Last weekend, I had the pleasure of joining two of my best friends, Chris and Lisa, in Austin, Tex. for a double-feature of An American in Paris and Singin’ in the Rain at the city’s great old gem of a movie house, the Paramount Theater. My friend Chris invited me, knowing that Singin’ in the Rain is my all-time favorite movie. When he and I were students at the University of Texas at Austin 25 years ago, we used to go to the Paramount for the same summer series and see the same movie. This was a great trip.

Hill Country Weavers

But before the movie, I had a morning to myself and I headed over to Hill Country Weavers to look at the yarn. I have to say, for my money this is one of the best yarn stores in the whole country. I have been there before – a couple of times, at least – but this is the first time I have been since I started working in a yarn store one or two days a week. It made me see the store through new eyes. I saw it not only as a customer, but as a sales associate. And I really liked what I saw.

One of the best things about HCW is the way it is laid out. It is in an old house with at least

Baby yarn room

six rooms, and a lot of work has gone into grouping the yarn. There is a room with lots of yarn for felting, a sock yarn room, a baby yarn room, etc. And there were lots of models knit up – and not only yarn manufacturer models, but things staff and customers had come up with. I was intrigued by a model of the Baby Bon-Bon Blanket, designed by store owner Suzanne Middlebrooks.  It is knit with luscious Blue Sky Alpaca’s Dyed Cotton and Filatura di Crosa’s Bon Bon. The pattern was free with purchase of the yarn. Now, I work in a yarn store and can get similar yarn at a discount. But this was such a beautiful blanket and so well-presented with the yarn and the pattern that, dear reader, I bought it. Here’s a pic:

Bon Bon Baby Blanket

The whole store was full of stuff – don’t know where they’d put another thing. But it was TIDY. It was ORDERLY. This, of course, makes things easy to see and to find. I can’t think of a yarn line I didn’t see represented. And they had all kinds of books and magazine, some from Europe and Australia.  It was impossible to be in there and not be inspired. It’s one of those stores where you go in and your heart starts to beat a bit faster because of the possibilities.

I was also lured by the sock yarn. Now, I have a drawer full of sock yarn. But here, I had to have more. So I got a ball of Dream in Color’s Starry with the little silver flecks in it. That night, I started a pair of lacy socks from the current issue of Vogue Knitting. Again, here’s a pic:

Dream in Color socks

One thing I did not buy – and now wish I had – is a little booklet on washcloths that HCW just created. They had samples of the 8 cloths displayed on a clothesline in the doorway to the classroom. What a great idea! The booklet is inexpensive and you can get at least two washcloths out of a single ball of cotton yarn. Add a bar of nice soap, wrap the cloth around it and tie it with a bow and you have a great hostess, birthday or Christmas gift. I love this idea. I couldn’t find it on their website, but maybe if you call them?

Washcloths

And the classroom! Here’s the benefit of having a house as a yarn store. Suzanne has

Suzanne, on the right, in the sock room

converted the two-car garage into a great classroom/studio space. They have so much room, both in the classroom and in the store, that they can offer spinning, weaving and basketry supplies and classes. What a dream that would be for our store, which is about 1/4 the size of HCW. Sigh.

Speaking of classes, HCW is preparing to host Cookie A. and Jared Flood of Brooklyn Tweed. I may have to plan a trip back to visit my friend and just go knit.

But as most of us knitters know, a yarn store is really only as good as its staff. And at HCW, I am very happy to tell you that I spoke to everyone working there on the day I visited and everyone, without exception, was helpful, easy-going, knowledgeable and HAPPY TO HELP ME. I wanted to move to Austin and beg for a job.

The one bummer was they did not have any locally-produced yarn – something I always like to buy when I go on a trip. But it wasn’t for lack of trying. The sales woman who helped me said that most people in or near Austin who spin or dye sell their work themselves, through Etsy or at craft shows or on their own websites. Not surprising in this very tech-savvy town.

If you’re in Austin, check out this store. I am so jealous of all you Austin knitters who can zip on down to HCW anytime you need a yarn or an inspiration fix. Take me with you!