Yarn Day Trip – Port Gamble
Caitlyn Wilson
Woolpack Contributor
Summer is here and the travel days are amazing! The last weekend in June, our group set out to drive down over the Tacoma Narrows bridge and up the length of the Kitsap Peninsula, to visit charming Port Gamble!
This store feels like a fairy tale cottage. The moment you walk in, you’re greeted by the store’s resident whippets, three delightful dogs who are so excited to see visitors! The owner, Heidi, is kind and welcoming, and was happy to answer all our questions. She hand-dyes most of the items in the shop, and everything is displayed beautifully along the walls. I loved the way she decorated the space, showcasing the yarn while still managing to make the shop feel homey. I found a gorgeous blend of alpaca, silk, and linen, and I can’t wait to knit it up into the perfect summer top.
After our visit there, we went for lunch at Butcher & Baker Provisions. This place came highly recommended by several people. After eating there, I can recommend it too! The salads were fresh and delicious, and the baked goods were perfection. I had a guava raspberry cheesecake that I’m still thinking about a week later!
We loaded back up in the van after lunch and headed down the road to Kingston to catch the ferry back to the mainland. This ferry run lands in Edmonds, and as luck has it, there’s a yarn store right next to the ferry terminal!
Stranded by the Sea is a great space with tons of yarn. I love the layout, with yarn arranged by weight but also by fiber! They had a whole aisle full of cotton and cotton blends, which I’m always on the hunt for. In addition to yarn, they also carry wool roving, spinning and weaving tools, and accessories for a more varied fiber experience. I loved the atmosphere in this store; it feels like you don’t feel like you have to rush through your experience. The floor space is large enough to accommodate several people. We had so much fun chatting to them and sharing project ideas!
Our drive home was full of fun, everyone sharing which yarns they’d got and their thoughts from the day. It was the perfect amount of time to be out shopping, and with the long summer days, we all had enough more daylight to spend the afternoon and evening hours knitting.
Check in next month when we visit Olympia!
