Look who gave me the gift of a birthday song video.
Sam Barsky and his Artistic Sweaters came to Yarns by Design in Oakmont PA in 2019 summer and I blogged it. Click on his link to see the list of sweaters he’s knit. Here are a few of his artistic designs.
Sam Barsky gave me the gift of a birthday song while wearing a birthday cake sweater. Click to see his video we have a mutual friend. A prolific knitter, Naomi, whom I “met” on McWalker YarnsKnitting Zoom .
We hit the turnpike and went about an hour’s drive to Forbes Road PA where we met Toni at RaggZ Fiber Art Vincie spotted these giant knitting needles and the welcoming archway.
We called Dyed in the Woolin the North Hills from RaggZ because they were going to close at 4 PM and weren’t open on Sunday and in order to finish the Yarn Crawl and get their pin and stamp I needed to hightail it out of the village of Forbes Road and get to Babcock Boulevard. We skipped lunch and made it in plenty of time to meet “….Carol Briggs Dragos and Lynda Bowen. We love yarn in all its glorious phases, fleece, roving and yarn. We love to spin, weave, knit and crochet with it. Join us in our fiber journey. All we can promise is fiber, fun and friendship” from the website
SUNDAY at Noon Sewickley YarnsOpened and I got there close to their opening.
A beautiful summer day to drive down Ohio River Boulevard to the town of Sewickley.
Owner Robin welcomed me, assisted by her daughter Clair. Store hours are going to be changing soon -Tues Thurs and Sat- 10-4 with a late knit night open on Wednesday 10-8 PM. Friday 10-7 with Knitting Happy Hour 5-7
I asked Robin what Sewickley Yarns sells that is unique to the area and she showed me Koigu, Baa yarn and Shibui.
Raku Ceramic Buttons
Paper Patterns
Raffle Baskets
Baa Yarn
Sewickley Yarns carries Koigu Yarn
The Yarn Crawlers who complete the eleven store crawl are put into a random drawing to win a prize basket with yarn and accessories from all of the stores
The Grand Prize Baskets waiting for a random number to be drawn
After I completed the crawl I went to knit a bit with a nice group at McWalker Yarns in Millvale and photographed Jennifer and Joanna in the Photo Spot.
Donna accompanied me on the Steel ValleyYarn Crawl. I picked her up and we went to the Dor-Stop (in Dormont) for a freshly grated potato pancake and eggs breakfast, downed some coffee and then put the address for Tonidale Yarn and Needlecraft store in Oakdale PA into the GPS and we were off!
Meet Ingeborg Saveikis She was incredibly knowledgable, patient and showed us around as we oohed and ahhhed at the wide variety of yarns in her shop. We received a couple of free patterns and collected the pin for the bag and had the passport stamped.
We felt inspired as we started the day.
This is Inge the shop’s owner
Triple Drop stitch, so pretty
Expertly Knit by Inge
Look at this gorgeous doily, I would frame it!
Special for the yarn crawl
All the sock yarn samples
Silky, shimmer, soft
Inge had some help from the official “stamper” who stamped my passport.
_____________________________________________________________________________________Our second stop was Kid Ewe Knotin Bridgeville PA hosted by shop owner Heather, surrounded by colorful yarn. She is preparing for a fall trip to Ireland with a group of avid knitters
Luccadot Yarn Trunk Show
Lots of texture and color in this yarn from Tennessee
Ellen and Craig Master Crocheters and teachers at Kid Ewe Knot How about that clock Craig made? and Ellen’s bag? A Dragon Glove? ___________________________________________________________________________________________________Donna and I got back into the car and headed south to Washington PA Ross Farm Mercantile
Meet the store manager of Ross Farm Mercantile– Anna- who does it all!
Cotswold Leicester Longwool, Shetland, Hog Island, Tunis, Gulf Coast Native, Cheviot, Jacob, Romney, Florida Cracker, CVM Eleven Breeds of Sheep on the Ross Farm
Here is the undyed natural yarn from all eleven breeds They have the sheep’s photo on the label see below
Ross Farm Mercantile is the red building on the right #80 Main Street Washington PA ____________________________________________________________________________________
There are 11 yarn stores on the “passport” where the yarn crawlers get a stamp and a cute pin to put on the specially printed bag, finishing the center of each of the flowers in the design. Every store has different types of yarns, accessories and supplies for sale.
The bags were/are for sale at each store (if they haven’t already sold out). My friend Vincie and I started the crawl this morning, wending out way out to Ligonier and visiting Kathy’s Kreations on East Main Street. Thirty nine years in business! See photos below.
Three Knitters from Altoona were going to ALL eleven yarn stores in a single day!
Kathy’s Kreations in Ligonier Pennsylvania
Faerie Garden Theme Tinkerbell is all around the store
One of the prize baskets
Yarn to knit up Black and Gold sports team items
Tink is Knit backwards. Tinkerbell and the Faerie Garden Theme at Kathy’s Kreations
Owner Kathy Zimmerman and Karen on the right
Gorgeous samples all around the store
Every Friday morning as many as twenty knitters gather around this table to knit.
How about the detail of this gorgeous dragonfly?
Stop #2__________________________________________
McWalker yarns in Millvale PA
Amy McCall Owner of McWalker Yarns sporting her beautiful Soldotna Crop Sweater designed by Caitlin Hunter
Good Night Steel Valley Yarn Crawl. Extended hours- opening at 8AM in Saturday morning.
This Yarn Crawler visited FIVE yarn stores the first day! See her pins on her bag.
At the end of the day, Friday evening, my daughter Laura drove me (and my grandkids Charlie and Maura) over to Millvale to get in on the extended hours at McWalker Yarns. I wanted to get a few more photos for the blog to generate some more excitement for the crawl.
Although this is the sixth year for the Steel Valley Yarn Crawl, it’s my first time to join in on the fun.
My grandkids Maura and Charlie pose for a photo at McWalker Yarns in Millvale
Christine and Amy pose in their Steel Valley Yarn Crawl Photo Spot at McWalker Yarns.
Exclusive COLORWAYS at McWalker yarns
Millvale Marigolds by Stitch Party of Millvale
Neighborhood Fiber Company dyes Fireworks Over Pittsburgh for McWalker Yarns
Fibernymph Dye Works in the Laurel Mountains PA
Jes is always ready to help you select yarn and figure out what you need to create your design. She is a great teacher and a prolific knitter.
Fun Tshirts for Knitters
Knitted Wit Yarn is luscious
Come get your photo taken to remember the Steel Valley Yarn Crawl
