The Yarn Shoppe

I was in Carbondale doing research and reliving my glory days, and made a date to meet up with some friends in Mt. Vernon for dinner on the very night that The Yarn Shoppe is open a little later. Although I did fill my checked baggage with all kinds of SIU souvenirs, yarn tends to be my typical go-​to, so I thought it would be nice to stop and check out a LYS in SoIL.
Driving to Herrin from C’dale, I was thinking how knitters wanting to select yarn in person would basically have Walmart, Hobby Lobby, and Michael’s as their choices (or face a long drive to STL!), and it hit me then how really special it was that this store was around. For me, seeing yarns in person, feeling their texture, and looking at the color blend (and not being biased by my monitor’s calibration) is so important, and I know I’m not the only knitter to feel that way.
Excited to see how they fill the needs of local knitters, I entered and was very impressed by the arrangement, selection, and the friendly folks working at the store and knitting around their work table.
After wandering around and fondling the yarn for a while, I decided that the best possible yarn souvenir of a trip to Saluki Country would be something maroon-​colored. I ended up picking a Louisa Harding DK in just about a perfect SIU maroon. It turned out the price was a little cheaper than some of my go-​to online sources, and since I was buying enough to make a top, those savings really add up!
How amazing is that?! A great, inspirational selection, and pricing to remind you why buying local wins over buying online any day!
It took me seven years to get back to SoIL after leaving it. I’m not sure when I’ll ever be back again… but I sure hope that I can visit the Yarn Shoppe the next time I’m there!

This is a lovely store with a very nice selection of yarns! Be sure to stop in if you’re in the area!

I visit Illinois every year and try to stop into this yarn store every time. It’s smaller than many I’ve been to, but has that intimate, friendly atmosphere I personally enjoy. Its selection contains lots of mid-​range brands that are perfect for big projects without having to sell your firstborn. The owners are lovely to talk yarn with. While not all encompassing, I love the selection and prices.
They are a cash/​check only store, so don’t expect to use a debit/​credit card. I made that mistake the first time. Stop in, take you needles, and knit a while.