Michaels seems cheaper -- but on a lot of things, it isn't.

Right now we are super lucky to have lots of yarn stores. Most seem to have an emphasis on the expensive stuff, because that's really what's selling. But in most places, if you ask for cheaper wool or acrylic or blends, they do have them -- they're just not going to be on a big display.

N & NE have two new yarn stores: Naked Sheep on Killingsworth across from Beaterville, and Close Knit on Alberta at 23rd. Downtown there is Knit/Purl at 11th & Alder. NW has Lint (17th & NW Marshall) and Knit Knot Studio (NW Glisan at 13th). SW has NW Wools in Multnomah Village. SE has Yarn Garden (Hawthorne at 14th), Mabel's (Division at 31st), and Abundant Yarn in Sellwood. There's also Molehill Farms and Tangle in Lake Oswego. And I've not hit on the outlying stores.

Yarn Garden is the biggest store in town, but it's also the most chaotic, so I wouldn't recommend it if you need any handholding or are easily overwhelmed. I think the prices aren't going to vary too much from store to store, but ymmv. Each of the stores I mentioned though are good and have their own strengths.

They have a cafe that serves Stumptown Coffee that is quite sunny and cheerful, and has WiFi.

It just doesn't help matters that All About Yarn is on the neglected side of a neglected strip mall (it has JoAnn Fabrics as the anchor). It seems like a secret, really. Which is too bad, because AAY has a wide range of yarns, needles, and anything else you might need for a knitting or crochet project. They probably have the best selection of Encore yarn anywhere in the city. While no one is going to be wowed by their sock yarn selection, they do have some, as well as reinforcement yarn. They stock Brown Sheep and a wide range of yarns for every budget. No Manos though.

Excellent small high-end yarn shop.

Close Knit is a phenomena. It's a gorgeous little store, stuffed full of gorgeous yarns. And I do mean stuffed: Yarn is everywhere, in baskets on the couch, baskets on the floor, yarn on the kitchen table. And even in the cubbies, different yarns are enticingly, beautifully thrown together. Knit things are everywhere as well, if you're looking for inspiration, or what a yarn might look like knit up.

And yet, things are easy enough to find. Lamb's Pride and Cascade 220 are right by the door; Manos del Uruguay, by the emergency exit; sock yarns, in the top of the china cabinet, or in one of the baskets along the floor; Noro has its own bookcase, right by the sales desk.

They seem to be finding all sorts of lesser known yarns. Last night, they had the most deliciously handpainted Uruguan wool from a brand I had never heard of. It took a lot of resilience to only buy what I had come in for, some Lorna's Laces Lion & Lamb, a 50/50 wool silk blend.

And every time I go in, it's full of people. I mean, full. Claustrophobes, beware. Luckily, the sales people know their stuff and are tremendously helpful.

Just opened February 2006, featuring high-end, luxury yarns. Yarn lines include Alchemy, Fiesta, Cherry Tree Hill, Colinette, Jo Sharp, Louisa Harding, Jamieson's Shetland, and RY Classic. They have a gorgeous line of recycled viscose (who knew?) and recycled silk. For sock yarn, they have Regia, Regia, and more Regia. Needles include Daisy and Addi Turbos.

At Farmhouse, they're flying under the radar. The place seems small from the outside, but there are four good-sized rooms of non-stop yarn. They have huge collection of Anny Blatt and, supposeably the largest selection of Blue Moon Fiber Arts, as well lots of high-end to-die-for yarns. Interestingly, outside of the Anny Blatts and the sock yarn, yarns are arranged by color, which I admit I love and find frustrating at the same time. The place is tremendously comfortable, practically demanding that you sit and knit: by the fire, on the front porch, at the table, and the owner is very helpful.

Up a quarter staircase from Glisan, this tiny but wonderful shop has everything you could possibly need. The owner is on hand with a lifetime of really gorgeous knitting experience, and she's totally able to put you at ease. Her selection ranges from high-end to Brown Sheep, with a huge selection of both Manos and Lamb's Pride. While this isn't the most visible shop, it's worth looking for.

There is nothing low-end or cheap about Knit/Purl. Looking for Plymouth? Don't bother looking here. However, if you're looking for luxurious, high-end yarns, here you go. It's a relatively small store bookended by Josephine's Dry Goods (fabrics) and the Playful Needle (needlepoint & crewel), with a lovely selection of gorgeous yarns, many of which you won't see elsewhere. And, they have Brown Sheep's Lamb's Pride, the best economy wool out there. And while Josephine's may treat you badly if you don't flash cash, this isn't going to happen at K/P. Staff are helpful, attentive, courteous, and, not jerks. Specialty yarns like imported Habu Textiles, high-end small-production yarns like Lorna's Laces, Koigu, Colinette, Manos del Uruguay and Louisa Harding, and locals like Scappoose's Blue Moon Fiber Arts, and Portland weaver Catherine Van Laake's Loom In Essence (the finest japanese silks, naturally dyed) make the store especially interesting (and expensive). Even when the store is full of browsers, it has an airiness which will keep most claustrophics from going into a panic attack. And, they have a great selection of books and gifty items for knitters and crocheters.

Knitting Bee is located in West Union Village at the corner of 185th and West Union Rd. The shop is across from Rose City Ceramics and between Teriyaki Woo and Bubble Tea (yum!). There is also an Albertson's at the center.

It's a cute, though pricey, yarn shop. They do have budget yarns, just artfully hidden. Ask and you'll find the Brown Sheep and Plymouth Encore.

CLOSED

Melissa, and Lint, you shall be missed.

Photos by Sarah Gilbert

The second yarn store to close in less than a month. Sadness.

The Mill End Store claims to have the most fabric anywhere. And to be sure, they have a lot of fabric. But they also carry yarn.

The pluses to the store are what you might expect. Lots of Patons, lots of Encore, lots of man-made fibers. Lots of Sugar & Cream. A clutch of discount & high end brand novelty yarns. But they also carry a full range of bamboo needles, magazines, and some patterns.

After browsing Bernat wool and Kroy, I was surprised to see some bamboo yarn and banana fiber yarn. Wow.

Comparing Mill End to your LYS or to Michaels or JoAnn Fabrics, I don't think the prices are significantly better. If you're going for higher end fibers, the lighting is going to be better at your LYS—it has to be!

Back in the days, not so long ago, when we had two yarn stores in Portland proper, I used to make the drive down to Molehill Farm on a regular basis. It was my favorite store.

While us Portlanders are spoiled now by such a rich and diverse assortment of stores in town, Molehill Farm is still a great store. Friendly, helpful, and just head-to-toe with great yarn. They have lots of basic wool, and if you're looking for a bargain, be sure to check out their bathtub.

Everyone loves their LYS and here's why I love Naked Sheep:
- it's small enough that I don't get overwhelmed with choices. Mind you, I love looking at a bigger yarn store, but I hate trying to make a decision at one.
- these folks are the nicest around.
- they know their knitting. All of them!
- Cheri's husband and teenage son are frequently there.
- Riley, the shop chihuahua, is frequently there too.
- all the yarn they carry is tagged with an easy-to-read listing for those of us who are too vain to get reading glasses.

• yarn name
• stitches per inch/US needle size
• yardage
• fiber content
• hand or machine washable
• cost

A small store with lots of yarn.

Our store has been located in historical Multnomah Village for over 16 years, offering georgous knitting yarns and spinning fibers for fiber artists. We offer both knitting and spinning classes. Our hand dyed fibers are dyed for us by Woolgatherings and our handspun yarns are spun for us by TJ's Angora.

With our knowledgable, friendly staff, the experience we offer makes all the difference in your finished product.

Located just a few miles south of downtown Portland, Oregon, the village offers shopping, restaurants, an art center, and plenty of free parking. We are also on the Tri-Met bus line so from downtown you can take bus #40 or #44 and it stops right in front of our store.

A tiny but gorgeous high-end store. Staff are very friendly, and folks drop by to knit and sit in their comfie chairs.

Unfortunately, the owner is not friendly, or at least, she was rude to me. Maybe I didn't look affluent enough? She asked if there was something I was looking for, and I said I'd just like to look around, and she then began to follow me around. So I asked her about baby yarn, and she began leading me to washable but not machine drying yarns. And then, she asked again if there was something I was looking for, this time more impatiently.

I usually buy something in every yarn store in which I'm the only customer at that time, but I couldn't do it there, though she had some lovely stuff.

Primarily a mail-order house, you can go there and fondle the yarns in person, including in their closeout/discontinued room. It's a nice drive, and there are plenty of wineries and tasting rooms nearby if you need a different excuse to get out there. And, since their entire stock is online, you can check out the catalog before you make the drive (if looking at a PDF catalog doesn't drive you bats, that is).

They stock Manos del Uruguay wool, Lamb's Pride in worsted and bulky, and a raft of sock yarns (including Wildfoote). And they probably have the best needle collection in several counties, with Brittany, Bryspun, addi Turbos, Inox, Clover, Crystal Palace, and addi Natura.

Yarn Garden is most likely the biggest yarn shop in Portland, and the one that is most likely to be open when you decide you need a new project during the Simpsons. They have a room of patterns and books and magazines, and some comfortable seating in the coffee shop. They stock lots, if not all, of Noro and Brown Sheep (including a healthy selection of Lamb's Pride worsted and bulky, and Burley Spun), needles by Lantern Moon, Addi, Daisy, Clover, and Bryspun, lots of knitting bags, baskets and purses, and tons of sock yarn including the self-patterners, wildfoote, and koigu. And if you just look at the pretty displays, you'll think that everything here is really expensive. If you're looking for acrylic or baby yarn or cheapies, ask.

And there in lies the problem. Yarn Garden can be claustrophobic in the best of circumstances, and the staff seem overextended and somewhat clueless. It's fine if you know what you need, can figure out how to find it on your own, and if you don't mind a crowded store. But, if you're claustrophobic, or need handholding, this is not the place for you.