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!

Who doesn't want to be a VIP?

*Elvis yarn winding services not guaranteed by VIP Pass

At Shop Hop this year, we are proud to introduce the VIP Pass, a great way to plan ahead, give back to our communities, and feel like a rock star doing it. Rather than donating $5 at each shop, we're giving you the option to make a one-time donation of $50 to become a VIP.

By enrolling in the VIP program, you will be eligible for the following benefits:

• With 17 shops on the hop, your $50 donation is a savings of $35 when you visit every shop.
• You are guaranteed this year's shop hop giveaway, a glass bead, at every shop, no matter when you arrive (quantities are limited for the general public). The beads will come with instructions for making a very cool abacus-style counting bracelet.
• A special prize drawing of premium merchandise will be held exclusively for our VIP Pass holders. Talk about great odds for an amazing array of yarn and accessories!

Between now and April 6th, visit a participating local yarn shop and ask to register for the VIP Pass for the Minnesota Yarn Shop Hop. Then, during the Hop, just give your name at the designated area at the shops and we'll have everything all ready for you. This year you have the opportunity to be "on the list!"

Here's to a great 2014 Shop Hop--the best one yet!

Amusement Park? What Amusement Park?

Lila and Claudine’s sits right across Mahtomedi Avenue from the site of the Old Wildwood Amusement Park, begun by the Minneapolis & St. Paul Suburban Railroad Company in 1892. For many years, thousands of people paid 10 cents to take the train from the Twin Cities to Mahtomedi to spend the day riding the roller coaster, Ferris wheel and swimming in White Bear Lake. 

In 1927, it was the first park ever to feature the Tilt-a-Whirl.  The building that Lila and Claudine’s is in today was built in 1926 to store the various vehicles that were used to bring vacationers out to the park.  Then, in 1932, the golden era of the Wildwood Amusement Park came to an end and the park closed.

Although the actual Landmark no longer exists, the Amusement Park was important in shaping the Mahtomedi community.  Fiber and conversation is paramount at Lila and Claudine’s and woven into conversations is the history of the Mahtomedi/White Bear Lake community.  It becomes a springboard for stories and opportunities to get to know other fiber maniacs while knitting at Lila and Claudine’s.  

2014 marks the 4th year we have participated in the Shop Hop.  We can’t wait to see all of you this year!  We will have the usuals; patterns, yarn, prizes and trinkets, but we also promise the unsuspected….

Polly Hart and Kirsten Skoglund
Aka Lila and Claudine
Lilaandclaudines.com

Sheepy Yarn Shoppe

Our local color for this year's shop hop is the famous local landmark, The Fillebrown House located 2 blocks for our shop. This lovely old house on the National Historic Register is 134 years old. Each year over 1500 people visit the house for tours, parties and special events.  Most of these visits are during the holiday season. Nicknamed the victorian "Red Chalet", it was donated to the White Bear Lake Area Historical society in 1977 by Arthur and Helen Fillebrown.

As knitters or crocheters, we enjoy a very portable, stress relieving hobby. Creating items from favorite fibers and colors is so rewarding!. When you visit us be sure to check out the huge selection of yarns, patterns, accessories and books. All of our employees are very knowledgeable and are happy to help with any project or answer any questions. Direct access to Ravelry is available at the front desk. Classes are scheduled every day of the week except Monday, although we are always open on Monday. Drop in any Monday or Friday afternoon for the free "help table", staffed by an instructor who can answer any questions or help with any pattern problem.

My passion for knitting and crocheting began when I decided to buy the Shoppe in 1991. I was able to dedicate full time to it when I retired from the corporate world the same year. Living in Argentina, South America for 11 years exposed me to the world of Llama, Alpaca, Guanaco and Vicuna as well as great wools and pima cottons. Everyone seemed to use their space time to crochet or knit.

Sheepy Yarn Shoppe will be celebrating its 23rd anniversary this year on May 13. We invite you to celebrate with us, check us out and do plan to visit the lovely old victorian "Red Chalet" Fillebrown House.  Downtown WBL has many speciality shops, restaurants and most of all, we are located next to a large municipal free parking lot.

We look forward to seeing you.

Crafty Planet of Minneapolis is back for a third year!

When you think of Northeast (or, more familiarly, Nordeast) Minneapolis, what do you think of? Historically and now, that seems increasingly to be… BEER. From Grain Belt on up to today's modern microbreweries like Indeed, Fulton, Dangerous Man, 612 Brew, NorthGate, Sociable Cider Werks, Fair State Brewing Of course, we hope some people will also think of Crafty Planet as being a vital and exciting part of Nordeast. In any case, knitting and beer go together like … well … any two fantastic things that are even more awesome together!

So, it's no secret that we in Nordeast love our drinks made with fermented grains, but what might not be so obvious is our deep and abiding love for crafts and the arts. Crafty Planet is the go-to place locally for DIY supplies, but there are tons of opportunities to shop handmade locally, too -- from retailers like I Like You and the Gumball Collective, to the many and varied artists' lofts and studios found all over Northeast (concentrated in the Northeast Minneapolis Arts District).

We're certainly not going to tell you how to plan your shop hop, but if it were up to us, we'd suggest you'd save us for late afternoon or evening, when you can top off your whirlwind day with a stop at any of the nearby amazing taprooms and sample their wares. Most host food trucks, or encourage you to bring in food from neighboring restaurants, all with amazing and unique foods to offer.

The Yarn Garage is wild for fiber!

Nestled into historic downtown Rosemount, you’ll feel right at home in the Yarn Garage. Our cozy interior invites you to slow down and luxuriate in the delicious fibers we feature. Browse our garment racks and be inspired to create your own perfect fiber combination. Our color and fiber experts will be on hand to help you find just what you need—and probably more that you didn’t realize you needed!

Our Minnesota landmark for this year’s Shop Hop is very near and dear to us, quite literally. The Minnesota Zoo represents us perfectly with its variety of animals (like the assortment of fibers we carry), the wild spectrum of colors (like the handpainted yarns we love to stock), and the fact that sometimes it can be a real zoo around here!

Last year our exclusive yarn was a pair of incredible gradients from Freia showcased in Steven’s drop-stitch Drop It Like It’s Hot cabled cowl. Brace yourselves for the handpainted fabulousness to come this year…we always need to outdo ourselves!

Get Inspired at 3 Kittens Needle Arts

Visit 3 Kittens Needle Arts during the Minnesota Yarn Shop Hop and get inspired! From yarn to expert sales staff to patterns and tools, we strive to provide a “happy place” for our customers.

3 Kittens is one of the oldest yarn stores in the Twin Cities – 44 years and counting. But we never rest on our laurels. We are always looking for new products, new techniques and new events to inspire you. Our yarn selection ranges from traditional yarns such as Dale Heilo and Jamieson Shetland DK, to handpainted yarns from Fleece Artist, Alchemy Yarns of Transformation, Prism Yarn, Sun Valley Fibers, to fashion yarns like Rowan, Berroco and Classic Elite. We’re excited to be the only store in the state to carry the fabulous Hazel Knits yarns.

Our chosen Local Color icon for this year’s Shop Hop is… The Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox statues in Bemidji.

Did you know that this is one of the Top 50 Roadside Attractions in the country (according to Time)? We’re going to have fun with the yarn and the patterns, plus who knows, you might even get to take your picture with Paul and Babe – without having to drive to Bemidji!

If you need a break from the frantic pace of the Shop Hop, visit the rest of the shops and restaurants in The Village at Mendota Heights, including Caribou Coffee, Mendoberri Café, Mainstream Boutique, Apricot Lane, Tommy Chicago’s Pizza, Nature of Beauty, the Olive Grove, and Coldstone Creamery.

We look forward to seeing you during the Minnesota Yarn Shop Hop!

Get Inspired!