What did they win?

Here is a picture of our lovely grand prize winner and her new stash.

Kay our Grand Prize Winner

 We also drew 14 first place prizes from the finisher cards. Check out the goodies in this basket!

Thanks very much to all our sponsors who helped make our prizes amazing!

Thank You

A BIG thank you goes out to the awesome knitters, crocheters and needle artists who participated in the Minnesota Yarn Shop Hop this year. 

You raised $4,880 in cash and 5,700 pounds of food!

AMAZING!

Donations at Needlework Unlimited

We all couldn't be more proud of our very generous fiber community!

Food Bank Partners

We are excited to be partnering with local food banks in our areas again this year!

 Remember to bring a food shelf donation item or $5, to each shop to receive your charm.  Each shop has 500 charms this year, more than double what we did last year!

Thanks in advance for your participation.  Fiber junkies are a generous lot; let's fill up the food shelves!

Amazing Threads - CROSS in Rogers/Maple Grove
A Sheepy Yarn Shoppe - White Bear Lake Emergency Food Shelf
Coldwater Lakeside Yarn - ICA Foodshelf
Crafty Planet - Senior Food Bank, a service of Eastside Neighborhood Services
Darn Knit Anyway - The Salvation Army; Grace Place - Somerset, WI 
Double Ewe - Centennial Community Food Shelf
Lila and Claudine's - Mahtomedi Food Shelf
Needlework Unlimited - Joyce Methodist Food Shelf
Shepherd's Choice - ACBC Food Shelf
Skeins - Emergency Food Shelf Network
Steven Be - Emergency Food Shelf Network
3 Kittens Needle Arts - Neighborhood House, W. St. Paul
Yarn Garage - Emergency Food Shelf Network
Yarnery - Second Harvest Heartland

Yarn Garage

The sisters from Lila and Claudine's aren't the only sibling shop owners on the hop.

Welcome to the Yarn Garage.

"We are a full service - yarn, knitting and needlework station located in Rosemount, Minnesota. The Yarn Garage is owned and operated by Steven Berg & Monika Oeltjen, a brother and sister team who were both trained in this craft by their mother.
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Monika Oeltjen & Steven Berg have dubbed themselves, “The Stitch Mechanics”, as they are always helping knitters and the needlework challenged. They are a brother and sister team, who were taught many types of needlework from their mother as children. They come from a strong background of knitting and crocheting, as well as embroideries, macramé and any other trendy craft.
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Their credits include creating knits for Hollywood celebrities such as Jennifer Aniston. Local projects include the Lori Line Christmas Concert accessories, the Macy's (Daytons) Eighth Floor Holiday show. Together, Monika & Steven have put a modern twist on some great old traditional crafts!

Knitting and crocheting are the “Hot Trend” right now and Steven and Monika have made these trends extremely fun by teaching with novelty yarns and thick needles, giving projects a unique personality, Chunky Funky!
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Monika & Steven have the technical background to help students at any age and any level and encourage each to work at their own pace with a project of their choosing. Parent and child team participating is a favorite of theirs. Join them for an exciting season of creative needlework.
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Monika & Steven started the Yarn Garage in 2003 as the roving, gypsy yarn and fiber art studio. Their private knit nights have become all the rage. Make sure to schedule a private night at the Yarn Garage."

Lila and Claudine's

The sisters tell the story of how Lila and Claudine’s came to be.
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"While we were sitting on the stairs to the lower level of 86 Mahtomedi Ave, a friend said “Why don’t you open a yarn store here?”  After swallowing hard,  our response in unison was we could never do that.  There was just no way.
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But the seed had been planted and over the next few months the yarn shop began to take on a life of its own.  Yarn was ordered and shelves were filled.
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Then magically, we opened the doors of Lila and Claudine’s Yarn & Gifts, named after our grandmothers in March, 2009.  And we have been blessed with the most awesome customers ever since.  Thanks to all who have supported us.  We are having so much fun."
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Kirsten (Sister) & Polly (Sister)

A Sheepy Yarn Shoppe

21 years and counting; Marj, the owner of A Sheepy Yarn Shoppe, reminisces.

"Knitting was part of the college scene during the 50's and 60's, so that is where I begin the journey.

Living in Argentina, South America for 11 years introduced me to the wonderful world of Llama, Alpaca, Guanaco and Vicuna as well as great wools and pima cottons. My years in the corporate world here in the US allowed sporadic knitting, however, my passion really began when I decided to buy the Sheepy Shop in White Bear Lake in 1991. (Now called A Sheepy Yarn Shoppe).

When I retired from corporate in 1992, I was able to dedicate more time to my "retirement business". Turns out it has become more than a "retirement business" - it has become a great adventure and passion.

We will celebrate our 21st anniversary in May of this year, thanks to a very dedicated staff. It is very rewarding to be part of a knitter's journey as they challenge themselves in discovering new patterns and designs. This stress relieving hobby has exploded in recent years as we discover the creativity inside of us, just waiting to be released. And, who doesn't need a new, hand knitted sweater?"

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.