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craftgrrlII thought this may be helpful for some of the knitters and crocheters in Vancouver, BC (and surrounding parts), so here's a list of places to buy yarn in the Vancouver and Burnaby area, with addresses and my opinions on each one:
Birkeland Brothers
3573 Main Street, Vancouver
Birkeland Brothers is the oldest yarn store in Vancouver, and has a good selection of natural fibres. They stock over 50 colours in the Quebecqois brand (100% wool), and it's a good deal at $5.25 for a 100g skein. Their store is small, but cozy, and the staff are very helpful. If you're into spinning your own wool, they have an amazing selection of wool roving, uncarded wool, and batts. For needles, they carry bamboo and metal. Birkeland Brothers also offers lessons, and has a weekly knitting night.
Knit n' Stitch
2460 Marine Drive, West Vancouver
The best way to describe Knit n' Stitch is BIG. They take up the bottom floor of 2460 Marine Drive, and have wall-to-wall yarn. The main brands they carry appear to be Rowan, Noro, and Lopi. Their selection of cotton and baby yarns is unrivaled, although some of the baby yarns can be quite pricey ($9.99 for a 100g skein of acrylic/cotton blend). My main complaint with Knit n' Stitch was that they had very few worsted weight wools, and the pricing on the yarn wasn't very clear. Although they carry acrylics, a 50g skein may run you between $3.95 and $6.95 (almost the price of wool), so you're better to look elsewhere. Knit n' Stitch carries many pattern books, and also stocks cross-stitch supplies, and buttons. If you're looking for needles, they have Aero and Clover, in metal and bamboo. They offer lessons, and have a weekly knitting night.
A Touch of Wool
4273 Dunbar Street, Vancouver
A Touch of Wool is a cozy little shop, that carries natural fibres and fun novelty yarns. There's not much to say about A Touch of Wool, because the store is so small. They carry cross-stitch as well, and some sewing notions. Aero knitting needles and crochet hooks are quite affordable, and the crochet hooks are cheaper here than at Knit n' Stitch.
Urban Yarns
4421 West 10th Avenue, Vancouver
Urban Yarns is an open and airy store in Point Grey. They carry natural fibres, and some acrylic/wool and acrylic cotton blends, as well as scarf and poncho kits. They have a large selection of cotton, Debbie Bliss Cashmerino (and other Debbie Bliss blends), and Noro blends. Finished works hang all over the store, and the staff is very helpful. They have a shelf full of books, of both knit and crochet patterns. Each skein of yarn is clearly priced, and arranged by fibre and colour. They carry Aero and Clover knitting needles, and a few crochet hooks. They offer lessons, and have a weekly knitting night.
Lewiscraft
Various locations (Metrotown, Brentwood Mall, Lougheed Mall)
Lewiscraft stocks many acrylic, acrylic/wool blends, and cotton yarns, mostly Bernat, Patons, and Lily Sugar n' Cream. Sometimes they'll have a few skiens of mohair in as well. They have a decent selection of aluminum and plastic knitting needles, and Susan Bates crochet hooks. What Lewiscraft shines for in the yarn department is their selection of colour and different weights of yarn. However, due to space concerns, they usually have only a few skeins of each colour, so if you're making a large project requiring a lot of yarn in one dyelot, Lewiscraft may not be the best place to go if you want to get it all in one trip. If you can wait, they do special orders, and you may be able to have your yarn in a week. They also carry several knit and crochet pattern books, and have some free Bernat and Patons patterns behind the counter. Some locations of Lewiscraft offer lessons. If you're a Lewiscraft club member, you recieve 7% off of your purchase, and coupons for up to 40% off any one item.
Zellers
Various locations (Metrotown, Brentwood)
Zellers is a good place to go for a quick acrylic or cotton yarn fix. Most locations of Zellers have a sizeable selection of Bernat, Red Heart and Phentex. Phentex worsted weight is a good deal at $1.07 for a 50g skein, and they sell pound bags of Phentex worsted weight and sport weight, as well as Bernat Kitchen Cotton. Zellers frequently marks down yarn, and 50g skeins of Bernat Kitchen cotton go on sale quite often for $1. Zellers carries a few sizes of knitting needles and crochet hooks, but the racks are usually empty.
Walmart
Various locations (Lougheed Mall, Queensboro)
Walmart's yarn section tends to be a bit smaller than Zellers', and carries mostly acrylics and a few cottons. They carry Bernat, Lion Brand, Red Heart, and the occasional skein of mohair. I'd only recommend Walmart if you're looking for Lion Brand or novelty yarns (fun fur, eyelash), because Zellers and Lewiscraft carry the other yarns at around the same price (or lower, if there's a sale). The line ups at the cash registers at WalMart frustrate me every time I go, so I've given up on them.
x-posted
Birkeland Brothers
3573 Main Street, Vancouver
Birkeland Brothers is the oldest yarn store in Vancouver, and has a good selection of natural fibres. They stock over 50 colours in the Quebecqois brand (100% wool), and it's a good deal at $5.25 for a 100g skein. Their store is small, but cozy, and the staff are very helpful. If you're into spinning your own wool, they have an amazing selection of wool roving, uncarded wool, and batts. For needles, they carry bamboo and metal. Birkeland Brothers also offers lessons, and has a weekly knitting night.
Knit n' Stitch
2460 Marine Drive, West Vancouver
The best way to describe Knit n' Stitch is BIG. They take up the bottom floor of 2460 Marine Drive, and have wall-to-wall yarn. The main brands they carry appear to be Rowan, Noro, and Lopi. Their selection of cotton and baby yarns is unrivaled, although some of the baby yarns can be quite pricey ($9.99 for a 100g skein of acrylic/cotton blend). My main complaint with Knit n' Stitch was that they had very few worsted weight wools, and the pricing on the yarn wasn't very clear. Although they carry acrylics, a 50g skein may run you between $3.95 and $6.95 (almost the price of wool), so you're better to look elsewhere. Knit n' Stitch carries many pattern books, and also stocks cross-stitch supplies, and buttons. If you're looking for needles, they have Aero and Clover, in metal and bamboo. They offer lessons, and have a weekly knitting night.
A Touch of Wool
4273 Dunbar Street, Vancouver
A Touch of Wool is a cozy little shop, that carries natural fibres and fun novelty yarns. There's not much to say about A Touch of Wool, because the store is so small. They carry cross-stitch as well, and some sewing notions. Aero knitting needles and crochet hooks are quite affordable, and the crochet hooks are cheaper here than at Knit n' Stitch.
Urban Yarns
4421 West 10th Avenue, Vancouver
Urban Yarns is an open and airy store in Point Grey. They carry natural fibres, and some acrylic/wool and acrylic cotton blends, as well as scarf and poncho kits. They have a large selection of cotton, Debbie Bliss Cashmerino (and other Debbie Bliss blends), and Noro blends. Finished works hang all over the store, and the staff is very helpful. They have a shelf full of books, of both knit and crochet patterns. Each skein of yarn is clearly priced, and arranged by fibre and colour. They carry Aero and Clover knitting needles, and a few crochet hooks. They offer lessons, and have a weekly knitting night.
Lewiscraft
Various locations (Metrotown, Brentwood Mall, Lougheed Mall)
Lewiscraft stocks many acrylic, acrylic/wool blends, and cotton yarns, mostly Bernat, Patons, and Lily Sugar n' Cream. Sometimes they'll have a few skiens of mohair in as well. They have a decent selection of aluminum and plastic knitting needles, and Susan Bates crochet hooks. What Lewiscraft shines for in the yarn department is their selection of colour and different weights of yarn. However, due to space concerns, they usually have only a few skeins of each colour, so if you're making a large project requiring a lot of yarn in one dyelot, Lewiscraft may not be the best place to go if you want to get it all in one trip. If you can wait, they do special orders, and you may be able to have your yarn in a week. They also carry several knit and crochet pattern books, and have some free Bernat and Patons patterns behind the counter. Some locations of Lewiscraft offer lessons. If you're a Lewiscraft club member, you recieve 7% off of your purchase, and coupons for up to 40% off any one item.
Zellers
Various locations (Metrotown, Brentwood)
Zellers is a good place to go for a quick acrylic or cotton yarn fix. Most locations of Zellers have a sizeable selection of Bernat, Red Heart and Phentex. Phentex worsted weight is a good deal at $1.07 for a 50g skein, and they sell pound bags of Phentex worsted weight and sport weight, as well as Bernat Kitchen Cotton. Zellers frequently marks down yarn, and 50g skeins of Bernat Kitchen cotton go on sale quite often for $1. Zellers carries a few sizes of knitting needles and crochet hooks, but the racks are usually empty.
Walmart
Various locations (Lougheed Mall, Queensboro)
Walmart's yarn section tends to be a bit smaller than Zellers', and carries mostly acrylics and a few cottons. They carry Bernat, Lion Brand, Red Heart, and the occasional skein of mohair. I'd only recommend Walmart if you're looking for Lion Brand or novelty yarns (fun fur, eyelash), because Zellers and Lewiscraft carry the other yarns at around the same price (or lower, if there's a sale). The line ups at the cash registers at WalMart frustrate me every time I go, so I've given up on them.
x-posted
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