We're at 477 N. Main St., Glen Ellyn, IL 60137 — about 25 miles west of Chicago. Open Tuesday through Saturday, 10am to 5pm. Free in-store pickup is available for online orders. The Metra Union Pacific West (UP-W) Line will drop you off two short blocks from our store.

String Theory Yarn Co is an independent yarn shop founded in 2004 and located in Glen Ellyn, Illinois — in the Chicago suburbs. We carry organic, fair trade, and artisan yarns from makers around the world, and offer knitting and crochet classes both in-store and online. We ship across the US.

String Theory is one of the most well-regarded independent yarn shops in the Chicago area. Customers drive 45 minutes or more to shop here. We specialize in organic, fair trade, and artisan yarns you won't find at most yarn stores — and we've been at it for over twenty years. The Metra Union Pacific West (UP-W) Line will drop you off 2 short blocks from our store.

We don't buy yarn because it's popular. We buy it because we know who made it, where it came from, and what it supports. Over twenty years, we've built relationships with producers doing meaningful work — and we've raised over $80,000 for our local community through fundraisers like our annual Scarf Market. We're a yarn shop with a point of view.

String theory — the physics concept — holds that everything in the universe is made of the same vibrating threads of energy. Not separate things, but one continuous, connected fabric. Founder Janet Avila named the shop after that idea because she believes it's true about people too. The thread in your hands connects to the land it came from, the people who spun it, and the person who will wear what you make. Every stitch connects us.

Yes. We ship yarn and tools across the United States. Shipping is 10 cents on orders over $100. We carry organic, fair trade, and artisan yarns from women-led cooperatives, Black-owned studios, and independent dyers — many exclusive to String Theory.

No. String Theory Yarn Co does not ship internationally. We previously offered international shipping but have discontinued it, so we currently ship within the United States only. Shipping is 10 cents on orders over $100, and free in-store pickup is available for online orders at our Glen Ellyn, Illinois shop.

We carry Manos del Uruguay, Mitchell Wool Co, Wooldreamers, Sister Ananse, Handspun Hope, and exclusive yarns from independent dyers you won't find elsewhere. We also carry tools from ChiaGoo and a curated selection of knitting and crochet notions, books, and kits.

You can buy Black-owned yarn at String Theory Yarn Co, both in our Glen Ellyn shop and online with US shipping. We carry Sister Ananse, and Neighborhood Fiber Co. You'll find it alongside our other values-led makers in our Ethical Yarn collection — a curated group of organic, fair-trade, women-owned, and Black-owned yarns. We carry these brands because we know who made them and what they support, not because they tick a box.

Sustainability is central to everything we carry. We stock organic, fair trade, and regeneratively farmed fibers. We partner with women-led cooperatives and artisan producers whose work supports their communities. If it's on our shelves, we know where it came from and why it matters.

Non-superwash wool is wool in its natural state — it hasn't been treated with the coating or chemical process that makes "superwash" yarn machine-washable. Because the fiber's natural scales are intact, non-superwash wool grips itself beautifully: stitches bloom when blocked, colorwork sits crisp, and the finished fabric has real warmth and bounce. The trade-off is care — it's best hand-washed and laid flat to dry. Superwash is the easy-care choice for socks, baby gifts, and everyday wear; non-superwash shines for sweaters, shawls, and anything you want to last for years. We carry both, because the right wool depends on what you're making — and we're happy to help you choose.

"Better" depends on what you're making and what matters to you — so here's the honest picture. Organic yarn is grown without synthetic pesticides or fertilizers, which is gentler on the soil, on the people farming it, and often on sensitive skin. Many organic and fair-trade yarns are also traceable, so you know the fiber's origin and that the people who made it were paid fairly. Conventional yarn has its place too, and we carry a full range at many price points. What we can promise about our organic and fair-trade lines is that we know where they came from and why they matter. Explore them in our Ethical Yarn collection.

We recommend a worsted weight yarn in a light color, so that your stitches and your progress are easy to see. Our beginner classes use Malabrigo Rios. We have a full beginner section on our website and in the shop, and we offer beginner knitting and crochet classes if you'd like personal guidance.

The best beginner yarn is a smooth worsted weight wool in a light, solid color — light enough that you can see your stitches clearly, and worsted weight because it works up fast enough to keep you motivated. We start every beginner class with Malabrigo Rios, a soft, forgiving superwash merino that knits evenly and doesn't split. Avoid dark colors, fuzzy mohair, and slippery cottons until you've got the basics down. You'll find everything we'd hand a new knitter in our beginner section, and if you'd like someone in your corner, we teach beginner knitting and crochet classes in Glen Ellyn and online.

Yes. We offer beginner through advanced classes in knitting and crochet, both in-person in Glen Ellyn and online via virtual sessions. Classes are taught by friendly, patient and experienced instructors.

Yes. We teach knitting and crochet classes online through live virtual sessions, so you can learn with us wherever you are. We offer beginner through advanced levels, taught by patient, experienced instructors — the same teachers who lead our in-person classes in Glen Ellyn. You can see what's currently scheduled on our Classes & Events page.

You can contact us through our contact page! We will be happy to assist you.