Bellflower Yarn Store 32 Years Strong: Stitches in Time

Stitches in Time Yarn, at 16706 Bellflower Blvd in Bellflower, is open Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 12 to 5, and on Saturday from 10 to 5. It is closed on Sunday and Tuesday. The shop is celebrating 32 years of knitting and crochet in Bellflower, and owner Candace Broeker still runs it. There is parking behind the building, and the big tall sign out front makes it easy to find.

The shop's address is 16706 Bellflower Blvd, Bellflower, CA 90706, and its own website adds a landmark: it is directly across the street from the Hosanna Church, in a building that used to be a movie theater, with a big tall sign. That description turns out to be the best way to spot it from the road, because the building is a former theater and not a typical strip-mall storefront.

Parking is available behind the building or across the street behind the Hosanna Church. Use the street address, not an intersection, when you set your navigation. The website mentions that the shop has moved to a new location, so make sure the address in your phone matches the one above, 16706, and not an older listing.

The hours on the shop's website are as follows: Sunday closed, Monday 12:00 to 5:00, Tuesday closed, Wednesday 12:00 to 5:00, Thursday 12:00 to 5:00, Friday 12:00 to 5:00 and Saturday 10:00 to 5:00. Those are not long hours, and the shop is run by its owner, so show up during the window and not at the edges of it.

For a first visit, Saturday is the best day. It opens two hours earlier than the weekdays, so you have the whole morning to browse and still get a lunch in Bellflower. Weekdays suit a quick yarn-and-notions run.

The home page says Stitches in Time is celebrating 32 years of knitting and crochet excellence in Bellflower, and describes itself as a cozy destination for knitters and crocheters looking for a variety of yarns, expert guidance and a place to share the joy of making. The owner, Candace Broeker, signs the website, and the items-for-sale page tells shoppers to contact Candy at the shop for details.

Thirty-two years is a long time for an independent yarn store to survive, especially in Southeast Los Angeles County, where large craft chains and online retailers compete for the same customers. A shop like this lasts because people come back for personal advice, and the website's wording about expert guidance is the real product.

The Products page says the shop carries a variety of yarn, patterns and notions, with new inventory always coming in. A separate page, What's on Our Needles, shows what the staff are currently making, and invites you to come in for inspiration and pattern help. That is the real draw: you can see finished garments and ask how they were made.

There is also an Items for Sale page of handmade shop models, aimed at anyone who has no time to finish a project and needs a quick gift. The list includes a Miss Lizzie blanket, an eyelash blanket, chenille knitted blankets, a granny square blanket, a brioche blanket, a blanket knitted on the bias and a crocheted feather-and-fan blanket. Hover over a photo online for the price and size.

The Upcoming Events and Classes page shows how the owner teaches. The summer listings on the events page included Knit a Baby Vest, three Sunday sessions from 1:00 to 3:00 pm on July 19, July 26 and August 2, an advanced-beginner project that teaches basic garment construction, the three-needle bind-off, picking up stitches, double-pointed needles for armbands and one-row buttonholes. The class includes the pattern, and yarn and needles are sold separately and must be bought at Stitches in Time.

The sock class was Sock Knitting, a Perfect Summer Traveling Project: learn to knit two socks at once using the Magic Loop method, on Sundays from 1:00 to 3:00 pm, August 9 through August 30, for $85.00. It covers a special cast-on, a reinforced heel stitch, short rows for heel turning, paired decreasing and Kitchener grafting. You must pre-enroll and make a sample swatch before the first class.

Two details stand out. First, so there is a human on the other end. Second, the vest class warns there is homework to be done before class, which tells you the owner expects students to arrive prepared. Classes change every season, so call to ask what is on the schedule now.

The most distinctive thing about the shop is its charity group. Since 2008, a group of women has gathered each month to share their talents in knitting, crochet, quilting and friendship while creating handmade gifts for those in need. They make hats, blankets, baby items and other comforting pieces that are donated to the Precious Life Shelter in Los Alamitos and to hospitals caring for premature babies.

The group was founded by Peggy Baxter, a local representative for Stitches from the Heart, and today Cindy coordinates the local group, called Stitches with Heart. It meets on the second Monday of each month from 10:00 a.m. to noon at the shop. New faces are welcome whether you are an experienced fiber artist or simply have a heart for helping others, and the meeting includes a Show and Tell. Donations are accepted anytime if you cannot attend.

If you are a visitor with a few hours, the second Monday is the day to plan around.

Bellflower is a compact suburban city in southeast Los Angeles County, and the shop sits on Bellflower Boulevard. After your visit, the easiest follow-up is a walk or bike ride on the Bellflower Bike Trail, which follows an old rail corridor through the city.

Because the shop closes at 5 pm, put it first on the agenda. Buy your yarn, then spend the rest of the afternoon outdoors or at lunch. If you arrive on a Tuesday or Sunday, the shop will be dark, so start from the hours above and not from the map pin.

Stitches in Time Yarn is at 16706 Bellflower Blvd, Bellflower, CA 90706. Hours: Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday 12:00 to 5:00, Saturday 10:00 to 5:00, closed Sunday and Tuesday. The charity knitting circle meets on the second Monday of each month, 10:00 a.m. to noon.

Bring your project and your questions, and ask the owner which yarn suits it. Use Karpo APP to find a lunch spot or the next craft stop nearby.