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

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.

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.

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!

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.

One entire wall of the store is full of sock yarns, primarily really small brands that you may not have even heard of. Zen String, Woolarina, SWTC's Tofutsies, Dream in Color, Yarntini, Cherry Tree Hill, Austermann Step, Alpaca with a Twist, and Karen's Heavenly Creations. If bloggers are excited about a yarn online, you'll probably find it here.

They have a great selection of vegan/plant fiber yarns, too. They stock a Sirdar Bamboo ribbon, Louet linen, Frabjous Fibers' banana silk, hemp, and nettle, and SWTC's A-MAIZing and Pure (soysilk).

Other yarn lines include Noro (of course), Araucania, Sublime, Sirdar, Ella Rae, Debbie Bliss, and 22 colors of Feza Baby yarns, $6 and superwash.

They also have a small collection of craft materials: Sublime Stitching and supplies for crewel and embroidery are what I remember best.

It's not a yarn shop without notions, including Addi Turbos, and they also have a varied collection of knitting bags and containers including locally-made Queen Bee Creations and Yarn Traveler. They of course have books and magazines, and they also carry Bitch and Bust as well as your favorite crafty mag.

Finally, these ladies have done their homework. They have several areas of the store set up as hang-out space: two tables to work at, a couch and multiple comfy chairs. Lots of natural light. They have free wifi (yarn lovers will love the password) and reading materials for your kids or less-yarn obsessed tag-alongs. They serve many exotic teas, chilled juices, and baked goodies from Bower's Bakery.

And, they are just plain nice. No attitude. It's sweet. What a great addition to NE! They're open 11-8pm, Tuesday-Sunday, so they are available for that early evening yarn or notion need.

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.