First off, teaching at Gauge was so much fun! My students were lovely, and some friends dropped in to say "hello," which was so wonderful. It was also neat to see what new yarns they had picked up. ;op I picked up a few things while here.
Gauge has a lovely selection of not only workhorse yarns (Berroco, Malabrigo, etc), but also some unique brands. They are the exclusive store for an Austin local indie dyer called Little Green Finch who only does one of a kind skeins, and they're all so lovely! In addition, I'd been hearing more and more about this company called Ito, and it appears that Gauge decided to pick them up! It was my first time checking it out in person, and that was a lot of fun. :o) My haul from Gauge (left to right): gradient dye cake done in various shades of pink on a sparkly base by Little Green Finch, a BFL/silk braid by NerdGirl in neon pink and green (couldn't resist!), and a sparkly white and gold yarn by Ito (planning on using it to ply with some handspun).
While here, I did manage to stop into all three of the main LYS around here. Gauge was my main LYS while I lived here, as it was the closest one to me. However, since I've moved, another store called Me & Ewe popped up about two blocks from where I used to live! Gah! I had to stop in to see what I was missing.
Me & Ewe is adorable. So far, they seem to stock a lot of unique items. She stocks a local indie dyer called Bronotta, local organic cottons, and some other fun finds. However, she also stocks a decent amount of fabrics! I ended up coming home with a little bit of one because it was kinda perfect. :op I'd definitely say it was well worth the time to go in, and the owner is so friendly!
Last on the list is Hill Country Weavers. Hill Country is a very hot spot for knitters out here. It has a lot of really nice yarns and is set up inside of a house. Each room has different things, and it's so much fun to explore. I can't believe that I got out of there with just one thing, but I have to say, only one thing truly caught my eye. I think you will be able to tell why:
Neon pastel rainbow! 8 oz of wool/silk! The only unfortunate thing is that I don't know what kind of wool, as it just says "wool" on the label. But, honestly, I couldn't pass up that colorway. Such amazingness cannot be turned down.
I also managed to get in a lot of good food (that I consistently forgot to take pictures of, for the most part... oops), and saw a bunch of my old friends. The only sad thing is that I was hoping for some warm weather, and it looks like a cold front arrived right when I got in, and is heading out when I leave. In the meantime, it got a bit warmer in Seattle, and is cooling back off when I get back in. Of course. ;o) Ah well. Can't win them all.