Hobby Lobby Pleasantly Surprised Me!

[Yearnin' for Yarn]

I've been to Hobby Lobby before (I have to drive 53 miles to get to a city that has one), but not in the past couple years (which is when I started crocheting). It always makes me sick---the lights are harsh, the aisles are narrow, and there's so much stuff. It just really exhausts me (I do have a chronic illness which probably makes it worse), so I haven't been there in a couple years.

 

Anyway, I found out they have yarn there, so I decided to tough it out yesterday. Hubby helped me find the yarn, and they had three aisles of yarn! They had some varieties of yarn I've not seen---the Caron Boucle, RH lustersheen, and they have all that Yarn Bee yarn. I was overwhelmed. I got a bunch of Sugar 'n Cream cotton and I bought some Sinfonia (which I've never used) for my SIL's shawl. I'll have to go back and sample the other kinds some other time.

 

I think I have a new favorite place to buy yarn.

 

Nicole

[tobybob]

Hi Nicole, Iam in the same boat as you on the distance to get to a Hobby Lobby or Michael's or JoAnn's. But I signed up for Hobby Lobby's and Michael's sales flyer through the internet. So even if you can't go when you do you will know what is on sale. I get JoAnn's sales flyer in the mail. With JoAnn's you have to have you address label scanned at the store often to stay on the list. Happy Crocheting!

[Mom w/a Motif]

The Hobby Lobby near me has yarn, too. Although not always the kind I want or need. Their selection of magazines is not very good, though. And I haven't seen any books yet. But they do have a lot of other stuff; it's a huge store....

 

Tina

[Dextersmom]

Sounds like a great time - and what a nice way to spend time with your hubby! I wish they'd open a Hobby Lobby around here.

[CraftyShannon]

A.C. Moore has the best yarn selection, but most of the prices are higher and the store is out of the way for me. I found out about Hobby Lobby when my aunt told me about one where she lived. I used to make special trips just to go to the store. I was thrilled when 3 of them finally came near me. The one I frequent the most is about 10-15 minutes from my house. During their clearance time, I was going to often I know some of the people who worked there recognized me.

 

The store here has a lot of yarn: Some in endcaps on the aisles, about 6 small aisles, and a few display boxes out in the open. Be sure and look for the clearance section (they have e clearance sections, one for sewing/yarn stuff, one for furniture, and another for crafty things) because there is usually yarn and pattern books there. My only complaint is that most of the aisles are novelty type yarns. I do wish they had a bigger selection of regular yarns, but I'm glad there is finally a clean, well lit store near me that I can't complain much.

[Yearnin' for Yarn]

I have to drive that far to get to any craft stores, like many of you---all we have in my town is a SuperWalmart with a limited yarn selection. I would like to go to an AC Moore, but I don't know of any even close to my area.

 

I didn't really get to look around at clearance or anything--I had to get in, get what I neeeded and get out before it made me sick. HL did seem to have quite a bit of what you would call novelty yarn---and many of their yarns seemed more suited to baby items as it was mostly pastels, but lots of neat textures, that's for sure, and it seems to be pretty reasonably priced.

 

I did see a few crochet hooks, but not many, and I didn't see any magazines or pattern books, but then I wasn't really looking for them. Maybe next time.

 

I was kind of hoping they would carry the TLC Cotton Plus and the RH Soft, but they didn't. Oh well. I've yet to see the TLC Cotton plus in person, and I am just really curious about it.

 

Nicole

[Sylviaf]

I am lucky and have a Hobby Lobby about five minutes away. They have a nice selection but I think you also need Michael's and Joann's to get most of what you want (and no one around me sell the TLC Cotton Plus).

[chrisdfriend]

I love my Hobby Lobby! They always have great sales and clearance yarn!

[lhasaapsolady]

So lucky, I wish we had a hobby lobby close. In fact the closest craft store we have is a Michaels, and its about 30 - 40 mins depending on whose driving.

[PoisonApple]

I was in yarn heaven last time I was in a Hobby Lobby. I was lucky enough that they were taking the crochet books down and rotateing them out..someone had left a cart full there..so I had fun messing up their system and looking through the cart. LOL

 

They had a better selection than what I am normally used to. I only shop at wal-mart normally. But I just couldn't bring myself to spend that kind money on yarn though..I love hodling all the high end stuff. LOL

[Iowa yarns]

I have the same issue about distance to Michael's and Hobby Lobby but I am fortunate to have a Ben Franklin store 10 minutes from my house. The owner of the store insists on having plenty of yarns, strings, fabric and other craft items so we don't have to drive to the "big" city. The whole basement is full of craft merchandise.

 

I had even run across a cute pattern not too long ago and went to the store to find the yarn (RH Lustersheen) at Ben Franklins. They didn't have any, I asked the cashier about it and in about two weeks, they had small variety of the yarn. They are also willing to order any kind of yarn for me as long as it is in their catalog.

 

The big plus is that their prices are only slightly higher than the "big" city.

[CaliAdria]

We don't have a Hobby Lobby, A.C. Moore, or Ben Franklin anywhere near us. We do have Joann's, Michael's, and Wal*Mart, of course, but all together they don't have the selection that I used to enjoy at the A.C. Moore near my parents' house in Virginia. There are a ton of LYS nearby, but they're all super fancy, carry about 6 brands of yarn, and mark them up 400%.

 

I'm almost at the point where I want to start a "business" so I can get wholesale opportunities with my favorite yarns and not have to go to the store at all!

 

I have already started ordering large amounts of yarn online, such as the stuff I bought for the two quiltghans I'm making right now. But for smaller projects I have to pick my yarns out in person, and that's SUCH a hassle.

 

By the way, the nearest crafting store of any kind is at least 30 minutes away from me. That doesn't mean it's not geographically close... I think it's 4.6 miles according to Mapquest. That's just LA traffic.

[Yearnin' for Yarn]

The small town I grew up in used to have a Ben Franklin; it was a fun little store. I don't think we have them anymore around here, but when iw as visiting in-laws in North Dakota, they had one, and ti was pretty big.

 

I have to drive to the "big" city to get to any craft stores; that city is about 53 miles away; about an hour driving time usually.

 

The "big" city does have two LYSs, and I've only been to one of them. Really pretty, high quality yarns, but they have a huge markup. Just not worth it for me when I can get it so much cheaper online, including shipping.

 

I guess I am just going to have to order the TLC Cotton plus if I want to see it! Seems no one carries it in-store.

 

Nicole

[Mandys76]

You all have it so good! Where I live there's no specialty yarn stores...we have one department store that sells yarn, and their selection is completely pathetic!

 

If I want decent yarn, I need to order it online from the US, which costs an absolute fortune by the time you factor in the conversion rate, and the huge cost of postage.

[asanie01]

Where I live have no special yarn stores too... There are only a few small shops selling a few yarns. And there only sell Sport and fingering type of yarn and very few of colours...

 

I wish that we have a special yarn store here.....

[V-Hooked]

I went SO EXCITED to the Hobby Lobby by my house and I only found trains, toys, and electric cars, WHERE'S THE YARN????

[Yearnin' for Yarn]

The yarn in my HL was back near the fabric and the framing supplies.

 

Good luck!!

Nicole