River City Yarn & Fiber

Get Ready For Exciting News!

Wed, 22 Oct 2025 11:35:00 GMT

As we hurry to remodel the store space and get all of the great merchandise displayed, we are excited about the tremendous amount of enthusiasm and interest in River City Yarn & Fiber store. We’ll try to address some of the questions you all have about the store in this post. Location:River City Yarn & […]

Stitch of the Week: Ocean Swells

Sun, 28 Sep 2025 16:14:00 GMT

As we just get started with this blog and our social media, River City Yarn & Fiber has created a schedule of weekly posts to create order out of chaos. Mondays will explore different stitches in knit, crochet, macrame and other fiber arts.

Today I am highlighting “Ocean Swells” which uses a kind of fan stitch. I found it in Crochet: The Complete Guide by Jane Davis. To honor her publication rights, I am going to give broad strokes on how the stitch is crocheted instead of revealing the actual pattern. The book is out of print, but I found many used options with a google search. I like ThriftBooks (a Rakuten store currently offering 2% cash back) which had it for $7.99 plus shipping and tax.

The stitch is perfect for afghans. The foundation chain is multiples of 28 plus 1. I am using it to make a small afghan which I will reveal on Thursday in a “Look What I Made” post.

The stitch begins with three rows to set the initial wave or fan pattern. That third row will be the start of every new repeat of the pattern. Rows four through ten make what I’ll call three “swells” or fans that snuggle into each other. The rows use undulations of chains, single, double and treble stitches. As an intermediate level crocheter, it took me a bit of time to get the hang of the total pattern, but once I did a full round of row three through ten, I got the hang of it. I keep the pattern close but find I am only checking it to see at the start of the row how many chains I need to set up the row.

I decided to use a 100% Peruvian wool from my stash, but I think a fiber blend with some flexibility would be best for this stitch. I am alternating the colors with each new pattern repeat, again because I have a large quantity of this yarn. The swells not only make waves horizontally, but I am finding that they also create what I’d call bubbles in the fabric. Blocking may require some trial and error. I’ll let you know when I finish it and post again. Comment if you’ve tried this stitch or want to!

Kids and Creativity

Fri, 12 Sep 2025 12:24:00 GMT

“Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once (they) grow up.”
― Pablo Picasso

I walk my two dogs every morning and let my mind wander along little pathways of contemplation. This morning, I was thinking about the creative and artistic lives of children in modern America. I was probably thinking about this because as I make purchasing decisions about everything that will be in the store – furniture, displays, products – I try to anticipate what my customers will need to feel excited and at home. I decided from the outset that I would carve out a children’s space in the store so they can play and create while their grown-ups shop.

I wonder if public schools are giving children ample opportunities to use art supplies to make their own creative products, particularly as they progress through elementary to middle and high school. When my daughter, now 26, was in kindergarten, she had a fabulous teacher and the public elementary school she attended was wonderful. This was in Northern California where the state learning standards were high; even preschool kids had to meet benchmarks in reading, writing and arithmetic. She got a packet every week with reading passages, spelling and vocabulary activities, and coloring pages with specific instructions about what colors went where. One Thursday night when we were hustling to get the packet completed, there was just the coloring sheet left. She gave a huge sigh and said, “Why can’t they just give us a blank sheet of paper so I can draw what I want.” My favorite pieces from her childhood are the paintings and sculptures where the instructor gave the kids a broad assignment and then let them run with it.

A six year-old’s interpretation of a dragon

What does this have to do with a yarn shop? River City Yarn & Fiber intends to be a hub of creativity and learning for everyone. We believe that nurturing creativity and artistic expression depends on practice that is possible with access to art supplies, then cultivated and encouraged by all of the adults in a child’s life. Preschool and elementary school are places where children form the habit of being creative and developing the fine motor skills to manipulate paints and crayons; to fold paper and glue beads and macaroni and sparkles; to play with the soft fuzzies like pipe cleaners and pom poms. I promise that kids of all ages who come into the shop can find fun, creative kits and materials to bring their imaginations to life.

I’m curious to read your thoughts on children and creativity!

Coming Soon!

Sun, 07 Sep 2025 15:52:00 GMT

The buzz you may have heard around Jacksonville is true! There’s a new yarn store coming to town and we can’t wait to open our doors and delight you with a colorful sensory experience! Yes, there will be yarns from your favorite vendors (plus a few smaller producers whose fibers we absolutely love!) Yes, we’ll have tools, everyday hooks, needles, and other staples needed for knitting and crochet, but we’ll also be offering more exotic tools and sets which make perfect gifts or will give you a chance to treat yourself .

Our main focus and highest priority is to provide Jacksonville a vibrant gathering space where you can meet other creative people, sit comfortably to spend a little quiet time away from your computer, phone, maybe even your family… We’re putting together a calendar of classes, workshops and meet-ups, and we are excited about welcoming young makers with classes and camps. We even have a children’s area with puzzles and art supplies.

Our target for opening is late September or early October depending on the permitting process. Again, we are so excited to get the store space refreshed and fill it with gorgeous products for you. See you soon!

If you have suggestions for products or just want to express your enthusiasm, leave a comment!