Knitters and other needlework practitioners can indulge their love of the fibre arts this summer while supporting local independent businesses, with two self-guided “yarn crawls” in the greater Kawarthas region and beyond beginning on Saturday (June 11) — which also happens to be World Wide Knit in Public Day,
The Cottage Country Yarn Crawl, running until Tuesday, September 6th, takes place at seven yarn shops (and one alpaca farm) across Kawartha Lakes, Peterborough County, and the Muskoka region, and also highlights two regional yarn and fibre festivals.
The Southeastern Ontario Yarn Crawl, which runs until Wednesday, August 31st, takes place at 13 locations across the counties of Northumberland, Hastings, Prince Edward, Lanark, Frontenac, and Lennox and Addington.
With a “Vintage Road Trip” theme, the Cottage Country Yarn Crawl kicks off at the Kawartha Yarn and Fibre Festival, which runs from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Saturday, June 11th at the Fenelon Falls Community Centre (27 Veterans Way, Fenelon Falls).
The festival features almost 80 local and independent vendors, with a mini-market for start-up businesses. There’s a $5 admission fee. Find out more at www.kyaff.ca.
The seven yarn shops on the Cottage Country Yarn Crawl are Between 2 Lakes Yarn & Crafts in Fenelon Falls, Granny Bird’s Wool Shoppe in Bobcaygeon, Happenstance Books & Yarns in Lakefield, Needles In The Hay in Peterborough, Mariposa Woolen Mill in Lindsay, Shelridge Yarns in Gravenhurst, and Muskoka Yarn Connection in Bracebridge. A bonus stop on this year’s crawl is Wanderlight Alpaca near Lakefield where, by appointment only, you can interact with the fleece-producing animals.
PDF: Cottage Country Yarn Crawl passport
Cottage Country Yarn Crawl passport
Those making the trip to Muskoka Yarn Connection in Bracebridge will also want to drop in at the third annual Muskoka Yarn & Fibrefest, which runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, July 2nd at JD Land Activity Park at the Bracebridge Fairgrounds (331 Fraserburg road, Bracebridge). Admission to the festival, which features almost 40 vendors, is $5 (free for kids 12 and under). For more information, visit muskokafibrefest.com.
The Cottage Country Yarn Crawl includes a free passport, available at any of the seven participating yarn shops or for download, which includes a scavenger word hunt, a map with shop hours and addresses, crawl rules, and an individual ballot to enter crawl draws. Also available at any of the seven shops is an exclusive free souvenir knitting pattern (with yarn purchase).
For more information about the Cottage Country Yarn Crawl, and to download a copy of the passport, visit cottagecountryyarncrawl.blogspot.com.
The Southeastern Ontario Yarn Crawl features 13 stops: Yarns Aplenty in Smiths Falls, Unraveled in Perth, Ewe Can Knit in Verona, Purlin J’s Roving Yarn Co. in Kingston, Wool & Cloth in Odessa, Tops Farms in Stella (on Amherst Island), Kraft Village in Belleville and Trenton, Grey Heron Yarn Shop in Belleville, Cabin Boy Knits and Rustic Routes in Stirling, and Yarn It! in Cobourg.
A map and passport is also available from any of the participating stops. For more information, visit the Southeastern Ontario Yarn Crawl on Facebook at facebook.com/seoyarncrawl/.
