The Best Yarn Store Ever

I love my local yarn store (Twist Knitting and Spinning in Lahaska, PA) and up until recently, it was my favorite yarn store.  While I will continue to shop there faithfully, it is no longer the best yarn store I've ever been to.

Espace Tricot Is...

I spent a couple days up in Montreal recently and had the opportunity to go to Espace Tricot, and I was enthralled.

Lisa and Melissa have created the perfect yarn store and whenever I find myself in Montreal, I will definitely be going back.

Some of the things that make them the best store:

• Staff - Friendly, helpful, nice and knowledgeable.  They knew their inventory, they made excellent recommendations for yarns and projects and they were a delight to deal with in every way.
• Other Customers - They had a table of "regulars" mostly working on the latest Stephen West Knit-Along (I think) and they were raucous, inviting and fun.  Plus they had excellent taste (in my opinion).  They were thrilled to discuss their projects and create an enthusiastic community.
• Store Space - Not huge, but jam-packed with beautiful yarns.  Tons of light and displays that made me want to shop, including projects using various yarns and even though there were a LOT of customers in the store when I went, I didn't feel crowded or harried.  Also a big central table where you can sit/chat/knit all day.
• Inventory - The best part about this store was the yarns they carried.  In addition to carrying local yarns (that were BEAUTIFUL - see below), but they also had a huge selection of Madeline Tosh and Koigu...whoever chooses which yarns they carry in the store has a great sense of yarn and color and what knitters want (or at least this knitter).  Plus they also highlight a self-striping sock yarn dyed by one of their staff members...which are just beautiful (again, see below).

I will always love and support my local yarn store, but I will also dream of the day I get back to Montreal.

Yarn Store Purchases

Here are the yarns I bought when I was in Montreal.

 Couldn't resist picking up these two colors of Madeline Tosh Merino Light.  Colors were stunning (Grasshopper and Coquette) and I love everything Madeline.

 This is their Tanis yarn...a locally produced yarn.  Two 385 meter hanks of Merino, Cashmere and Silk (75%-15%-10% respectively) in colorway Olive and Brick.

Finally, this is the Scrumptiouspurl Sock yarn, hand-dyed by Samantha, one of their staff in my three favorite colors, which she calls Ghouls Night Out.

I have now idea what I will be making with any of this, but I had to own it all.

Current Knitting/Crochet

I promised an updated photo of my main two works in progress, so here's where I am.

Almost finished with the first sock (the second one is at the beginning of the ribbing) and still a long way to go on the Spiked Crochet Afghan.