The 25 Best Cities for Crochet Lovers To Find Inspiration

When you need crafting inspiration, where do you look? Maybe you pick up a new pattern, check out displays created by crochet artists, or cruise online shopping websites looking for crochet-inspired fashion. 

But has a certain city ever sparked your creativity? I’ve made a list of 25 cities sure to entice crochet lovers everywhere. 

The next time you make plans to travel, consider one of these cities that will inspire you with terrific yarn stores, great craft museums, or simply a great place for relaxing with a hook in hand.

Buenos Aires, Argentina

I fell in love with the yarn district here in Buenos Aires when I went a few years ago. It’s a section of store after store of yarn and roving, beautiful fibers that are affordable thanks to the exchange rate.

San Francisco, CA, USA

I’m a little biased because I love this city that I live in! It’s home to more than half a dozen cute local yarn stores, making it a great place for all crocheters to explore.

Cardiff, Wales

I named this spot a top autumn destination in an article for Crochet Today because it’s home to a unique National Wool Museum that would be of interest to yarn lovers.

Wool was historically the most important industry in Wales, so there is a rich history to learn about here.

Los Angeles, CA, USA

Southern California has lovely beaches and plenty of activity for your vacation. Check out The Institute for Figuring, which is the permanent exhibit of the Wertheim Sisters, who founded the hyperbolic crochet reef project. 

Can’t travel right now? You can get a sneak peek of the crochet coral reef project in the video below. 

While you’re there, check out the Los Angeles Craft and Folk Art Museum for more artistic inspiration.

Charlotte, NC, USA

Charlotte is a beautiful region where you can relax and enjoy your crochet work with plenty of outdoor activities for inspiration.

Vancouver, BC, Canada

This beautiful destination is home to many events that celebrate crafters. One of these events, Crafted Vancouver, is North America’s largest craft-based festival. This festival runs for 25 days each year, so you’ll have plenty of time to check it out!

Marrakech, Morocco

There’s a bi-annual crochet retreat in Marrakech, Morocco that I would love to check out if I ever got the opportunity.

Ireland

Crochet’s early history was rooted in Ireland where the craft helped provide much-needed income during the desperate times of the potato famine. Visit this gorgeous country and see where the craft came from. 

Brazil

Some of the most interesting fair trade crochet is coming out of Brazil, including traditional crochet techniques and upcycled pop tab crochet.

If you’ve never heard of pop tab crochet, I think you’ll be fascinated by this inventive and beautiful way to reuse the metal tabs from cans. The example below shows a purse sold by Escama Studio, a company that employs crochet artists in Brazil.

These artists work as part of a cooperative, are paid fairly for their work, and receive credit in the form of a tag bearing their name on each piece they create. We love this example of fair trade crochet work. 

Silver cut-out clutch
Photo Credit: Escamastudio.com

Brighton, UK

Stay at the Do Knit Disturb Room in Hotel Pelirocco, designed by crochet artist Kate Jenkins.

Brighton, UK
Photo Credit: Tripadvisor.com

This room is filled with inspiration for the crochet artist, from a hand-knitted bedspread to crocheted accessories. Even the wallpaper in this hotel room is patterned in crochet stitches. 

Honolulu, HI, USA

A trip to Hawaii is always a great vacation. Hawaiian time gives you ample opportunity to crochet during your stay.

Reykjavik, Iceland

Enjoy a unique exotic destination where there is amazing Icelandic yarn to purchase. 

Icelandic wool is special because it is made up of two types of fibers. One is a softer, finer inner fiber, and the other is a stronger, glossy outer fiber. Together, they are perfect for making garments that are warm and lightweight while also being also water-repellent. 

New York, NY, USA

Enjoy the richness of the art museums and get inspired by the creativity of Broadway. Maybe while you’re there you’ll be able to spot some of the latest work from NY yarnbomber Olek.

Sydney, Australia

I’ve always wanted to visit both Australia and New Zealand and hope to get there soon. Sydney is the hot spot and is home to a great craft scene including lots of crochet designers and yarn stores.

Geelong, Australia

If you’re headed to Australia anyway then you might want to also see this port city near Victoria and Melbourne, home to the country’s National Wool Museum,

Coastal Maine, USA

Get inspired by the beauty of mid-coast Maine at the Medomak Fiber Arts Retreat. This retreat is designed for all textile artists, including those who want to learn a textile craft. 

Spend a week crafting, working on a collective weaving project, and even gathering natural materials to use as natural dyes. 

Pittsburgh, PA, USA

Go to this city in the spring for the annual Knit and Crochet Festival

Charente-Maritime, France

Knitting designer Sue hosts knit and crochet retreats in her French home throughout the year. Sue and her husband host guests for crafting retreats, encouraging them to think of nothing but what the next project will be. Sounds great to me!

Frankfort, IL, USA

Another retreat that might be closer to home for many of us is the recently launched annual Knot Just Knitting Retreat by Yarns to Dye For held in the spring in Illinois.

Austin, TX, USA

I included this city on the list because it’s the inspiring home to the early yarn-bombing movement. While technically illegal, we think viewing a little yarn-bombing is guaranteed to get your creative juices flowing. 

The ABC Islands

Aruba, Bonair, and Curacao are all top choices for island destinations that have good weather, beautiful beaches, and plenty of relaxing time to just crochet on your vacation.

Portland, OR, USA

Head to this great American city at the end of February for the annual yarn store yarn crawl.

Boston, MA, USA

If you’re seeking a yarn crawl in the fall then head to Boston.

Twin Cities, MN, USA

Called a “Mecca for Craft” by the American Craft Council, the twin cities are rich in yarn stores and textile/craft museums.

Cruise Anywhere

Book a crochet or craft cruise to a destination of your choosing and enjoy crochet classes on the trip and local yarn shopping upon arrival. 

These craft cruises can take you to all kinds of destinations spanning many countries and feature classes to help you expand your skills. The crochet cruisers make up only a percentage of the travelers on the cruise, so you can also enjoy many other types of activities and amenities. 

Kelsey
Kelsey Mlnarik

Kelsey has been a crafter since childhood and enjoys crochet, sewing, and any craft she can make with her children. She loves learning new techniques and sharing what she learns along the way. Kelsey someday hopes to be someone's crafty grandmother, crocheting afghans and drinking entire pots of coffee.

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