Cardigans in Santa Barbara

No, this is not about a Swedish pop rock band (that had actually a couple of great songs, I especially liked My Favourite Game). It is a random account of the knitting shops my inner radar found on our trip through the American Southwest and California. Actually, that Cardigan's song is a great driving song for road trips.

As I had given up blogging for the main part of our trip, I now also gave up the idea of showing the shops in any chronological content. For the next days, I am just going to intertwine them somehow in my life and blogging back home.

That said, I will now start. Because the Noro wool for the baby bonnets I have just knitted, came from that shop here:



Cardigans in Santa Barbara.



In front of the shop was some yarn graffiti hugging a palm tree.


(oh, palms how I miss you...)

The shop really made me want to stay a little longer, very good selection of yarns, cozy interior design and nice and helpful staff. If I ever won the lottery and/or retired, I would consider living in lovely Santa Barbara...



A could have my home away from home in that shop.
Knitting group included.



And for all the royal-inspired fashionstas out there, Cardigans paid their own tribute to the visit of British Knit & Wools at the beginning of July to California (Wools actually played a game of polo in St. Barbara). Inspired by the green cashmere shawl Kate wore when shopping at a grocery store (just google Kate Middleton knit shawl), depicted also in the June issue of People magazine, a knitter from St. Barbara designed her own version of the shawl.



This time in blue and in a lightweight bamboo blend (the weather in St. Barbara is a bit different from the one on an Welsh island...). And Cardigans even offered knitalong lessons for the Kate's shawl (also see their newsletter about it). You can find out more the shop and what it offers on their website.

PS: After it really rained all through Sunday without a single pause, the rain has stopped and the sun came out this morning! But maybe I should consider knitting that royal shawl, too... you can already find more patterns on Ravelry now (Kate's shawl, Catherine's shawl, Copykat shawls, Princess Kate shawl, Kate shopping shawl)...