I’ve been waiting for a nice sunny day so as to get some bright shots of the lovely yarn I purchased on my Montreal trip last weekend, but April showers have finally gripped the Hudson Valley, and the forecast for the coming week is gloomy indeed, so I’ll just have to settle for rainy day yarn pics.

Luckily we did have some sunny weather while in Quebec, and my family and I made the most of it, strolling the gorgeous Jardin Botanique, taking in the lilacs and ancient bonzai trees:

eating our way through the city, including a stop for the most delicious vegetarian poutine around at the cozy and friendly Comptoir 21:

and of course shopping, starting with my favorite second-hand store ever, Eva B:

and rounding it off with some gorgeous yarn purchases from two charming stores.

The first was a recommendation from a member of my Swirl knit-along group. At Espace Tricot, the staff is extremely friendly and helpful, and the shop is well-organized and inviting. In the back, a large table was chock-a-block full of lively knitters, working and chatting away. The group lent further positive energy to an already great vibe in the shop. Several staff members offered some background on the various yarns they stock, specifically the more locally made fibers, which was my main interest. What was even more amazing is that they actually recommended I visit another yarn shop in a different neighborhood of Montreal. This kind of cordiality and community is what I’ve come to expect from knitters, but it’s still always a joy to encounter it in such abundance as I did in Montreal. My purchases at Espace Tricot included the yarns below: a set of grey/black shades from SweetGeorgia Yarns (based in Vancouver) for a project I have in mind for a friend, and the earth-tone “stone” colorway from Tanis Fiber Arts (Montreal), which is going to become a lovely airy shawl for me some day (the merino, silk, cashmere blend is heavenly!).

My other purchase from Espace Tricot was a sweater pin for my now-completed Swirl. Finished objects (5 of them!) will be shared in posts later this week and weekend.

The shop recommended by the nice folks at Espace Tricot was La Maison Tricotée. Both shops are easily accessible by public transport – the former by Metro and either bus or walk along Monkland Avenue in the Monkland Village neighborhood, the latter just around the corner from the Laurier Metro station in the Plateau/Mont Royal section (and on the same road as another outpost of Comptoir 21!).

As with Espace Tricot, La Maison Tricotée’s staff was super helpful, knowledgable and welcoming. Both also accommodated my complete lack of French language skills. Though I do dream of someday mastering Québécois French, I’ve not put in the time needed to even get the basics down yet. So, the store tour, the helpful hints, and cashing out were all in English, and delivered with such warmth, I had a hard time pulling myself away. My rather colorful purchases below are single skeins (shawls and socks!) of Riverside Studio in copper & zinc and iris superwash merino (Ottawa), Biscotte Yarns self-striping sock yarn in brown, lime green and beige (Quebec), Hand Maiden Mini Maiden wool and silk blend in the stunning pink, lilac and yellow hues (Nova Scotia), and the only non-Canadian purchase – because I couldn’t resist the bright yellow and speckles – Hedgehog Fibre’s sock yarn in the banana legs colorway (Ireland).

I’m hoping this fall will bring yet another nice getaway with more new yarn stores to explore. The question now is just where to go!