You are invited to join Rosann Fleischauer on the fiber journey of a lifetime! Through knitting hot spots and the best yarn shops in the bay area, each stop in this series will uncover new, colorful worlds of knit.
As the leaves start to turn in the northernmost of climates, knitters start to think about the
You are invited to join Rosann Fleischauer on the fiber journey of a lifetime! Through knitting hot spots and the best yarn shops in the bay area, each stop in this series will uncover new, colorful worlds of knit.
As the leaves start to turn in the northernmost of climates, knitters start to think about the holidays and warmer knits. It’s time to restock, and on this trip, we will go a little farther north into the bay. Our first stop is Wickford, Rhode Island. This classic New England village has a yarn shop, fish market, Brewers Marina, and a picture-perfect opportunity to use your kayak or dinghy.
The Hussey Bridge, a vital link between Brewers and downtown, was out when I was there. If the bridge is open, it’s a lovely walk from Brewers to downtown.
You can kayak here, but it’s tough to dock and leave a kayak at this point in the harbor at Wickford.
This lovely waiting area is across from the Mermaid Purl.
Non-fiber enthusiasts will want to check out the village; fiber enthusiasts will want to head straight to The Mermaid’s Purl. Here you will find a lovely selection of Madeline Tosh, Habu, Rowan, and a great selection of books including a few titles I have only seen at Loops in London. It’s the only distributor of Quince and Co yarn in Rhode Island, so you’ll want to make sure you check out Elizabeth “Lizzie” Shriner’s wonderful selection of colors.
Pace yourself: this is a marathon stop, not a sprint. Savor locally made soaps and lotions near the register before heading farther into the beautifully arranged shop to see Rhonda Fargnoli and Charlie de Weese’s Coastal Colors, a local and ecologically friendly yarn. Next yarn in the queue is locally dyed Quaere Fibre. If you’re not familiar with the line, the twist is wonderful, and it’s very similar to Koigu, which The Mermaid’s Purl also carries.
Need a fast knit for a hostess gift? Lizzie has you covered—she has a great selection of Loopy Mango big knits. For those of us who think ahead to the holiday season, The Mermaid’s Purl offers their knit ahead club that features a different project every month. For a monthly fee, currently $30, the shop will send you a pattern and yarn for the project of the month in your choice of colorways that change from month to month.
If you like the idea of boating about the bay but prefer to be a passenger rather than a captain, The Mermaid’s Purl has an annual knitting cruise around the bay for three lovely hours in August where you can sit, stitch, chat, and let someone else navigate.
Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) offers commuter rail service to Wickford Junction, about 2.4 miles from the Mermaid’s Purl. 
Fish market in Wickford where you can “bump and jump”
The Mermaid’s Purl
1 Main Street
North Kingston/Wickford, RI
401-268-3899
themermaidspurl.com
Knit-ins are Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday mornings.