Hill Country Yarn Crawl: Day 1

Yesterday I embarked on the first leg of my very first yarn crawl. There was one in Colorado I eyed a couple times, but didn't ever get to, so when I learned about the Hill Country Yarn Crawl (the best little yarn crawl in Texas, they say) I decided it was time to see what it was all about! I mean, I've heard of pub crawls, and even done one once, in fact, but a yarn crawl? Seems logistically challenging at the least. And perhaps it is. But it's a great way to get to know a little more about the area and, of course, there's all the squishy yarn!

On the first day of my first yarn crawl, I visited four of the 14 shops that are participating this year - the ninth year, in fact. I hear they're doing it up big to celebrate their 10th anniversary next year! My goal is to visit each shop and to select one (yes, just ONE) skein of yarn from each that I will crochet into a blanket commemorating the event. I've told you so now I have to actually do it, right?

My first stop was Happy Ewe in Jonestown - the closest shop to us here by Fort Hood at about an hour away - and by golly, there are actually hills in the Texas Hill Country! I've been skeptical since we moved here... But hills there were and I even spied a tiny bit of fall foliage here and there. I wish I'd stopped at the overlook I saw, but I wasn't prepared and I didn't end up going back past it again. Ah well, perhaps next time.

I ordered my passport through Happy Ewe online last month, so it had to be first on my list and I'm so very glad it was! I collected my passport, bag, tshirt, two free patterns, and my first button pin and then had a delightful little visit with the gals in the store, including Misty, the owner, who was kind enough to pose for a picture with me and one of her regulars.

It was such an eclectic, cozy little place. I loved it! Great atmosphere and I am looking forward to going back soon - hopefully to collect one of those door prizes - just look at all the goodies they have to give away!

I spent way too much time in this first shop, but once I finally hit the road, I got to see a little more of the elusive Texas Hill Country and crossed my old friend, the Colorado River, on my way to Horseshoe Bay, where I found Nan's Needleworks tucked away in a very modern looking office building. In fact, Nan's shop was also a rather mod and orderly little space. Wall to wall cubbies with neatly stacked yarns spanned most of the store and they also have tons of patterns for the yarns they carry.

I also had the pleasure of chatting with a gentleman who used to run the tour van! Can you imagine all those yarn crawlers packed into a van - and trying to get them in and out of a YARN store in a timely fashion so that you could stay on schedule? It must have been like herding cats!