Yarn Store Focus: Apple Yarns, Bellingham.

October 10, 2024

Keeley Richardson

Founder and Chief Fiber Officer

For our October Yarn Store Focus, we head to Bellingham to meet Andrea and Andrew of Apple Yarns. Their store is bursting with beautiful color from both their own hand dyes in a fabulous range of bases, and many other fiber favorites. They are also great supporters of the wonderful charity, Knitted Knockers, which you will be able to read more about on The Woolpack next week. In the meantime, a visit to Apple Yarns is highly recommended!

Please introduce yourself and let us know who we can expect to meet when we visit your store.

Andrea and Andrew Evans, and we own Apple Yarns. With our team of 5 we are the best we have ever been; Jessica, Christiane, Deb, Eliana and Francine inspire and educate in-store and online.

Where can we find you and how long have you been there? We are a brick-and-mortar and online yarn shop in Bellingham, WA – 1405 Fraser St F103, Bellingham, WA 98229. Our location is easy to get to and has lots of free parking; just look for the trees wearing crochet sweaters.

What will we find when we visit your store?

A little bit of everything. One of the greatest compliments we’ve ever received is, “you carry something in every price point.” We focus on knitting and crochet -basics and hand-dyed yarns. We have many locally-made items: project bags, candles and notions. We carry the favorite yarns for Knittedknockers.org.

What are your favorite yarns/fibers?

I don’t have a favorite; it is all about choosing the right yarn for the project but Iam a huge wool fan. McIntosh by Apple Fiber Studio and Rios by Malabrigo are team favorites and best-sellers.

What’s on your needles right now?

I have a Lopi Sweater that I would love to be able to knit on, all I need is more time. Right now, it is all about knitting samples for the shop. I’m knitting Fair Isle hats and cowls from PacificKnit Co and Nancy Bates, Fair Isle.

What notions can’t you live without?

They’re not notions, but I love MSM Cream for my hand health, and Conditioning Wash for blocking; I love to finish a project with blocking.

What’s your advice for a new yarn enthusiast?

Perseverance is your friend, and new skills take time; it’s not a race. It is easier to knit in wool and light colors. Shop local that is where you will find the most help and a community to support and inspire.

What’s coming up in the future at your store?

Right now we have new Fall yarns coming in. Apple Fiber Studio has new colors, and we’re introducing a new sportweight yarn, Crispin. Our fall and winter scents of hand-poured candles arrive soon.

What are your recommendations for additional places to visit in your area?

– For a good soup and salad, we always suggest Avenue Bread.
– Within a mile of Apple Yarns is the prettiest waterfall and walking trails, Whatcom Falls Park.
– Bellingham has a great collection of breweries, it’s hard to choose just one.
– Northwest Yarns and Spincycle are great destinations too.

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