Stitch DC

There are so many awesome things about traveling...seeing how other people live and work, eating at new restaurants, exploring cool neighborhoods, and maybe most importantly, stepping out of your own little bubble and realizing that there is so much out there to experience and enjoy.  It's refreshing to return home with new perspective, new ideas, and maybe even some new appreciation for what you have.   

A favorite part of my travels is looking up area yarn shops and seeing how the locals knit. I dream of one day being a yarn shop owner myself, so I really enjoy seeing the variation from shop to shop and tucking away little ideas for "some day".

A recent trip to our nations capital gave me the chance to visit Stitch DC - a lovely shop that was bursting with inspiration. Nestled in Capital Hill, Stitch DC resides in an historic row house on 8th Street SE and has some great neighbors - hip restaurants, trendy baby stores, organic markets, etc. 

Inside, I met Marie Connelly: shop-owner, pattern-designer, book-writer, knitting-blogger, you name it.  Master of all things knit, crocheted, and quilted.  And on top of it, a super nice person!  I was excited to hear about her recent book, The Expectant Knitter - a book that I can't wait to have on my bookshelf (they, unsurprisingly, had sold out at Stitch DC).  With all of the babies and new moms around me, this will soon be a bible in my knitting library.

Aside from a lovely, neat, organized selection of great yarns, this shop has a wall of quilting cotton which is a brilliant addition. Sure, it's handy for the quilting classes (one starts October 9th!), but how about all of the other uses for fabric in the fiber world? Who wants to make an extra stop at a giant chain craft store when all you need one yard of cute cotton to line a knitted handbag?  Not me!  It's like having to go to the grocery store - oversized, obnoxious, and full of old acquaintances who want to chat - for one last pesky ingredient after you've enjoyed a morning at the farmer's market collecting everything else.  So THANKS Stitch DC for believing in one-stop crafting!  Now will you just open a shop in Connecticut?

The shop also has a beautiful, cozy classroom in back, another super-cool feature...

My Stitch DC purchases included:

• a yard of mint green fabric with a pattern of cars, trucks, and traffic signs sketched about...sounds cute but chaotic?  You're right.  But I'm using it to line this Art Lace Bag by Teva Durham, and the pattern itself could easily be summed up with the same two words.  Perhaps so could the District of Columbia?
• two skeins of Spud and Chole Superwash Sweater yarn in Turtle - a perky emerald green that I couldn't live without.  I've been curious about Spud and Chloe but haven't knit with any of their yarns. Not sure what I'll do with my Turtle yet...maybe knit something from The Expectant Knitter?

Thanks, Marie and Stitch DC for adding a little lot! of inspiration to my trip.  Will be sure to stop by again next time I'm in Capitol Hill.

xoxo.