The LA County Yarn Crawl weaves together a vibrant community of shops and knitters

Following a single strand of zig-zagging yarn from one shop to the next shop to the next shop?

That's not how knitters find their way to some of the best yarn stores in Southern California; rather, a map is used or perhaps a friend who is also yarn-obsessed will give helpful directions from the passenger seat.

But visualizing a mystical strand of unseen yarn weaving through LA as it connects the stores where skeins of colorful wool line the shelves and knitters gather, feels just about right.

After all, yarn lovers are a "tight-knit" community, with yarn shops often serving as the social center of the knitting scene.

Those special stores — a dozen of them — will play central roles in the 2024 Los Angeles County Yarn Crawl, a three-day celebration of the places that sell yarn and knitting accessories as well as the loyal fans who frequent them.

You might even call these special stores the very fiber of the festivity.

But, of course, any knitter knows that it isn't simply about the yarn you can buy at a particular spot; the community found at the shop is key, as is the cheerful chance to share patterns, tips, knowledge, and stories.

The upcoming crawl will unspool, like a fibrous strand unwinding from a spindle, from May 17 through 19.

Every store will offer "prizes and drawings" as well as other delights. There's a passport, too, if you plan on calling upon every store on the list, or most of them; a yarn lover who visits all 12 stores could win $300 Yarn Bucks if their name is selected in the drawing.

You'll enjoy 10% off featured yarns, complimentary patterns, and the opportunity to buy this year's tote bag, a bright satchel boasting flowers, a cute elf, and the names of the participating shops.

L'Atelier in Redondo Beach, Phebie's NeedleArt in Claremont, and The Altered Stitch in Valley Village are all participating in 2024; check out the full and fabulous list and plot out your route.

Will you swing by the shop you dearly love and give support the owner who has been there for you, time and again? The patient expert you turned to with questions, thoughts, and guidance?

Or will you try out a few new-to-you places, which may have just the crochet hooks or blocking mat you've been searching for?

Wherever you go during the crawl, you might keep that magical strand of yarn in mind, the one that ethereally interlaces all of our local yarn shops, and tightknit yarn communities, around Southern California.