Mind’s Eye Yarns

I recently learned how to knit and, after finishing my first project, went to another knitting supply shop and experienced a serious lack of customer service. I was disappointed but not deterred from finding what I was looking for in a shop. I was in the neighborhood and decided to stop in Mind’s Eye and I am so happy that I did. Sharon Lynn was incredibly helpful and friendly. I will definitely be going back!

This is one of my new regular LYS. My boyfriend is an avid crocheter and I’m avidly knitting/​crocheting and we always find something here.
This is basically a yarn store in a small house. The rooms are categorized by yarn weight/​type. The middle room has mostly lace/​sock/​fingering yarn with a wall of worsted on the right hand side. The front room has mostly worsted yarn. The back room carries heavy worsted/​bulky/​super bulky yarn. The yarn winder is in the back room. There is no room here to sit and knit/​crochet that I know of.
One of my favorite things about this store is they have a good wall of classic yarn. Barlettyarn is a yarn company from the middle of nowhere Maine (literally central Maine, a small town called Harmony, Maine) and they have been spinning the same kind of yarn since the 1800s. I was able to get three skeins of their «Dark Sheep Grey» here. I haven’t seen this brand sold in any other LYS in Massachusetts or Philadelphia, and I love it! I currently have it on my lap and I’m knitting a Victorian inspired shawl.
The yarn was about $ 1 above retail but I don’t mind supporting this local business. Cambridge is super expensive, so I’m sure the prices are a little on the higher side because of this.
If I had one suggestion, it would be to make the store a little more crochet friendly. They have a sparse collection of crochet hooks/​notions and sometimes are out of stock on any crochet hooks, so my boyfriend has to go across the street to Michaels when he’d prefer a nice wood hook.

Wonderful little yarn shop with a great variety of yarn and friendly and helpful staff. I can tell that they care very much about the craft of knitting and the people who do it. I am a novice knitter and the staff had a lot of helpful suggestions and were very accommodating to all of my questions, especially Annie. She took the time to help me pair a pattern, yarn and needles for the project I had in mind, which saved me a lot of time, effort and confusion. Thank you, Annie!
The store is in a cute little house in a convenient location. In addition to yarn, it also carries knitting accessories and pattern books. Some of the yarn is on the expensive side, however, the prices reflect the quality, and I was still able to find a lovely yarn in the ~$ 10 range.

This is a great store. The evening classes are extremely helpful and a pleasure to attend. I’ve recently taken up knitting. The classes, the positive energy and constant support have been invaluable. I would have given up knitting were it not for the incredible patience and help of Sharon Lynn, the knitting whiz who owns the store. (Yay! I think I’m over the give-​it-​all-​up –klutz hump!) Annie, who works on the week ends, is great, too. She’s helped multiple times when I’ve been stumped. There’s an extensive, really yummy selection of yarns and supplies.

As one reviewer put it, they have a nice selection of yarn. But they sure have a lot to learn about customer service. Honestly, I don’t think I’ve ever encountered such rudeness. I was the only one in the shop, so I expected more civility. And while I go great lengths to patronize local business, I won’t go in there again. And that’s too bad because there aren’t many yarn shops in the area.

Nice selection of yarn, but the folks who work at this shop have a strange relationship to customer service. My wife and I were in today to buy some knitting needles and yarn. The yarn we selected was wonderful, but they did not carry the needles we were looking for. Okay, no big deal. But then the owner and her employee get weird and make several random rude comments. I don’t understand the logic of small business owners who go out of their way to alienate would– be regular customers.
Stars are for quality of stock only.

Wonderful shop in every way, great yarn, nice people, helpful owner, and plenty of models to try on. The yarn is top quality and the normal retail price. The owner took the time to show 5 people Ravelry and how to connect with other knitters and to pull up patterns in The time I was looking. I highly recommend stopping bye and starting a new project. Remember with out business these great small shops can’t stay in business, so pls go out and buy a sweaters worth of yarn and knit away!
Note that it’s just across from the T so very easy access.

I went and visited today, and it is a very cute little shop! They don’t have a large selection, but the yarns that they do have are lovely and aren’t overpriced at all, especially for a LYS. I used to live a 10 minute walk to Webs, and now that I’m living in Somerville I am very eager to find a new yarn shop. Mind’s Eye Yarns fits the bill! Especially since most of the yarns I saw there were new to me and not available at Webs.
While I was there I saw the woman working there helping another customer with a tricky pattern. She was lovely, patient, and very kind. She was also sure to ask every customer in there if they needed help finding anything.
I gave this shop 4 stars because while they do have a lovely selection and seem very customer friendly, the shop is very very small and doesn’t have a whole lot of yarn. Also the shop smelled fairly strongly of soap — which is worth noting if you are sensitive to smells.

Since the new ownership has taken over the yarn selection has improved but the customer service went way down hill. I went in to the shop in October 2013 and tried to use a gift certificate that was purchased in December 2012. Because the new owner did not purchase the value of the gift certificates from the old owner she told me that she could not honor the gift certificate. I was surprised but that’s within her right. She offered me a 10% discount which would’ve been about $ 3.
I was trying to make up my mind about my purchase when the owner told me that she didn’t have to offer me any discount and she was just being nice. Again she was right but it seemed a bit odd. Then she said that she wasn’t sorry because this wasn’t her fault. I was shocked. I had not asked for an apology. I had barely said anything.
The owner was very rude and does not seem suited for customer service. She could’ve said «I’m sorry this happened» or said nothing at all. She also could’ve recognized that this wasn’t my fault either. Instead she alienated me. I chose not to make a purchase that day and I won’t be shopping there again. I like to support local yarn shops but Mind’s Eye Yarn won’t be one of them anymore.

I was a quasi loyal customer of Mind’s Eye when it was owned by Lucy. At the time, it had a small but high end selection of jewel toned yarns. Lucy really pushed you to buy things, but she took a real pride in her store and it showed through in the careful selection of goods she offered.
Under the new ownership, the selection has changed drastically to a set of yarns I’m not as familiar with. I would look forward to exploring the new selection, but the new owner has put in a display of strongly scented soaps. When I say strongly scented, I mean the store is noxious. I don’t view myself as someone who is sensitive to smells, but the store reeks more than a Yankee Candle shop. I can count on having a headache within 5 minutes of entering.
I mentioned the smell of the soaps was bothering me to the new owner on more than one occasion, who showed zero sympathy or apology. My friends have left this store because do the smell as well. My question to the new owner — is this a yarn store or a soap store? Are you willing to sell significantly less yarn because your soap drives yarn customers away?
In short — if artificial smells bother you at all, stay away!
A simple fix would involve wrapping the scented soaps in plastic.

Mind’s Eye Yarns has changed ownership and is much nicer than it used to be! The new owner is very friendly. She showed me where the roving lived (in the back of the store), but didn’t hover as I debated my purchase. She also has her dog in the store, who appreciated a few pats as I browsed. The only downside to the roving selection is that it was only in super large quantities. Oh well… more things to craft!

Like yarn shops in general. This one is small and cute and carries lots of wools. Most particularly this shop is great because they offer private lessons (knitting & crochet). If I remember correctly it was $ 12 for 45 mins. What does one want more ! When I was here a lady came in and got help on a knitting project, so hand-​on and instructions to your own project. So nice !

Honestly I have to say I was not impressed with this store. First off, customer service to me is HUGE and I felt this was significantly lacking here from the owner. The prices are also a bit steep– not only is the yarn overpriced, but SIX DOLLARS for a copy of a pattern?! give me a break. I will be going elsewhere for yarn and everything knitting related.

I love yarn, and I love spinning fiber. And I love Mind’s Eye Yarns. The shop owner, Lucy, is wonderful — she will help you if you want, and she’ll also give you plenty of time to contemplate the gorgeous array of yarns and fibers she carries (I usually like to shop without help, but when I have a question, Lucy is always friendly and helpful).
The yarns and fibers she carries are in a huge range. The shop seems small, but there’s plenty of yarn around — whether it’s the big names like Cascade, Malabrigo and Regia to smaller names like the Juniper Moon Farm line of yarns, to the shop’s own hand-​dyed yarn (which I just finished making a pair of socks from, and I love the colors). There’s even a sock club!
For those who say the selection is limited — I think they’re just looking at the size of the shop — there are plenty of bookcases in both rooms full of yarn!
There is yarn for everyone — wool, cotton, acrylic, alpaca, blends! There’s also plenty of fiber — at least wool, silk and blends, though I haven’t checked out the shop extensively.
I bought my spinning wheel from Mind’s Eye Yarns (an Ashford Joy). Lucy was extremely helpful in special ordering some very bright colors for a sweater for my niece in Cascade 220 superwash.
I literally cannot write enough good things about Mind’s Eye Yarns. And it’s super-​convenient to the T… although I usually drive, and I usually find a place to park, so it’s not car un-​friendly either.

This is such a beautiful place! Annie was in and answered all of my and my friend’s questions very thoroughly and patiently. She is an amazing knitter and watching her work was a real treat.
After going to Gather Here, which I also really like, and not finding almost any non-​animal yarns I was beginning to think specialty stores would not have this option for those of use who don’t want to use animal fibers. But, Mind’s Eye has a very nice selection of cottons and acrylics!
Also, they offer one-​on-​one classes for super cheap and you get to set your own schedule with them! Unlike Gather Here where classes are really expensive ($ 45++) and are set dates with more than 6 people — though that still makes for a intimate space.

3 Stars for selection/​variety.
(They have some nice stuff, but this location can only fit so much. Not much selection for hooks/​needles either and was out of the size I wanted.) I’d call ahead if you’re looking for something specific.
5 Stars for service.
I’m a total crochet newb and the owner showed me how to get started on a project which was very nice!
You can park on the street or in the porter square shopping parking lot.

I learned to knit with lessons at Mind’s Eye and I feel like I can never say enough about what an amazing teacher and person the owner, Lucy, is. She adapts her lessons to your learning style and goals and I feel like I can make anything I want now! — Oh, and if I mess up — she can help me get out of a jam, too. I call her the Knitting Ninja as she whips those needles back and forth and then hands me back my fixed work and patiently explains the issue (s).
I’ve called the shop in a panic before too and Annie, who works in the shop, had me email her the pattern and then she gave me phone support as I figured things out. Annie is SUPER!
I love the yarn and accessories at the store as well. I’m a real snob about these things and Lucy carries a wonderful assortment of inspiring yarns.

My friend of refined fiber tastes requested a hat made of natural fibers (acrylic yarn makes her eye twitch) but NOT WOOL because wool is itchy and cotton yarn is not soft enough. This was a puzzle. I had passed by the shop many times and decided to pop in to find a darn skein of appropriate yarn.
It was a quiet evening and I had no trouble getting help with my plight. A staff member offered several suggestions and I found what I needed.
Go for the service, but the selection is limited and the prices are steep. But then again, where else are you going to find quality yarn around here?

This place is awesome. Acutally, I should say LUCY is awsome. I came in today with a pattern I saw on her website. She pulled out the finished product for me to try on and check out. Unfortunately, it was made out of cashmere, which is a little too spendy for me. Lucy helped me find a super soft silk blend for about half the cost. I also asked for some advice about another project and she was super helpful. Then we talked about our dogs for a while too!
I will say that she might be a little more expensive than other stores, but she A. has a more convenient location B. will help with any problem C. is super knowledgeable
Try and get all that at Michaels bitches!

So I bought some eco wool and noticed when I got home that I was charged significantly higher than MSRP. Over 40% OVER MSRP. Since I purchased other Cascade yarn there (higher quality yarn) at what I would call regular, average price, I thought this surely must be a mistake. I like Lucy and her store, so if it was a typo I wanted her to know about it.
When I called I was surprised to find out that this is the price she charges for this yarn and «has charged it for years.» I didn’t call with a bone to pick or any desire to return the yarn, just to confirm and inform if this price was wrong. Lucy mentioned something about a «roof over her head», which I completely understand. No one is saying don’t make a profit. However, I paid an exorbitant six dollars over the retail price for one hank of yarn. A whopping 40% OVER RETAIL. And that is not cool. Sorry, it’s not.
And about those needles, as another Unilocaler mentioned. I, too, needed longer needles and the brand Lucy supplies only has short ones. WTH? I’m sorry I didn’t hold them before I got them, too. They have a cheaper, varnishy shine to them that makes them feel like plastic (hate em!). I love Takumi and Clover. These feel less natural to me – and I won’t use them.
Other prices seemed fair and reasonable. But I have to Unilocal when I am paying 40% over retail.

Reading all the positive reviews on here makes me wonder if I a missing something. But I think the reviews are more illustrative of a dearth of LYSs in the Boston area. The woman working there when I visited was indeed nice and I saw her teaching someone to bind off, but that is not enough to merit a rave review for this place.
First, the selection is small because the place is small. Cascade and Noro, but few other standards. No Malabrigo, no debbie bliss, no rowan, etc. At least they have a list available on their website so you can figure out before you go whether they’ll have what they are looking for. There are many small yarn stores in NYC where real estate is also expensive, but those still tend to have a better selection.
Second, the prices are on the high end. Most yarn appeared to be a full dollar or two more expensive than other yarn shops. A well priced yarn shop doesn’t have Cascade 220 over $ 7.
Third, it is a small store so there isn’t a good spot to sit and work on a project. Remember I said the person working there was teaching someone how to bind off? Well she was doing this in the middle of the room, no table, people trying to get around to look at stuff and to get out the door.
Fourth, this is a minor point but I like places that will wind your yarn for you. At least there was a ball winder for use I guess. Of course, when winding yarn there you are in the way of anyone trying to reach the register or the pattern books. They also using a cheap metal swift even though there are pretty wooden ones located around the store.
The good things about this place were the friendly staff and the range of needles and other notions. If you like spinning, they had some supplies there. They also had a small basket of sale yarns. Very little was on sale though and the sale was small. I find that my favorite yarn stores tend to have good sales. All in all, there is not much calling me back there. I go to Boston periodically, but will not likely make the effort to return here when I am in town (saying a lot for me because visiting yarn stores is my top tourist activity).

Lucy is friendly and warm, and knows when you want to chat and when you want to be left alone to fondle fibers. This is key in a good yarn store employee/​owner, and there aren’t enough people who fit this bill in the Boston area (let alone larger world). Her newsletter is also informative and personal, so don’t be afraid to get on the mailing list.
The selection isn’t huge, but you can tell that it has been chosen with care, and I prefer quality and intention over quantity anyway. Mind’s Eye sells both yarns and roving, for those interested in making their own yarn. Her fiber selections in roving are diverse. The hand-​dyes and local yarns make me happy, as well. It’s always nice to have some one-​of-​a-​kind selections at a yarn store.