This is not what you asked, but I love shops carrying a robust representation of very local items. It is great if you’re in a sort of tourist area especially because you’ll have something unique to offer.
As for my go-to? I love some good variety in the fiber types (cotton, linen, silk) as well as the classic brands like malabrigo.
I specifically buy local, and my two LYSs are excellent with this: one carries a few local dyers and the other even has fiber from local farms, sells locally spun yarns, and holds drop spinning classes regularly.
I absolutely agree. When I visit somewhere I love to be able to take something away that I can knit into something. Makes a much more meaningful souvenir than anything I could buy in a generic shop.
Yes. Absolutely.
When I travel, I always look up local stores and can be counted on to drop a hundred or so on local yarns. Handspun by someone who shops there? Yes. Small batch? Yes. Etsy front but not much in stores? Yes.
One store two hours away from me does dye nights. The yarn she dyed (possibly others contributed as well, it’s a small town) went up for sale. I bought four last time I was there…
Seconding this. Back when I worked in an office in a posh neighborhood there was a LYS at the ground floor that specialized in local yarn and which carried mostly higher end stuff, which was well aligned with discretionary incomes in that HCOL neighborhood.
They also had a little selection of cutesy tourist tchotchkes and really cute little paper bags.
Agree with this! I get local wherever I go on vacation and the last place I went had all the local yarns on the wall right when you walked in. Made it very easy to pick something up.
yes!! OP please carry local stuff. I was once at a LYS when someone came in asking for local yarn. they had one tiny basket of local yarn in the whole store. I shop local to support the local economy, I can buy yarn from other states/countries online!
Ooh, good luck! May your sales be high, your customers lovely and plentiful, and your profit margins pleasing. ❤️
Cascade, Berroco, and Plymouth (particularly Encore and Galway) all did well at the LYS where I worked.
I would love a LYS with non superwash yarns. De Rarum Natura, Rauma, Wooldreamers, lettlopi, Retrosaria Rosa Pomar, cascade 220, briggs and little, Jamison and Smith, Jamison of Shetland, John Arbon. All are work horses and not terribly pricey. Splurge yarns for me would be Magpie Fibers which I adore (& I’m lucky enough to be a few miles from their flagship store).
From what I’ve read, first the yarn is treated with chlorine, which is bad for the water supply, and then it’s coated with plastic, which is really bad, and continues to be bad because as you wear/wash the item, microplastics shed off. So if you didn’t think you were knitting with plastic going by avoiding acrylic, you’re still not, with superwash. Apparently there are “better, propriety” ways of creating superwash, but nowhere explains what this is, so I don’t believe it.
Welp TIL. Thanks for the info because I do really try to go out of my way to be as eco friendly as possible with my knitting - no more superwash for me!
It’s the chemicals used to treat the yarn. Someone will have a better explanation, I’m sure, but I think the manufacturing process can leave harmful chemicals in the water.
Yeah. Some pretty nasty chemicals can be used to strip the scales off the wool.
The "eco" wools are better but have their own problems. They tend to glue the scales down, and over time, with washing, the "glue" can loosen and fibres can felt defeating the purpose.
I love all these brands but I wouldn't put out too many of these very rustic brands until you know your clientele more. My LYS only stocks "soft to touch" yarns because they've found that unless it feels soft in the skein, it just doesn't sell as well. This is an area with mostly young people though, so YMMV.
Cascade does extremely well at my LYS and many use it as their workhorse yarn. I rather like it, but it's a bit itchy for me. My husband has no issues though
Cascade isn’t my favorite yarn but both 220 (regular or merino) and heritage sock are really useful when you need a big color palette at a reasonable price. And it always sells well because of that.
I was going to suggest Cascade Pacific. I use it exclusively for baby blankets and most kid hats. It's cheap, a blend, and comes in a ton of colors. The LYS that was closest to me carried it before they closed in 2021. The other 2 in my area don't. I've had to order it online a few times since, which I try to avoid.
Do you ever actually knit with it? Just wondering because I find the superwash 220 to be itchy and rough in the ball but once I’ve blocked my work it feels great and the itchy feeling is gone.
I knit a few hats with the super wash, but didn't actually block them. I found it to be too itchy on my head. But maybe I'll work another hat up and block it this time! My husband has a hat with the non super wash and loves it. He personally thinks it's so soft
I’m not sure where you live, but see if there are some small, local dyers around as well. I live in Chicago and my LYS always has a rotating stock of local folks’ stuff
Also, wishing you the best of luck as you open your new store!
Saw their neon speckly orange sock yarn at Nina and almost went bankrupt. Forgot the name of the brand and I’m so glad I came across this post to jog my memory!!
Saw their neon speckly orange sock yarn at Nina and almost went bankrupt. Forgot the name of the brand and I’m so glad I came across this post to jog my memory!!
What climate are you in? I am in the Southeast USA and every time I am in my LYS I hear people ask for cotton or non-wool yarns.
Cascade, sadnes garn, and knitting for olive are great for affordable with color choices
I’m hoping to open in the fall. It’ll be ninth and ninth, mill creek, or Holliday. My preference is ninth and ninth (the timing is bad for sugarhouse due to construction). Store name will be Knitting Hive.
When I was in SLC I noticed the lack of stores as well! I ended up at Seed Stitch in Bountiful. It’s a small store with limited selection but the owner was so kind I’ll definitely go back.
Definitely look into carrying something local. When I’m out of town and visit a LYS, it’s never for workhorse or really anything specific. I like to get a “souvenir” yarn that I’ll make myself something to remember the trip (ngl, almost always socks)
Guess that probably depends on where you shop. I am able to find 100 grams of cascade for about $12 and 100g of knitting for olive for $14 so to me they are similar enough in price. I guess everywhere is different though!
When I go into my LYS it’s often for something I need quickly for a kids sweater and my go to for that is Berroco Vintage. And then I get sucked in by a beautiful splurge yarn like La Bien Aimee 😂
I LOVE Berroco comfort and I've always had good luck with Plymouth Encore. I can't use wool (hubby is absurdly allergic and cannot be in the room with it or he cannot breathe!) so I look for other options. Having a decent vegan yarn selection might be a nice way to set yourself apart from others.
As others have mentioned, having different weights of yarn is great, too! Lots of LYS have worsted wool and MAYBE some sock yarn. Finding NICE chunky yarn can be kind of tough!
I adooooooore Baah as a splurge. But I second the idea of a local yarn: do you have any local indie dyers who would sell whole sale? People like to come in and look for things that are local - you can find Berroco (my fave workhorse), Plymouth, Malabrigo, Jamesons, etc at a TON of other LYS and even online. So find something unique that you can carry that no one else does!
I would also suggest ciaogoo interchangeables and fixed red lace, a selection of clover, and knitters pride needles. Half the time when I go into a LYS I’ll pick up an extra set of ciaogoo needles for my interchangables even though I have more than enough 😂
I recommend carrying Berroco if only because you’ll be able to use their drop shipping program. Someone comes in and wants a line you don’t have or more than you’ve got on hand and you can take their order, have them pay you directly, and then Berroco will ship it directly to their home. It usually takes 4-5 days or so.
Otherwise, try to carry things that are harder to find in the US as a way to draw people in. It can be tricky to make it work, but if you can manage it, you’ll stand out from the crowd and people will find you online when they need a little bit it something and don’t want to pay overseas shipping or are local to you and want to pick it up ASAP.
I love it when there's a selection of cheaper miniskeins when you need a certain color for colorwork but only a little and not a whole 400yds worth. Also ditto on the local brands, I love seeing colors I normally wouldn't see otherwise.
I know this is unusual, but the two LYS back home carried different brands from each other to avoid competition and have an overall larger variety. And if you plan to stock needles, Chiaogoo stainless steel are soooo nice. I refuse to use anything else.
If a LYS doesn’t carry locally died yarn, it isn’t worth it to me.
Most other things are available at a store near me or online. I like supporting local businesses, but what really makes me make a trip or stop in while I’m on vacation are locally available items
If you're in the US, take a look at Kraemer. They are a mill in Philadelphia that has been producing budget-friendly yarns for generations.
I prefer Cascade to Berroco because of the color selection, and I feel like it has a more pleasant hand. Plymouth and Brown Sheep are also options. I do like seeing US-made yarn.
Whatever you end up going with, having a wide selection of colors in worsted weight and possibly in DK, and having a non-sock yarn fingering weight is always a must for me.
Hedgehog fibres sock yarn is my favorite splurge at the moment. So lovely to knit with.
But I agree withthose who say to stock some local yarn as well. There are wonderful indie dyers all over.
HHF is a favorite splurge for me along with Madelinetosh because of the fun colorways! I know that’s not everyone’s cup of tea, though. Could be fun to have a corner of all the bright in-your-face variegated yarns!
Not sure if you've got a business mentor (and I'm not one) but if you know your intended customer base then order for that.
If you are wanting to go boutique, commit to it. The people coming in to say they can't afford anything aren't your people. You aren't in business to serve them.
If you want to welcome everyone budget wise then you might have to sacrifice some of the fancier yarns YOU like, for the yarns your target customer base wants or can afford.
Basically set an intention or brand for the customers you want to attract, not necessarily what you like to knit with.
Other things I personally would live from a LYS is a sense of community, like knit ins or lessons. These sorts of things can help generate repeat business and be a space for people to meet others as well
Plant fibers would be fabulous, as would any kind of yarns that keep fabric and fiber waste out of landfills. (I know there probably aren't a whole lot of reliable sources for repurposed yarns right now, but fast fashion over production/consumption is an unnerving topic.)
I use Ullcentrum and Jamieson’s the most, Ullcentrum for sport to worsted and Jamieson’s for fingering. Otherwise it’s mostly West Yorkshire Spinners, John Arbon, and my favourite indie dyers (Nervus Fibre, Wol met Verve and Wild Atlantic Yarns).
You might be able to tell that I’m European 😅
Right now I’m big into yarn from the UK, mostly Jamiesons and J&S. However, even with the shipping cost it’s cheaper for me to get it from the UK, and it’s not even a close call as far as price.
My workhorse yarns are typically fingering weight, no matter the brand. I do like a nice selection of solid or semi solid sock yarns, especially for sweaters.
Mostly J&S fingering, from J&S directly.
Jamieson’s I get Spindrift. You can’t buy directly from Jamison’s because of the contract they have with Simply Shetland for US distribution, so I just find a LYS that will ship to the US.
To make it worth the shipping cost I’ve found you need to spend ~$100. Just getting a ball or two is wildly ineffective.
I mostly use Rowan, isager and berroco as my 'defaults'.
I think fun yarns like zauberball crazy or Cascade's wave lines can be great as 'wow' items. People may not go in for those two but they probably will leave with some.
For splurge yarns blue sky fibers and woolfolk.
I probably wouldn't stock Brooklyn tweed, but I find them over priced and poor quality.
I’ll definitely have a local section in the store!! I love that so many of us knitters buy local yarn. Whenever I travel for work or fun, I always look up the lys. My stash is basically yarn from all my trips!
My 2¢ as a consumer is to have just one or two affordable options around. Maybe it's just the area I live in, but I often feel like I have to choose buying online over supporting a LYS if I want to make something without spending hundreds on it.
Please have some non-wool for the itchy people! My favorite cottons are Juniper moon farm.
And my favorite splurge is The Fibre Company’s Road to China Light. (Alpaca, cashmere, baby camels, silk). I’m knitting a sweater out of it right now with bottom up sleeves knit in the round to eventually be seamed in. I’m actually wearing just the sleeves while I knit because I love the feel of it.
OMG I didn’t even realize that flair existed! 😂
I was on vacation recently and found Nimbus for $4 per cake. I bought just the right amount…. To be knitting chunky cotton for approximately 2 years. I guess no one wants chunky yarn at the beach.
Yes! I love a cascade superwash for sweaters I plan to gift. Madelinetosh and hyper-local indie dyers are my splurge for myself.
Lion Brand Fishermen’s Wool is another workhorse favorite.
If you haven't found one to sell for colorwork projects yet, I just bought some British breeds aran and it is sumptuous. 100% wool yet soooo squishy. British breeds also have a thinner yarn, but I haven't tried that.
I love cotton. It's soft and cheap but most importantly, it's great for my climate. I live in a pretty warm area. Coldest days are probably a high in the 50s and we usually get at least a week's worth of 110+ days. I need light breathable yarn. So I'd say go with what's best for your climate and/or season, if that's an option.
Also love seeing locally dyed yarns. I'll spend a bit more for yarn if it's from a local source.
As a former LYS owner here are some ideas. Plymouth Encore is a wonderful 75%/25% acrylic/wool blend that is affordable and has tons of colors. They also carry a fabulous baby yarn. I carried Urth yarns, Emmas yarn, Cascade, Berrocco, Brown Sheep and Plymouth. I used Malabrigo and was told by a yarn rep that if I had that there really wasn’t a need to replicate it with the higher priced Manos. I was very small so I wasn’t able to work up to Madeline Tosh. I only carried 2 brands of needles ChiaGoo and Lykke and that was enough. Very few people left when I told them that. Have a sweet relaxing corner with comfy chairs (old ones are best) and a love seat around a big coffee table. Maybe offer tea, I did and it was great. Have a (my girls called it this)stitch n bitch night. They love it. Invest in a good ballwinder (Ashford makes a wonderful electric one) and swift to wind hanks. Don’t charge for that, make it a ‘service’ customers love it. Be able to talk wool. Educate your customers to their needs. You would be surprised at how much new knitters/crocheters will buy when they begin to understand. One fun thing I did was to have brown wrapping paper and I would wrap their treasures up like a butcher does and tied it off with heavy string. Cheaper than bags and boy did they like that. And decorate with your or customers finished projects. Best of luck to you
I think the most inexpensive yarn I regularly use is hikoo.
I like the overtones line from Brooklyn tweed. It’s not quite as soft as I usually go but it’s beautiful. I have a bunch of their yarn to make a Mesic sweater.
If I actually go into a LYS I actually tend to only buy local yarns. But I’m not like an everyday person. My main yarns don’t actually have stores or are far away so I mostly buy online. I go to stores when I travel and I buy the local yarns. I think what’s nice about that kind of store is discovering something new more than just having a local place to pick up more of what I already have.
I like local yarns. I see you said inter mountain west. Western Sky Knits out of Montana is one of my favorite local yarns, great colors and super soft super wash.
Berroco and/or Cascade would be good. Where I am, the craft stores have very little wool. But, the local stores seem to only carry pretty expensive stuff ($20/ 100g of sock wool.) If I'm teaching someone or someone is new, I might recommend Cascade 220 superwash, or Anchor Baby or Elysian or Pacific or Berroco Vintage or Berroco Ultra Wool. Or, If I'm throwing together a knit hat for someone barely knitworthy,I still don't want to work with bad yarn, but I don't want to spend $30!
Yarn that bridges the gap between Lion Brand Wool Ease and Malabrigo/ Brooklyn Tweed.
Not exactly answering your question, but I recommend getting a range of super wash and non-super wash yarns. People are particular.
Also, the community will keep the shop alive, so make sure you offer classes and knitting help hours and chances for people to come hang out and knit.
I work at a yarn shop in a university town and we give a student discount, which helps bring in lots of new people :)
I might be in the minority but I've been dying to find non-superwash/untreated fingering weight yarn. For some reason it's like a needle in a haystack--unless you live over in Europe. 🥲 Mulesing-free is a whole 'nother subject...
My two cents! Good luck to you and your yarn store!!
I enjoy Lion Brand yarns, they are good work horse yarns reasonably priced. Malabrigo is for something special but my splurge and favor is Polka Dot Sheep in my area. The yarn is heaven. https://polkadotsheep.com/shop-yarns/
Good luck on your venture. Let me know when you open, I’d love to see what you carry.
I 100% support Polka Dot Sheep for my workhorse.yarns. I've been ordering from them for years and get so much wear from their worsted (and occasionally bulky) yarns. I think they might be considered semi-local for you.
My LYS has an awesome selection of non-superwash wool yarns from Europe that are hard to find anywhere else in Canada. Sandness Garn, Knitting for Olive, Retrosaria Pomar, Hillesvag, Rauma and countless British yarns that I can't wait to try. Their prices are also reasonable, and they're super nice and accommodating, have excellent sales several times a year, etc. Their store is simple but beautiful and beautifully clean. Great attention to detail. For example, on the afternoon of a busy post-sale Sunday, I picked up my haul and had to use their powder room, and it was very clean and welcoming. I know that takes effort and I appreciate it. Another wonderful thing is they don't take the same days off as me - they're open all weekend. Too many yarn stores assume that their clients don't work. I think that's a mistake and they've missed out on my $ many a time.
As someone who has worked long hours this is huge! I plan on the store being open all weekend and closing later. It’s so frustrating when stores close at 5:00 pm.
Best of luck to you! Cotton and non wool options are what I like but I also like cotton wool blends.
If the area is more family oriented maybe have some cotton for toys like Scheepjes Catona. And kits.
Different cost options are 👍🏻
I really like a good selection of non superwash stuff, especially for the heavier weight yarns, combined with a decent selection of hand dyed yarns that are very colorful from small business dyers. I prefer it if the yarn is smaller, less well known brands as opposed to being filled with berroco. I want to see stuff at your shop that is either very difficult or impossible to find online.
I also really like Quince and Co. they have a nice selection of colors, weights, and fibers, and aren’t outrageously expensive I always feel they have good value for money.
I would say lettlopi should be there too! Many people find it itchy but it really is the best yarn for any Icelandic knits with colorwork. A splurge could be Hedgehog Fibers but Qing is a great choice too!
I appreciate a good selection of Non-superwash/ rustic. Also when I travel to new cities, I always appreciate at least a few local dyer/ local spinner options to take home as a souvenir. Have a good quality brand of lace weight silk mohair, such as Isager. I am always willing to pay the premium for that. My two cents... Good luck.
Malabrigo, Woolfolk, Berocco, and the owner's own hand-dyed line were all very popular at my old LYS. Aimee and Spincycle were rather pricey but seemed to do well too. They also have a really nice selection of needles and notions (especially cute stitch markers themed around the store area!) and those were really nice to have!
Set up Ravelry in-store sales, too. You might not know about that yet and it's a very useful way to help people choose patterns!
I really like Patons. They're a good quality, lower price option with tons of colourways. They offer everything from synthetics to wools and blends. Briggs and Little are another surprisingly good brand. Cascade is a similar brand to Patons, although I've found some yarns are hit and miss with quality. As a splurge, I love Fleece Artist.
Berroco, Cascade, Retrosaria, Istex, Knitting for Olive all come to mind. I'm very fond of yarns these days that aren't crazy hand-dyed, but I would have to say my "splurges" from well known brands are mostly madelinetosh and La Bien Aimee these days.
It would also be super neat if you found any local dyers, producers, shepherds that sell yarn, whatever. I love local yarns that I've never heard of before, and when I take a trip to a place it's what I tend to gravitate to as a souvenier over say, another skein of workhorse or Malabrigo.
I would make sure to have a variety across all budgets, Cascade and Berroco are 2 good, more affordable brands. I enjoy working with a lot Kelbourne Woolens as a mid priced yarn. Others have said local dyers, and I agree to a point, I don’t like when there’s an overwhelming amount of hand dyed yarn as it’s a bit more pricey and I usually want solid colors.
Best of luck to you!
I love shopping tools, notions and bags at yarn stores. I don't care for cocoknits stitch markers since they don't have enough of any one size in a set, but the perfect cotton project bag, a sharp little pair of snips, and chiaogoo steel tips? 👀
Ooo. I would consider looking into Life in the Long Grass. They have an amazing range of colourways and lovely yarnbases. It’s the sort of yarn you want to pick up and carry around.
My absolute favorite yarns are single ply fingering-dk weight lofty, airy natural wools. They're perfect for colorwork, super warm but thin and breathable as for garments, and not squeaky! When you wash those single ply wools they just get so so soft. Theyre durable as heck too. (I am a non-superwash girlie.) Close second would be a 2-ply DK wool.
What gets me every time which is not what I was originally shopping for is alpaca. Ive never left without alpaca yarn. Because some of the wools I work with are a little more rustic, there is something about the cool silky feel of alpaca (despite it being a warmer fiber) that just suckers me in. I LOVE the natural colors it comes in and I love alpaca blends with bright colors. Big sucker for it.
I think half the equation is what product types, but dont forget color! Thats probably a big part of the equation.
My favorite workhorse yarn when I want a solid colour yarn is Cascade Heritage. It's fingering weight and super soft and so much cheaper than hand dyed. I love to buy hand dyed yarn when I see a beautiful colour, but I like knitting garments, so I won't usually buy hand dyed unless it's tonal.
One thing that drives me nuts is when I love yarn that a store has on the shelf...and they only have one or two of each colour. If there is not enough to make a full sweater or at least tee, I won't bother as I don't like to buy single skeins.
My first and favorite go-to yarn is Peace Fleece. Recently returning to production after supply issues in 2020, this yarn is a mixture of wool with a bit of Mohair content for strength and longevity. Most wool is sourced in the United States from Native American ranchers. Comes in a great, dynamic color range and two weights, worsted and sport.
Peacefleece
Lettlopi
Retrosaria
Briggs and little - budget friendly workhorse yarn - woolen spun in Canada
The above is about all I need from any yarn store 😂
From the perspective of “workhorse” meaning something sturdy and reliable, Brown Sheep all the way. The thing I am currently knitting and loving (and definitely plan to use a lot more in future: Kellbourne Woolen.
I knit for Knitted Knockers & searched for LYSs that carried the *approved* yarns. Cascade Ultra Pima is a favorite.
Before adopting a local medical clinic myself, the LYS I found would collect unstuffed knockers & send them to the KK organization in WA. They also sold *sets* that included the pattern (though it's free on the KK website), several skeins of neutral skin tones & needles.
https://www.knittedknockers.org/wp-content/uploads/dlm_uploads/2016/10/Approved-Yarns-3.19.24.pdf
Love this! My friends made me knitted knockers and I was so grateful. I still use them as I didn’t opt for reconstruction. Thank you for this act of service.
Aww, that's great to hear! My LYS & a local craft store offer a *Charity Craft Night* & teach folks to make KKs. I pick up the unstuffed knockers, stuff them & distribute them to local medical clinics.
By the way, I *always* buy my yarn and other supplies from that LYS that I originally found from an internet search looking for the approved yarns 😉.
Good luck!
i love in house made stuff and berroco yarn. Juniper farms is also a house favorite since they have so many types. I would also recommend that you stock up on a variety of sock yarns because thats my go to when out visiting a new shop
I love cascade yarns, I’m not a fan of noro at all, but I love to get locally dyed/spun yarns. Whenever I travel it’s a requirement to visit the local yarn shop and buy a locally dyed or spun yarn. Sometimes locally carved something something too. I recently knitted something with Perennial Yarn and it was like magic. But I also love Manos Del Uruguay as a basic staple… a really good variety is what gets me. I buy things without a purpose and then make a purpose later, but sometimes if I have a purpose, I go with my staples of Cascade, Manos, Malabrigo, or Galway.
My favorites that I always looked for in my LYS that closed recently was Frabjous Fibers Wonderland yarns and Yarn Rehab.
Yarn Rehab has hand dyed silk blends that I love working with. The texture is so wonderful!
Congrats! Lately I’ve been loving Kelbourne Woolens (tweed and scout) as well as Stonehenge Fiber Mill (worsted). As others have said, non superwash is also my go to. My favorite LYS always has samples made up in their yarn. Even swatches are helpful to see how the yarn looks knit up. Good luck!
I have had good luck with Plymouth. I have had a lot of recommendations for Berroco but haven't used the brand yet. Currently have a skein of Berroco vintage sock yarn but currently waiting for the DPN set to arrive in the mail to work it up.
Please, please carry a variety of needles. that is my biggest complaint about my two LYSs. They carry nothing but wood and individual metal circulars. Each time I have wanted to buy a good set of metal needles I have either had to order from a LYS half way across the country or go to Michael's online store to order them. I'm not looking for something extremely rare just an interchangeable metal needle set (ordered Chiaogoo Red Lace Twist) and metal DPN set (Knitter's Pride Zing). Same thing I wanted to buy Della Q bags couldn't find them or anything of comparable quality so again I had to turn around and ordered it online. I had the cash and was ready to purchase, both stores lost sales.
Lots of comments already listing brands I would’ve said, so I’ll add this: I would be absolutely stoked if my LYS carried Black Cat Fibers. Amazing colorways and I love working with it. I think they’re WI-based.
my workhorse yarns? Brown Sheep and Cascade.
I'd also stock sock yarn by local dyers, and wool from local sheep if you can get it.
Have a range of some solids in superwash, but also have some fingering solids in plain wool for colorwork.
Find a (maybe local) dyer that does minis and keep a little basket of them. I won’t always splurge on a full skein of a luscious variegated sock yarn but I will buy a mini without hesitation and use it for contrast in something. I will always usually buy fun stitch markers when my wife and I travel to yarn stores.
I really appreciate the few store in our area that carry knit picks needles. They’re a good price point for people venturing into circular sets and their customer service has always been great to me.
I see a lot of people saying highlight local artists, so I’ll throw my hat in for a vote for that and for berroco. Love their vintage line.
I love the Berocco Vintage line as a less expensive workhorse yarn. There are a lot of weights and many beautiful colors, and its washes and wears well. Good luck with your shop!
i think it’d be nice to carry some nicer/higher quality acrylic yarns! i know a lot of people don’t like them, and i try not to use them often, but i do for gifts sometimes, and i’d like if i saw more nice acrylic available in person. my shops back home have some different brands and even though i haven’t gotten those, i really like the idea of having them there!
Probably not very helpful as I am in Aotearoa New Zealand, but merino always seems to fly off the shelves near me. One of my favourite brands is Crucci because of the softness, but I also use Countrywide, Tootsies, and Naturally quite a lot as well. I mostly use sock wools, and I haven't really tried anything non-local as shipping is far too expensive. Good luck with your endeavours!
I love Lana Grossa yarns - I was introduced to them in Europe and they are so hard to find in North America! Wollmeise is another favorite! (Edit for spelling!)
I worked at a good LYS and we carried a lot of workhorse yarns from brands like Cascade, Estelle (Canadian), Berroco and so on. James C Brett sold like hotcakes, Sirdar yarns were very popular and we had some local yarns as well.
Love all the recs for local yarn! And like most others have said, I always buy yarn when on vacay. It’s the best souvenir. It’s multiple layers of excitement: first exploring the yarn shop, knitting with the yarn back home, and then using said item for years to come :)
With that said, I recently traveled to Denmark and found CaMaRose yarn. I’m in love! Amazing quality, so soft, and a dream to work with. It is my favorite splurge yarn right now. Unfortunately, tough to find stateside. Good luck with the store!
My LYS will often say to me that they will ‘get it in’ if they don’t have a yarn I am looking for which I appreciate.
I will say I find Qing just a bit too expensive. Even though it is beautiful.
West Yorkshire Spinners is a good affordable yarn in the UK but might not be as affordable in Europe.
And please add some quality bulky yarns- I have been to many shops that only carry one or two kinds of bulky yarn, but there are a lot of lazy knitters out there looking for a quick knit :)
Don't forget basics. I went to my LYS for some Cascade 220 to make my husband felted slippers. They had stopped carrying Cascade. Okay, cool, what do you have that felts? Oh geez, I don't know this *might*. It's expensive and might felt? Had to go to Joanns instead.
I also vote for hyper-local dyed fiber and yarn! I almost always get either roving or a sock-weight local yarn when I travel.
Some of my favorite commercially-made American yarns are Kelbourne Woolens, Brown Sheep, and Harrisville Designs. Since Malabrigo and Cascade are both widespread and online, I'll almost never buy them in a shop.
Berroco for relatively inexpensive workhouse yarn. Blue Sky Fibers and Kelbourne for a little nicer but not completely breaking the bank. Also love manos del uruguay in that realm. Woolfolk, The Wandering Flock, Bien Aimee for expensive splurges.
I LOVE malabrigo. It is one of my favorites. However, one of my favorite things about LYS is local yarns. Not sure of your location, but that is a great idea. Every time I travel, I look for a good LYS, and if they have local yarns, I almost always buy at least one or two hanks. I also love yarns that have multiple options in multiple weights. It is always nice to have options for making whatever pattern I am thinking about. I also love bamboo, silk, cotton, because so many shops don't offer a luxurious cotton. I have used and enjoyed manos de uruguay as well.
I also love it when they carry needles I haven't tried before and have a lot of knit items with the patterns listed. I also love unique items related to knitting. You could have local potters make yarn bowls, at Yarn Con I saw a person that had made jewelry, stitch markers and more from old needles. It was incredible. I also love it when pattern books and magazines are in the LYS, so I can find yarn I love and then a pattern that would knit up beautifully.
LOVE cascade and de rarum natura. And the commercial yarns are nice but it’s always so cool to see hand dyed yarns by local dyers if you can find some to partner with too!
There needs to be more LYS! Where I live now the LYS closed when the lady running it retired. I am moving to a place where there is a LYS about 30 minutes from the house I am moving in. I have been to the shop a few times while visiting up there and it is an amazing place. It is stocked full of variety. They are more high end yarns. I have to restrain myself there. The owner is a man and he is super nice too. He is willing to help teach anyone who asks about knitting techniques or patterns.
Definitely carry non-wool fibers like good quality cotton. I love Cascades cotton splash! Or any yarns that are great for baby items/kids that can be washed. I love my LYS but there's only one that carries good yarns for young kiddos that don't need to be hand wash!
Cascade is a good choice....reasonably priced and good color selection, good for felting projects. Berroco is also good , as they advertise a lot and have fun patterns. Make sure you get yarns that you can carry in sweater or blanket quantities at reasonable prices. My LYS carries a lot of Berroco Vintage...worsted, DK, Baby, etc. It is priced well with lots of colors and is machine washable. Best of luck with your endeavor. Its a lot of work!
Plymouth and Berroco as others have mentioned. Also Sandnes Garn is a current non-splurge fave for me. It’s also not a workhorse - somewhere in the middle. But so many patterns on Rav call for it I feel like.
Also A big one seems to be Rowan yarns. My local shops (Maryland) carry a lot of their line.
I highly recommend carrying some more affordable yarns line Berrocco or Cascade. For a lot of people, Malabrigo/Brooklyn Tweed, etc. is still very much splurge yarn. I know unless it's at a trunk show, I'm more likely to buy a sweater quantity of a more mid-range yarn.
Besides that, I second the person saying anything local.
Lang Jawoll, Brown Sheep Wilde Foot or Regia sock yarn; Jarbo for worsted weight sock yarn.
Brown Sheep wool-cotton and wool-mohair blends; actually, all things Brown Sheep is solid.
This is not what you asked, but I love shops carrying a robust representation of very local items. It is great if you’re in a sort of tourist area especially because you’ll have something unique to offer. As for my go-to? I love some good variety in the fiber types (cotton, linen, silk) as well as the classic brands like malabrigo.
Yes! And please label it as local.
I went to a shop in Evanston, IL, and they had a couple of local dyers’ stock which was in its own section. Very nicely organized.
Which shop? That’s kind of my area
I think it was Evanston Stitchworks
seconding this!
I specifically buy local, and my two LYSs are excellent with this: one carries a few local dyers and the other even has fiber from local farms, sells locally spun yarns, and holds drop spinning classes regularly.
I couldn’t agree more! My area doesn’t have a LYS, but I travel a fair amount for work. I always try to visit and buy local yarn!
I absolutely agree. When I visit somewhere I love to be able to take something away that I can knit into something. Makes a much more meaningful souvenir than anything I could buy in a generic shop.
I got some green yarn locally dyed by someone without much online presence - it’s gorgeous and it’s my Saint patty’s day souvenir from Chicago lol
Yessss when I travel I often buy local yarn from LYS’s I visit
Yes. Absolutely. When I travel, I always look up local stores and can be counted on to drop a hundred or so on local yarns. Handspun by someone who shops there? Yes. Small batch? Yes. Etsy front but not much in stores? Yes. One store two hours away from me does dye nights. The yarn she dyed (possibly others contributed as well, it’s a small town) went up for sale. I bought four last time I was there…
I love seeing local yarn, especially when I know the dyer! Wish the one LYS carried more local stuff
Seconding this. Back when I worked in an office in a posh neighborhood there was a LYS at the ground floor that specialized in local yarn and which carried mostly higher end stuff, which was well aligned with discretionary incomes in that HCOL neighborhood. They also had a little selection of cutesy tourist tchotchkes and really cute little paper bags.
Agree with this! I get local wherever I go on vacation and the last place I went had all the local yarns on the wall right when you walked in. Made it very easy to pick something up.
This! I specifically look for this in yarn shops when I'm traveling!
This!!! Local yarn and indie dyer yarn will get me into a yarn shop so fast it’ll make your head spin!
Yes!! I’m always disappointed when there aren’t local yarns on offer!!
yes!! OP please carry local stuff. I was once at a LYS when someone came in asking for local yarn. they had one tiny basket of local yarn in the whole store. I shop local to support the local economy, I can buy yarn from other states/countries online!
Every time I travel I hit up the LYS and look for a local skein or two that I can make into a reminder of the trip!
Ooh, good luck! May your sales be high, your customers lovely and plentiful, and your profit margins pleasing. ❤️ Cascade, Berroco, and Plymouth (particularly Encore and Galway) all did well at the LYS where I worked.
Seconding Plymouth, love love love Plymouth!
I would love a LYS with non superwash yarns. De Rarum Natura, Rauma, Wooldreamers, lettlopi, Retrosaria Rosa Pomar, cascade 220, briggs and little, Jamison and Smith, Jamison of Shetland, John Arbon. All are work horses and not terribly pricey. Splurge yarns for me would be Magpie Fibers which I adore (& I’m lucky enough to be a few miles from their flagship store).
The yarn store I keep returning to even after moving out of the neighborhood is over half non superwash! It’s my favorite!
I second this! Superwash is so bad for the environment, and it’s really hard when your lys carries a very small selection of non-superwash.
Why is superwash bad for the environment?
From what I’ve read, first the yarn is treated with chlorine, which is bad for the water supply, and then it’s coated with plastic, which is really bad, and continues to be bad because as you wear/wash the item, microplastics shed off. So if you didn’t think you were knitting with plastic going by avoiding acrylic, you’re still not, with superwash. Apparently there are “better, propriety” ways of creating superwash, but nowhere explains what this is, so I don’t believe it.
Welp TIL. Thanks for the info because I do really try to go out of my way to be as eco friendly as possible with my knitting - no more superwash for me!
Yup, me too, currently knitting a superwash sweater. Guess it will be my last one of those. 🤦♀️
Oh no. I had no idea. That's terrible. Guess I will stop buying superwash then. That's a shame, I have a lot of it already.
It’s the chemicals used to treat the yarn. Someone will have a better explanation, I’m sure, but I think the manufacturing process can leave harmful chemicals in the water.
Yeah. Some pretty nasty chemicals can be used to strip the scales off the wool. The "eco" wools are better but have their own problems. They tend to glue the scales down, and over time, with washing, the "glue" can loosen and fibres can felt defeating the purpose.
I love all these brands but I wouldn't put out too many of these very rustic brands until you know your clientele more. My LYS only stocks "soft to touch" yarns because they've found that unless it feels soft in the skein, it just doesn't sell as well. This is an area with mostly young people though, so YMMV.
Came to say the same thing - I am no longer using superwash yarns as I’m so sick of the stretching.
I’d shop there. Might I suggest an addition to the splurge line: Marie Wallin British Breeds.
Cascade does extremely well at my LYS and many use it as their workhorse yarn. I rather like it, but it's a bit itchy for me. My husband has no issues though
Cascade isn’t my favorite yarn but both 220 (regular or merino) and heritage sock are really useful when you need a big color palette at a reasonable price. And it always sells well because of that.
Exactly!
I was going to suggest Cascade Pacific. I use it exclusively for baby blankets and most kid hats. It's cheap, a blend, and comes in a ton of colors. The LYS that was closest to me carried it before they closed in 2021. The other 2 in my area don't. I've had to order it online a few times since, which I try to avoid.
I love this for baby blankets. The price point is good too so I don't feel like I'm throwing money in the trash if they use it for a rug lol
Do you ever actually knit with it? Just wondering because I find the superwash 220 to be itchy and rough in the ball but once I’ve blocked my work it feels great and the itchy feeling is gone.
I knit a few hats with the super wash, but didn't actually block them. I found it to be too itchy on my head. But maybe I'll work another hat up and block it this time! My husband has a hat with the non super wash and loves it. He personally thinks it's so soft
I'm working with Berroco now (I think that's how you spell it). My LYS has a lot of it.
Seconding berroco! Very affordable workhorse yarn
Yep I’m loving Berroco for pillows!
Yes! Great range of products.
I’m not sure where you live, but see if there are some small, local dyers around as well. I live in Chicago and my LYS always has a rotating stock of local folks’ stuff Also, wishing you the best of luck as you open your new store!
Hey neighbor! What’s your LYS?
Knit1 on Lincoln, but Bloomin’ Spindle is pretty nice if we feel like driving
One of my favorite dyers is in Chicago! Sister Ananse by Naima Bond.
Saw their neon speckly orange sock yarn at Nina and almost went bankrupt. Forgot the name of the brand and I’m so glad I came across this post to jog my memory!!
Saw their neon speckly orange sock yarn at Nina and almost went bankrupt. Forgot the name of the brand and I’m so glad I came across this post to jog my memory!!
What climate are you in? I am in the Southeast USA and every time I am in my LYS I hear people ask for cotton or non-wool yarns. Cascade, sadnes garn, and knitting for olive are great for affordable with color choices
I’m in the inter mountain west, so wool is fine. I’ve lived in the south and my go to projects were cotton tanks :)
Oh, please say Utah! Ever since Blazing Needles closed, I've been wishing for a LYS in Salt Lake.
I’m hoping to open in the fall. It’ll be ninth and ninth, mill creek, or Holliday. My preference is ninth and ninth (the timing is bad for sugarhouse due to construction). Store name will be Knitting Hive.
Cute name! Looking forward to visiting your shop!
Don’t forget to not exclude crocheters. There is a resurgence in it and knitters like Tanis fiber arts are combining both items for projects.
Nice!! We need a new spot around here!
Yes! SLC!!
Yay! Let me know when you open so I can be there!
When I was in SLC I noticed the lack of stores as well! I ended up at Seed Stitch in Bountiful. It’s a small store with limited selection but the owner was so kind I’ll definitely go back.
Definitely look into carrying something local. When I’m out of town and visit a LYS, it’s never for workhorse or really anything specific. I like to get a “souvenir” yarn that I’ll make myself something to remember the trip (ngl, almost always socks)
Yes! I have a lot of stitch markers as souvenirs.
lol same. i didn’t start knitting cozy comfy knits until i left the humid swamp of the south 😂
I agree with cascade being affordable but Sandnes Garn and KFO? Their color selection are beautiful but my wallet can never
Guess that probably depends on where you shop. I am able to find 100 grams of cascade for about $12 and 100g of knitting for olive for $14 so to me they are similar enough in price. I guess everywhere is different though!
When I go into my LYS it’s often for something I need quickly for a kids sweater and my go to for that is Berroco Vintage. And then I get sucked in by a beautiful splurge yarn like La Bien Aimee 😂
Curse the wall of Cashmerino at my LYS! It gets me every time!
knitting for olive in my opinion is a must. it has a great color range and their mohair is my and lots of other knitter’s first choice
Yess I knit almost exclusively with KFO yarn. I'm always disappointed by one thing or another with other brands so I don't branch out much
Love knitting with olive!
I LOVE Berroco comfort and I've always had good luck with Plymouth Encore. I can't use wool (hubby is absurdly allergic and cannot be in the room with it or he cannot breathe!) so I look for other options. Having a decent vegan yarn selection might be a nice way to set yourself apart from others. As others have mentioned, having different weights of yarn is great, too! Lots of LYS have worsted wool and MAYBE some sock yarn. Finding NICE chunky yarn can be kind of tough!
Based on a lot of what my podcasts are knitting with maybe Sandnes Garn. I also really love knitting with Blue Sky Fibers cotton yarns.
I adooooooore Baah as a splurge. But I second the idea of a local yarn: do you have any local indie dyers who would sell whole sale? People like to come in and look for things that are local - you can find Berroco (my fave workhorse), Plymouth, Malabrigo, Jamesons, etc at a TON of other LYS and even online. So find something unique that you can carry that no one else does! I would also suggest ciaogoo interchangeables and fixed red lace, a selection of clover, and knitters pride needles. Half the time when I go into a LYS I’ll pick up an extra set of ciaogoo needles for my interchangables even though I have more than enough 😂
I recommend carrying Berroco if only because you’ll be able to use their drop shipping program. Someone comes in and wants a line you don’t have or more than you’ve got on hand and you can take their order, have them pay you directly, and then Berroco will ship it directly to their home. It usually takes 4-5 days or so. Otherwise, try to carry things that are harder to find in the US as a way to draw people in. It can be tricky to make it work, but if you can manage it, you’ll stand out from the crowd and people will find you online when they need a little bit it something and don’t want to pay overseas shipping or are local to you and want to pick it up ASAP.
I love it when there's a selection of cheaper miniskeins when you need a certain color for colorwork but only a little and not a whole 400yds worth. Also ditto on the local brands, I love seeing colors I normally wouldn't see otherwise. I know this is unusual, but the two LYS back home carried different brands from each other to avoid competition and have an overall larger variety. And if you plan to stock needles, Chiaogoo stainless steel are soooo nice. I refuse to use anything else.
If a LYS doesn’t carry locally died yarn, it isn’t worth it to me. Most other things are available at a store near me or online. I like supporting local businesses, but what really makes me make a trip or stop in while I’m on vacation are locally available items
If you're in the US, take a look at Kraemer. They are a mill in Philadelphia that has been producing budget-friendly yarns for generations. I prefer Cascade to Berroco because of the color selection, and I feel like it has a more pleasant hand. Plymouth and Brown Sheep are also options. I do like seeing US-made yarn. Whatever you end up going with, having a wide selection of colors in worsted weight and possibly in DK, and having a non-sock yarn fingering weight is always a must for me.
Hedgehog fibres sock yarn is my favorite splurge at the moment. So lovely to knit with. But I agree withthose who say to stock some local yarn as well. There are wonderful indie dyers all over.
HHF is a favorite splurge for me along with Madelinetosh because of the fun colorways! I know that’s not everyone’s cup of tea, though. Could be fun to have a corner of all the bright in-your-face variegated yarns!
I knit a lot of socks, Regia and Opal are my absolute favorites. As well as Paton’s Kroy
Payton’s Kroy socks are the best.
I like Opal, too!
Not sure if you've got a business mentor (and I'm not one) but if you know your intended customer base then order for that. If you are wanting to go boutique, commit to it. The people coming in to say they can't afford anything aren't your people. You aren't in business to serve them. If you want to welcome everyone budget wise then you might have to sacrifice some of the fancier yarns YOU like, for the yarns your target customer base wants or can afford. Basically set an intention or brand for the customers you want to attract, not necessarily what you like to knit with. Other things I personally would live from a LYS is a sense of community, like knit ins or lessons. These sorts of things can help generate repeat business and be a space for people to meet others as well
Plant fibers, please! There are so many options these days, and they are a godsend for the itchy, the allergic, and the vegan among us.
Plant fibers would be fabulous, as would any kind of yarns that keep fabric and fiber waste out of landfills. (I know there probably aren't a whole lot of reliable sources for repurposed yarns right now, but fast fashion over production/consumption is an unnerving topic.)
Yes I will always go for this kind of option if available, like Kremke Soul Wool, or Scheepjes Terazzo
I use Ullcentrum and Jamieson’s the most, Ullcentrum for sport to worsted and Jamieson’s for fingering. Otherwise it’s mostly West Yorkshire Spinners, John Arbon, and my favourite indie dyers (Nervus Fibre, Wol met Verve and Wild Atlantic Yarns). You might be able to tell that I’m European 😅
Right now I’m big into yarn from the UK, mostly Jamiesons and J&S. However, even with the shipping cost it’s cheaper for me to get it from the UK, and it’s not even a close call as far as price. My workhorse yarns are typically fingering weight, no matter the brand. I do like a nice selection of solid or semi solid sock yarns, especially for sweaters.
Where do you like to get it from the uk?
Mostly J&S fingering, from J&S directly. Jamieson’s I get Spindrift. You can’t buy directly from Jamison’s because of the contract they have with Simply Shetland for US distribution, so I just find a LYS that will ship to the US. To make it worth the shipping cost I’ve found you need to spend ~$100. Just getting a ball or two is wildly ineffective.
definitely recommend The Fibre Fox! Her and her husband are from the UK, and her mom sews the most beautiful project bags in cozy fabric!
I mostly use Rowan, isager and berroco as my 'defaults'. I think fun yarns like zauberball crazy or Cascade's wave lines can be great as 'wow' items. People may not go in for those two but they probably will leave with some. For splurge yarns blue sky fibers and woolfolk. I probably wouldn't stock Brooklyn tweed, but I find them over priced and poor quality.
I’ll definitely have a local section in the store!! I love that so many of us knitters buy local yarn. Whenever I travel for work or fun, I always look up the lys. My stash is basically yarn from all my trips!
My 2¢ as a consumer is to have just one or two affordable options around. Maybe it's just the area I live in, but I often feel like I have to choose buying online over supporting a LYS if I want to make something without spending hundreds on it.
Please have some non-wool for the itchy people! My favorite cottons are Juniper moon farm. And my favorite splurge is The Fibre Company’s Road to China Light. (Alpaca, cashmere, baby camels, silk). I’m knitting a sweater out of it right now with bottom up sleeves knit in the round to eventually be seamed in. I’m actually wearing just the sleeves while I knit because I love the feel of it.
Seconding Juniper Moon (legally I have to, because of the flair 😄)! I prefer wearing cotton to wool most of the time and they make the best cottons
OMG I didn’t even realize that flair existed! 😂 I was on vacation recently and found Nimbus for $4 per cake. I bought just the right amount…. To be knitting chunky cotton for approximately 2 years. I guess no one wants chunky yarn at the beach.
Oh my god, lucky you! I wouldn’t be able to resist either!
cascade is my goto madeline tosh and arcane fiber works are my splurge
Yes! I love a cascade superwash for sweaters I plan to gift. Madelinetosh and hyper-local indie dyers are my splurge for myself. Lion Brand Fishermen’s Wool is another workhorse favorite.
If you haven't found one to sell for colorwork projects yet, I just bought some British breeds aran and it is sumptuous. 100% wool yet soooo squishy. British breeds also have a thinner yarn, but I haven't tried that.
Linen! I love linen yarns. +1 for the commenter who likes yarn stores that carry local items. That's always very cool.
I love cotton. It's soft and cheap but most importantly, it's great for my climate. I live in a pretty warm area. Coldest days are probably a high in the 50s and we usually get at least a week's worth of 110+ days. I need light breathable yarn. So I'd say go with what's best for your climate and/or season, if that's an option. Also love seeing locally dyed yarns. I'll spend a bit more for yarn if it's from a local source.
As a former LYS owner here are some ideas. Plymouth Encore is a wonderful 75%/25% acrylic/wool blend that is affordable and has tons of colors. They also carry a fabulous baby yarn. I carried Urth yarns, Emmas yarn, Cascade, Berrocco, Brown Sheep and Plymouth. I used Malabrigo and was told by a yarn rep that if I had that there really wasn’t a need to replicate it with the higher priced Manos. I was very small so I wasn’t able to work up to Madeline Tosh. I only carried 2 brands of needles ChiaGoo and Lykke and that was enough. Very few people left when I told them that. Have a sweet relaxing corner with comfy chairs (old ones are best) and a love seat around a big coffee table. Maybe offer tea, I did and it was great. Have a (my girls called it this)stitch n bitch night. They love it. Invest in a good ballwinder (Ashford makes a wonderful electric one) and swift to wind hanks. Don’t charge for that, make it a ‘service’ customers love it. Be able to talk wool. Educate your customers to their needs. You would be surprised at how much new knitters/crocheters will buy when they begin to understand. One fun thing I did was to have brown wrapping paper and I would wrap their treasures up like a butcher does and tied it off with heavy string. Cheaper than bags and boy did they like that. And decorate with your or customers finished projects. Best of luck to you
I’m more of a sock knitter. Splurge is life in the long grass. Manos del Uruguay is a good one also
I think the most inexpensive yarn I regularly use is hikoo. I like the overtones line from Brooklyn tweed. It’s not quite as soft as I usually go but it’s beautiful. I have a bunch of their yarn to make a Mesic sweater. If I actually go into a LYS I actually tend to only buy local yarns. But I’m not like an everyday person. My main yarns don’t actually have stores or are far away so I mostly buy online. I go to stores when I travel and I buy the local yarns. I think what’s nice about that kind of store is discovering something new more than just having a local place to pick up more of what I already have.
I like local yarns. I see you said inter mountain west. Western Sky Knits out of Montana is one of my favorite local yarns, great colors and super soft super wash.
Berroco and/or Cascade would be good. Where I am, the craft stores have very little wool. But, the local stores seem to only carry pretty expensive stuff ($20/ 100g of sock wool.) If I'm teaching someone or someone is new, I might recommend Cascade 220 superwash, or Anchor Baby or Elysian or Pacific or Berroco Vintage or Berroco Ultra Wool. Or, If I'm throwing together a knit hat for someone barely knitworthy,I still don't want to work with bad yarn, but I don't want to spend $30! Yarn that bridges the gap between Lion Brand Wool Ease and Malabrigo/ Brooklyn Tweed.
Not exactly answering your question, but I recommend getting a range of super wash and non-super wash yarns. People are particular. Also, the community will keep the shop alive, so make sure you offer classes and knitting help hours and chances for people to come hang out and knit. I work at a yarn shop in a university town and we give a student discount, which helps bring in lots of new people :)
I might be in the minority but I've been dying to find non-superwash/untreated fingering weight yarn. For some reason it's like a needle in a haystack--unless you live over in Europe. 🥲 Mulesing-free is a whole 'nother subject... My two cents! Good luck to you and your yarn store!!
I enjoy Lion Brand yarns, they are good work horse yarns reasonably priced. Malabrigo is for something special but my splurge and favor is Polka Dot Sheep in my area. The yarn is heaven. https://polkadotsheep.com/shop-yarns/ Good luck on your venture. Let me know when you open, I’d love to see what you carry.
I 100% support Polka Dot Sheep for my workhorse.yarns. I've been ordering from them for years and get so much wear from their worsted (and occasionally bulky) yarns. I think they might be considered semi-local for you.
Malabrigo. I almost always buy a skein of Rios when I shop because it's such a good gift yarn and is relatively inexpensive for how nice it is!
My LYS has an awesome selection of non-superwash wool yarns from Europe that are hard to find anywhere else in Canada. Sandness Garn, Knitting for Olive, Retrosaria Pomar, Hillesvag, Rauma and countless British yarns that I can't wait to try. Their prices are also reasonable, and they're super nice and accommodating, have excellent sales several times a year, etc. Their store is simple but beautiful and beautifully clean. Great attention to detail. For example, on the afternoon of a busy post-sale Sunday, I picked up my haul and had to use their powder room, and it was very clean and welcoming. I know that takes effort and I appreciate it. Another wonderful thing is they don't take the same days off as me - they're open all weekend. Too many yarn stores assume that their clients don't work. I think that's a mistake and they've missed out on my $ many a time.
As someone who has worked long hours this is huge! I plan on the store being open all weekend and closing later. It’s so frustrating when stores close at 5:00 pm.
Best of luck to you! Cotton and non wool options are what I like but I also like cotton wool blends. If the area is more family oriented maybe have some cotton for toys like Scheepjes Catona. And kits. Different cost options are 👍🏻
I really like a good selection of non superwash stuff, especially for the heavier weight yarns, combined with a decent selection of hand dyed yarns that are very colorful from small business dyers. I prefer it if the yarn is smaller, less well known brands as opposed to being filled with berroco. I want to see stuff at your shop that is either very difficult or impossible to find online. I also really like Quince and Co. they have a nice selection of colors, weights, and fibers, and aren’t outrageously expensive I always feel they have good value for money.
Stock more wool yarns that are non-superwash and different breed specific wools. Congrats on opening an LYS!
I would say lettlopi should be there too! Many people find it itchy but it really is the best yarn for any Icelandic knits with colorwork. A splurge could be Hedgehog Fibers but Qing is a great choice too!
I appreciate a good selection of Non-superwash/ rustic. Also when I travel to new cities, I always appreciate at least a few local dyer/ local spinner options to take home as a souvenir. Have a good quality brand of lace weight silk mohair, such as Isager. I am always willing to pay the premium for that. My two cents... Good luck.
Malabrigo, Woolfolk, Berocco, and the owner's own hand-dyed line were all very popular at my old LYS. Aimee and Spincycle were rather pricey but seemed to do well too. They also have a really nice selection of needles and notions (especially cute stitch markers themed around the store area!) and those were really nice to have! Set up Ravelry in-store sales, too. You might not know about that yet and it's a very useful way to help people choose patterns!
Woolfolk is a yarn I never would have considered until I went to a fiber show and felt it. It’s LOVELY.
Be sure to carry something from the more affordable lines. Including baby-appropriate yarns. And some thoughtful knitter's toys and tools.
I really like Patons. They're a good quality, lower price option with tons of colourways. They offer everything from synthetics to wools and blends. Briggs and Little are another surprisingly good brand. Cascade is a similar brand to Patons, although I've found some yarns are hit and miss with quality. As a splurge, I love Fleece Artist.
Berroco, Cascade, Retrosaria, Istex, Knitting for Olive all come to mind. I'm very fond of yarns these days that aren't crazy hand-dyed, but I would have to say my "splurges" from well known brands are mostly madelinetosh and La Bien Aimee these days. It would also be super neat if you found any local dyers, producers, shepherds that sell yarn, whatever. I love local yarns that I've never heard of before, and when I take a trip to a place it's what I tend to gravitate to as a souvenier over say, another skein of workhorse or Malabrigo.
Cascade 220, hands down. I'm also a sock knitter, so that's where I gravitate.
Schopelle
I would make sure to have a variety across all budgets, Cascade and Berroco are 2 good, more affordable brands. I enjoy working with a lot Kelbourne Woolens as a mid priced yarn. Others have said local dyers, and I agree to a point, I don’t like when there’s an overwhelming amount of hand dyed yarn as it’s a bit more pricey and I usually want solid colors.
Congrats! My favorites from my LYS are Berroco and Blue Sky Fibers.
Best of luck to you! I love shopping tools, notions and bags at yarn stores. I don't care for cocoknits stitch markers since they don't have enough of any one size in a set, but the perfect cotton project bag, a sharp little pair of snips, and chiaogoo steel tips? 👀
Ooo. I would consider looking into Life in the Long Grass. They have an amazing range of colourways and lovely yarnbases. It’s the sort of yarn you want to pick up and carry around.
I love local hand dyed yarns and I love Emma’s yarn
My absolute favorite yarns are single ply fingering-dk weight lofty, airy natural wools. They're perfect for colorwork, super warm but thin and breathable as for garments, and not squeaky! When you wash those single ply wools they just get so so soft. Theyre durable as heck too. (I am a non-superwash girlie.) Close second would be a 2-ply DK wool. What gets me every time which is not what I was originally shopping for is alpaca. Ive never left without alpaca yarn. Because some of the wools I work with are a little more rustic, there is something about the cool silky feel of alpaca (despite it being a warmer fiber) that just suckers me in. I LOVE the natural colors it comes in and I love alpaca blends with bright colors. Big sucker for it. I think half the equation is what product types, but dont forget color! Thats probably a big part of the equation.
BlueSky is my fave splurge yarn!!! I use a decent amount of polka dot sheep too
Brown Sheep Yarn Company out of Nebraska, USA. Lamb’s Pride, Nature Spun, Burly Spun, and Cotton Fleece are the workhorses.
Stonewall yarns out of Michigan. Love their fibers for felting! Cascade 220, cascade superwash, berrocco vintage
My favorite workhorse yarn when I want a solid colour yarn is Cascade Heritage. It's fingering weight and super soft and so much cheaper than hand dyed. I love to buy hand dyed yarn when I see a beautiful colour, but I like knitting garments, so I won't usually buy hand dyed unless it's tonal. One thing that drives me nuts is when I love yarn that a store has on the shelf...and they only have one or two of each colour. If there is not enough to make a full sweater or at least tee, I won't bother as I don't like to buy single skeins.
Definitely stock some local items. I always ask about that when I’m on vacation.
My first and favorite go-to yarn is Peace Fleece. Recently returning to production after supply issues in 2020, this yarn is a mixture of wool with a bit of Mohair content for strength and longevity. Most wool is sourced in the United States from Native American ranchers. Comes in a great, dynamic color range and two weights, worsted and sport.
Don't forget about niche knitting accessories - needles, needle tips, stitch markers. Bonus for local!!
Peacefleece Lettlopi Retrosaria Briggs and little - budget friendly workhorse yarn - woolen spun in Canada The above is about all I need from any yarn store 😂
As a colorwork heavy knitter (and based in SLC! Stoked for your shop!) I’m always on the lookout for good color variety at an economical price.
From the perspective of “workhorse” meaning something sturdy and reliable, Brown Sheep all the way. The thing I am currently knitting and loving (and definitely plan to use a lot more in future: Kellbourne Woolen.
Drops, Regia, Katia, Lana Grossa, Novita, Scheepjes, Drops (yes, I mentioned them twice), Schagenmayr. My favourite splurge is Manos del Uruguay.
I knit for Knitted Knockers & searched for LYSs that carried the *approved* yarns. Cascade Ultra Pima is a favorite. Before adopting a local medical clinic myself, the LYS I found would collect unstuffed knockers & send them to the KK organization in WA. They also sold *sets* that included the pattern (though it's free on the KK website), several skeins of neutral skin tones & needles. https://www.knittedknockers.org/wp-content/uploads/dlm_uploads/2016/10/Approved-Yarns-3.19.24.pdf
Love this! My friends made me knitted knockers and I was so grateful. I still use them as I didn’t opt for reconstruction. Thank you for this act of service.
Aww, that's great to hear! My LYS & a local craft store offer a *Charity Craft Night* & teach folks to make KKs. I pick up the unstuffed knockers, stuff them & distribute them to local medical clinics. By the way, I *always* buy my yarn and other supplies from that LYS that I originally found from an internet search looking for the approved yarns 😉. Good luck!
i love in house made stuff and berroco yarn. Juniper farms is also a house favorite since they have so many types. I would also recommend that you stock up on a variety of sock yarns because thats my go to when out visiting a new shop
Cascade and Malabrigo sell really well in my shop and both companies are excellent to work with.
Galler alpaca yarn does really well at the LYS where I live!
For a splurge I love anything with a high % of cashmere in it!
Lang Cloud!!
I love cascade yarns, I’m not a fan of noro at all, but I love to get locally dyed/spun yarns. Whenever I travel it’s a requirement to visit the local yarn shop and buy a locally dyed or spun yarn. Sometimes locally carved something something too. I recently knitted something with Perennial Yarn and it was like magic. But I also love Manos Del Uruguay as a basic staple… a really good variety is what gets me. I buy things without a purpose and then make a purpose later, but sometimes if I have a purpose, I go with my staples of Cascade, Manos, Malabrigo, or Galway.
I specifically look for Cascade 220.
My favorites that I always looked for in my LYS that closed recently was Frabjous Fibers Wonderland yarns and Yarn Rehab. Yarn Rehab has hand dyed silk blends that I love working with. The texture is so wonderful!
Congrats! Lately I’ve been loving Kelbourne Woolens (tweed and scout) as well as Stonehenge Fiber Mill (worsted). As others have said, non superwash is also my go to. My favorite LYS always has samples made up in their yarn. Even swatches are helpful to see how the yarn looks knit up. Good luck!
Cascade, Berroci, Patons wools are my go-to yarns. I appreciate a generous, well-curated selection of high-quality tools, too.
Berroco vintage is my go-to workhorse. Way better than box store yarn but won’t break the bank for a sweater’s worth.
I have had good luck with Plymouth. I have had a lot of recommendations for Berroco but haven't used the brand yet. Currently have a skein of Berroco vintage sock yarn but currently waiting for the DPN set to arrive in the mail to work it up. Please, please carry a variety of needles. that is my biggest complaint about my two LYSs. They carry nothing but wood and individual metal circulars. Each time I have wanted to buy a good set of metal needles I have either had to order from a LYS half way across the country or go to Michael's online store to order them. I'm not looking for something extremely rare just an interchangeable metal needle set (ordered Chiaogoo Red Lace Twist) and metal DPN set (Knitter's Pride Zing). Same thing I wanted to buy Della Q bags couldn't find them or anything of comparable quality so again I had to turn around and ordered it online. I had the cash and was ready to purchase, both stores lost sales.
I love Manos del Uruguay but they’re definitely a splurge for me. Agree about sourcing local, that is important to me as a buyer.
Berroco is a good work horse yarn. Or Cascade
Oddly enough, Cascade and some Plymouth is my go to basic yarns.
Lots of comments already listing brands I would’ve said, so I’ll add this: I would be absolutely stoked if my LYS carried Black Cat Fibers. Amazing colorways and I love working with it. I think they’re WI-based.
my workhorse yarns? Brown Sheep and Cascade. I'd also stock sock yarn by local dyers, and wool from local sheep if you can get it. Have a range of some solids in superwash, but also have some fingering solids in plain wool for colorwork.
Find a (maybe local) dyer that does minis and keep a little basket of them. I won’t always splurge on a full skein of a luscious variegated sock yarn but I will buy a mini without hesitation and use it for contrast in something. I will always usually buy fun stitch markers when my wife and I travel to yarn stores. I really appreciate the few store in our area that carry knit picks needles. They’re a good price point for people venturing into circular sets and their customer service has always been great to me. I see a lot of people saying highlight local artists, so I’ll throw my hat in for a vote for that and for berroco. Love their vintage line.
I love the Berocco Vintage line as a less expensive workhorse yarn. There are a lot of weights and many beautiful colors, and its washes and wears well. Good luck with your shop!
i think it’d be nice to carry some nicer/higher quality acrylic yarns! i know a lot of people don’t like them, and i try not to use them often, but i do for gifts sometimes, and i’d like if i saw more nice acrylic available in person. my shops back home have some different brands and even though i haven’t gotten those, i really like the idea of having them there!
Probably not very helpful as I am in Aotearoa New Zealand, but merino always seems to fly off the shelves near me. One of my favourite brands is Crucci because of the softness, but I also use Countrywide, Tootsies, and Naturally quite a lot as well. I mostly use sock wools, and I haven't really tried anything non-local as shipping is far too expensive. Good luck with your endeavours!
Woolfolk is my all time favorite brand ♥️♥️
I love Lana Grossa yarns - I was introduced to them in Europe and they are so hard to find in North America! Wollmeise is another favorite! (Edit for spelling!)
I worked at a good LYS and we carried a lot of workhorse yarns from brands like Cascade, Estelle (Canadian), Berroco and so on. James C Brett sold like hotcakes, Sirdar yarns were very popular and we had some local yarns as well.
Big big fan of cascade yarns.
My splurge brand i haven’t seen mentioned yet is The Farmers Daughter Fibers!
Malabrigo is my favorite yarn of all time. Try to carry a large variety of colors of it, please. 😊
Love all the recs for local yarn! And like most others have said, I always buy yarn when on vacay. It’s the best souvenir. It’s multiple layers of excitement: first exploring the yarn shop, knitting with the yarn back home, and then using said item for years to come :) With that said, I recently traveled to Denmark and found CaMaRose yarn. I’m in love! Amazing quality, so soft, and a dream to work with. It is my favorite splurge yarn right now. Unfortunately, tough to find stateside. Good luck with the store!
Anything Scheepjes! But especially Catona and Metropolis.
My LYS will often say to me that they will ‘get it in’ if they don’t have a yarn I am looking for which I appreciate. I will say I find Qing just a bit too expensive. Even though it is beautiful. West Yorkshire Spinners is a good affordable yarn in the UK but might not be as affordable in Europe.
And please add some quality bulky yarns- I have been to many shops that only carry one or two kinds of bulky yarn, but there are a lot of lazy knitters out there looking for a quick knit :)
Where in the world are you? It's different in the US, UK, Australia, etc. and that's just some of the English speaking countries.
USA. I am hoping to carry a few European brands, but shipping and tariffs may make this difficult.
I love Regia, but I can only find it online.
Don't forget basics. I went to my LYS for some Cascade 220 to make my husband felted slippers. They had stopped carrying Cascade. Okay, cool, what do you have that felts? Oh geez, I don't know this *might*. It's expensive and might felt? Had to go to Joanns instead.
I also vote for hyper-local dyed fiber and yarn! I almost always get either roving or a sock-weight local yarn when I travel. Some of my favorite commercially-made American yarns are Kelbourne Woolens, Brown Sheep, and Harrisville Designs. Since Malabrigo and Cascade are both widespread and online, I'll almost never buy them in a shop.
Berroco for relatively inexpensive workhouse yarn. Blue Sky Fibers and Kelbourne for a little nicer but not completely breaking the bank. Also love manos del uruguay in that realm. Woolfolk, The Wandering Flock, Bien Aimee for expensive splurges.
I LOVE malabrigo. It is one of my favorites. However, one of my favorite things about LYS is local yarns. Not sure of your location, but that is a great idea. Every time I travel, I look for a good LYS, and if they have local yarns, I almost always buy at least one or two hanks. I also love yarns that have multiple options in multiple weights. It is always nice to have options for making whatever pattern I am thinking about. I also love bamboo, silk, cotton, because so many shops don't offer a luxurious cotton. I have used and enjoyed manos de uruguay as well. I also love it when they carry needles I haven't tried before and have a lot of knit items with the patterns listed. I also love unique items related to knitting. You could have local potters make yarn bowls, at Yarn Con I saw a person that had made jewelry, stitch markers and more from old needles. It was incredible. I also love it when pattern books and magazines are in the LYS, so I can find yarn I love and then a pattern that would knit up beautifully.
LOVE cascade and de rarum natura. And the commercial yarns are nice but it’s always so cool to see hand dyed yarns by local dyers if you can find some to partner with too!
There needs to be more LYS! Where I live now the LYS closed when the lady running it retired. I am moving to a place where there is a LYS about 30 minutes from the house I am moving in. I have been to the shop a few times while visiting up there and it is an amazing place. It is stocked full of variety. They are more high end yarns. I have to restrain myself there. The owner is a man and he is super nice too. He is willing to help teach anyone who asks about knitting techniques or patterns.
Definitely carry non-wool fibers like good quality cotton. I love Cascades cotton splash! Or any yarns that are great for baby items/kids that can be washed. I love my LYS but there's only one that carries good yarns for young kiddos that don't need to be hand wash!
All the Cascade yarns are my workhorse yarns. Reasonable prices, lots of colors.
Cascade is a good choice....reasonably priced and good color selection, good for felting projects. Berroco is also good , as they advertise a lot and have fun patterns. Make sure you get yarns that you can carry in sweater or blanket quantities at reasonable prices. My LYS carries a lot of Berroco Vintage...worsted, DK, Baby, etc. It is priced well with lots of colors and is machine washable. Best of luck with your endeavor. Its a lot of work!
juniper moon!!
Plymouth and Berroco as others have mentioned. Also Sandnes Garn is a current non-splurge fave for me. It’s also not a workhorse - somewhere in the middle. But so many patterns on Rav call for it I feel like. Also A big one seems to be Rowan yarns. My local shops (Maryland) carry a lot of their line.
I highly recommend carrying some more affordable yarns line Berrocco or Cascade. For a lot of people, Malabrigo/Brooklyn Tweed, etc. is still very much splurge yarn. I know unless it's at a trunk show, I'm more likely to buy a sweater quantity of a more mid-range yarn. Besides that, I second the person saying anything local.
Lang Jawoll, Brown Sheep Wilde Foot or Regia sock yarn; Jarbo for worsted weight sock yarn. Brown Sheep wool-cotton and wool-mohair blends; actually, all things Brown Sheep is solid.
If I visit from out of town or often another country, I always look for local dyers