StevenBe meets Rock'n'Roll in 2014 Minnesota Yarn Shop Hop!

Don’t be fooled by our urban gray exterior—inside StevenBe you will discover an inspiring riot of color and texture. No matter how many times you’ve been here, you’ll always discover something you’ve never seen before in our wild yarn treasure hunt. Settle in with a cup of our Shades of Earl Grey or Glitter Time tea or, if you’re a coffee lover, a hot mug of StevenBe blend coffee from our friends at Velasquez Family and try on some of our sample garments. Our knits are your knits, so shop them like you’re in your favorite boutique. Consult with our expert staff to get just the right yarn combination for your project.

Our favorite Minnesota landmark and the one we chose for this year’s Shop Hop is First Avenue. We’re drawn to the artistic exterior featuring musicians who have graced its stage, its long and storied history as a Minneapolis bus depot and music venue, and the way it has nurtured artists to success—something we love to do at StevenBe. Plus, our very own Steven Berg was in Prince’s “Purple Rain,” which was filmed there!

We can’t wait to show you our exclusive Shop Hop yarn and the fabulous pattern we have in store for you. Last year we featured Handmaiden’s Rumple/Angel super skein and the textural play in Don Waalen’s Balsam Lake shawl. Just know that we always take it one step farther every year!

Knit happy and glitter it up when you hop to StevenBe in Minneapolis!

Stepping into StevenBe is like wandering into Wonderland, delightful colors surround you and surprises are around every corner. You’ll be greeted like an old friend, invited to partake in hot tea or freshly brewed coffee (Steven’s own blend!), and shown some of our favorite projects and yarn.

Here at StevenBe, the only thing more fabulous than Steven is the yarn selection. We carry all the gorgeous hand paints like Madelinetosh, Malabrigo, Three Irish Girls, Zen Yarn Garden, and Freia. We love the color play and rich depth from our favorite hand dyers and we’re discovering new ones all the time. Our employees are color experts and happy to help you choose just the right combinations.

But, of course, in true StevenBe style we also have the fabulous fibers that make you swoon from Be Sweet, Habu, and Shibui—yarns that you can form, shape, and fuse (Fiber Fusion, anyone?) into unique creations with to-die-for texture. Steven’s specialty is creating unexpected combinations of fibers that make a knitted fabric with characteristics from the component yarns. Come in for a consultation and he’ll be happy to help you create your own Fiber Fusion project—or at least add some glitter!

We love companies with a conscience, too. Be Sweet, whose yarn is showcased in Steven’s Cabled Ponchini featured in last fall’s Knit Simple, supports job creation for women in South Africa. Knit Collage, purveyors of amazing handspun art yarns, employs uneducated women in India. Frog Tree Yarns works with a cooperative in Bolivia that creates alpaca yarn and trains women to hand knit scarves and sweaters. Our coffee is supplied to us by the Velasquez Family, a fair trade coffee plantation in Honduras with local family ties.

We look forward to seeing you at the 2013 Shop Hop—knit happy and glitter it up!

StevenBe, A Yarn Garage Workshop

Treat yourself...make sure you make StevenBe a stop on your hop! 

"StevenBe purveyor of fine fibers, creative workshop for all needle and fiber  arts, designer to inspire.

My interest in fiber arts started early at the age of 4 with mimicking my mother as she knit. Finally, given some worsted and Canadian needles from Mary Maxim, I started my life-long journey. My mother is and has remained my mentor and inspiration during my 45-year evolution. I knitted, crocheted, macrame'd and rug hooked my way through the 70s. Mom opened her own yarn shop in the early 70s, which she still operates today in Wisconsin. This opened up a whole new world of options with all those "fancy European yarns." As one decade turned to the next, I pursued a fashion career - it was either that or the stage. In these later years, I have found both in my love of fiber.

My 25 years in the fashion industry led me around the world with homes in New York, Miami and Minneapolis. I was able to see the world working in Europe and Asia and learning the fiber world from a commercial angle. Exhausted and tired of travel, I left the industry in 2003 to find my next calling. With my background in the needle arts and the resurgence of knitting in the public eye, I borrowed some yarn from Mom and opened my first shop in Rosemount, a southern suburb of Minneapolis. It was a hit from day one, and I immediately began working harder than I ever had corporately. I loved writing my own patterns and using fiber and yarn in a artistic fashion. Minneapolis has an amazing fiber-loving community and wonderful yarn shops. I brought yet another personality to the mix with my flamboyant and extravagant inventory. Although I love teaching and sharing my passion, I enjoy inspiring most of all. Everyone who visits the Yarn Garage should leave anxious to pick up the yarn and needles to create.

After 7 years of acclaimed success in Rosemount, I got my 7-year itch. My yearning to try something new led me to the inner city of Minneapolis where I found a turn-of-the-century converted forestation waiting to come to life. I cleaned up, repainted and inventoried StevenBe: A Yarn Garage Workshop. My goal is not to be just another yarn shop but a fiber lover's studio, a spa for fiber lovers, a country club for the needle artists. I have created an opulent, inspirational environment for people to not only shop but to gather and create. There are a least three to four events weekly with catered luncheons, local musicians and visiting artists from all walks of life.

I have come to where I am now with a carefree and fun loving attitude that, "There are no mistakes, only variations." I strive to provide customer service above and beyond. Creative people of all skill levels and enthusiasms are welcomed with open arms. I confess that I operate my shops more from my heart than from my head. Many would say I am over inventoried and have created a treasure hunt in organized chaos. I love my things and enthusiastically share with everyone who walks through the door. Currently, with two shops, I often work seven days a week but never regret a moment of it. All of this is made possible with an amazing staff both current and past. My glitter divas Lori, Jordan, Jessie, Jeremy, Michelle, Dora, Missy, Kerri, and of course Mama Christa, make my business the awesome place that it is.

I have created mini art crawls for myself and clients to explore all that Minneapolis has to offer. We are surrounded by an inspiring community in a city where fine arts are center stage. I love to promote other small local businesses and artists. We have a monthly "Drama, knitting, drama" night where we all gather to enjoy local theatre. My true spare-time passion is creating one of my obscure, wearable fiber arts creations, which incorporate cassette tapes or findings from the local hardware store. What ever I am doing, I seem to be creating.

What's next you ask? There is no limit to my visions. I am still working on my book, hopefully to be published soon. I would love to the do the Glitter Rock Knitter Tour, taking my unique experience on the road to share with fiber lovers everywhere. I am constantly working on creating my StevenBe brand, offering unique fibers and patterns, but most importantly an experience. If you are looking for excitement and experimentation, taking a walk off the beaten path, come join me for a Glitter Knitter adventure."

Use of Groupon is suspended during shop hop weekend.