Tokyo Yarn Crawl

UPDATE: Nov 2017 Tokyo Yarn Crawl Info: http://tokyoyarncrawl.jimdo.com

Not here in Nov? Here’s a great list of participating shops with maps! https://tokyoyarncrawl.jimdo.com/協賛店-participating-shops/

Had a great time at the Nov 2013 Tokyo Yarn Crawl – Looks like it is expanded and improved each year so I highly recommend joining in the adventure!

Coordinated by Cassie of  Hitsujidama Yarn Shop, almost 30 of us made our way through Tokyo visiting 6 independent Yarn Shops. I had tasked myself with finding a lovely yarn in which to make the Pizzelle Beret. The pattern calls for approx 430meters of lace weight yarn and with it having such a strong design created, I knew it would be best made in a single color. Have to start with a big Thank You to our cat herding Yarn Crawl Guides, Nao and Anna! Starting at Studio F in Chiba, at the opposite end of the metro area from me, made for an early start to the day. Met another Yarn Crawler in the station near Studio F and discovered she lives just 2 stations away! Second stop was Keito in the Nihonbashi neighborhood, I felt it to be the most personable store, with the most variety, the most books and they also had a sock knitting class going on at the time we visited. They had fun yarn displays, kits and yarnbombed traffic cones out front for us to easily spot their shop. Next stop Classe in Daikanyama, near Shibuya. A lovely little shop with a nice variety and a bookcase stuffed with books. Can you tell I really like the Japanese design books? Fourth Stop – Puppy Yarns! Don’t worry, no puppies were harmed in the making of this brand of yarns. It was my first look and feel of Rowan brand yarns also and I have to say, they were very, very nice wools. But they did come with the very, very high price. Avril, in Kichijoji, was the next stop and it was the place I found what I hope to be the perfect yarn for my beret. A beautiful yarn in a lovely shade of brown with a coppery sheen to it. Avril has a great selection of sparkly, poofy, fun art yarns and a few other unique threads to make the most unique items. They are pricey but clearly you will not find anything like what they carry anywhere else in the world! I’ve already started on my beret and am so very pleased with my choice of yarn. Last but not least is Hitsujidama. Out on the western edge of Tokyo, sits this really nice yarn shop with the owner, Cassie, who is fluent in both Japanese & English. She doesn’t just have a yarn shop, she is creating a community. With regular Stitch n Bitch Sessions, Spinning Workshops and more, Hitsujidama may become your favorite place to knit/crochet/spin. She gave each of us a set of KnitPicks Interchangeables, my very first knitting needles!! As I am a single stick looper so far, playing with just my crochet hook, I see a bit of knitting in my future very soon.