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Where do YOU buy yarn?

by

Stock Photo of Historic Yarn Shop

Where do you buy yarn? With all the rumors flying about Wal-Mart closing its Fabric/Crafts/Yarn Departments, many people are complaining that they will have no local source of yarn and other craft supplies.

I live in a large metropolitan area where we have quite a number of stores for buying yarn. In addition to the aforementioned Wal-Mart,


we have Hobby Lobby,

Michael’s,

Joann’s,

Hancock Fabrics (which carries some yarn),


and approximately ten other outlets that sell yarn suitable for crochet and knitting.

There are other stores that sell other kinds of yarns – those more suitable to needlepoint, embroidery, plastic canvas, etc. We have six shops that I think are quite good LYS (Local Yarn Shops). Everyone in the area has her (or his) favorite, but my favorites are Hearthstone Knits and The Weaving Department. Hearthstone actually caters to crocheters. The Weaving Dept and Chris’ Yarn shop are very crochet-friendly also. The remainder of the LYS really seem to prefer knitters as their customers, so they don’t tend to get much of my business. I have nothing against knitters or knitting. I just don’t like to be treated like a second class citizen, especially when I’m paying for the ‘privilege’.
So, WHERE do you buy yarn? I know many of you have only Wal-Mart as your local yarn source. Others don’t even have that, requiring them to rely on mail order sources only.

Please email me your response that most closely fits your situation. I will tally each response with each person’s first, second, and third choice. I’ll keep this ‘poll’ open for two weeks and then I’ll report my results to you in a future blog.

I buy my yarn at: (Please indicate your first, second, & third choice(s) by 1, 2, 3.)

LYS(single location)

Wal-Mart

Hobby Lobby

JoAnn’s

Michael’s

Other Chain Store (regional or national – you can name it)
Local Craft Store(not just yarn or knit)

Online/Mail Order

In future, I’ll explore the online and mail order only sources for yarn and other crochet-related vendors.

Thanks – and I look forward to receiving an email from you!

Comments

  1. Hi jd: Living in Australia, I do not have the variety of choice that you do in the U.S. So I usually buy my yarn from the following places:

    1. Big W (a sort of Aussie version of KMart – owned by Woolworths Australia)

    2. Spotlight

    3. online at eBay

  2. 1. Michaels
    2. mail order (Patternworks and Herrschners)
    3. Wal-Mart

    Wal-Mart here has the largest selection of Caron Simply Soft which I like for donating baby blankets…but it’s difficult for me to shop right now. I see your point, maybe we’re not supporting Wal-Mart’s needlework dept. as much as we think we are…but in the past, when I could really shop, I did purchase quite a few yarn and needle/hook supplies there.
    -Abby

  3. 1 – Ragshop
    2 – Michael’s
    3 – Joann’s on-line

    I don’t buy from Walmart since I don’t like the way they do business. But I live in a Metro area and can easily avoid them. Those in more rural area’s don’t have a choice. Just recently found out about to local yarn stores that I have yet to visit but plan to since I am a local business myself.

  4. I live in Fort Wayne IN
    I used to buy almost all my yarn at Walmart, before there selection went to pot.
    I now buy mostly at Hobby Lobby and Jo Anns.

  5. Where I buy my yarn:

    1. LYS(single location) – I have 3 fairly nearby, one of which is crochet-centered

    2. Grocery Store – yup! Especially for sock yarn, kitchen yarn and occasional exotic blends like Acrylic/linen

    3. eBay

    4. Online/Mail Order

    5. Local Craft Store(not just yarn or knit)

    Only when I travel to the states, (and that’s not very often!)can I shop at:
    Wal-Mart
    Hobby Lobby
    JoAnn’s
    Michael’s
    Other Chain Store (regional or national – you can name it)

    Hilary

  6. Say it isn’t so JD! I haven’t heard any of that but now that I have I’m in a fit! All we have in this town, 40,000 peeps none the less, are Michael’s and Wal-Mart. Wally world is definitely #1 for me, cheaper and same selection. Oh no! K

  9. 1 – JoAnn’s
    2 – Walmart
    3 – Michael’s
    (4 – Dollar Tree for novelty/fun fur yarns)

    If I had the money to pay for shipping charges or enough money to buy a huge quantity and have no shipping charges, I would buy online. I used to shop at a huge chain store, but they kept changing their minds about how they were setting up the craft area (we have 5 of these stores in my area and if one remodels something, they all remodel the same thing). I got tired of it and gave up last year. Now I buy everything I want from JoAnn’s (they always have sales), sometimes shopping at Walmart (they don’t have a great selection), and then Michael’s (they are more expensive even with a sale, so I only go there if JoAnn’s runs out of what I need for a project). And I love going into the larger Dollar Tree stores in my area and finding fun fur (usually $3 or more each) for only $1!!! I haven’t used any of it yet, but I’ve got a little collection going. 🙂

  10. I buy myyarn at (1) Walmart, (2) Hobby Lobby, when I can get there–it is 80 miles away(would be my first choice if it wasn’t so far away, (3) Mail Order, Mary Maxim, Herschners, Annie’s Attic.

  11. #1 choice is Hearthstone too, aren’t those folks great!? But it’s a bit pricey so I often go to

    #2 Hobby Lobby tied w/Walmart

    #3 Joann’s online

  12. I order a lot of my yarn on line at different places. I buy from Ben Franklin when I need something quick.

  13. Hi jd–I buy most of my yarn at Michaels. Then it’s Tall Mouse (a local chain store here in SoCal) and occasionally at JoAnn. Unfortunately my local Michael’s hasn’t had much of a selection lately and last time I was there, no crochet pattern books.

  14. #1 Joann’s
    #2 Online (Herrschners, e-bay, knitting-warehouse)
    #3 Michaels
    #4 Sometimes Walmart & sometimes grocery/drugstore if available

  15. I have only bought mine at wal-mart so far. I have looked elsewhere but when looking for the 1lb balls or the 1000g balls in the winter I can only find them at wal-mart.
    I live in Stoney Creek Ontario Canada, 3 blocks from wal-mart and the Bay another couple from zellers. I still prefer the current selection at wal-mart and don’t see why they must shave it down so badly when it is always busy everytime I go in there.

  16. 1. LYS
    2. Michaels
    3. Craft Essentials
    4. On line anywhere that sells yarn!
    I prefer going to my LYS but I do shop the other places regularly.

  17. 1.WalMart
    2.Joann’s
    3.Thrift store

    I live in the boonies and haven’t purchased any yarn lately as I have a moderate stash – some 20 years old from my mom, when I was a kid – some matches the afghan on my couch that she made at least b4 1978! LOL! Most of that is gone now thankfully. I did notice that Kmart had a small section of Bernat yarns and I would go there if necessary as they are the closest to me.

  18. Has anyone had trouble getting their order from handknitting.com ? I cannot get their attention — I gave my cc# with an order, and they have not sent it out. I email every other day, no response.

  19. 1. Hobby Lobby
    2. Walmart
    3. Michaels
    4. LYS
    Sometimes the income decides where I go!! :))

  21. Online/mail order (usually Elann.com or Knitpicks)

    Various Seattle LYS’s

    A Hancock’s near my house.

    I don’t drive, and there are no Wal-Marts or Michael’s that are easy to get to by bus in this area (they’re quite a ways outside the city).

  22. I buy most of my yarn online, Webs, Herschners, Mary Maxum & others. I buy some at JoAnn, Walmart & Dollar tree. My 2 LYS get the least of my purchases, though I do have fun visiting & petting yarn. Both are very crochet friendly. I find my local Michaels has a poor selection, mostly fru-fru yarns & have never purchased yarn from them..
    Vicki in AZ.

  23. 1. Online – mostly Smiley’s. they get me in SO much trouble!
    2. Hobby Lobby – love their sales!
    3. Michael’s – for the same reason as above.

  24. I purchase yarn from LYS (Yarn Garden, Annapolis, MD)wwwdotalpacadirectdotcom; herrschners; ACMoore and Michaels. I am finding that ordering very carefully online gets me what I want for a better price.

  25. I usually buy my yarn at:
    1. WM
    2. Michaels
    3. KnitPicks online
    4. Creative Habitat

  27. I look for yarn everywhere!

    Michaels
    WalMart
    JoAnns
    Hancock Fabrics
    Dollar Tree
    Hobby Lobby
    Online

  28. I purchase my yarn at Michael’s first only cuz it’s 3 blocks from my home, 2. Wal-Mart
    3. JoAnn’s

  32. WOW! Great participation in this poll. Thanks to all of you who have also posted comments as well as listed additional yarn buying locations. Can’t wait to see what the final tallies will bring. Thanks – and please keep checking back for results.
    jd

  33. I buy my yarn at a Mom and Pop place in Trenton Ga. This way if I need more of a certain color ,She will order it for me.I will buy at Wal -Mart if I see something I like
    and it is on sale .

    Arlette

  34. Hi, You are so lucky.I live in India and the town where I live does not have any yarn shop.We just dont have the variety and the shops that you have in the USA.In the northen parts of India yarn is available in many shops.I buy my yarn at a shop in MUMBAI more than 100kms. away from where I stay.This shop is where you get all the art and craft things.I have been buying there since I was a little girl going with my mother.
    Sandhya

  35. I buy my yarn mostly on line
    1) Jo-Ann’s
    2) Ebay

    Looking for more sources. I live in NYC where the yarn must be marked up to cover the rent on the yarn stores.

    I learned to crochet at the Y and they use the internet for economy’s sake. I am looking forward to your blog on internet sources.

  36. So glad to have happened up on this site!!
    I buy my yarn mostly at Michael’s because the selection is great. Wal-mart’s yarn has faded away to practically nothing in my area.
    I’ve never tried on-line because of the shipping costs.

    GLAD YOU FOUND US TOO, KATY.  DON’T KNOW ABOUT YOUR TOWN, BUT THERE ARE OTHER YARN MASS MARKETERS.  SMILEY’S IS A GREAT ONLINE SITE FOR RED HEART AND SIMILAR.

    jd

  38. I am a big time crochet,knit,quilter kind of person. i love it all. however, i am so hurt that may,2009 wal.mart will no longer sell yarn or fabic for quilts. i live in a small town. wal-mart is all we have and i am so depressed.i mean this is world wide. i travel to many places and i always find a wal-mart .they too are getting rid of all crafts.you can help by calling 1-800-wal-mart and tell them how much we need them. thanks irene

  39. hi !! I absolutely agree with Sandhya ,who also resides in Mumbai. Eventhough the city is huge, it still is hard to find different types of crochet yarn. Ironically, cotton knitting/crochet yarn is hardest to find!! I just make do with whatever i can lay my hands on. The colours one finds are so jarring!!

  40. yeah very true…am a resident of India too and i find it really hard to get these yarns…can anyone suggest me online sites to purchase at a cheaper price…

  41. @ Devyani/Sandhya – Please could you provide me the address from where I could buy the crochet yarn in Mumbai.

Have you read?

Pattern Review: Granny Dots Crochet Bucket Hat Pattern

There is something wonderfully cheerful about a crochet bucket hat, especially when it has that granny-style texture that makes us all say, “Oh yes, I could make that in five colours from my stash.” And let’s be honest, any pattern that lets me justify keeping those half-balls of yarn tucked away in a basket is already off to a strong start.

The Granny Dots Crochet Bucket Hat Pattern is a fun, easy crochet bucket hat pattern worked in colourful granny-style clusters with a simple single crochet brim. It has that lovely retro handmade look without needing to sew together a stack of separate granny squares, which is always a win in my book because joining motifs is where many good intentions go to quietly disappear.

This pattern is written for adult one-size fit and uses medium weight yarn in five colours. It is a great stash-busting crochet project, especially if you have leftover worsted weight yarn from blankets, scarves, or all those “I only bought one skein because it was pretty” moments.

The finished hat has a playful dotted look across the crown and body, then a neat striped brim that gives it a polished finish. I especially like how easily the mood changes depending on the yarn colours. Soft pastels make it sweet and springy, oranges and browns give it a warm autumn feel, and greys and blacks make it look more modern and unisex.

If you love granny-style crochet accessories, you might also like our free Georgie Granny Cluster Bucket Hat over on CraftBits, which has a similar beginner-friendly feel and works well as a companion project for anyone wanting to try more crochet hats. You can also browse our roundup of crochet bucket hat patterns to make this summer if your hat-making mood has officially taken over the craft table.

What I Like About This Crochet Bucket Hat Pattern

The best thing about this pattern is that it gives you the look of granny crochet without becoming overly complicated. The crown begins in the round and builds out using double crochet groups, then continues into the body with repeating granny-style rounds. Once you understand the rhythm, it becomes one of those cosy “just one more round” projects.

The brim is worked in single crochet, which gives the edge a little more structure than the body. I always appreciate that in a crochet bucket hat because a floppy brim can go from cute to “why is this sitting on my eyebrows?” very quickly. You could also gently steam or block the brim if you want a smoother shape, especially if you are making it for photos, gifting, or selling finished hats at markets.

This is marked as an easy crochet pattern, and I think that is fair. It is not a first-ever crochet project, but it would suit a confident beginner who knows how to chain, slip stitch, single crochet, double crochet, work in rounds, and change colour. The colour changes are the only part that require a little attention, but they are also what make the hat so much fun.

For yarn, a medium weight cotton or cotton-blend would be lovely for a summer bucket hat, while acrylic or wool-blend yarn would make it warmer and softer for cooler weather. If you are buying supplies, Mary Maxim is a good place to look for colourful worsted weight yarn, and Amazon is handy for crochet hooks, yarn needles, and blocking supplies if your craft drawer has mysteriously eaten them again.

Colour Ideas For The Granny Dots Bucket Hat

This is where the pattern really shines. Because it uses five colours, you can make it feel completely different each time.

A few combinations I would try:

Soft Pastels: blush pink, mint, lilac, buttercream, and pale blue
Autumn Spice: mustard, rust, olive, cranberry, and camel
Earth & Sky: teal, chocolate, goldenrod, dusty pink, and denim
Modern Neutral: black, charcoal, silver, cream, and soft grey
Cottage Garden: rose, lavender, sage, butter yellow, and robin’s egg blue

This is also a lovely pattern for using up scrap yarn, provided your yarns are all a similar weight. I would avoid mixing very stiff cotton with very soft acrylic in the same hat unless you are prepared for a little shaping drama. Ask me how I know.

Helpful Tips Before You Start

Check your gauge before you begin, especially if you want the adult fit to come out neatly. The pattern gauge is 15 single crochet and 16 rows to 4 inches, and because hats need to fit around an actual head — not just look pretty flat on the table — gauge matters more here than it might on a scarf.

Use stitch markers to mark the beginning of each round. When you are changing colours often, it is very easy to lose track of where a round starts, particularly if you are crocheting while watching television and pretending you are “just doing one more row.”

Weave in ends as you go if you can bear it. Five-colour crochet is gorgeous, but it does come with ends, and future-you will be much happier if you don’t leave them all until the end in one terrifying little yarn nest.

Who This Pattern Is Best For

This crochet bucket hat pattern is a good fit for makers who enjoy colourful crochet accessories, quick wearable projects, and stash-friendly patterns. It would make a great handmade gift for teens and adults, and it has strong market stall potential because you can create several versions in different colour palettes without changing the main pattern.

It is also a nice project for anyone who loves the look of granny squares but does not necessarily want a sewing-up session at the end. The texture gives that familiar granny crochet feel while keeping the construction more straightforward.

You could make one in soft spring colours for a festival look, one in earthy shades for autumn outfits, or one in monochrome greys for someone who insists they “don’t wear colourful things” but still secretly appreciates handmade.

Etsy Listing Note

This is a digital PDF crochet pattern, not a finished hat. The PDF includes the written pattern, materials, abbreviations, gauge notes, colour change guidance, brim instructions, stitch key, mockup inspiration, and colour palette ideas.

For crocheters who enjoy easy crochet hat patterns, granny stitch texture, and colourful stash-busting projects, the Granny Dots Crochet Bucket Hat Pattern is a sweet, wearable make with lots of room for personality. It is cheerful without being fussy, practical without being boring, and exactly the sort of project that makes you start looking at leftover yarn in a whole new way.