HCW is a great place for knitters, crocheters, weavers, and everyone in between! Parking: lots of free street parking on the adjacent side street, as well as in the lot out front. Handicap friendly spots right in front of the door with an easy walkway (with no stairs) leading up to the door. Selection: HCW has TONS of product, for every price point! I saw everything from acrylic to high-end cashmere. They also carry cute yarn bags, pattern books, and all types of needles and hooks. Misc: HCW also offers classes for all levels. They have a ton of space in this great, big room with a large table where they hold the classes. I was also told that they offer paid blocking services for finished projects once a week. Blocking is priced per time spent on item. As someone who learned to knit at 8 but has only been seriously knitting for the last few months, I was pleasantly surprised by HCW. Lisa was extremely helpful and helped me with a provisional cast on for my Oslo Hat, after someone else had helped guide me on selecting my mohair. I came 30 min before the store closed for the day and didn't have a ton of time to check everything out, but I suspect I'll be back very, very soon! UPDATE: I came back a week later after finishing my latest project (the Oslo Hat by PK) to buy yarn for my next project (the Honey Washbag by PK). The buying process was smooth, and I received great help while there. I was especially impressed by how they give you a $1 "yarn token" for every $20 you spend on yarn, which you can trade in for $1 on a future purchase! Can't wait to go back. read more

Hill Country Weavers - Knitting Supplies Near Me - Austin, Texas

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Love Hill Country Weavers. Great selection of yarn. Prices on par with other yarn stores. The service every time we been was awesome.

I just had the best experience at HCW! I haven't been there since the store was on S Congress. I gave up knitting maybe 8-ish years ago. I don't know why. Just lost interest. A couple of weeks ago I got the bug again. In going through my supplies, I realized I had given a lot away. Anyway, I went into the store, and everything looked so beautiful. The two people who were running things were so nice and helpful. I realized in all of these years I had forgotten a lot of terminology. Chelsea helped me and was so nice about reminding me about things and not making me feel foolish. I had an idea of what I wanted to make, but couldn't figure out what type of yarn to use. Chelsea knew exactly what I was thinking. I am beyond excited with what we came up with. It just reminded me of why I love knitting and knitting people. I can't wait to start working on my projects. read more

I've never even been inside of this place. Yesterday I went about 10 minutes before closing, and the door was already locked and the shop was closed. Today I went an hour before closing, at five, and the two ladies that were working, had already locked up to the shop and closed. They were walking to their cars, and gesturing to me that they were closed. I rolled down my window and let them know that the same thing happened yesterday. The woman I spoke with told me that they closed early today because they didn't have enough workers. I really wanted to support a local business, but I suppose I will need to go to Hobby lobby or Michael's. read more

I've been a customer since the shop was on South Congress (where Kendra Scott is now). Endless choices of yarns in every budget plus all the tools, accessories & notions you could ever imagine. It can be a tad overwhelming for the uninitiated knitter. But jump in! They are very welcoming. read more

I arrived here just after it opened Wednesday morning. I'm a knitter and former weaver and was delighted by all the yarns and supplies, some of which I hadn't heard of before. There was also a decent selection of back-issue magazines and I was able to buy a couple to fill out my Noro collection. There were several brands that I was disappointed that I didn't see at all (Addi and Rowan). What brought it down to 3 stars was the fact that I was TOTALLY ignored until I was almost ready to check out. There were 3-5 customers in the store while I was there and everyone else got a greeting. Even while checking out, interaction was minimal while at least 3 workers before the counter were chatting with 3 nearby customers. I felt very slighted and sad about it. read more

I just received this poorly written phishing email from them and if I take class or visit any other stores, it is none of their business. And if they lost my data, who says they are not sharing my data with others that i did not give them permission to share with, as well? ---------- Forwarded message --------- De : Hill Country Weavers hcweavers@1671269.mailchimpapp.com Date: Friday, May 17, 2024, 3 h 17p.m. Subject: Important Customer Notification Unfortunately, the computer systems containing proprietary information at Hill Country Weavers have been breached. Contact information accumulated and stored by Suzanne during her 44 successful years in business has been compromised. Rest assured, no customer financial information is involved or at risk - we do not store that information. We are pursuing this matter with the full force of the law, to protect ourselves but also our valued customers and vendors. We ask for your help in this matter. Should you be contacted for anything fiber related - new store, classes, retreat, events, pop-ups, etc. - by any entity other than HCW, please let us know and forward us a copy. Intellectual property is one of the biggest assets of every business. HCW's data is extremely valuable and is the accumulation of Suzanne's years of excellence and distinction in the fiber world. It's her property. Thank you for being our customer, Hill Country Weavers Logo Copyright (C) 2024 Hill Country Weavers. All rights reserved. You are receiving Hill Country Weavers emails because you signed up in person at Hill Country Weavers or signed up on our website at www.HillCountryWeavers.com Our mailing address is: Hill Country Weavers 4102 Menchaca Rd Austin, TX 78704 USA Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe read more

Absolute love this shop! It's so cozy and the staff is always so kind and helpful. Great selection. I really hope to attend some classes or ongoing project sessions soon! read more

I love this store. I just started knitting and staff were super helpful, not judge-y when I needed help. Amazing selection of yarn and needles. I needed a variety of circular needles and they had them at reasonable prices and good quality! Parking is tight, but such is life. read more

Wonderful yarn shop because of the nice selection and pleasant and hospitable ladies that run it. There is also a wine room. Be careful as getting into the parking lot from 290, it can be perilous. read more

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I stopped in here yesterday afternoon with my youngest daughter and really enjoyed looking around at all the yarns. They do have a huge selection within several rooms of what must be a converted old house. It's a real maze to walk thru and fun to look into every nook and cranny. I had absolutely no issues with getting cheerful help with prices etc. Since I am travelling I can't buy much (not to mention my lifetime supply at home) but found a yarn that is a personal favorite, Colorspun Encore by Plymouth Yarns, that they had in a color I'd never seen at other shops I'd been to in Ca and AZ, so I bought two skeins plus one other pretty one. They have a large selection of needles, hooks and accessories, too. I didn't need anything there but couldn't resist a tiny pair of purple scissors with case. You just never know what you will find when you explore little Indy yarn shops on other towns. That's what makes it interesting! read more

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After Suzanne passed away the estate has really changed the store. There is no longer a community at the store. The new staff isn't familiar with influential designers nor gauge and uses of their now sparse inventory. read more

My mom wanted to visit this place again after she left with 3 bags full of on-sale yarn. We found out that they changed locations and moved closer to the freeway. This location is much smaller than the one they were at previously. It seems more organized here and cleaner. My mom was looking at all the different yarns that they offered. She even went to the sale area, but didn't buy much. I didn't see much of a variety as compared to their old location. Service was okay. Some people were friendly and others were snobbish. Only time will tell if my mom wants to make another stop here or perhaps find another yarn shop to explore. read more

There's something really special about hill country weavers. Their yarn selection? Out of this world. Lots of different price points without sacrificing quality of the fiber purchased. The people who work their? Delightful. I always look forward to stopping by to see what's new or revisit some yarn that I regretfully left behind the last time I stopped in. read more

Really loved visiting this shop. Staff was super friendly and helpful. Gorgeous yarns! Took one star off though because the prices are insane. Definitely not for people on a budget. My daughter made the observation the lady ahead of us who just spent $240 on yarn could've bought groceries for a family of four for a week. It does seem wrong and a bit discriminatory. Gotta love the "free market"! read more

So, I am teh suck at knitting. However, a couple of my best friends are knitaholics and every time they come into town they want to go to Hill Country Weavers. I don't even mind. I love the little yellow house with the porch. I love the colors and textures and especially loving getting to feel all the yarns. Sometimes your fingers will find an especially fine angora or alpaca and a feeling of knowing it will all be alright washes over you. As if your senses of sight and touch weren't being overloaded enough, now they have OK Cupcake! next door. Yum. And there is always some band playing across the street at Guero's. Please go visit Hill Country Weavers soon. They have a very knowledgeable staff and myriads of wonderful classes. read more

Hands down, best yarn shop west of the Mississippi. They're well organized (e.g., everything is organized by color and weight) and their selection is fantastic. Employees offer to help, but aren't pushy. I'm able to travel to Austin 2-3x a year (at least, pre-pandemic), and look forward to making my way back there soon! read more

WOW!!!! I was so happy to find this location while on vacation. They have an abundance of yarns in all colors weights and types. We got there within 30 minutes of them closing and to say that they were warm, welcoming and extremely helpful is an understatement. If you love yarn, notions and a wonderful welcoming atmosphere you definitely need to make a stop when you are in the area! read more

The yarn selection here is incredible! The staff were very friendly and helpful. They answered all of the questions we had and they made excellent color suggestions. This is the first place I've gone to where I've gone ahead and gotten my skein rolled into a ball. It didn't take very long and the lady waiting on us made good conversation while we waited to check out. Visiting this shop was a very pleasant experience, my only complaint was that there wasn't enough local yarn but that's a small complaint at best. My boyfriend spent the next couple days crocheting a hat for our friend with the yarn we bought here, picture of the finished product attached :) read more

Hill Country Weavers - Nice, soft, warm hat :) - Knitting Supplies Near Me - Austin, Texas

Update: Since they have moved to the new location service has been night and day. Love the open space and all the yummy yarns. They have something for all price points. Every time I'm in Austin I make a point to stop. All I can say is bad customer service. I walked around the store for 10 minutes and not one person said "hello" "how r you" to busy talking about a call in customer wondering about the schedule and talking about here. Plus, it smells like an animal lives there. Why would I buy expensive yarns they have if they smell? read more

I seek out yarn stores wherever I travel and based on my one visit, this one was lovely! Wide selection of both hand dyed and commercial yarn, standard pricing, and friendly staff. I had my 5 year old son in tow, so when we arrived, I set him up in the chairs by the front to watch a bit of Netflix while I shopped. Two different staff stopped by to chat with him and ask him about his spaceship--so sweet! What a contrast to yarn stores with "no children allowed" policies (which unfortunately do exist). I had browsed HCW's website the night before to make a wishlist and left with 3 perfect skeins: 1 Camellia Fiber Co, 1 YOTH Father and 1 Plymouth Worsted. As I knit them, I'll remember fondly my visit to Austin and this shop. The new location on Manchaca Rd has two front doors. You can enter through either, but the left one feels a bit more like the official entrance. read more

Hill Country Weavers - My pretties: Camellia Fiber Co, YOTH and Plymouth - Knitting Supplies Near Me - Austin, Texas

4 stars as I have yet to go in to the store or buy anything but the virtual service was great. I had a baby blanket knit pattern that I was stuck on and could not figure out. I emailed the store and received a response from Kennedy in about 3 hours. She answered my question and was able to help me get over my knitting hump. When my current project is over I can not wait to go into the store to browse the inventory and pick up yarn for my next project. read more

I adore this place, went here on the yarn crawl and fell in love with the wide variety of yarn and price. The ppl there was very helpful with my purchase and even though the pattern they had for the crawl was something i don't do they offer me something else along with the yarn to go with it. I made another trip here in that same week for more yarn to finish my project and they remembered me!!! Like really, they saw so many ppl during the yarn crawl and they remembered me, i felt really special. So that reviewer i saw a few months ago that said she gets ignored and the staff is horrible, she's sadly mistaken. Maybe she had a bad day and they were avoiding her, lol idk but they are very helpful with choices of yarn, project ideas and finishing read more

When I tell you Hill Country Weavers is the best yarn shop on the country, I say it with the conviction of someone who has visited 48 states (and loved on the 51st: DC4eva) and who puts "yarn store" on the family itinerary. Hill Country Weavers has only gotten better since it moved a few years ago from south Congress (RIP real estate prices). The selection is amazing, the store is abundant but not overwhelming, the staff is A+ helpful even when you're asking for the 4th time should you get x shade of this color or Y shade because there is no difference to the naked eye but you fee only your heart there is a difference. The price is exactly right for the quality of yarn (so if you need super budget acrylic yarn, head to Michael's, which is a-ok if that's what you need). It's the highlight of our trips to texas (like over tacos. OVER TACOS) and I love shopping here! Y'all need to come on down and buy some yarn. read more

Not only do they have such a delightful collection of yarn but the ladies who work there are friendly, knowledgeable and helpful. If I can't figure out which yarn I need, they can direct me. I had an issue reading a knitting pattern and since I live in Buda, I called with my question. They were super prompt in responding with the solution. Discovered there was a teeny, tiny line through a dot that literally looked like a smudge and meant ktog. Now I can finish my sweater with confidence. I just can't say enough about this company. I wish all businesses were more like them. read more

I feel almost guilty to give HCW a bad review, seeing how much love it's getting from everyone else, but honestly? I hate this place. I've pretty much stopped shopping here entirely since I discovered the Old Oaks Ranch down near Wimberley. (Which, by the way, you NEED to visit if you hate HCW, because it is pretty much the polar opposite store. I heart them so hard it hurts. My credit card, that is.) Anyway, back on topic. So why do I hate HCW? Let me count the ways: 1. Prices. Sorry, guys, the prices aren't fair. I can find *everything* they sell cheaper elsewhere. In general, I order in yarn from shops in other cities or from online stores, because even with shipping I save a bundle that way. I don't know why this place feels the need to rip us all off - maybe it's the "only game in town" factor. Whatever it is, I always feel taken advantage of when I shop here. 2. Suzanne. Oh, my god, I wish she was never there when I am. She's very condescending. I do love Kathy and Heather, though. Let's say some nice stuff too. 3. Class fees. This is where I really feel most ripped off. The basketry classes are more than fairly priced, and the teachers are super, but the knitting classes are often $20-$25 more per student than at the last shop where I've taken classes. And at that shop, I was using the same yarns and learning from a teacher with a design degree in fiber arts, so quality of classes is not the issue. 4. Selection, organization. ARGH. The place feels stuffed with yarns, but every time I try to find something... no dice. I've never actually had a yarn I needed be in stock (it's substitute or nothing), and I've never been able to locate something on my own (well, except the needles & notions). The organizational scheme makes very little sense. Seems like they were more concerned with making the store appear to have a huge selection than with actually making it easy to shop. 5. Service. The women who work here are great... but first you've got to catch one. Last time I was in it took me 30 minutes to get somebody's attention, and since the organizational scheme is illogical I was stuck just kind of... wandering... until they could make time to help me out. I guess I'll end with one positive, which is that they have some gorgeous yarns if you're just browsing. That just doesn't do it for me, though. They're missing too many of the essentials for me to like the place just because they have some nice luxury yarn. Two stars for the basketry classes, Heather and Kathy, but still. I just really hate this place. read more

I have very mixed feelings about Hill Country Weavers. Although I have been knitting for many years, it wasn't until recently that I decided to branch out and knit things other than scarves and pot holders. It is for this reason that I like HCW. When I wanted to make my first hat I went to HCW. They gave me a free (easy) pattern, helped me pick out some yarn, and then when I needed help knitting double pointed needles to finish up the hat, I took it to the store and they showed me exactly what to do. It was awesome, and gave me a lot of confidence in my knitting. However, there is a reason for my three star rating. After I finished a few hats I decided to start making sweaters. Out of the frying pan and into the fire! I was preparing myself to make my first sweater that would fit me (I've made baby sweaters up to this point). I went to HCW to get my supplies, which included a few new sets of needles, and, of course, yarn. I gathered everything up and went to the counter. Because they had been so helpful before, I decided to go ahead and just ask a quick question about the pattern I had chosen. Instead of being friendly and helpful this time, however, the woman checking me out suggested I didn't know what I was doing, berated me for trying to offer my opinion of what I thought it meant, and basically just made a big (loud) fucking deal out of something that really didn't need to be. I was very embarrassed in the process and haven't been back to HCW since. This probably had more to do with this particular woman than with the actual store, since many of the people I have interacted with have been very friendly. That being said, I think I will be patronizing other yarn stores from now on. read more

This may not be everyone's cup of tea, but I have been anticipating my first visit to Hill Country Weaver's like an excited school girl. I promised myself I would not visit until I had depleted multiple bundles of yarn I had previously purchased over the years. Honestly, I haven't used them all up, and I really, really wanted to find some fabulous yarn not available at your average craft store. I drive in after work, barely making the 6pm closing time. Wow, this place is amaaaazing. Beautiful, plentiful skeins of yarn in every room! It's a fabric fanatic's wet dream in here. I just walked and walked and touched and oooohed and ahhhhed myself silly. So many options to chose from - including ridiculously expensive yarn I could never afford to buy. Overall I loved everything they carry at Hill Country Weavers. I wasn't too impressed with the service. I was asked if I needed help, which I declined and wandered on my own. But no small talk was made, even as I checked out. If you are a small business catering to a market niche, I would do my best to engage my clients in a little conversation - maybe mention the classes available, talk about common crafts, mention the extensive book collection, etc. I just didn't feel very wanted. Maybe my previous experience in other yarn shops in town have left me slightly jaded - but most crafters love to talk about what they do. I'll come back in the near future since I found some fabulous yarn to play with. But I will also have my expectations in check and not be crushed when no one wants to smile or chat with me. read more

Sigh. This store leaves much to be desired in terms of layout, customer service, and pricing. As other reviewers have mentioned, the organizational scheme is not user-friendly at all. As far as I can tell, there doesn't seem to be any rhyme or reason for where yarns are located. Yes, the shop itself is small, but that doesn't mean that it has to be overcrowded and difficult to navigate. I'm a yarn enthusiast to the core, so the slight claustrophobia I felt in this place wouldn't have been enough to drive me away for good. Alas, the poor customer service was the definite deal breaker. I walked in about 15 minutes after opening. No one greeted me with a smile or a friendly hello. You'd think that because they had all just started their shifts they'd be cheery and friendly. Not. Anyway, the lack of a greeting was not a good sign considering that I was there for two things: to buy a circular needle and to ask a few questions about two knitting patterns I'm currently working my way through. The needles were not that hard to find. What made getting to them so unpleasant is that there were about 5 women crowded around the notions display. Imagine this: five women chatting loudly, jammed into the two-foot space between the notions wall and a shelf unit stuffed with yarn. I got pushed, I had to push, no one responded to my 'excuse me's' and no one actually said it either. Once I finally shoved my way toward the needles, I discovered that they didn't have the ones I needed. So, I went to the register to ask the one person I could identify as an actual staff member (if only because she was manning the register) if someone could help me. She said that actually, there were several people on the floor who could assist me. Well, see, now that's the thing--no one was wearing a name tag, no one was wearing a uniform, no one asked me if I needed help, no one greeted me. I couldn't tell a staff member from a customer! Thankfully, I did get help but it was of the worst kind. After she informed me that they didn't have the needles I was looking for, I asked her if I could ask her two questions about my two patterns. She actually said no. Yes, you read correctly, she said no. I think the look on my face must have made her think twice because then she qualified that 'no' by saying that they were just too busy for her to answer my knitting questions. Um, okay. I would expect that since they charge a premium price for all their yarns and notions, they'd at least try to make you feel good about spending your hard-earned dollars in their store. Conclusion: I walked out of there feeling like sh*t. I wasted my time. I called another yarn store located a few miles down the road and asked if they'd be willing to help me with my sock and sweater patterns. The woman immediately said, "Sure, come on down." It took all of 2 minutes for her to answer my questions. A few final examples of the bad service at HCW: I asked a staff person if they had interchangeable circular needle sets (the ones I wanted run about $149). She motioned to one corner and said, they're somewhere over there. Well, in that overcrowded, poorly organized place, it took me awhile to locate the sets. But, by that point, I thought, "why should I spend this kind of money in a place where no one shows even the slightest sense of customer appreciation?" I'm on too tight a budget to spend such a large sum just to end up walking out feeling like sh*t about it. I asked two other staff members where I could find a certain kind of yarn. Both said they'd help me once they finished helping someone else. I said, 'sure, okay, I'll just be over here looking at these yarns'. Fifteen minutes later, no help. In fact, both helped someone else and didn't even acknowledge the fact that I had requested their assistance. Moral of the story: I wouldn't recommend HCW. Everything is expensive and the customer service is extremely poor. read more

Hill Country Weavers goes above and beyond the call of duty when delivering not only quality fibers, but quality service. They get busy for a reason, and if you think you're paying too much for Malabrigo or Terra yarn, think again. Sure, you might be able to find something cheaper online, but once you calculate shipping, you're back where you started.. Not to mention, when you go into this place, you can fondle to your heart's content. They offer all kinds of classes and everyone that works there is friendly and inviting. They'll jump through hoops to get you what you want, even if it means making several trips to the "green house" to get you that extra ball or two of yarn for your project... If they don't carry it, they'll be on the phone immediately to make sure it's in their shop fast. There are always good sales, and the owner has the largest selection of QUALITY yarn in Austin, probably even in Texas. The only other shop I can think of that could possibly compare is Yarn2Ewe in Houston, Tx. They both have a huge selection, prices are very similar, but Hill Country Weavers has an atmosphere that is inviting and warm. They have a huge selection of needles, they take their turbos seriously. They sell ball winders and swifts, and if you don't own either (even if you do) they almost always offer to wind your yarn up for you so you can get started on your project immediately. They have a wonderful collection of books, instructional in basic knit, crochet, weaving, felting, etc. and they venture off into special interests, such as books on nothing but hats, afghans, faire isle and shawls. She supports lots of local artists and designers. One of my favorite things about the book room is that there is always a neat little section of Japanese knits that are, of course, written in Japanese, but if you can follow pattern illustrations and charts, language is not a barrier. And buttons, buttons, buttons, buttons.. Actually, I wouldn't mind if she had more there, but then she wouldn't have such an impressive collection of HABU now, would she? If you're looking for cheap, that means you probably knit with cheap, and there's a Hobby Lobby up north. I will always have nothing but wonderful things to say about Hill Country Weavers, because they knock my socks off, and give me noro to knit new ones. read more

I found this place on a short trip to Austin. We were exploring downtown and the surrounding area when I saw the sign of this cute little house on Congress Ave, and I KNEW I just had to go in. I'm a yarn fanatic, and I can't ever stay away. I've vowed not to buy more yarn until I finish the stacks I have, but I just can't keep good to my promise. Reading through some of the experiences here, it seems that all high(er) end yarn shops have the same issues, with the a**h*** staff mixed in with some super nice and very helpful people. I felt they had a great yarn selection of the stuff you don't won't find at places like Michaels or other craft stores. It's a small shop though, so of course they might be limited in quantities, but I thought most of their stuff was good quality yarns. They're pricier, but I really wasn't expecting a deal when I walked in there. Most of those quaint little shops aren't cheap, at least not in Los Angeles, so I didn't think too much about what I spent. When I looked online for the stuff I had bought, it seemed to be the going price on everything, so at least I knew I wasn't terribly ripped off. I made two separate purchases there, after I decided I wanted knitting needles to go with my new yarn, as I was about to get on a plane and had at least five good hours ahead of me. Both times the staff was very helpful and very friendly. The girl was able to suggest some really good wooden circular needles for lace knitting, and I loved working with them. I do think the staff could seem a little unorganized when they all bunched up together in a little group with a few chatty customers rather than disbursing and making sure all customers were doing well with their searches in the store at times, but overall it was a very friendly experience. And not for nothing, but the shop I frequent back home also has a jerk or two that makes customers feel berated for daring to ask a question on a pattern. I think you just have to find the one friendlier person that will be glad to help you. I'm starting to think that all yarn shops have the same issue. read more

[Expert]: I'll meet you there at 7p. Ok. [7p]: Running late, see you soon. [Start looking for reds]: Red, red... but there's this indigo. I like indigo. Here's some sparkly gr--ohmygod $44 for this small thing!?' That's what I said. Expert friend arrives and directs me towards the back room with more standard-priced stock in plenty color variations. Whew. Certainly the largest selection I've come across on one property if you knit, crochet or weave. If you don't have an expert friend, HCW here holds several classes a week, which you may register for on their website. Current classes include: - Viking Chain Knitting - Best Towel Ever - Pooch Couture As well as Knitting 101, Weaving for Knitters and Fix-it Clinics. Rest easy weary weaver, you're in safe hands. read more

I really want to love this place but I can't. Pros- It's one of the nicest LYSs in the area. They have a nice large space that is neat, well lit and organized. There is plenty of room to move around inside. They have lots of beautiful yarn that is reasonably priced and two different work areas. Even the outside is lovely. It would be the perfect shop except for the service. Cons- I visited the old location two years ago as part of a yarn crawl. When I walked in the staff didn't seem very warm or welcoming. I took a year off from the yarn crawl and decided to give them another shot this year. I went in at lunch so the shop wasn't super busy. Although the environment was different the staffs warmth was not. I walked around for a half hour looking at yarns trying to decide what to purchase. During my entire visit staff walked by me a few times. I was never welcomed or spoken to by them. Pleasantries were exchanged with other patrons. I put the skeins back I had and walked up to the counter. There I wasn't greeted, I was simply asked, "You want your card stamped?" That was in reference to my yarn crawl passport that I was holding. I got my card stamped, got my pattern and button and left. I was really disappointed because I was hoping for a different experience, but alas it was not to be. It's really unfortunate considering how awesome this place is otherwise. I frequent the other LYSs in the area and have always had positive experiences so I don't understand why it's so different here. It's too bad. read more

I am said step-sister of Jessica S! (See below review). Her recounting of last Christmas's trip is accurate, but I'll give you my take anyways. She's not kidding about that cousin, either. It's actually annoying/ amazing how good she is at everything she touches. But onwards... let me weave ye a tale of bountiful yarn. First of all, HCW is stuffed floor to ceiling with all manner of yarn. All the colors and textures you could possibly want and not. I'd never been into a yarn store before, but it was then that I realized I'd been missing something all my life. Yarn. I thought to myself, "Well this is just dumb. I'm totally crafty, and all these colors are makin' my left eye twitch with the need." Craft people, you know what I mean by "the need". It's the need to use the panoply of materials that layeth before you because you are certain that you can make the most amazing creations ever. EVAR. My mom was getting into it, too. This although she's what I'd call the opposite of crafty. The only place her creative talents flourish is in the kitchen. Those talents should never, ever be spread thin or transferred onto the likes of say, yarn. But there she was: determined to knit, enthralled and enchanted by all the fuzzy wonders. And that's when she said in her tinny Houston accent, "Nee-cole, ah ah, ah think ah wanna learn how to knee-ut!" Knowing how desperately she has always wanted grandchildren (no really, starting at age 19 she was pointing out how great her kitchen sink was for "washing grandbabies"), I figured I'd wrangle a free class out of her. So I said, "OK, well, you learn how to knit and I'll make you a grandchild". Off she went in a puff of wool fluff elbowing knitters in her way. Indeed, she laid waste to those unassuming shoppers leaving a wake of trailing needles and scoffs. Five minutes later we were signed up for a one month class. I won't go into the sad trials that ensued for my creatively challenged mother, but let me just say that knitting isn't exactly intuitive. I can't even begin to imagine how it even got started. People must have been BOOOOOORED. Suffice it to say that by the end of the class we were supposed to have one hat knitted. Now, I don't want to brag, because I'm not a great knitter. I'll just say that I understood it better than my mom and retained the knowledge of how to knit and purl from one day to the next. Sadly, this was not the case for her. I spent hours at her house coaching her between lessons. In the meantime I finished, uh, three hats. Whatever, she got the hat finished and I'm pregnant. The only reason I wouldn't give this place that coveted fifth star is because of their pricing. It's up there. But really, that's my problem, isn't it? I should just be a millionaire and be able to afford all the wondrous yarns they have. So my knittas, if you're looking to pay up to $150 for a ball of yarn, this is the place! I'm not saying they're all that expensive, but you can pay as much as you want. Their classes are a bit steep too in comparison with some of the other local yarn stores around town. Now I need to get off this freakin' computer and try to finish the baby blanket before I actually have a baby. read more

Having lived in several (colder) areas of the country, I am honestly surprised that this yarn store in Austin, Texas is the best one I've been to. Hi, wool? In Texas? Crazy. But they have a huge selection of really great yarn (no cheapo acrylic nastiness here) and for mostly reasonable prices. (Hey, good yarn ain't cheap!) The store is a little cramped and can make for some awkward maneuvering around bins and shelves and other people, but I'd rather have less room and more yarn than more room and less yarn...so...I'll take it. They've got more than just yarn too - a smallish, but nice, selection of buttons; yarn and knitting supplies like swifts, winders and needles; a small room with a decent selection of books...really most of what you could possible want, they've got. The attitude of most of the employees I had to deal with was quite friendly and helpful - not something you get in every yarn store. I've moved away now to a much, much colder place where lots of people knit but I still miss this store for their stellar selection. read more

After reading mostly fabulous reviews about Hill Country Weavers I was excited to go and join the yarn fanatics after I took my first crocheting class at Stitch Lab. The yarn selection was pretty good, but not knowing anything about yarn it seemed a bit disorganized. There are no helpful signs that I noticed to direct you to where specific type of fibers are. I oo'ed and aww'ed at all they had to offer leaving no yarn untouched, but the prices drove me from buying up everything I wanted. I went in the afternoon and they were in the middle of doing inventory causing them to completely ignore me. I got a half-hearted hello when I walked in, but nobody asked if I wanted any help in the 45 min I spent walking between the 3 rooms. Even at check out the two employees that were left continued their own conversation and didn't say much to me besides telling me the price. They had a good selection of yarn in a variety of colors and price ranges. Their books and patterns lacked organization, but they did have some Japanese amigurumi books I might go back to look at. I didn't find many accessories, specifically things for amigurumi, but they could have been hidden somewhere in the store. All in all the next time I go in there I'll be armed with a notepad and pen to write down the brands, styles, and colors I want then order them online. It'll be cheaper and I'll probably get better customer service. read more

Conveniently located on South Congress strip, Hill Country Weavers is a fantastic yarn store that has a huge selection of high quality yarn and knitting supplies. Lots of love for this place. I was very pleased to find a knitting store worthy of replacing my old yarn shop in Soho. I don't knit that often, but when I do, I need to make sure that I get yummy yarn. Yes, I am a yarn snob. Heather was really helpful and patient. I wanted to move beyond making stuff shaped like rectangles (i.e., scarves), and wanted to make legwarmers. She looked over the pattern with me, helped me choose which circular needles were probably best for me and showed me where the yarn was. I've given up knitting for the year, since it is already starting to warm up, but I'm looking forward to visiting again in the fall! read more

I'll preface this by saying that I don't go to yarn stores expecting to meet my new best friends. There was a time when this might have been the case. I'd walk into a yarn store looking for kindred spirits "omg you knit too here's what I knit what did you knit yaay!" There's nothing wrong with this attitude, at all! I've been there, believe me. I met some amazing friends this way. But these days when I go into a yarn shop I just want to buy their yarn and move on. And HCW is perfect for this. This is a place for knitters who know what they like. And there's a ton of it. A relatively tiny space filled to the brim with amazing yarn. This was the first time I've seen the uber fancy obscure Habu Textiles yarn in person. There's pretty much a *room* for sock yarn. Just the first bins to the left of the front door (hello misti alpaca!) are enough to make me swoon. The back room has spinning fibers. There's a book room where I bought back catalog Interweave handweaving magazines. The women who work in this shop will not be your new best friends. But they might have a good idea of what you will want to buy. Maybe. If you're a new knitter you might want to bring a friend who knows what things are about. If you are an experienced knitter prepared to have plenty of time and a strict spending limit. read more

When you first walk into Hill Country Weavers...its a little overwhelming with all the yarn if you are newbie you might not know where to start and if you a skilled knitter you might feel the same way too. I had never knit in my life but have always wanted to start so I signed up for some classes. The first class I went to was an express class where the owner Susanne taught me the basics. To be honest...I left forgetting most of it. So I went back to my second class today and it all clicked. The class was fun because there were both men and women of ages ranging from late 20s to 50s. We were all at different levels too. There were people like me working on scarf and others working on sweaters (cant wait until I am that good). Now I am addicted...i am just taking a few minutes to write this review but I want to get back to my knitting! This is definitely a great place to learn how to knit. I have no reference point whether or not their yarn is expensive or not. read more

Hill Country Weavers is Austin's premier yarn boutique and knitting Mecca. Inside the quaint little house on Congress Avenue is a fiber lover's dream. I dare you to find an inch of wall space that isn't dedicated to yarn. You can find everything from roving (to spin your own yarn) to felt-able wool to luxuries like cashmere or silk. Be warned, though, because Hill Country Weavers carries the best, the prices are a little on the expensive side. In addition to yarn, the store also provides just about every spinning, weaving, knitting, and crocheting tool you could possibly need. This is the place to come when you suddenly realize you need another set of dpns (knitter's lingo for double pointed needles) or you absolutely have to pick up some blocking pins. In terms of service, Suzanne, the owner, is very helpful and always willing to help with a yarn substitution or answer a knitting question. The rest of the staff is pretty friendly as well, but on a few occasions I've had some trouble flagging down someone to answer a question or simply make a sale. Nevertheless, Hill Country Weaver's is still my first-stop yarn shop. read more