How I found Hook, Yarn and Needles in Elko NV

Apparently the stretch of Nevada that we will be driving through is .... not a particularly populous area. I checked knitmap for each of the towns that I found on the map, and not one had any listing for an LYS. I was beginning to despair. I thought maybe I could find a crafter who lived in the area, someone who would be willing to meet for coffee and a yarn swap.

So I found a group on Ravelry called Northern Nevada Knitters, and explained my plight on their forum. I was immediately directed to Hook, Yarn and Needles in Elko. They will be my first stop out of Oregon, and I can't wait!

One thing I learned from this: knitmap, while amazing and wonderful, is not all knowing. If you can, take a moment to head over there and see if you can update any info for your LYS and help some poor hapless crafter like me someday.

Once again, thanks so much to the lovely Ravelry users who have helped with suggestions!

An incredible dream!

I had a dream last night. A wonderful, wonderful dream in which my parents offered to fly out to Kentucky with the boys while Shag and I make the drive.

A few minutes ago, out of nowhere (I promise! Not even a mention of the drive or anything), my dad said "That drive would be awfully hard on the little guys. I wonder if we can work something out."

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Holy cow, would that be incredible. We could make it so much shorter. It would eliminate the need for finding playgrounds and activities along the way. I could explore the yarn shops without worrying that I was wasting time and annoying everyone.

Praying diligently that this actually happens!

Moving

I am moving across the country. Even typing those words makes my heart pound.

Together with my husband, our two very young sons and a friend of ours, I am moving from the beautiful State of Jefferson all the way to western Kentucky, which is where said husband grew up.

I love the Pacific Northwest, I've never known anything else. It kills me to admit it, but the prospects in Kentucky are just ... better for us right now. Better jobs, lower cost of living. I will miss my family like crazy, but I'm trying to look at it like this: Better jobs and lower cost of living mean not only can we visit often...

.... but I'll be able to budget more for craft supplies.

Brandon (my husband) is flying out this Saturday, to start work and start looking for a place for us. Shag (our friend and the boys' adopted uncle), the little guys and I will soon follow in Shag's car. That's right - over 2,000 miles in a car with my children who are aged 2 and almost 4.

Oh, it is going to be an epic journey.

I thought having a blog would be an ideal way to keep family and friends updated on our progress along our route. We're planning on it taking about five days, and I've started scouring the internet for tips and tricks about traveling with little ones.

So for the last couple of months, I've been learning to knit and I'm completely addicted. Wouldn't this be an incredible opportunity to visit different local yarn stores (LYSs) and learn more about what is out there and available beyond the box craft stores and the tiny selection at my LYS?

A question posted to the Yarn and Fiber forum of Ravelry produced more suggestions than I can handle, unless we take an extra week to get to our destination.... and I have a feeling five days is going to be plenty.

I've chosen at least one shop for each state we will travel through. I'm really hoping to find something locally spun or dyed in each shop, which would be another way to document the trip. And, holy smokes, a Brown Sheep Outlet Store? I admit, I altered the route and added 37 miles for that one.

If anyone has a favorite yarn shop along our route not listed on my knitmap, please do let me know so I don't miss something incredible!