The first moment we walked into Unwind, it felt like home. As a 20+ year knitter/crocheter, I never…read morereally *need* more yarn or tools, with some limited exceptions, but it's always fun to take a gander.
Spoiler alert (not to other yarnies): I have made several purchases in the last couple of weeks.
My hot take on Unwind:
* Wide variety of yummy yarns in various fibers and price points
* Great selection of knitting/crocheting tools and notions
* Flawless vibes- friendly, warm, supportive, fun shop folks
* Fairly-priced, helpful, fun, supportive class opportunities
* Lovely fiber arts community
If you have time and the inclination, read on for further details.
I knew immediately I wasn't going to leave empty-handed. There's a fabulous selection of yummy yarns here, in a variety of fibers (natural and acrylic), at a wide range of prices, which is wholly refreshing! I've been to some yarn shops where they tout that they only carry "natural fibers." While I enjoy knitting and crocheting with natural fibers (hello, alpaca!), sometimes I need an acrylic or acrylic blend for a project that doesn't require me to cash out my 401K (grateful to have one) or need the acrylic boost for care-ability. I love creating gifts for cherished peeps, but we yarnies know there are some recipients you know won't remember to hand wash an item. (Sometimes it's me!)
They have a marvelous selection of hooks and needles, accessories, notions, and other yarnie implements. I was giddy to find they have one of my favorite knitting needle brands, KnitPro. I don't care how many knitting needles or interchangeables I have; I can always use another. I'm also excited that they have KnitPro crochet hooks! I bought one in one of my most used hook sizes to give it a whirl.
Unwind is full of incredibly friendly and helpful folks. Heather and Anne gave us an extremely warm welcome the first time we visited. Heather invited us to the bi-monthly Tuesday Social Stitch, where folks come together and knit or crochet in the company of other fiber crafters. We had a great time meeting other knitters and crocheters the following Tuesday.
I also signed us up for a knitting class. Without getting too kniterdy™, there are two main styles of knitting, English (aka "throwing") and Continental (aka "picking"). I am a self-taught knitter from 20 years ago, using the early days of video tutorials, which demonstrated knitting in the English style. I've always wanted to learn Continental, but since I had strong muscle memory, it was hard to switch over for good and I always reverted to my comfort zone, English style. I saw a Continental knitting class offered by Anne and registered my daughter and me. We had the BEST time learning from Anne. She was fun, engaging, and supportive. We also met a whole other cohort of lovely people that made the class even more engaging.
I've been to many yarn shops in 20 years and I can say without hestitation that Unwind is my favorite, by far!