In 2009, Kris Gregson and her husband, Oz Barron, were thinking about a change. Living near Boston for most their lives, the couple longed for a different environment and a slower pace of life. Through a series of fortunate events they not only discovered Cambria, but they also found a small yarn store for sale, one that had been in business since 1978 – they sold their house, moved to Cambria, re-opened Ball & Skein & More, and have been happily running their business and lives in this charming seaside town ever since.
Take just one step inside this colorful business and be instantly surrounded with an incredible variety of yarns and supplies on display. “It’s like walking into a rainbow”, is one of the many comments they hear.
“We deal with over 90 vendors,” says Gregson. “It’s a lot of work, but we wanted to offer a wide range of items for fiber fans of all abilities and budgets. We keep everything in the computer so we can tell if we have enough yarn in stock for your project. We do a lot of special orders as well, but sometimes you just want to walk out with a project that is ready-to-go.”
Located right on Main Street in Cambria’s Historic East Village, the store has grown to become one of the top 10 percent of yarn stores nationwide.
“Our focus here is all about quality and value,” says Gregson. “Our favorite thing is to find those unique products with great stories and share them with our fiber-loving community. We try to find items that offer the value and quality everyone deserves on all budgets. While a hand-dyed cashmere and silk blend yarn will cost more than a commercially dyed wool/alpaca blend, the quality and value of both products are the best we can find in the industry.”
In addition to yarns of all fibers from around the world, Ball & Skein & More features fair trade, organic, local, and un-dyed yarns as well as beautiful crochet hooks made from reclaimed woods – all offered for a reasonable price. Visitors enjoy combing through a fabulous selection of buttons and will find a large selection of roving, spinning, weaving, and felting supplies.
“We’re proud to offer the largest selection of Manos del Uruguay yarns available anywhere in the US,” says Barron, adding that these are certified fair-trade yarns from a woman’s cooperative in Uruguay. “They have transformed thousands of lives over the years and we love the story of the cooperative. We made the commitment to carry every yarn they make in every color. It’s a big undertaking but it’s such a great product, a great value and, above all, a great story that we feel privileged to be able to share with everyone.”
Among other offerings at the store, visitors will find a large selection of brands including Addi, Alchemy, Anzula, Baah, Colinette, Frog Tree, Lantern Moon, Lotus, Trendsetter, Noro, Reywa, Rowan, Mountain Colors, Kollage, and many more.
Ball & Skein & More, located at the corner of Bridge and Main streets in the historic East Village of Cambria, is open daily, 10 a.m. – 5.p.m. For more information, call (805)927-3280 and visit cambriayarn.com.
