Trends, Lorna’s Laces, and beautiful organic striped merino by Zitron. There seemed to be a focus on the soft and fuzzy, just like the ambient acoustic pop music playing on the radio.
If you’ve spent a full afternoon flitting in and out of the designer stores this would be a perfect spot to come and collect your thoughts (and some yarn). The store is right along a bridge over a cute section of the Chesapeake Canal, and only three blocks from the Georgetown Waterfront Park so you can take your calm with you and knit with a view.
Stitch DC - Georgetown
1071 Wisconsin Ave NW
Washington, DC 20007
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We love visting our nation's capitol -- the Smithsonian Museums, the Lincoln Memorial, walking along The Mall, and great restaurants. And of course, there's yarn, too. Join us on our yarn crawl through the District of Columbia!
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