February 13, 2020 – Yarnability, Two Rivers Yarns & Finch Knitting and Sewing Studio

Well, if you bribed me with food!!!!

It has been raining here ALL week (not complaining, I could be in the southeast where they are flooding)!  Even though I usually hibernate when it rains, I decided I really wanted to venture out of my immediate area and start visiting yarn shops further out.  My sweet friend, Karen, agreed to ride with me!  We’ll see how many more outings like this she’ll attend – of course, I also try to find bakeries and good restaurants for lunch!  Sometimes successfully and sometimes, not 😊

I coulda driven through there every day for work!!!!! (we considered living at the Harper’s Ferry KOA but that drive – whew!)

We met at the hub’s office, she climbed in the truck and we took off.  We visited the shop that opened first and was the furthest distance away.  The shop was called Yarnability in Charles Town, West Virginia.  It is amazing to me how close we are to West Virginia, Maryland and Pennsylvania!  To get there we went up very scenic Virginia State Route 9 through Paeonian Springs, Hillsboro and Mechanicsville.  These are small towns surrounded by vineyards and rolling hills – some with huge houses on them.  My favorite is Hillsboro.  SR 9 takes you directly through the old downtown area, established in 1802.  The two-story houses and buildings lining the road are made of stone and so beautiful.

I’m sure we’ll be back!!!!

Yarnability is a quaint shop on Washington Street in Charles Town.  After spotting  the shop, we found a place to park and walked back about two blocks to the entrance.  As we walked on the sidewalk, we noticed several tree trunks covered in yarn!  Yarn bombing – I LOVE it!  The trees had a small note attached reminding those passing that the trees didn’t need anything to keep them warm, there are people around us that do.  Any donations of hats, scarves, coats and gloves could be dropped off at Yarnability to hand out to those who needed them.  Apparently, a woman in town started this act of kindness.  We were greeting as we walked into Yarnability and spent some time looking around.  There was a good selection of yarn and notions even in a small space.  There was lovely light from the large front window and looked like a nice local yarn shop.  There were a lot of unique thrift type shops up and down Washington Street.  In nicer weather, it would be a fun place to spend an afternoon browsing!

It’s hard to beat a small town diner!!!!!!

Our next stop was in Purcellville, Virginia at a shop called Two Rivers Yarns.  Before heading to the shop, we decided lunch was in order.  We decided on the Purcellville Family Restaurant.  It looked like a place the locals would start with breakfast and hangout until lunch!  After eating, we decided to walk to Two Rivers as it was less than half a mile down the street.  Since we weren’t sure which direction to go, there was some definite fiddling with the map on our phones – we finally got going in the right direction and headed to the shop.  It is in a large, beautiful house painted green.  We walked in the front door into a foyer and turned to the left into an old-fashioned parlor!  There were chairs and a sofa to sit on with a coffee and tea station set up on a shelf.  It reminded me fondly of my grandmothers’ living rooms.  We continued to wander through the different rooms, looking at and fondling yarn!  We heard someone call out and a lady came in, she was a little startled.  Apparently, parking is in the back and most people come in that way – ooops!  (Ed. Note – In through the out door…) She welcomed us and asked where we were from and we chatted some about local yarn.   A sample sweater caught my eye and she very kindly looked up the pattern for me.  (Sunshine Coast by Heidi Kirrmaier – already added to my Ravelry queue)  There were tons of knitted samples throughout the shop showing how different yarns would knit up.  I love it when shops do that!  I bought a ball of Fair Isle yarn in the Sundance colorway.  It is a superwash Australian wool blended with nylon.  I’m thinking boot socks???

We left Two Rivers Yarns and walked back to where the truck was parked.  When we pulled in the parking lot earlier, I noticed a shop called Sweet Rose Bakery.  We walked over and the cinnamon / chocolate smell hit me before even opening the door!  They had a large selection of coffee and lattes and pastries galore!  I went home with a couple of glazed cinnamon rolls, a couple of scones, cookies, apple strudel (for the hubs) and Karen and I split a Nutella filled croissant.  It was to die for! (Ed. Note – See, bribes, food, “volunteering” to go to yarn shops!!!!)

I wonder if it was the original red roof inn?!?!?!?!?

We went on our way to the last stop in Leesburg, Virginia to Finch Knitting and Sewing Studio.  It is located in a cute, old white house with a red roof.  When we walked into the shop, I immediately saw yarn in several different areas and fabrics all around the room.  They had several knitted samples that were lovely.  In the next room were sewing and quilting notions and in the back of the house was a nice big workroom.  There were quite a few old sewing tables with what looked like the original sewing machines – so cool!

Most of the yarn was upstairs.  We made our way up there to a room full of yarn and a nice comfy sofa.  They were some very nice cowls knitted up and hanging on a metal tree – NICE and useful decorating!  Most of the yarn they carried was Quince & Co and Woolfolk.  I’d never seen that much Quince & Co in one shop!  Many of the patterns, knitting and sewing, looked like they would appeal to a young crowd.  Lots of sweater samples in a cropped waist and chunky yarns.  Actually, the employees I saw were quite young also, 20’s?  😊  It’s so great to see a shop that would appeal to younger folks – “making” is something for ALL generations!

Even though it was a bit gray and rainy, it was a very enjoyable day!