Woolen Treasure

I subscribe to the DenverKnits email list and last week Donna Druchunas had advertised an event at Woolen Treasures in Loveland:

"June Hall, who is visiting from England, will be giving lectures at Woolen Treasures yarn shop in Loveland on April 21 and 22 at 6:00 PM. She's a local historian and has been studying the history of knitting in the UK as well as in Lithuania for many years. Here are some topics she'll be talking about:

1. History of hand knitting in Northern England. Knitting became an important cottage industry from around 1600 to late 1800's.


2. St. Kilda - Britain's remotest islands - the islands, the voyage and the Soay sheep, Europe's oldest breed, which have lived there for 3,500 years.


3. The Wool Clip - a cooperative of sheep farmers and wool craft workers in England's Lake District.


4. The importance of sheep in shaping England's landscape. The evolution of breeds. "

I was immediately drawn to the event given that: I'm from Northern England (not too far from the Lake District); about once a fortnight I work out of our Loveland office anyway; I hadn't yet visited Woolen Treasures on the Colorado Yarn Tour. Not to mention that I love learning about all things knitty.

So I scheduled meetings in Loveland yesterday and made the 90 mile road trip up there, all with the ulterior motive of visiting this yarn store after work ;o) And what a fabulous evening it was!

June is a warm, engaging and wonderful speaker with an amazing wealth of knowledge. She had us all fascinated for a good couple of hours. Oh and for my friends in the UK, June also is one of the major organizers of Woolfest. Go check it out and tell her Samantha sent you ;) To be honest I'm even wondering if I should try and plan my next trip home for this! Taking a day trip with my family to a woolfest in the beautiful Lake District... I'd be a very happy girl!

And Woolen Treasure is a diamond of a store. It's a home that's been converted into a yarn store and has a really welcoming and cosy feel.


She has a quite a number of unique items including some beautiful handcrafted buttons -- I thought I'd hit the jackpot when I found some that would work beautifully for Buttony. But alas my buttony needs 13 buttons and there simply weren't enough of this type in the store.


There is also a huge variety of particularly lovely yarns. One of the rooms was dedicated to sock yarn, which might explain why I came home with quite the stash of Shi Bui sock yarn.


I picked up some in a rust colourway and a green colourway. I haven't decided which I'll be using for the Colorado blanket yet. (I'm expanding the colour scheme to include some green, after seeing this picture). Either way I think they are both winners.

Loveland, Colorado, is also home of Interweave Press. It's literally just down the street from this store. I took a little wander over there and shot a few snaps.

I feel that there could be more detours on the way home from my future Loveland trips!