The Beadman - Redding, California

Location: Redding, California
Shop:       The Beadman
Owner:    Sandra
Website:  nope

Redding is in the northern Sacramento Valley, just before you start trekking up the Cascade Mountains. The day we were there, it was a cool low 60's, but still warm enough that all I needed was a sweater, and this is the first of March, still winter. Not the warm sunny weather of southern California, but not the drizzly miserableness of Seattle either.

One look at the sign on the door and you know this isn't your average bead shop. This sign was obviously put up before California's gun laws changed, because now it's against the law to carry a loaded weapon in California, unless your in the military, police or FBI. But this is a crafting blog, enough about laws and guns.

This shop has a foster puppy, Rusty. He's definitely a pit bull mix, what the other part is is unknown, I personally thought of a Queensland Heeler, since that's what my dogs are, and he reminded me of my dogs, but the gals at the shop thought he might be part pointer, since he tends to point. I still think heeler. If you're interested in adopting Rusty, Sandra's asking $100, she's spent 10x that in the vet bills to fix his leg, he's got a metal rod in there, which is why he has the cone on.

Not only does this place have beads, they've got clothes, jewelry, knick knacks, dragons, fairies, wind chimes, magnets, etc... This is a great place to get someone a gift, whether you're getting for a crafty person or not, there's a lot of stuff in this place.

I've been beading for over 20 years and I've shopped at a lot of bead shops (and worked at one awesome one), one thing I liked about this shop is the way they displayed their Czech seed beads. Seead beads come from two places, either Japan or the Czech Republic. The Japanese bag their seed beads, then it's up to retail stores to either tube them, or sell them in smaller bags. The Czech strand their beads, which can get messy when displaying. But The Beadman was smart (I think), they have a sample strand on the wall of each color/size/shape they carry, instead of pulling your selection off the wall, you pick from the bins under the display. Very smart & very tidy.

This was our last California stop. Now it's time to hit the grocery store and get everything triple bagged. Oregon doesn't allow plastic bags, and that's what we use in the camper for our garbage bags so we don't have to purchase any. We will also need to pick up my drink of choice: Vodka. It's at least $5 cheaper per bottler here in California. Washington state will soon be that low, but not until all the state run liquor stores close which will be by June 2012, and I'll be in Montana then. Happy and sad are weird emotions to have regarding the same subject, I'm sad I'm leaving my friends and family in Seattle, but happy about finally being in Montana.

Next stop: Medford, Oregon

Sew What! - Redding, California

Location: Redding, California
Shop:       Sew What!
Owner:     Lisa
Website:   www.sewwhatquilts.com/

Redding is in northern California along I-5, approximately 100 miles fromt he border of Oregon. 90,000 people live in Redding which is the county seat for Shasta County, and where 1/2 of the county's population live, the other 90,000 are spread out between the county's two other towns, Anderson and Shasta Lake City.

I sell primarily to knitting shops, and I have sold to a few quilt shops in the past year, but this is the first quilting & knitting shop I've sold to. Lisa opened Sew What! as a quilt shop 10 years ago, the yarn came in a year later. When asked if she was a quilter or a knitter, she quickly answered, "Both!"

The yarn is in it's own room inside the quilt shop, but don't let that fool you into thinking they have a limited supply, there was plenty to choose from, you just have to get by the fabric first, good luck. While I visited, there was a class going on in the yarn area. I asked all the gals what the class was, and they all just kinda shrugged their shoulders and said knitting. Each one of them had a completely different project going on and the instructor was there to help address any issues they might have. I really didn't see much instructing going on, I think these gals just come in to "class" to knit together, because they were still there while the instructor had gone on to her next appointment.

I think I found the socks I want to knit. The sample on the right in the picture above (on the left) has beads at the top. I think they're calling my name. Soon my pretties, soon.

Next stop: a bead shop in Redding, California

Location: Bakersfield, California
Shop:       Bead & Yarn Studio
Owner:    Lisa
Website:  http://beadandyarnstudio.weebly.com/

Bakersfield, aka Buckersfield, is California's 9th largest city with over 300,000 people and home to some good country music. You can drive on Merle Haggard Ave or Buck Owens Drive, I'm sure there's more, but those stood out to me. Also home to Buck Owen's Crystal Palace which has one of the best chicken friend steak dinners I've ever had, speaking from experience.

Two things really stand out in this shop; first of all, they have beads, and second, all of their yarn is 40% off. The shop originally opened as a rock and gem shop over 20 years ago. Lisa's parents were the rock hounds, digging up a lot of what the shop sold. Slowly, they started to get more female customers and their bead business expanded. With the many woman the rock shop was now selling to, the yarn just seemed like a good idea to add.

Lisa's able to offer all of her yarn at 40% off because of the lots she purchases. They're usually lots that were made not to the original specifications, or that the company might have had too much of, or that a store simply didn't want anymore. She gets the lots at discounted rates and passes the savings on to her customers. Pretty sweet deal, I think.

Classes a plenty, whether you're interested in beads, crochet or knitting. There's also plenty of room for you to hang out and knit or bead anything. Need help on something? Just ask, the store is full of friendly & crafty people.

Next stop: Bakersfield, CA  (again)