LYS Spotlight: Quintessential Knits in Duvall, WA, USA
Repost from January 2020 My Secret Wish Knitting newsletter.
Quintessential Knits employee Kim Birum also designs stunning crochet patterns, like this medallion cowl.
A riot of colour, knitwear eye candy, and touchable texture reigns in this small town Local Yarn Store.
Tucked into the small town of Duvall in western Washington, this charming store is stocked top to bottom with delicious knits by brands such as MadelineTosh, Malabrigo, Earl Grey Fiber Co., Noro, and more.
The space is dotted with gorgeous sample projects showcasing sumptuous yarns, including original knit designs by store owner Judith Quinton and crochet designs by employee and class instructor Kim Birum—"not your grandmother's crochet," according to employee Meredith Westerside. (Indeed, this lovely Slouchy Chapeaux fooled both my mother and me into thinking it was knit at first glance.)
They have classes for knitting, weaving, Tunisian crochet, and even spinning classes—the kind where you make yarn, not sweat. :-)
In the seven years since they opened, they have established themselves as a community gathering spot. The shop is a regular destination on the mid-May Puget Sound Local Yarn Shop Tour, sometimes attracting as many as 800 people in the five days of the tour, according to Westerside.
If you're in the neighbourhood, stop by for a cup of tea and a chat with the friendly staff over your latest project in their comfy hearth-side sitting area—the perfect retreat when you just need some fibre therapy.
Like the sign on their wall (and their muggy merch) says, "Move over reality. This is a job for yarn."