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This post covers the yarn shops that I have been to so far, and I will update this post periodically. Information includes whether knitting, crocheting or other needlework classes are offered, eateries and attractions in the general area, and a link to Mapquest (note – this post has been updated with the Google map above; Google also provides directions). Mapquest directions can get…interesting…so you may still want to call shops for directions. None of the information here is carved in stone – best to call ahead for hours and other information before heading out! The telephone area code for the state of Hawai’i is (808).
A .pdf list of the shops reviewed here, with address, phone/fax, email, and hours is available as a free PDF download, and is to-the-best-of-my-knowledge current as of July 2009.
[craft stores that carry yarn: 25 July 05 post]
Isle Knit
1188 Bishop St., Suite 1403 (corner of Bishop and Beretania St) [mapquest]
(808) 533-0853
Hours: Tue/Wed/Thu/Fri: 9:30-5:30, Sat 10-2, closed Sun/Mon
Proprietor: Sue
Email: isleknit@gmail.com
In a tall building on the corner of Bishop and Beretania, I think of Isle Knit as the Harry Potter yarn shop – tucked into a small office space, Sue has racks and baskets of yarn from floor to near ceiling, and if you let her know what you are looking for, she can put a hand into a display or a bag and pull out something you probably wouldn’t have found on your own.
Sue is knowledgeable, helpful, and offers individual knitting lessons as well as classes and knitalongs (I believe the current knitalong is chemo caps). Classes are currently on Saturdays from 2-4pm. She’s a sweet, patient instructor and a pleasure to chat with.
There’s a nice range of yarns here – she’s been told by one company that she orders more wool than a shop in Alaska! There are lots of novelty yarns as well as basics. I get most of my bamboo needles here; she’s also got Addi Turbos. The needles stocked are circulars and double-pointed.
I’ve found just about all the notions I need here – coilless safety pins, stitch markers, tapestry needles, row counters, etc.
There’s a small rack of magazines – Interweave Knits, Vogue Knitting International, and others. Patterns and books are also available and on display. There are a lot of patterns, so if you have something specific in mind, check with Sue.
Knitted and crocheted samples are tucked in here and there, including toys and lei.
Isle Knit is tiny; more than 3 people and it starts to feel quite crowded, so if you have questions or need assistance, go in before or after lunch (a lot of the regulars come in on their lunch breaks). There is a small table where you can sit and knit; it’s usually got quite a bit of yarn on it and customers will have to maneuver around you.
Parking: metered street parking or in pay lots. In the newsletter, Sue lists the Kukui Plaza municipal lot (entrance on Kukui St at the back of Pali Longs Drugstore), Alii Place at the corner of Alakea and Hotel Streets, and the Smith and Beretania lot under the new park. Because of the downtown location, parking can be tight; several bus lines stop nearby (TheBus, 848-5555).
Nearby: Fort Street Mall, filled with little places to eat and shop. Zaffron is a particular Indian food favorite of some of the Honolulu SNB members. I consider attractions like Chinatown, Aloha Tower, Iolani Palace, Kawaiahao Church, the statue of Kamehameha the Great and the Hawai’i State Library to be within walking distance but I know a lot of people who would disagree with me.
Random trivia: Sue used to teach at the junior high school I went to (we think I was there after she’d left, though).
Ursula Fischer: Needle Arts
1717 Kalakaua Avenue, 2nd floor [mapquest]
(808) 949-8900
Hours: variable mornings, look for the rainbow afghan or call before heading over
Proprietor: Ursula
In a small building, set a bit back from the road, near the Convention Center. Hours vary; generally morning to early afternoon. If the rainbow afghan is out on the balcony, she’s in. The shop is small, with the yarn stock organized into drawers, a couple of walk-in closet sized spaces for basic yarns, and the needles and notions on a big display rack by the door. There’s a work table in the middle for customers and students to work – in addition to selling yarn and needlework tools, Ursula offers instruction in knitting, crocheting, embroidery, and needlepoint. I didn’t copy down the list of rates; I will say that I think her rates are very reasonable. She suggests stopping by on Saturday and Sunday mornings “when the young people are here.”
The yarn selection encompasses a range of high-end novelty, ribbon, and standards. There is a stack of sock yarn in solid and self-patterning colors by the needle rack, acrylics like Patons Canadiana and Cascade Cherub, wools including Reynolds Lopi, and natural fibers like mercerized cotton and bamboo.
Ursula loves wood needles and has a nice selection of high quality straights and dpns, ranging from fine gauge to chair leg. She also carries metal needles (aluminum, steel, Addi Turbos), and I found all the needle prices to be very reasonable.
Ursula has a strong personality and is very knowledgeable and skilled; an excellent resource who has kept the shop going for almost 30 years. Ursula is the one who put a skein of Cascade Cherub Collection 4-ply in my hand and enlightened me on good acrylic vs. bad acrylic (Cherub Collection is a nylon/acrylic blend, very soft, and I really like working with it).
Parking: the building has a *very* small parking lot; you could also pay for parking at the Convention Center or park at Ala Moana shopping center and walk over, then go back to Ala Moana and have lunch or go shopping. Bus lines, especially out of Waikiki, stop nearby on both Kalakaua Ave. and Kapiolani Blvd. (TheBus, 848-5555)
Nearby: Fabric Mart is located on Kalakaua Avenue, a few blocks away (in the direction of the mountains). Fabric Mart has a wide selection of fabrics, loads of tropical/aloha print fabrics, basic notions and sewing supplies. Remnant shelves are located upstairs. If you walk down Kalakaua to Kapiolani Blvd, Waikiki will be to your left, and 20 – 30 minutes of walking will take you into the center of Waikiki. The building on the corner houses a coffeeshop and salon; the Hakubundo Japanese bookstore (947-5503) is a little further down Kapiolani (going away from Waikiki), and has a selection of Japanese craft books, including a few crochet and knit pattern books. Their website has a typo in the street address: it’s in the Pan Am building, as in the defunct airline. If you continue down Kalakaua, going towards the ocean, Ala Moana shopping center will be on your right, with a variety of places to shop and eat.
Random trivia: I managed to walk right past this shop several times without my yarn radar pinging. I must be broken.
Yarn and Friends
1010 South King St (S. King and Victoria, in the Medical Arts building, Ewa/West side, facing Thomas Square park) [mapquest]
Phone: (808) 593-2212
Hours: MTWFSa 10-5, RSu closed
Proprietor: Raynette Malefyt
I called this shop in my hunt for steel dpns; they were busy enough so that a customer answered the phone and I could hear a lot of happy chatter in the background. I’ve only been there once, and the place was hopping. Merrily working and chatting needleworkers surrounded a large table on one end of the shop; large west-facing windows and high ceilings provide natural lighting. Of the three yarn shops I’m posting about here, this is the one with the most space (though still small) and is the most condusive to browsing around without crowding other customers. There’s quite a bit of novelty yarn on display, along with beautiful crocheted lei made from them. A small rack of magazines is near the door, and a spinning rack of needles and notions is against a wall. The glass case under the cash register holds some gorgeous hand-dyed yarns. There are quilting and embroidery supplies as well.
This shop gets really busy on the weekends. Some customers report favoring Y&F because there is more space to move around, but caution that if you are buying for a big project, make sure you get enough, because the stock does run out quickly sometimes. The shop keeps customer cards which record your basic information and your purchases.
Keohinani added in Nov 05: “I went to Y&F a couple of weeks ago. i noticed a lot of yarn from the same company throughout the store, and the labels were in japanese and english. rae said she’s got over a hundred varieties of yarn from a company (or two? i don’t remember) in japan. she’s the only one in the US with such a collection; there’s a store in colorado, but they only carry maybe two or three kinds. she said she hopes to make that yarn available online. pretty trippy.”
Parking: metered street parking or building parking lot (pay by the 1/2 hour, free after 12 noon on weekends). There are bus lines that stop nearby; the Honolulu Academy of Arts and Blaisdell Center are good landmarks when asking for directions. (TheBus, 848-5555)
Nearby: on the outer South King St. side of the building is Le Guignol, a French restaurant that’s been around for a while. It’s not pretentious or calorie-conscious French food – if you like stuffed mushrooms lounging in melted butter, this is the place. There’s a TGI Friday’s on the corner of South King and Ward Avenue. Also: the Honolulu Academy of Arts Center at Linekona and the Honolulu Academy of Arts (which has a lovely cafe, the Doris Duke Theater showing indie and foreign films, and the last Friday of every month is ARTafterDARK). Thomas Square hosts the seasonal Pacific Handcrafters Guild craft fairs (high-end woodworking, ceramics, clothing and more). If you take Ward Ave towards the ocean, there are more places to eat and shop, including the Dixie Grill, Ross, Ward Warehouse, Ward Center, and the Ward movie theaters. I’d call it walking distance; others would call me crazy. TheBus has a route that runs down Ward Ave to the shopping malls. Ward Center is a short hop away from Ala Moana shopping center, btw.
Random trivia: The Teen’s orthodontist is in the same building. Again with the broken yarn detector!
YARN & NEEDLECRAFT
[AS OF JUNE 2009 CLOSED INDEFINITELY]
222 Papalaua St (couple of blocks away from Front St, towards the mountains)
Lahaina (Maui), HI 96761
phone: (808) 661-1001
email: yarn@poshawaii.com
hours: M – S 10 am – 5 pm, Sun 10 am – 2 pm
Yarn and Needlecraft is in a small shopping complex about two blocks up
from Front Street. The shop is small, with a big selection of basic
acrylic yarn, novelty yarns and ribbon for making crocheted leis. I
did find a little sock yarn, but that display was very small. Basic
tools – crochet hooks, knitting needles, notions – are on one wall.
JoAnne adds:
“I have been going to Yarn & Needlecraft for 30+ years and have seen all the positive changes that the store has gone through. After all these years I have just started knitting again thanks to the owner who has re-taught me how to knit. I also go to their Wednesday night knitting/crocheting gathering that they have from 6:30pm – 8:30pm. I have met the nicest people at these gatherings. There is one Aunty (Lorinda) in particular who gives of herself unselfishly. She is so knowledgeable about so many things!! The guidance she provides to all of us is unreal.
I have recently bought yarns (wool) from them so I can make blankets for my children. They are bringing in more wool, wool blends, silks, beaded silks (patterns and pattern books for the yarns) and they are adding to their already large cotton selections(bamboo,royal bamboo,vintage cotton,capri ombre etc. to name a few). They are also willing to “special” order yarns that other stores do not carry or are out of. Check it out and join the classes…they are free.”
Thanks JoAnne!
CRAFT SUPPLY’S RIBBON & YARN
(visited in July 2009) Craft Supply of Honolulu’s King Street branch has closed, and Craft Supply’s Ribbon and Yarn Store has opened upstairs. Specializing in ribbons and yarns for making leis with, Craft Supply’s Ribbon and Yarn Store offers crochet and ribbon lei making classes, free with purchase of supplies. Classes are offered twice a day every day (except Sunday, when the shop is closed); for details on classes and times please call them at (808) 942-5044.
Yarns for sale include standards like Red Heart, Sugar ‘N Cream, Bernat (Baby Coordinates, Cotton Tots, Baby), and novelty/eyelash yarns from Crystal Palace and Trendsetter.
A small parking lot with free parking for customers is located behind the building; if you are driving east on S. King, the entrance to the parking lot is before the building. Nearby bus stops are served by routes 1 and 6 (check with TheBus for times and other possible routes).
1960 South King Street (upstairs), near McCully Street
phone; (808) 942-5044
Hours:MTWTF 9 – 3, Sat 9 – 12
U’I MAU A MAU (Beautiful Forever) [mapquest]
Harbor Center
98-027 Hekaha Street
(behind CutterFord in Aiea)
mobile phone (808) 255-5821
fax (808) 239-6221
email: haradat004@hawaii.rr.com
hours: T/W/Th 10-6, Sa 10-5, Su 12-4
Proprietor: Tracy Harada
I finally managed to get there during business hours, and I even found parking in front of the shop. Harbor Center has a sort of
industrial feel, so I definitely don’t look at the front door and think “yarn shop!” – there’s no window, and you can’t see into the door. What I wasn’t expecting was to open the door into a relatively large space with a high ceiling. This is the easiest to navigate shop I’ve visited so far, and may be the largest as well.
I immediately noticed that this shop specializes in crochet lei supplies. Cubicles and rows of novelty yarns dominate, and there’s a wall of ribbon spools. A large selection of lovely crochet leis is displayed on one wall. I browsed around a bit and found a small display of hooks and needles (lots of Clover). I did see some wool yarns, suitable for felting, but it was a small selection.
There’s a table where customers can sit and chat and play in pleasantly air-conditioned, well-lit comfort. Tracy offers free
lessons (lei, scarf, or beanie) with a purchase; if you are interested in a lesson, I recommend calling first to find out when a good time would be.
Parking: free parking is available in front of the store, but only a few spaces are designated for the shop. There is more free
(non-designated) parking in the general parking areas between the buildings.
TheBus (808) 848-5555: Harbor
Center is on several bus routes. Please call the information line or check the website for routes and timetables.
Nearby: Aiea is in Central O’ahu, easily accessed by the city bus and (depending on the time of day) a drive of about 30 – 50 minutes from Honolulu. Harbor Center has three separate buildings housing retail and wholesale shops. There’s a Fabric Mart, Beadmania! bead shop, and Jelly’s Comics and Books, specializing in used books and music. Tangent: Jelly’s originally had a few locations throughout O’ahu and was THEplace to hang out (and if you were, like my high school boyfriend, cool enough, get a job at) if you had any indie/punk/alt leanings. It’s just the one store now (due to some business issues that had nothing to do with the stores having a fantastic concept and great selection), and I still love it even though I’m a normal looking grown-up now. For food, Waimalu Shopping Center is right across Kamehameha Highway, with a couple of noodle shops and other eateries. There is a Genki Sushi and a Zippy’s nearby, also on Kamehameha Highway, and the Pearlridge Shopping Center is also close by, with loads of shops and places to eat.
THE NEEDLEWORK SHOP
505 Front Street #125
Lahaina (Maui), HI 96761
phone: (808) 662-8554
phone (toll-free) 866-688-8876
webpage: theneedleworkshop.com
email: needlept505@aol.com
Dolphine David and Ruth Ann Wilson
The Needlework Shop is in a little warren of shops on Front Street – it took us a minute to locate the shop (it’s the one with a big yellow and pink plumeria sign above the door). True to the name, this shop is for needlecrafters of all persuasions, with cross-stitch, embroidery, knit, and crochet supplies available, including notions and patterns. The shop is fairly small but easy to navigate, with a comfortable amount of space to move around in. A table to sit and chat at is in the back. The yarn selection is small, with a lot of high-end and novelty yarn on display (like some gorgeous Fiesta), great for making quick scarves and
handbags. Maui Yarns hand-dyed yarns are also stocked here. There are supplies for making yarn lei as well. Front Street is very touristy, so I wasn’t surprised to see yarns and projects geared towards the vacationing crafter.
FIDDLESTICKS CROSS STITCH & NEEDLEPOINT
Fiddlesticks isn’t a yarn shop, but I first went there because someone told me they had a lot of yarn. No yarn at all, but I wasn’t disappointed.
The shop is small and in an odd location, sharing a lot with Lex Brodie’s Tire and Service Center. The storefront, in stark contrast to the industrial area around it, is small, with warm wood, multiple glass windows and rambling plants. The store itself is small and cozy, with all available wall space being used to display skeins of thread, beads, buttons, kits, patterns, and notions. The spinning racks hold even more thread, in a wide range of colors and fibers including glittery novelty, faux suede, wool, cotton, silk and bamboo. They have classes and do mail order.
The staff is friendly, helpful, and chatty. Before I left, they heard all about my childhood quilt trauma and one of the staff members was demanding that I bring in my squares so they could see them. I want to go back!
Fiddlesticks Cross Stitch & Needlepoint
620 Coral St
Honolulu, HI
(808) 533-4565
1-800-897-8482
fiddlstick@aol.com
[mapquest]
Hours/Days: Call for current schedule
Parking: a few stalls available in front of the store. Some metered street parking available in the general area.
Public transportation: TheBus serves the general area; call for schedules and locations. You may have to walk a few blocks.
Nearby: Fiddlesticks is in Kaka’ako, adjoining downtown Honolulu. The immediate area is mostly industrial. Fisher Hawaii is an office supply warehouse that I like to wander through – it’s big and a little dusty, the sort of place that still stocks fabric ribbons for manual typewriters [450 Cooke St., ph # 524-8770]. Singer of Hawaii (“Hawaii’s Largest Sewing Machine Store”) does sales, service, and parts for industrial and home machines [670 Auahi St, behind CompUSA, ph# 536-6044]. Restaurant Row is nearby, with movie theaters, shops, and restaurants ranging from super casual (Subway) to upscale (Ruth’s Chris Steak House). The University of Hawai’i John A. Burns School of Medicine is nearby, with a cafeteria run by apprentice chefs from Kapi’olani Community College. The selections are focused on being tasty, light, and healthy, although the fresh thick-cut potato chips are just one of the three. The desserts are fabulous! Some metered street parking, paid/validated parking in their structure [Waterfront Plaza, Ala Moana Blvd, west of Fiddlesticks]. Continuing west on Ala Moana Blvd, the Aloha Tower Marketplace is on the oceanside, with more shopping and dining (paid parking in their lot). Fiddlesticks is within a mile of Isle Knit, and 1.5 miles of Yarn & Friends.
Yarn Shops in Hawai’i that I have not been to:
Please call for hours, directions, etc. Let me know if you’ve been to any of these shops and if there are more I have missed!
YARN & NEEDLECRAFTS
46 Hoolai (Kailua)
(808) 262-9555
Carrie: “I’ve been to Yarn & Needlecrafts on Hoolai in Kailua. It’s just behind the Blockbuster next to a bakery. They share space with a year-round Christmas store. It was quite busy when I was there on a Sunday afternoon (they close at 2pm). They carry quite a few novelty yarns but I noticed Crystal Palace Chenille (presumably for leis) and Patons Canadiana and a few others. They appeared to have samples of wool yarn from an unknown company and they seemed surprised they I was looking for non-novelty yarn. They have a good selection of clover takumi bamboo needles. They also had a couple pairs of US35 clubs.
Friendly service, if not that knowledgeable about the non-novelty yarns.” Thanks Carrie!
ALOHA YARN
46-018 Kamehameha Hwy #209 (Kaneohe)
(808) 234-5865
Susanbb: “Aloha Yarn in Kaneohe is very complete, even has sock yarn (!), nice people, in the last year has become full spectrum (was previously more lei oriented). Shares a parking lot with PaKe’s which is not-to-be-missed, next to Windward Mall and Zippy’s, across the street from the drive-through Starbucks.” Thanks Susan!
Theresa adds: “I frequent Aloha Yarn a lot. Nanea is just wonderful, friendly and very knowledgable. She never makes anyone feels like they are imposing. She has lots of wool, alpaca, cotton, mixed blends. She carries brands like Crystal Palace, Cascade, Gallway and much more. She also carries knitting books, magazines and patterns. Highly recommended yarn store!” Thanks Theresa!
Moon: “If you havent checked out Aloha Yarn you really must! Nanea is a knitting goddess. ;0) I learned to knit by taking a class with her and she continues to be a wealth of information and enthusiasm in the world of yarn arts. She can help you out of any knitting or crochet fix. And does so with a smile. How great is that??? The yarn has become breath taking as of late with lots of hand dyed goodness for your shawl and sock needs. Even glittery goodness!!!! Need I say more? Simply knitting nirvana.”
YARNS ETC.
85-841 D Farrington Hwy. (Waianae)
(808) 352-0971
YARN BASKET/BIG ISLAND BERNINA
50 E. Puainako St. #107
Hilo (island of Hawai’i, aka “the Big Island”)
(808) 959-0034
TIOLI CREATIVE CENTER
73-4800 Kanalani Street
Kailua-Kona, Hawaii 96740 (island of Hawai’i, aka “the Big Island”)
(808) 326-2820
10-6 Mon-Sat, 10-3 Sun
Located out by Costco, in a warehouse building between the airport and the marina on the Kona side of the Big Island.
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Craft stores in the Honolulu and central O’ahu area:
I’m focusing specifically on yarn, since this is a yarn freak blog, so I’ve only mentioned the basics for the rest of the craft supplies available. I include a fair amount of info about the general area in terms of food and other shops when I can. I prefer going to yarn shops (see my short list of Honolulu yarn shops), where I know I can find a wide range of good quality yarns and someone will be able to help me if I have questions. The prices at the craft stores are, I find, not much cheaper (if at all – broken down by yardage, some of the “cheap” yarns are more expensive). On the other hand, craft stores are more likely to be open 7 days a week, and two of the craft stores listed below have locations in central O’ahu. As far as I know, there are no yarn shops in central O’ahu. If you have a favorite shop that I’ve missed, please leave info in the comments or email me with the details.
Note for visitors: central O’ahu is a 20 – 45 minute drive from Honolulu, depending on traffic, and is very accessible by bus (TheBus, (808) 848-5555). If you are planning to visit the Arizona Memorial, Battleship Missouri Memorial, or the big Aloha Stadium swap meet, you’ll be in central O’ahu.
All information is current as of July 2005; please call the shops for hours and other information (like making sure they are still in the same physical location).
[updated Nov 2005: Keohinani's info on the Mapunapuna Ben Franklin, links to Mapquest maps for all locations added]
Finding yarn at the craft store here has what you’d expect from other craft stores in the US – mostly acrylic yarns from brands like Red Heart and Lion Brand, and cotton Peaches & Cream and crochet thread, some novelty yarns from the same brands, aluminum and plastic knitting needles and crochet hooks, a few notions. You are not likely to find an employee that can answer questions about knitting or crocheting. What may initially give you some yarn dissonance is that you’ll also find Crystal Palace and the like, and in a separate display dominated by novelty yarns of the eyelash, plush, and fake fur varieties. This display will likely have ribbon yarns as well as spools of ribbon. These are regarded as supplies for making yarn and ribbon lei (crocheted or sewn), hence the separate display and a color range that includes the expected brights and pastels with quite a few greens, grays, and other earthy tones. I’ve only seen one pattern for a knitted lei, which was basically to take a strand of eyelash and a strand of a novelty yarn and knit a stockinette strip to the desired length – a skinny novelty scarf, if you will, and to my aesthetic, unattractive. I much prefer the crocheted or sewn lei done with a combination of novelty and ribbon that have a strong resemblance to the lei that require a lot of hard-to-find flora and skilled labor and then special care so that they will last for more than a day or two, but not much longer. Some of the more elaborate lei will use only part of a flower, or hundreds of little berries, or thousands of tiny flower buds, or leaves that you can only find way deep in the forest, or a combination of all those plus other stuff. It’s a serious craft requiring both skill and artistry; very couture with added perishability factor (there are seed/nut, shell, and feather lei; you can find some at the Made in Hawaii festivals (Island Craft Connection has a calendar of events, please check there for info). Personally, I prefer to go to Le Flowers on South King Street (nearest cross street: University Avenue, storefront is next to Kinko’s), where they do lovely lei at prices that should be higher. That building also houses a small fabric shop (Kuni Island Fabrics, nice selection of tropical prints, cottons, quilting supplies, basic notions), and has one of the worst parking lots ever. I’d rather pay for parking in the Puck’s Alley lot and walk over than negotiate that lot. [mapquest: intersection of S. King and University]
Craft Supply of Honolulu has more than one location; I usually go to the one on King Street. There is a small parking lot that you turn into from King St.; it’s a one lane entrance/exit and it’s off the left turn lane to McCully AND there’s often a car parked right by the turn-in…so walk or catch the bus if you don’t need that kind of stress. [CLOSED as of July 2009 and replaced by Craft Supply's Ribbon and Yarn Store]. The yarn selection is upstairs and divided into the expected two sections. One is the standard display, lots of Red Heart, some crochet threads, Lion Brand, Bernat, and Patons. They’ve recently expanded the selection to include sock yarns (Patons Kroy) and there’s a little more variation than there was a few years ago. [March 2008: apparently those didn't sell well, and so the selection has returned to being mostly Red Heart, etc.]The other selection is in another aisle; the eyelash/fun fur/novelty selection. There’s a rack of books for crocheted and ribbon lei by the cash register in the floral section. Knitting needles and crochet hooks from Boye and Susan Bates, aluminum and plastic; mostly straights, some circulars and aluminum dpns in larger sizes. The usual basic notions – plastic ring stitch markers, plastic tapestry needles, etc.
Overall, Craft Supply of Honolulu has the standard range of crafting supplies that you’d expect – artificial flowers, blank containers to embellish, scrapbooking supplies, polymer clay, beads, jewelry findings, etc., but very little for sewing. The Pearl City location is larger and that mall has a more easily negotiated parking lot. Both locations are served by TheBus, (808) 848-5555.
[Honolulu] Craft Supply of Honolulu: 1960 South King Street, (808) 942-5044 [mapquest]CLOSED as of July 2009
Next door to Jack-In-The-Box, general area has some other restaurants
[Pearl City] Craft Supply of Honolulu: Pearl Highlands Shopping Center, (808) 456-3533. [mapquest]
Upstairs from Sam’s Club. Mall has a food court, movie theaters, and assorted shops.
Ben Franklin Crafts: Along with the standard Red Heart and a little Lion Brand, there’s a rack of Bernat Handcrafters Cotton. The Kaimuki and Pearl City locations have a big display of the lei yarns, including a lot of ribbon yarns, and a rack of books for yarn/ribbon lei by the register. Ben Franklin has been upgrading the knitting and crocheting section, as the store buyer has been asking Akamai Knitter for recommendations – hence the lovely display of Clover Takumi bamboo needles (straights and circulars) and crochet hooks, alongside the Susan Bates and Silvalume. The Kaimuki branch had big Clover Takumi hardwood straights (US #17 and #19). They do have Susan Bates dpns in smaller gauges, but only a few at this writing. The usual notions, plastic stitch markers, safety-pin style stitch holders, etc. I saw three lonely looking kits on a rack near the needles, all Lion Brand, one “learn to knit”, one crochet scarf kit, and one knit scarf kit.
[UPDATE: January 2008 THEY HAVE CASCADE! AND BROWN SHEEP! Cascade 109, Cascade Fixation, and Brown Sheep Lamb's Pride Worsted. Woo-hoo!]
The book section in Pearl City has expanded considerably and has quite a range, including some Candi Jensen books (Candy Tots, Knit Hats, Knit Scarves), Zoe Mellor’s Nursery Knits, Last Minute Knitted Gifts, the Vogue Portable Compendium, Knit One, Felt Too, Ann Budd’s Knitter’s Handy Book of Sweater Patterns, and 1000 Great Knitting Motifs by Louise Roberts. The Kaimuki location has a different selection of books, including Stitch N’ Bitch Nation, The Knit Stitch, The Purl Stitch, and Knitting for Dummies.
[March 2008: the pattern and book selection has changed - more focused on felting]
Small fabric and sewing notions section, general crafting supplies. They have a layout that I find confusing and disorienting.
Keohinani commented in Sept 05:
there’s also a ben franklin in mapunapuna in that area between 99 ranch market and bob’s big boy. the selection of yarn and knitting implements are the same as any other ben franklin, however i did notice recently that they carry feltable worsted merino by bernat…i believe it’s called Lana. their book section has many of those thin books for knitting and crochet, though they do carry some knitting books like weekend knitting and loop-d-loop. they also have a separate beade shoppe right next door–a definite plus if you want to find things to make stitch markers!
[Honolulu/Kaimuki] Ben Franklin Crafts: 2919 Kapiolani Blvd, (808) 735-4211, Market City Shopping Center. [mapquest]
This shopping center has a distinct front and back – the front has a large Foodland grocery store, Blockbuster video, and assorted eateries. The back is where Ben Franklin Crafts is located, near the corner of Kapiolani Blvd. and Kaimuki, across from the Kaimuki high school. On a few bus lines (TheBus, (808) 848-5555)
[Mapunapuna] Ben Franklin Crafts: 2810 Pa’a Street, (808) 833-3800 [mapquest]
Between 99 Ranch Market (dollar store) and Bob’s Big Boy (diner)
[Kailua] Ben Franklin Crafts: 1020 Keolu Drive, (808) 261-4621 [mapquest]
Kailua is a very pleasant town, a nice day trip for visitors looking to escape some of the hustle and bustle of Waikiki. Kailua Beach Park is lovely for sunning and swimming and there is an abundance of locally owned cafes and restaurants. Parking in Kailua Square is metered, as is most of the street parking. Well served by TheBus, (808) 848-5555
[Pearl City] Ben Franklin Crafts: 850 Kamehameha Hwy, (808) 455-1909. [mapquest]
Located in a mall; lower level. Lower level includes Longs drugstore and Chuck E. Cheese, upper level has McDonalds, Daiei (Japanese/Asian groceries, housewares, appliances), Foodland grocery store.
Wal-Mart isn’t a craft store per se and is on my list of places I prefer to avoid, mostly because I don’t like big crowded spaces in which people with large heavy shopping carts will knock you over to get to a display of plastic mugs. However, the Honolulu location is close to Waikiki and is easy to find, right up the street from the Ala Moana Shopping Center (2 –3 blocks walking distance) and has ample parking – for some reason, people will go around and around the crowded street level parking, hoping for a space, while the second level of parking will have vast open areas of parking, with conveniently located staircases and elevators. Served by many of the same bus lines that serve Ala Moana Center. There are two other locations in central and north O’ahu; I have not been to them and don’t know if they have a craft department.
The yarn section is located between children’s toys and bedding, and does not separate the selection between “regular” and “lei” – I didn’t see any lei making books here either. Yarns are standard Red Heart, Lion Brand, Caron, Peaches & Creme, Patons, etc. There is a very basic notions selection and Boye knitting needles/crochet hooks. Standout: they have gigantic gauge plastic knitting needles from Red Heart. I didn’t see any books, but it would have been easy for me to miss – it took me at least 15 minutes to find the department, and by that time all I wanted to do was leave.
The immediate area around the Honolulu Wal-Mart boasts quite a few restaurants and cafes – this area borders on the growing Koreatown and has a Southeast Asian presence, as well as having US chains like Starbucks and Jamba Juice. Ala Moana shopping center has a food court, two Starbucks, Honolulu Coffee Company coffeeshop, Gloria Jean’s coffeeshop, Panya cafe (I go for the pastries, they also serve alcohol), St Germain bakery (French-style Japanese bakery, sandwiches to go), Genki Sushi, and more shops than I can list. The Mariposa restaurant in Neiman Marcus has outdoor seating with a lovely view and is a great place to get lunch and cocktails for those of us who like to get a little tipsy and then try on makeup.
[Honolulu] Wal-Mart 700 Keeaumoku St (808) 955-8441 [mapquest]
[Waipahu] Wal-Mart 94-595 Kupuohi (808) 688-0066 [mapquest]
[Mililani] Wal-Mart 95-550 Lanikuhana Ave (808) 623-6744 [mapquest]
