12 March 2007

IMOnday: Yarns in the Farms, Beverly Farms, Massachusetts

Shop: Yarns in the Farms
Location: 641 Hale Street, Beverly Farms, Massachusetts
Telephone: 978 927 2108
Website: yarnsinthefarms
Hours: Tuesday-Friday 12-5, Saturday 10-5, Sunday 12-4; Knit Nights Tuesday & Wednesday 7-9 ($5)
Payment: Cash, Check, Credit Card (starting 3/13/07!)
Other: Great classes; private instruction available; buttons, bags, belts, and books

OK, close your eyes and think of a cosy place filled with yummy fibers (many of which are hand-dyed), handmade buttons, tea and treats, comfy couches, and two super-friendly owners. Put it in a former antique/flower/sweet shop with a mural of angels behind the counter. Add friendly shoppers, great music, and a new art show every few months. And you've got yourself the best little yarn shop around. Oh, don't forget to put a little kids table in the corner with markers, paper, and toys.

No, they don't have every colorway of every yarn you've ever heard of, but that's not really the point here.

Now, open your eyes.

They do have GGH, Blue Sky Alpacas, Jo Sharp, Noro, Blue Heron, Green Mountain Spinnery, Cherry Tree Hill, Sheep Shop (#3 is coming any day!), Frog Tree, Reynolds, Louet, Schaeffer, Reynolds, and more; needles and notions from Bryspun, Susan Bates, and Addi (Turbo and Natura, not sure about the lace needles). They also have a thoughtful selection of books and patterns to get you started on anything. They even have some lovely rugs and toys from Crispina, which are made from recycled sweaters.

Some yarn is displayed in old wine cases, some in baskets, and quite a bit on boxy white shelves that show the yarn to advantage while keeping it from spilling out everywhere. There are lots of samples so you can see just what can be done with all that fibery goodness. The lighting is natural from all the windows, as well as some incandescents and little halogen spots on the ceiling, which makes for an uplifting shopping experience. (I find fluorescent lighting in yarn shops awful.)

But the truly wonderful thing about Yarns in the Farms is the people. Carolyn and Jill are just about the nicest people you could find and they have made a truly inviting shop. It seems Carolyn may be allergic to wool, so she's starting to work with a lot of "alternative" fibers. Of course, they have a new shipment of No Sheep for You, Tofutsies, and Euroflax. Jill is an artist, and you can see some of her amazing needle felting projects around the shop.

I've included pictures from a Knit Night a couple of months back, but you really need to come see for yourself. You could even take the Commuter Rail up to the Pride's Crossing station and walk over. However you get yourself there, do stop by.







1 comment:

  1. Ohlala! I love YITF! I think I should move in. I hear the couch turns into a sofabed. The ice cream shop across the street is open again. Jill and Carolyn will be adding a few summer pounds, all the curvier for those knitted bikinis!

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