GREENPOINT — Yarn's about to grab New York by the threads.
Between 2,000 and 3,000 "nerdy knitters" are expected to hop around New York next weekend for the NYC Yarn Crawl, a three-day event in which fans of the fiber arts go from yarn shop to yarn shop.
The crawl — happening between Sept. 25 and 27, so knitters can prepare for the cooler weather — is a way for knitters to rally around their craft, said organizer Kristen Couchot.
"[It's] about bringing a community together and supporting the small businesses around New York," Couchot said.
Nearly a dozen independent yarn shops in Manhattan and Brooklyn will take part in the crawl, with each featuring speakers, discounts, prizes or cocktails, she added.
Participating stores include newer shops like Gauge and Tension in Greenpoint to Seaport Yarn in the Financial District, which opened in 2002.
Knitters simply take the train from shop to shop, often traveling with their knitting or crocheting meetup groups, Couchot said.
"People often save up their yarn budgets for this crawl," she said, "so it can be a big day for many stores."
The yarn shops themselves started the crawl about seven years ago to drum up support for small businesses, and Couchot came on this year for the first time to help organize it.
Beyond knitting and crocheting, many of the people who come also participate in other forms of fiber arts, like weaving or spinning the yarn itself.
But anyone is welcome to take part, Couchot said.
"It’s fun for nerdy knitters like me," she said.
