How To Crawl
An annual Portland experience, the Rose City Yarn Crawl is a four-day event for fiber enthusiasts (knitters, crocheters, spinners, and felters) to explore the many local yarn shops in and around Portland. 2024 will mark our 15th year of celebrating Portland as a yarn and fiber destination!
Join us for a chance to win prize baskets, collect special patterns, and explore all the participating shops. Be sure to also subscribe to our Facebook Page, Twitter Feed, Instagram Feed, and Ravelry Group for updates, alerts, and fun.
RCYC 101
Who?
Participation is open to anyone and everyone who is interested in learning more about the Portland-area fiber arts community and local yarn shops. To join in the discussion with other crawlers online, take a peek at our social media platforms.
Local brick and mortar yarn shops in the Portland area who meet a few basic criteria can choose to apply to and collaborate in planning and running the Crawl each year. If you own a local yarn store in the Portland area, please view our membership criteria and contact us at info@rosecityyarncrawl.com to learn more about our application process for next year!
What?
"Yarn Crawl: To tour/visit/salivate over a city's local yarn shops for extreme fiber enthusiasts.” – Urban Dictionary.
A Yarn Crawl is an organized event focused on exploring the yarn shops of an area over a specific time period. Normally organized by a group of knitters, such as a guild or club, the Rose City Yarn Crawl is special because it has been developed through collaboration by participating shops with years of feedback from customers for the ultimate experience.
Where?
The Greater Portland, Oregon, Metropolitan Area. See our shops list for all the local yarn shops participating in this years great event.
When?
Please join us from Thursday, March 7 - Sunday, March 10, 2024. All participating shops will be open between at least the hours of 10am - 6pm Thursday - Saturday and 12 - 5pm on Sunday. Some may be open earlier or later, as well! Check each shop’s page for their crawl hours.
Why?
First and foremost to celebrate our love of fiber arts with like-minded friends and neighbors. Also, to support independent local yarn shops! And, of course, for the chance to collect featured patterns, buy limited edition yarns, attend special events, and win amazing prizes! The more shops you visit, the more chances to win. Visit all shops for a chance to win one of our Grand Prize baskets. In so many ways, the annual Rose City Yarn Crawl offers participants, shops, and sponsors the opportunity to interact and form closer relationships.
How?
Participating in the Rose City Yarn Crawl is easy:
Follow us on social media to stay up-to-date on pre-Crawl mystery-alongs, swag sales, and other special offers.
View participating shops, browse the events, and explore our map to create your own set of custom driving directions.
Fill out and print a passport and read about entering to win one of our many prizes.
Visit shops during the Crawl! Sign in and have your passport stamped at each shop for a chance to win prizes. Collect each shop's special featured pattern(s) free with purchase at that shop.
Have fun!
Tips for Happy Crawling
The Rose City Yarn Crawl is a very busy and exciting few days! To keep things flowing as smoothly as possible, some things you're used to will work differently at our participating shops during the crawl. Thank you for understanding!
Many shops are closed or close early on the Wednesday before the crawl to set up. During the event, many shops have extended hours. Check the shop pages to confirm special crawl hours.
As eager as all the shops are to help everyone who walks through their doors, several thousand guests during just four days mean wait times and lines will be much longer than usual. Imagine a huge birthday party at which you have a fantastic time but may not get to spend as much time as usual with the birthday girl.
If you need help with a project, consider waiting until after the crawl. Staff members will be doing their very best to help as many people as possible and may not have time to sit down extensively with one person.
Occasionally, some shops may need to temporarily restrict occupancy to adhere to fire safety regulations. Better safe than sorry! Come prepared to possibly wait outside untill there is enough room in the shop.
If you'd like to try to avoid crowds, evenings and Sundays are usually less busy than other days and times during the crawl. However, they're still likely to be much busier than an average day at your LYS.
Due to space and time constraints, shops cannot wind yarn during the crawl. This enables staff members to help more people more quickly, allows some shops to set up extra registers to reduce lines, and avoids many-hours-long waits for winding, lost bags, and chaos.
Similarly, some shops will be unable to print Ravelry in-store pattern purchases during the crawl.
Shops may rearrange to better accommodate large crowds during the crawl. Tables, chairs, sofas, and other resting spots you're used to may be unavailable during the crawl.
Get your free patterns and give to charity
With each purchase made at a shop, you will receive a Ravelry download code to receive that shops pattern for free! How can it get better? Purchase a kit for that pattern and 10% of its sale will be donated to charity.
Shops selected 2024 Charities
Close Knit ~ Raphael House of Portland
Fiber Rhythm ~ Oregon Food Bank
For Yarn’s Sake ~ Michael’s Place
Knotty Lamb ~ OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital
Northwest Wools ~ Sarah Bellum's Bakery & Workshop
Ritual Dyes ~ Native American Rehabilitation Association
Starlight Knitting Society ~ Path Home
Weird Sisters ~ Growing Gardens
Support Small Businesses
By participating in the 2024 Rose City Yarn Crawl, not only are you helping to support the 8 participating Local Yarn Shops, you are also helping to support our employees, vendors and their employees. All being small businesses, and all extremely grateful for your support during the year.