Yarn Hunting in Bay Area

In the recent years I've been wishing to visit LYS in the Bay Area. This year, I had the perfect opportunity to set a day for a yarn hunting adventure since I would stay at my sister's place in San Francisco. I had initially settled my sons at UC Berkeley for a summer camp at the beginning of the trip and then I headed to San Diego to visit my parents, my other sister and brother. And only returned to San Francisco on the 4th week.

DH decided to join us on the 4th week and I thought that my hopes for a yarn day wouldn't happen. Not that I didn't want his company, specially that I hadn't seen him for 3 weeks by then. However; the thought of taking him or having him driving me around looking for LYS wouldn't be fair for him as a vacation itinerary. It happened that he had to go on a business trip to Europe on the third day of his arrival. Well, I would certainly miss him but soon the lights lit up for my yarn hunting day.

I drove DH to the San Francisco airport and that was already more than 1/3 of the journey to the Silicon Valley, perfect justification. The boys had they own plan for the day and I was a free lady!

Thanks to Cafe Knitter for her detailed list of LYS that she prepared for me. She's a talented knitter and crocheter. Make a visit to her site.

My first stop was, Uncommom Threads, a small shop in Los Altos. I had visited it once a few years ago and I still remember the nice sale they had at that time. This year, I missed it for a couple of days. The guys and I were in the neighborhood on that weekend visiting friends and I thought I could have a better shopping day if I was by myself. Oh well, I still managed to get a box of Merino Big from Lana Grossa.

Nearby, there was Full Thread but they were closed on that day. Then, I followed my way to Knitting Arts in Saratoga.

This store carries a lot of the high end yarns but I couldn't think of any affordable project at that moment. So I walked out with just a pair of Lantern Moon rosewood needles.

I used to live in the neighborhood of the Silicon Valley, so I remembered that there was a store called "Yarn Place" in the region. My memory is not so bad , it still works for yarn things. I found it but also didn't get any yarn. They carry a good range of lace yarn similar to HYX yarn but not as good as the ones I got in Shanghai. So there wasn't any excuse to buy. Instead I found Addi Lace needles, so I didn't walked out empty hands! Next I had Purlerscence in mind but I was told it was not open on that day.

By then , late afternoon, I was already tired and hungry. As a knitter you know how time flies in LYS. So a stop at Stanford Shopping center was on call for some snack to fill in for the missed lunch. Besides that I wanted to do a quick browsing in the shops as well. At that moment, I was already on high walking speed as my wonderful day was about to end. Like Cinderella , It was getting late and I had to go back to SF to check on the boys and be a mom again and not the dreaming knitter.

Therefore, my listings of LYS was cut short and I visited one more shop on the way home.
I was heading to Creative Hands in Belmont. Oh it must be low stamina for lack of food that I couldn't find the shop so easily. I was just able to stop quickly for a few minutes before the closing time. But it looks so well stocked up that I had to come back another day.

Three days later, just before picking up DH from the airport, I made a stop again at this shop. Although not a big shop, they had yarns that I fancied for. This time I bought more, since I knew it was my last chance to buy yarns in US.

Just two more LYS...

On the day we picked up my boys at the summer camp, DH took us to Half Moon Bay area for a seafood lunch. There was a new commercial area besides the usual flower nurseries in the region. A small downtown area had emerged since I was last there. Look what I found at the main street,

Fengari Yarn shop

Actually, I had the impression that I'd read about a yarn shop in the vicinity, somewhere a long time ago. So I told DH that it would be nice to stroll in the city's main street. The boys were very cooperative, they were both taking a nap in the car. I heard they were partying until late hours and hence, missed much of their previous night sleep.

I had also the chance to visit Imagiknit in San Francisco. A huge shop with two big rooms, full of yarn. Again, I had the hardest time to buy yarn, just too many to select from.

Here are the goodies,

And to finish this post, I will let you take a glance at my new project. It's a top down design instructed by my teacher, supposedly inspired by a Fendi cardigan.

I am knitting with Gala from Lana Grossa, mix of silk, viscose, linen and polyamide. It's a very fun project, no mendings in the end.

I hope you enjoyed the virtual LYS shopping. Sorry it was a long post, but since I like to check on LYS photos I thought you may enjoy as well. Coming soon, Doily Cardi! ( Just waiting for some good weather for photo sessions)