It’s Time to Tour 2024!
Keeley Richardson
Founder and Chief Fiber Officer
Are you Yarn Tour Ready? Mark Your Calendars for the Puget Sound LYS Tour 2024!
It’s one of the most exciting yarny annual events in the Pacific Northwest and with just one week to go, it’s time to start planning your Puget Sound LYS Tour 2024!
So first, a little history; the original yarn tour took place in 2006 when twelve Puget Sound yarn stores decided to collaborate to celebrate the area’s vibrant yarn scene. The aim of the tour was to help the stores’ customers learn, grow, and love the wonderful crafts that we cherish in our fiber community. In the first year the event took place across three days from Friday to Saturday on the first weekend after Mother’s Day. Since then, the yarn tour has gone from strength to strength and this year twenty one shops will take part across all corners of the Puget Sound. The tour will run from Wednesday May 15th to Sunday May 19th – that’s five days full of yarn joy!
Throughout the five days you will find extended store openings, prize drawings, free knitting and crochet patterns designed specifically for the tour, and above all, a great sense of community.
Whether you plan to visit just a couple or all the stores, you will find a warm welcome wherever you visit.
“Grab your favorite knitting buddy and visit the knitting shops together. Make it an adventure, grab a coffee, hit some more shops…have lunch…hit some more…”
Gail W.
This is a super busy time for the LYS Tour organizers, so we were delighted and thankful when Janet from Acorn Street Yarn Store, this year’s LYS Tour President, agreed to a quick Q&A:
What is the best advice you could give to someone doing the tour for the first time?
Study the map of all the shops that are on The Tour and plan your routes ahead of time. Carpool with friends to share the driving and the companionship as you make your way to each of the shops.
What’s new in 2024?
The Tour welcomes two “new to The Tour” shops, Hazel Knits and La Mercerie! We were thrilled when these shops joined The Tour, they are a wonderful addition.
What are the highlights of the tour for you?
It’s like a big party to me! This love of fiber we all share is simply fun and I enjoy seeing the excitement in each participant as they visit shops. It’s contagious in the best way ever!
There’s a lot of ground to cover, whether you’re planning to get to some or all of the participating stores, so here are a few top tips to help you make the most of the five days:
How to Tour
- Prep ahead of time by checking out all of the info at lystour.com
- Be sure to print out your passport or pick one up ahead of time at your LYS.
- Familiarize yourself with the stores taking part (the website has links to all stores).
- Check out the free patterns (this may help with decisions on which stores to visit)
- Take a look at the map and plan your route. Your journey may involve ferry times, so be sure to check the schedule on WSDOT.com
“I like to start out the LYS Tour early on the first day and head north to Bellingham with my yarn besties.
Pack snacks, water and bring your secret stash! Buy what you love and remember to laugh along the way”.
Stephanie F.
When you step inside the store:
- Get your passport stamped. Proof of visit will ensure your entry into the grand prize drawings if you visit enough stores.
- Enter the store’s prize drawing – lots of fabulous prizes to be won every day!
- Pick up your free pattern code. Each store will be giving away free knitting and crochet patterns to download from Ravelry.com.
- If you love the pattern, pick up the yarn used by the designer with a 10% discount.
- If you visit 10, 15 or 21 of the stores, be sure to let the staff know so that they can enter you into the grand prize draw.
- Don’t forget to get your tour merch! This year’s totes are the cutest yet.
- Meet other yarn enthusiasts and swap your tour stories and advice – Fun!
Without a doubt, the most important piece of advice is – ENJOY! We have such a wonderful yarn community and this is the perfect way to celebrate it. Happy touring!
