The annual shop hop begins tomorrow (Saturday 25 September) and runs through the weekend, the week, and next weekend ending on Sunday 3 October. As always, there are fabulous prizes donated by the participating shops. The drawings for those prizes are open to all shoppers, even those who don't make it to all ten shops. There is also a grand prize of $1000 in gift certificates (a $100 gift certificate to each of the ten shops) for one lucky yarn connoisseur who visits all ten shops. The shops are:
Cast-On Cottage and Needlepoint Garden (in a new location)
Knitch (in a new location since last year)
Main Street Yarns and Fibers
Needle Nook
Only Ewe and Cotton Too
Rare Purls Yarn Boutique and Knitterie (a new participant)
Sheepish
Strings and Strands
The Whole Nine Yarns (in a new location)
Yarn Garden
Remember you'll need to spend $1 to buy a passport (this covers the cost of printing) and then spend $10 in each shop in order to get your passport stamped. If you have your yellow 2009-2010 AKG Membership Directory, you can pack it in your car in case you need the phone numbers for the participating shops. (Remember the addresses are correct for seven of them, but outdated for Cast-on Cottage, Knitch, and The Whole Nine Yarns).
Happy hopping!
Showing posts with label Atlanta shop hop. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Atlanta shop hop. Show all posts
Friday, September 24, 2010
Saturday, September 13, 2008
Shop Hop In Town
Picking up from yesterday:
If you turn left as you leave Cast-On Cottage and Needlepoint Garden, you are on what becomes Roswell Rd. Drive a little more than 11 miles, which includes passing over I-285. Strings & Strands will be on the left in the Sandalon complex, between the ski shop and Bellini. This is a little after the fourth traffic light, just after the crest of the hill. Make the left turn into the parking lot just in front of the blue Bellini sign and drive back, and you'll see it some ways back in the complex.
Make a right turn out onto Roswell Rd, go a little ways and turn right onto Glenridge Dr. Follow into Glenridge Conn and ultimately the signs for GA 400 South. (Note that if you don't want to cut across on the surface streets to GA 400, you can get the same effect by following Roswell Rd back to I-285, turning right onto the entrance ramp, and heading east one exit.) You'll need 50 cents for the toll booth. Exit at Exit 1, Sidney Marcus Blvd. Stay in the near left turn lane, not far left lane on this first exit ramp. You'll want to be under the "I-85" sign. Stay in the near left turn lane again at the next light. Now get in the far right lane as you go east towards Lenox Rd/Cheshire Bridge Rd., following signs for Emory Hospital and I-85 N, and turn right onto Cheshire Bridge. Go underneath I-85 and get in the left lane. Pass the light at Sheridan Rd and turn left at the next light, LaVista Rd/Lindbergh Dr. (The Tara Theater is behind you to your left as you sit at the light.) Go about a mile on LaVista Rd to the third light and turn left. (Peachtree Baptist Church is the tall spire on the right side of this intersection.) You'll need to make an immediate right into the Briar Vista Shopping Center. Needle Nook has a nice bright yellow sign.
Heading out of Needle Nook, make a left turn onto Briarcliff Rd. Follow it for a little more than 3 miles, past Emory University Briarcliff Campus and Callanwolde Fine Arts Center, both on the right. After St. Louis Pl, turn right onto St. Charles Pl. (There is a Carter Center straight ahead sign just before this light.) Put your car in 1st or 2nd gear and drift slowly down this long block -- there are several nasty speed bumps. Cross Highland Ave North at the light. Go past a few shops and turn right into the alley. Knitch usually has out a turquoise and brown sign indicating where to turn. If you'd rather not negotiate the parking in the alley, you can often find a parallel space out on St. Charles Ave. Knitch shares the parking area with Atkins Park restaurant, so there tends to be more room if you don't show up during mealtimes. Then again, maybe you want lunch or dinner?
For an easy egress from the city, go south on Highland Ave North past the lights at Ponce de Leon Ave and North Ave. Turn right at the third light, Freedom Pkwy, which takes you past the Carter Center. Pass the Carter Center to the first light and turn left. This puts your squarely on Freedom Pkwy and headed back to join the downtown connector at Exit 248C. From there, you can easily catch I-75, I-85, or even I-20. Coming into the city via Freedom Parkway (bear right just after you pass under the concrete tunnel) is an easy way to get to Knitch or just the whole Virginia Highlands, Druid Hills, Decatur area.
With yesterday and today's directions, you've reached all the shops in the hop except Main Street Yarns in Watkinsville. The directions can be found here, on the July blog entry entitled "Gratitude." They involve heading north on I-85 to GA 316.
If you turn left as you leave Cast-On Cottage and Needlepoint Garden, you are on what becomes Roswell Rd. Drive a little more than 11 miles, which includes passing over I-285. Strings & Strands will be on the left in the Sandalon complex, between the ski shop and Bellini. This is a little after the fourth traffic light, just after the crest of the hill. Make the left turn into the parking lot just in front of the blue Bellini sign and drive back, and you'll see it some ways back in the complex.
Make a right turn out onto Roswell Rd, go a little ways and turn right onto Glenridge Dr. Follow into Glenridge Conn and ultimately the signs for GA 400 South. (Note that if you don't want to cut across on the surface streets to GA 400, you can get the same effect by following Roswell Rd back to I-285, turning right onto the entrance ramp, and heading east one exit.) You'll need 50 cents for the toll booth. Exit at Exit 1, Sidney Marcus Blvd. Stay in the near left turn lane, not far left lane on this first exit ramp. You'll want to be under the "I-85" sign. Stay in the near left turn lane again at the next light. Now get in the far right lane as you go east towards Lenox Rd/Cheshire Bridge Rd., following signs for Emory Hospital and I-85 N, and turn right onto Cheshire Bridge. Go underneath I-85 and get in the left lane. Pass the light at Sheridan Rd and turn left at the next light, LaVista Rd/Lindbergh Dr. (The Tara Theater is behind you to your left as you sit at the light.) Go about a mile on LaVista Rd to the third light and turn left. (Peachtree Baptist Church is the tall spire on the right side of this intersection.) You'll need to make an immediate right into the Briar Vista Shopping Center. Needle Nook has a nice bright yellow sign.
Heading out of Needle Nook, make a left turn onto Briarcliff Rd. Follow it for a little more than 3 miles, past Emory University Briarcliff Campus and Callanwolde Fine Arts Center, both on the right. After St. Louis Pl, turn right onto St. Charles Pl. (There is a Carter Center straight ahead sign just before this light.) Put your car in 1st or 2nd gear and drift slowly down this long block -- there are several nasty speed bumps. Cross Highland Ave North at the light. Go past a few shops and turn right into the alley. Knitch usually has out a turquoise and brown sign indicating where to turn. If you'd rather not negotiate the parking in the alley, you can often find a parallel space out on St. Charles Ave. Knitch shares the parking area with Atkins Park restaurant, so there tends to be more room if you don't show up during mealtimes. Then again, maybe you want lunch or dinner?
For an easy egress from the city, go south on Highland Ave North past the lights at Ponce de Leon Ave and North Ave. Turn right at the third light, Freedom Pkwy, which takes you past the Carter Center. Pass the Carter Center to the first light and turn left. This puts your squarely on Freedom Pkwy and headed back to join the downtown connector at Exit 248C. From there, you can easily catch I-75, I-85, or even I-20. Coming into the city via Freedom Parkway (bear right just after you pass under the concrete tunnel) is an easy way to get to Knitch or just the whole Virginia Highlands, Druid Hills, Decatur area.
With yesterday and today's directions, you've reached all the shops in the hop except Main Street Yarns in Watkinsville. The directions can be found here, on the July blog entry entitled "Gratitude." They involve heading north on I-85 to GA 316.
Friday, September 12, 2008
Shop Hop Northern Arc
For you folks about to embark on the shop hop, here are some potential directions to help you find your way.
There is a Northern Arc of shops from west to east: Knitting Emporium in downtown Kennesaw, The Whole Nine Yarns in downtown Woodstock, Only You and Cotton Too in downtown Crabapple, and Cast-on Cottage and Needlepoint Garden in downtown Roswell. All of these are charming shops in charming small-town Southern settings. Most of them are also in areas with many pedestrians and tight speed limits, so do be careful if you are the driver.
One potential driving route:
Note to those looking at a map: at many times of the day, it is easier to travel on Chastain Rd than on Barrett Pkwy. If you are driving north on I-75, it may be worth your sanity to go a little farther north than what a map suggests.)
From I-75 take exit 271 Chastain Rd and head west toward Kennesaw and McCollum Field. Chastain will change names to McCollum Pkwy. Travel a couple miles and be in the right lane as you pass McCollum Field. At the traffic light for Old Hwy 41/Main St, turn right. Travel north on Main St about one mile, past two traffic signals. Beware of the speed limit changes! After Main St takes a turn to the right at the odd intersection with Summers St, Knitting Emporium will be on your left as the historic downtown comes into view. The shop is located inside a house and the sign says "Antique Garden." There is a tire place across the street from them. Turn onto the driveway next to the mailbox. Parking is around back of the house.
After Knitting Emporium, make a right turn out on to Main St. Go back to McCollum Pkwy/Chastain Rd and turn left. Travel east about 3 miles. You'll need to be in the left lane to get on I-575 headed north. Travel about 5 miles to exit 8, Towne Lake Pkwy & Woodstock. Keep to the right on the exit ramp. As you turn right onto Towne Lake, you'll need to shift one lane to the left. (The far right lane goes away.) Go straight at the light. The road goes up a small hill. As it comes over the crest, you'll see a red barn to your right and a sign informing that you cannot turn left ahead at Main St. Guess what? You want to turn left at Main St. Therefore, turn right at the red barn and then drift to the left across the x-shaped intersection. You'll still be traveling east, but now you are over on Mill St, which runs one-way parallel to Towne Lake but one block south of it. Staying in the left lane, follow Mill St a couple blocks to the traffic signal where it dead ends at Main St. Turn left when the signal light permits. Go straight at the light for Towne Lake Pkwy/Arnold Mill Rd. Do not go too fast, as the speed limit is only 25 mph! Shortly after the light, Main St crosses railroad tracks. As soon as it crosses the tracks, execute a hairpin turn to the right. This will bring you into Parkside shopping center. The gazebo is across from The Whole Nine Yarns. There is parking across the front of the shopping center, around the far side of the shopping center, and along one side of City Park. If you are really stuck for a spot, there is also parking along Main St on the other side of the railroad tracks.
As you leave The Whole Nine Yarns, make a left hairpin turn at the railroad tracks and head back south on Main St to the main light. Turn left so that you are headed east on Arnold Mill Rd. Follow Arnold Mill, bearing right as it meets route 140, for about 12 miles. Near the end of the 12 miles, you'll pass a castle on the right. In about a mile you'll see capitalistic civilization, including Kroger and BP on the left and McDonald's on the right. The traffic light is at Crabapple Rd, turn left. Be careful as this is a more than 90-degree turn. Go about a mile, passing the light at Birmingham Hwy/Broadwell Rd. Only Ewe and Cotton Too is just ahead on the left. The valet parking is for the restaurant. Use the parking spaces along the building with the long porch.
Leaving Only Ewe and Cotton Too, turn right and head back down Crabapple Rd. Go a little more than 5 miles west and south on Crabapple, being sure to keep to the left at the fork with Hardscrabble Rd. Crabapple becomes Canton St at Woodstock Rd. Cast-On Cottage and Needlepoint Garden is in a house on the left about half a mile south of Woodstock Rd. (There is a cat clinic across the street from them.) Parking is available in back.
Tomorrow: In-town route.
There is a Northern Arc of shops from west to east: Knitting Emporium in downtown Kennesaw, The Whole Nine Yarns in downtown Woodstock, Only You and Cotton Too in downtown Crabapple, and Cast-on Cottage and Needlepoint Garden in downtown Roswell. All of these are charming shops in charming small-town Southern settings. Most of them are also in areas with many pedestrians and tight speed limits, so do be careful if you are the driver.
One potential driving route:
Note to those looking at a map: at many times of the day, it is easier to travel on Chastain Rd than on Barrett Pkwy. If you are driving north on I-75, it may be worth your sanity to go a little farther north than what a map suggests.)
From I-75 take exit 271 Chastain Rd and head west toward Kennesaw and McCollum Field. Chastain will change names to McCollum Pkwy. Travel a couple miles and be in the right lane as you pass McCollum Field. At the traffic light for Old Hwy 41/Main St, turn right. Travel north on Main St about one mile, past two traffic signals. Beware of the speed limit changes! After Main St takes a turn to the right at the odd intersection with Summers St, Knitting Emporium will be on your left as the historic downtown comes into view. The shop is located inside a house and the sign says "Antique Garden." There is a tire place across the street from them. Turn onto the driveway next to the mailbox. Parking is around back of the house.
After Knitting Emporium, make a right turn out on to Main St. Go back to McCollum Pkwy/Chastain Rd and turn left. Travel east about 3 miles. You'll need to be in the left lane to get on I-575 headed north. Travel about 5 miles to exit 8, Towne Lake Pkwy & Woodstock. Keep to the right on the exit ramp. As you turn right onto Towne Lake, you'll need to shift one lane to the left. (The far right lane goes away.) Go straight at the light. The road goes up a small hill. As it comes over the crest, you'll see a red barn to your right and a sign informing that you cannot turn left ahead at Main St. Guess what? You want to turn left at Main St. Therefore, turn right at the red barn and then drift to the left across the x-shaped intersection. You'll still be traveling east, but now you are over on Mill St, which runs one-way parallel to Towne Lake but one block south of it. Staying in the left lane, follow Mill St a couple blocks to the traffic signal where it dead ends at Main St. Turn left when the signal light permits. Go straight at the light for Towne Lake Pkwy/Arnold Mill Rd. Do not go too fast, as the speed limit is only 25 mph! Shortly after the light, Main St crosses railroad tracks. As soon as it crosses the tracks, execute a hairpin turn to the right. This will bring you into Parkside shopping center. The gazebo is across from The Whole Nine Yarns. There is parking across the front of the shopping center, around the far side of the shopping center, and along one side of City Park. If you are really stuck for a spot, there is also parking along Main St on the other side of the railroad tracks.
As you leave The Whole Nine Yarns, make a left hairpin turn at the railroad tracks and head back south on Main St to the main light. Turn left so that you are headed east on Arnold Mill Rd. Follow Arnold Mill, bearing right as it meets route 140, for about 12 miles. Near the end of the 12 miles, you'll pass a castle on the right. In about a mile you'll see capitalistic civilization, including Kroger and BP on the left and McDonald's on the right. The traffic light is at Crabapple Rd, turn left. Be careful as this is a more than 90-degree turn. Go about a mile, passing the light at Birmingham Hwy/Broadwell Rd. Only Ewe and Cotton Too is just ahead on the left. The valet parking is for the restaurant. Use the parking spaces along the building with the long porch.
Leaving Only Ewe and Cotton Too, turn right and head back down Crabapple Rd. Go a little more than 5 miles west and south on Crabapple, being sure to keep to the left at the fork with Hardscrabble Rd. Crabapple becomes Canton St at Woodstock Rd. Cast-On Cottage and Needlepoint Garden is in a house on the left about half a mile south of Woodstock Rd. (There is a cat clinic across the street from them.) Parking is available in back.
Tomorrow: In-town route.
Friday, July 25, 2008
Shopping!
The Atlanta area shop hop is coming up in September. As this is bound to be of interest to some members, I thought I'd better put a link here. The link will take you to the shop hop blog, which will keep you up to date on participating shops and those great prizes!
The shop hop is an opportunity to have some fun with friends, as carpooling is a good idea indeed. And it is a chance to get around and see what the shops have, as each shop is different and carries different yarns and related items. This is also a very good opportunity to make a wish list for those upcoming December gift-giving holidays -- make the shopping easy on others by letting them know what sorts of things you like and where they can be found. And if you are missing a skein or two, this is also a chance to fill out those gaps in the stash. As the Yarn Harlot reminds us, you never know when there might be a sudden international shortage of wool. (Somehow this sounds like the first chapter of a science fiction novel -- the invading aliens abscond with sheep from New Zealand to Iceland while the dogs are left barking at the skies.)
The shop hop is an opportunity to have some fun with friends, as carpooling is a good idea indeed. And it is a chance to get around and see what the shops have, as each shop is different and carries different yarns and related items. This is also a very good opportunity to make a wish list for those upcoming December gift-giving holidays -- make the shopping easy on others by letting them know what sorts of things you like and where they can be found. And if you are missing a skein or two, this is also a chance to fill out those gaps in the stash. As the Yarn Harlot reminds us, you never know when there might be a sudden international shortage of wool. (Somehow this sounds like the first chapter of a science fiction novel -- the invading aliens abscond with sheep from New Zealand to Iceland while the dogs are left barking at the skies.)
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