How to Prepare for Sweater Weather in Fredericton
Sweater weather in Fredericton might just be the BEST time of the year! Welcome the cool, crisp, fall air, dig out your favorite knits OR #SupportFredLocal by purchasing a handmade woolen treasure from a local artisan. If you’re the crafty type, it’s the time to add to your yarn stash so you can knit your very own warm & comfy wears, or maybe start with a scarf if its been awhile since you’ve picked up a set of needles!
Local Knitters Have you Covered
Markets are a great place to start if you’re looking for some handmade knits and the Fredericton Boyce Farmers Market is brimming with knitting! T-Ray Woollies is a staple vendor at the Boyce Farmer’s Market, as well as local craft shows. They are known for their luxurious mohair mittens and socks knit with fiber from their very own, white Angora Goats. Ferry Land Farms is another resource for fine, local knits found at the Boyce; their yarn is spun from fibers brushed off the coats of their Scottish Highland cattle, to create wearable art like hats and shawls. If you're looking for bright colors, The Eclectic Collection has a selection of fun, crotchet hats to choose from and Knit With Love has a wide-array of knit hats, mittens, baby clothes and more! You'll notice that many vendors are multi-talented; Just Because Jewellery not only creates high-quality sterling silver jewellery, during the chilly months fashionable hand-knit headbands are also available.
Local artisan shops are another great place to find warm and cozy items perfect for the season. Visit Artful Persuasion downtown for funky cowls, mittens and hats by Rebel Needles or Mary’s Marvelous Mittens & More’s famous mittens made from upcycled sweaters. Botinicals Gift Shop is another must-stop downtown, featuring fine knits by Legacy Lane Fiber Mill, intricately woven scarves by Loomations and Pretty Things by Sara’s beautifully made sweaters and socks.
Whimsy on Fredericton’s northside is home to a wide-array of goodies created by local crafters. The Gypsy’s Attic fall line can be found at this artisan shop featuring FUN knit hats with rainbows, puppy paws, and pom poms + matching mittens (don’t worry, they DO come in adult sizes). U Beautiful Creature is a charming and unique gift boutique also found on the northside, where you can shop Yarn It’s collection of flower adorned, crotchet hats and bright-colored shawls.
‘Tis the Season for Crafting
One of the best parts about this season is that it’s finally time to hunker down, bundle up and pick those needles back up (ok, we know there are some summer knitters out there – kudos to you!) The above-mentioned T-Ray Woollies sells high quality fine mohair yarns, novelty & handspun yarns that must be a dream to knit with. Rebel Needles is another vendor with a selection of hand-dyed yarn in bright colors, available at Artful Persuasion or by request.
Boasting the title of having the Maritimes' largest selection of luxury yarns, Cricket Cove is thee place to shop a large selection of fibres in Fredericton. Their shop offers books, kits, tools as well as a delightful collection of yarns created from every fibre under the sun (mohair, alpaca, cashmere and sea silk – oh my!) and a wide-array of funky colors and self-striping blends – all right at your…needle-tips? If you’re really looking to get local, Cricket Cove offers a selection of hand dyed skeins from local indie dyer, Sweet Skein O'mine. Exclusive to Cricket Cove, you can purchase Sweet Skein O’mine’s Fredericton inspired colorway. What does a skein of Fredericton inspired yarn look like? You will have to stop in and find out for yourself! For those wanting to learn the ropes of knitting, check out the Cricket Cove Facebook page for upcoming fall and winter classes.
We can’t write a blog about where to purchase yarn in Fredericton without mentioning Briggs and Little! Just 61 km from downtown Fredericton, Briggs & Little Woolen Mills is Canada's OLDEST woolen mill! First started in 1857 by one of the original grant holders in the area, Briggs & Little has been a mainstay of York Mills near Harvey for over 160 years. You can order from their line of pure wool and nylon blends in multiple weights and colors online BUT we strongly recommend taking a quick trip out of Fredericton to take-in the beautiful fall leaves on the way and shop in person! If you look hard enough (or just ask) you will notice that many artisans in the Fredericton region and beyond use Brigg’s and Little yarn for their crotchet and knit items.
Pstttt...Is your fibre stash overflowing yet? If you’re looking for pattern inspo, Fredericton based artist Ploome Fiber Arts has some wonderful shawl patters available on her Ravelry page!
There you go! You’re all set for another autumn and well on your way to being winter ready. If you’re looking for more ways to #SupportFredLocal, check out The Market Basket, Fredericton’s newest online hub for browsing handmade, homegrown and locally designed items from your favorite Fredericton Boyce Farmers Market, Garrison Night Market and MORE - all from the comfort of home! Don’t forget to follow Fredericton Tourism’s Facebook page and Calendar of Events on our website for updates on upcoming, social distancing-friendly craft shows.
Did we miss you favorite local place to shop the wonderful world of textiles? Let us know in the comments below!
