Page 67 - SLO Visitors Guide Summer 2024

slovisitorsguide.com SUMMER 2024 67
Cambria, San Simeon, North Coast
JEWELRY,
FURNITURE
FINE ART
GLASS
POTTERY
and MORE
RichManPoorManAntiques.com RichManPoorManAntiques.com
(805) 203-5350
2110 Main Street, Cambria, CA
Visit us on Instagram @RICHMAN_POORMAN_ANTIQUES Visit us on Instagram @RICHMAN_POORMAN_ANTIQUES
ANTIQUES MALL ANTIQUES MALL
RICH MAN-POOR MAN
Ball & Skein & More—Everything you
want in yarn and accessories
Entering the Ball & Skein & More
shop in Cambria is stepping into
a wonderland of everything the fiber
artist dreams about. Richly colored
and luxuriously textured yarn from
spinners and dyers in the U.S. and
around the world are on display
throughout the store. Inspirations for
new projects are modeled in various
locations in the shop along with
accessories like stitch markers and
needle toppers that bring joy to the
user and make wonderful gifts.
Ball & Skein & More is one of
the largest retailers of fair-trade
yarn from the Manos del Uruguay
women’s cooperative. The racks are
filled with yarns from over 90 ven-
dors including Berroco, Trendsetter,
Dream in Color, Mountain Colors,
Skacel, Noro, Lang, and Juniper
Moon Farms. There are also yarns
from Central Coast independent
dyers including Smirligans from Los
Osos and Sea Change Fibers from
Santa Cruz.
New owner, Annie Groeninger,
who took ownership in October
2023, focuses on female-owned small
businesses and fair-trade vendors in-
cluding JUL, Fibres of Life, Binkwaf-
fle, Katrinkles, Allstitch Studio, and
Cocoknits. “Being a small, woman-
owned business, it just seems natural
to support others,” said Annie.
Sip & Stitch & more
Annie offers classes from intro-
duction to knitting or crocheting to
project-based classes for learning
more advanced skills. All the classes
are great learning and socializing
opportunities for fiber enthusiasts.
Classes fit the needs of everyone
from beginners to more experienced
crafters.
The monthly Sip & Stitch meet-
up includes a choice of wine from
Course & Wale Winery, featur-
Focusing on goods
from women-owned,
small, and fair-trade
businesses
ing wines sourced from Central
Coast vineyards. Course & Wale is
dedicated to community and good
cheer and inspired by a passion for
knitting. Even the names of the wine
reflect the company's commitment:
Knit One is a Cabernet Sauvignon,
Purl Two is a Chardonnay, and Tink
is the Rosé.
A fitting match for Annie’s
commitment to supporting small,
woman-owned, and fair-trade
artisans, and dyers, Course & Wale
also supports textile artmakers and
philanthropies.
Annie has also dedicated space
for Cal Poly ceramics students to
showcase their custom-made yarn
bowls in the shop.
Serendipity & fate & more
Ready to retire from 30 years in
technology, most recently 17 years at
Amazon as a senior manager build-
ing Amazon Fresh shopping features,
Annie was looking for something
new.
She had already fallen in love
with the Central Coast during a visit
in 2021. Returning in February 2023
on a “retirement recon trip,” looking
for someplace with lots of sunshine,
she walked into Ball & Skein. There
was a sign in the window, “Do you
want to buy a yarn shop?”
“Yes, I do want to buy a yarn
shop,”. she said to herself. Six weeks
later, she was back in Cambria sign-
ing the contract to buy the shop!
Along with Beverly, her Bernese
Mountain puppy, she took owner-
ship of the shop in October 2023.
Beverly is part of the staff in this
pet-friendly shop. “She is a working
dog who greets customers and ac-
companies mom to the post office to
ship orders,” said Annie.
The shop is the largest on the
Central Coast and has one of the
largest collections of yarn west
of the Mississippi. Check out the
website for merchandise that can
be purchased online and the events
and class calendar. Be sure to sign
up for the newsletter and be the first
to know about new products, new
classes, and more!
Ball & Skein & More is located at
4210 Bridge St. in Cambria. Hours
are Wednesday-Monday 11 a.m.-4
p.m. Closed on Tuesday. For schedules
or more information visit cambri-
ayarn.com or call (805) 927-3280.
—Jackie Iddings
Beverly the Bernese Mountain Dog greeting guests.