Passion for knitting spurs quest for skeins at local stores

For Christmas, my editor bought me a skein of Icelandic wool yarn, a pair of knitting needles and a copy of “The All-New Teach Yourself How to Knit” by Evie Rosen. Since then, some very strange things have happened: I no longer fidget while watching TV. I don’t sit around the house complaining that I have nothing to do on a snowy day. And handmade scarves have become my gift of choice.

I couldn’t have picked a better time to learn, either. It’s all the rage among the glitterati – a recent segment on the “Today” show revealed that Cameron Diaz, Julia Roberts and Madonna are in stitches, and Hollywood bad boy Russell Crowe has been needling around, too.

Locally, I’ve encountered plenty of hip-looking, college- and high-school-age girls during my weekly pilgrimage to Cityside Yarn Co. on Main Street in Bangor. One of the reasons for this knitting revival by the young and chic is the stunning selection of yarns available today. The gorgeous colors and luxurious fibers appeal to the senses and the pocketbook – it can be a lot less expensive to knit yourself a hat or a scarf, even in cashmere or merino wool, than to buy something generic and made by a machine.

Plus, more young people are discovering what grandmothers and great-aunts have known for generations: Knitting is one of the most soothing, meditative activities out there.

That said, ShopGirl has a few stress-relieving ideas. If you’re a novice, start with a how-to book (I would highly recommend “The All-New Teach Yourself How to Knit”), a pair of needles (size 10 will serve you well) and a cheap ball of yarn to experiment. Wal-Mart and Jo-Ann Fabrics have a wide variety of Red Heart acrylic yarns for less than $2 a skein.

Once you have the basic stitches down, you can invest in something a little more frivolous. In Bangor, Cityside has the best variety of higher-end yarns at very reasonable prices, and the staff there can help you out if you hit a snag, so to speak. Beginners and experienced knitters alike can take classes there, too.

Owner Liza Burgoyne carries a wide selection of locally spun yarn and related products, including Handspun by the Shepherd, made by Debbie Colson of Newburgh; Damselfly, made by Judy Kirk of Hampden; cashmere yarn and pattern kits from Hardscrabble Farm in Winterport; Earth Tones spin-

ning fibers processed by Sandy Boynton of Eddington; mitten and sock kits with patterns designed by Mary O’Shea of Orland; handmade spinning wheels and dyed fibers for spinning by Diane Muir of Bradford; and patterns by Joan Davis, who also teaches classes at Cityside.

“We really try to feature as many local people as possible,” Burgoyne said. “There are so many talented people in this area.”

Cityside also sells a variety of yarns from outside Maine, including fluffy microfibers, chenille, wool boucle, cashmere, merino wool, angora, cotton and some whimsical yarn that looks like confetti, too. And the colors are to die for, or, should I say, dye for.

One of my new favorite yarns can be found at Wal-Mart and Jo-Ann Fabrics: Lion Brand Homespun, which is a supersoft, nubbly acrylic-polyester blend. Jo-Ann has a better variety of colors – mostly heathers and variegated ombre dyes, and the price is about $5 a skein at either store. A new magazine from Better Homes and Gardens, called Knit It!, calls for Lion Brand yarns in many of its patterns.

The magazine features vibrant colors and modern patterns, many of which are easy enough for first-timers. If you’re interested, buy a copy soon, because supplies seem to be dwindling. I saw copies at Kmart and Borders in Bangor, but I’m sure they’re available elsewhere, too.

And speaking of elsewhere, there are great yarn shops outside Bangor as well. Shirley’s Yarns and Crafts in Hancock carries an excellent variety of knitting supplies, including beautiful angora, cashmere and Icelandic Lopi yarns, instruction books and needles. UniqueOne in Camden specializes in Bartlett Yarns from Harmony and Christopher Sheep Farm yarns from Bowdoinham. Stitchery Square in Camden carries a variety of hand-dyed and hand-painted yarns, locally grown and spun cashmere and alpaca yarns, and a huge selection of buttons. Bee’s on Cottage Street in Bar Harbor sells basic knitting supplies, as well as a few novelty yarns. I’m sure I left a few out, so if there are any yarn stores that I missed in eastern Maine, drop me a line and I’ll include them in a future column.

Until next time, happy shopping – and happy knitting, too!

Dear ShopGirl,

I would like to locate a pair of suede gloves, medium size, that are lined with lambswool. The last pair I had were made in Holland. The pair I bought before those, I got in Montreal about 20 years ago. These from Holland were purchased at Orvis at least 10 years ago. Orvis no longer carries them. I ordered a pair that sounded like the ones from a Vermont catalog, and they were not the same at all. If you can locate any for sale, please let me know.

Thank you,

Fran Trefts

Dear Fran,

The Grasshopper Shop and Filene’s both had some at the beginning of the season, but they’ve since sold out.

I went online and found a great pair, on sale for $24.99, at www.bluefly.com. I also found a pair of soft Italian leather gloves lined with shearling www.madova.com for $50. I hope this helps and I understand why you’ve had such a hard time tracking these down.

If there are any readers out there who know where Fran could find something with this description, please let me know at the following address.

If shopping gives you trouble, ask ShopGirl on the double! Send questions, comments or suggestions to: Kristen Andresen, Bangor Daily News, P.O. Box 1329, Bangor ME 04401 or e-mail kandresen@bangordailynews.net.