Where to Buy Quality Yarn Online You’ll Love

Where does one find quality yarn online? Before I dive into it, let’s chat a little about yarn. Because it’s it is a bit of a joke in the yarn craft world that all knitters/crocheters have a yarn stash. And that stash is quite extensive. As in, it takes up an entire room. And I honestly say that owning a lot of yarn is something of a vice for those of us who are seriously into the knit/crochet community. I am guilty of housing more yarn than a I need, for unspecified projects. Why? Because the yarn is pretty. Because it’s squishy. Because I love it. Because it’s a problem we yarn crafters have.

Generally speaking, I buy my yarn at two locations: Michaels and small locally owned yarn shops. Which are not easy to find! There are some in Toronto, but none in my more immediate area, so getting to one of these shops is always a trip that involves my husband driving me because I don’t drive on the 400 series highways. The idea of it makes me anxious. Actually, I’m anxious as a passenger sometimes, certain that I will die on the highway because of idiot drivers who cut you off, but I am digressing here.

As you can imagine, during Covid, it’s been a little harder to get my hands on yarn. Especially since the second wave as my area has been in lockdown/stay at home order for six months. Six months! In March, they briefly opened the stores so I actually got into Michaels, but in April they shut everything down as the Brazilian variant was running wild and younger and younger patients ended up in the ICU. This was all right around the time we started hearing about how the pandemic had gotten out of control in India. The vaccines haven’t been rolling out as quickly in Canada as they have in other parts of the world, so the provincial government sent us all back into a stay at home order. Fun. So shopping for yarn has proved difficult.

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Most of the fun of shopping for yarn is seeing it with you own eyes, being able to touch the yarn and browse the sections available. It’s a feast for the eyes in my opinion and shopping for it online isn’t always as much fun, nor is it as easy. Yarn is tactile, so sometimes simply knowing the finer content isn’t the same as feeling it with your hands. But, I’ve done some shopping around and have settled on some places to shop for yarn online that I think are pretty darn good.

Michaels, Perfect for Your Every Day Yarn

If you are really attached to the brands or price points available at Michaels, luckily you can always shop online. They offer curb side up, and even delivery though the cost was outrageous in my opinion, so I stuck to curtsied. One of the brands Michaels carries that I just love are the Caron Cakes from Yarnspirations. You get incredible yardage and amazing colours (I love bright, bold colours) and you also get a good quality yarn. Perfect for blankets and scarves. I also like a lot of yarns from Michaels own line, Loops and Threads and you can get some quality Lion Brand yarn from Michaels as well. So this is an easy and quick option if you need to shop online.

LoveCrafts, Quality Yarn for Everyone

I learned about LoveCrafts years ago, and was mesmerized by the selection they have to have. You can get everything from high end merino wool yarns to more every day acrylic yarns. Price points hugely vary, and there is something for everyone. Lately however, my own experience has been that they are low on stock and every shade of any yarn I want is out of stock. This is especially true if I am looking for a specific fibre like merino wool. The site is also a US one, so be aware that shipping takes a couple of weeks. But many other crafters I’ve chatted with have said they haven’t experienced this lack of availability, so maybe I’m just super picky in the yarn I am wanting for my projects.

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For Quality Yarn Online Try Knit Picks

I recently stumbled upon a site called Knit Picks and I really wonder why I’m only just learning about it. They have everything a knitter/crocheter could want, including really affordable quality yarn. I just bought thirteen balls of yarn for a big sweater project and it only cost me eighty dollars Canadian with shipping. That’s such a good deal! Being such as good deal, it was easy to make this purchase. So if you are like me and having been living a rock, check out this site. I am guessing shipping will take a couple of weeks as it’s coming from the US but that is okay! I guess…

Yarn Canada, A Canadian Option for Quality Yarn

Similar to Love Crafts, Yarn Canada has a large selection of yarn and there is something for everyone, for every type of project. Prices are the same as Love Crafts as well, but if you prefer supporting a Canadian company, this is one option. I’ve actually never bought from here because I’m not a fan of navigating the site, though when I was last on it was better so likely in the future I will be shopping from this retailer.

Etsy, the Choicest Quality Yarn Online

I found some amazing yarn on Etsy. Like, drool worthy. I didn’t buy it because I am trying to be a good girl, but this is another way to support local businesses if you can’t get into shops during the pandemic. The yarn is often dyed and/or spun by the sellers, and is very different than the yarn you’d find in bigger online retailers. I fell in love with the colours of one dyer and ordered from her several times. Buying on Etsy is always a more personal experience as sellers usually go out of their way to reply to questions or concerns and some even reach out to you with shipping times and other info you might need. I find Etsy sellers are very quick to ship out, and if you are buying from a local (your country) seller, then usually delivery doesn’t take more than a week, but can take longer depending on how that seller ships and buying on Etsy is super easy.

Hippy Strings, A Hidden Quality Yarn Online Shop

I only recently found this site, and I am in love. I love Hippy Strings. I love that it is Canadian, I love that it’s a small business, I love that it’s a mother/daughter team, I love that they sell quality yarn and that a lot of it is from Canadian yarn brands like Sweet Georgia. They also carry some international brands, and the site is easy to navigate. I wish their store was local! The selection offers higher end quality yarn and more affordable natural fibre yarn as well. You’ll not be disappointed. I’ve yet to purchase from this site (let’s face it, if I bought from every amazing online yarn retailer, I’d be seriously broke), but it’s one I’ve got book marked for the future.

Final Thoughts

I’m sure I could find more sites I could share (and in fact have) but I didn’t want to share every online retailer out there, just ones I have used or would use in the future. I love shopping for yarn and wish I had more hours in the day to crochet so that I could use up every ball of yarn I own. I hope you enjoyed the post and that you’ll try your hand at crocheting soon!

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