The biggest yarn crawl in the nation is traveling right through Dayton — and there will be yaks

Ohio, Michigan, Kentucky and Tennessee cream the yarn crawl competition across the nation. While it might not have much significance to those not in the “fiber” community, the I-75 Yarn Crawl winds through 58 participating shops, compared to similar yarn crawls in California and Texas only getting up to 30 or 40 stops, according to Yarn Crawl organizers.

Terri McGill, owner of The Rabbit Hutch Yarn and Bead Shop in Englewood, has been the license holder and organizer of the I-75 Yarn Crawl for four years. McGill has grown the non-alcoholic, ultra-soft crawl that stretches all the way from Maryville, Tenn., to West Branch, Mich., from 18 participating shops to 58 this year.

“It’s been a whirlwind,” McGill said. “They (participants) really get into it.”

The crawl can be whatever the participant wants to make of it, though one thing is for certain — the more stops you check off of your “passport” during the week of the crawl, Aug. 7-12, the grander the prizes you’ll be entered in for drawing when the crawl is finished.

There are prize drawings for those completing just five stops, to participants who check off all of Ohio, and the largest prizes for filling out the whole passport. Amazingly enough, McGill said there are people who complete the entire crawl within the week. The crawl has grown in popularity so much that McGill said she has never had to solicit participants — they find her. Last year, 1,100 passports were sold.

Passports can be purchased online for $6 at rabbithutchbeads.com. The Rabbit Hutch will mail passports directly to participants.

Each store along the way is unique, McGill said. Perhaps the most interesting Yarn Crawl fun-fact is that the yarn fluctuates in thickness and texture as you travel north or south along I-75, as yaks, sheep and llamas need to adjust their coats for the temperatures.

Not only will participants find some of the most expansive yarn and fiber stores along the route, but also farms along the way where fibers are harvested and dyed on the spot, according to customers’ wants and crafting needs.

WANT TO GO?

WHAT: I-75 Yarn Crawl

WHEN: Tuesday- Sunday, Aug. 7- 12

WHERE:  58 participating locations 

INFO: Facebook | The Rabbit Hutch