it is close to Victoria and takes only a few hours by car or a high speed ferry.
We enjoy the sights, shopping and the fabulous restaurants...there is always live theatre, The Seattle Art Gallery, The EMP, Chihuly Glass Museum, Space Needle and various heritage sites.
We have not explored the areas surrounding Seattle very much...
we have been to Tacoma and travelled south to California.
On this visit I suggested that we take the ferry across to Bainbridge Island.
Bainbridge Island is across the water from downtown Seattle.
It turns out that the ferries run frequently and the trip takes only 35 minutes.
The view as we are arriving at the Bainbridge Island Ferry dock
you can see the snow capped mountains in the distance...
Bainbridge is a beautiful island which serves as a bedroom community to Seattle and is linked to Poulsbo Washington at the far end by a bridge.
There are many large vineyards, luxurious waterfront homes and vast acreages that dot the island.
The streets near the ferry dock are lined with quaint shops, galleries and cafes.
My main reason for making the pilgrimage to Bainbridge Island
was to visit the knitting store Church Mouse Yarns and Teas.
The shop offers lessons, sells patterns and yarn,
Teas and Emma Bridgewater Black Toast patterned china.
Three of my favourite things all located under one roof!
You can sit inside at the great table or in a cozy chair and knit to your hearts' content.
I purchased this reversible poncho pattern
I am using the Berroco Ultra Aplaca yarn in the same shade as the pattern.
The progress so far...
when it comes to the grafted seam I am going to be in need of some assistance.
Hopefully a few of my expert knitter friends will be able to guide me...
or else I will pop into our local wool shop The Beehive for a tutorial.
snapshots from our walk on Bainbridge Island
sign in a toy shop
stone figures along the waterfront
a beautiful heritage arts and crafts bungalow
circa 1913
I would have loved to have been invited inside.
We had lunch at The Harbour Public House
sipped a tasty beverage from The Blackbird Bakery
perused many lovely shops.
Among my favourites were:
The Berry Patch
Heart
Lark
Pastiche Antiques
Petit and Olson
(wow this shop is fabulous!)
Salt House Mercantile
Seattle Children's Hospital Bargain Boutique
Our stay was short and sweet and I would eagerly return.
The Gardens at The Bloedel Reserve are reported to be spectacular and I can imagine them on a sunny summer day...
there is a wee bit more to share with you from our Seattle visit in the next post.
Hope that your week has been going well...
Have a lovely weekend!
31 comments:
What a fun getaway. Churchmouse might draw me to knitting. What a wonderful little spot!
Your getaway sounds perfect! I don't even knit, but that shop could lure me in anyway!
Well, I live very close to Bainbridge Island so I'm glad you enjoyed your visit! You may want to add the town of Poulsbo to your next trip from Seattle, though you would need a car to get there from the Island. Very scenic Little Norway town.
What a great tour. Your trip looks like it was a lot of fun. Thank you for sharing it with us.
What a beautiful trip - so happy you shared the pics with us !
I enjoy every word and every picture of your blog...
Just subscribed today after two years of faithfully following you. So glad you had a change of heart. I too am retired. Have traveled by train from Midwest to Grand Canyon, spent a week in London England, remodeled 2 bathrooms, saving $ for kitchen remodel, re-read Jane Austin, read all Charles Dicken's works, Don Quixote, am reading Mark Twain's works (busy 5 yrs)
What a charming island! You must have had a lovely time wandering and exploring.
Thank you for the tour of Bainbridge Island. It looks like a nice, cosy place to spend some time. Good luck with your knitting. I bought some beautiful yarn in Germany, but can't decide exactly what to make, so it will keep.
Mary Lou
From Margie in Toronto - What a wonderful spot. It's been years since I've been out west and after seeing this I've added Seattle and Bainbridge Island to the list of "must visits" - so charming.
I start knitting classes next Sunday and I'm really looking forward to it - we have a lovely shop here called Ewe Knit - full of beautiful wools and fabrics - I'm going to have trouble making up my mind on what colour to choose for my first project! Ar you using green or a greeny/blue for your project? It's a bit hard to tell - but love the pattern.
Oh do visit their website...they have fabulous yarns and patterns. Knitting is very relaxing and you can knit almost anywhere...at the cottage, on the boat, at home, outdoors...in a group. Can you tell that I LOVE Knitting?
You could buy tea, soaps, and the beautiful sterling silver stick pins...
Hi Kathy,
Bainbridge Island is a beautiful part of Washington State...love the San Juan Islands too. You live in a very scenic part of the country.
Susan it definitely was fun...just what we both needed, a little change of scenery, a great hotel, good meals and a bit of adventure!
I have a tendency to take far too many photos and have to whittle them down for these posts...I try to pick the best ones to share with you...glad you like them.
Babette,
Oh your life sounds as busy as ever!
Retired people like us, often wonder how we ever found time in to go to work!
The kitchen reno sounds really exciting...I love our kitchen and it took years to renovate it as we did most of the work ourselves.
Bainbridge Island reminds me a bit of our Salt Spring Island not far from Victoria...lots of fabulous properties, shops, galleries and bistros. We like to pop over to visit and explore Ganges and the fabulous shops like Mouats.
The knitting is going well...the pattern is easy to follow.
Have fun deciding what you'll make with your yarn...so many lovely options...and you are so right "it will keep!"
What a charming town. I'm glad you posted this. We've driven by the turn off to Bainbridge Island but never visited it. Your knitting is always so lovely.
The shade of yarn is a charcoal grey...it looks different in the light. I think it versatile enough to wear with blacks, greys and white jeans! I just read on the Church Mouse website that they sell their patterns in many shops in Canada, the US and in other countries. You might find that your shop in Toronto carries them...love that name Ewe Knit!
Good luck with your lessons...there is a lovely garter stitch baby sweater at Church Mouse that is recommended for beginners if you have any babies in your circle.
It's great for someone like me from the UK to be taken on tours and Bainbridge island looks so charming. not surprised you had hoped to be invited in to the art and craft style bungalow. the knitting shop, what a fabulous name, looks like my idea of heaven. Great pattern choice, can't wait to see it completed. Have a wonderful weekend x
Another Brit that appreciates virtual travel! What a lovely place. Have fun with the knitting.
It looks lovely there. I really like the view with the snowcapped mountains in the background.
You'll have fun with that poncho! I like the colour.
Bainbridge Island is on my list of places to visit soon. I have a cousin there - in fact he will visit us this week. I always intend to return the visit but never manage. You have been a very good tour guide!
It is definitely worth the detour...in summer it would be bustling and even more beautiful! Hope you have time to visit .
Thank you! I popped over and visited your blog and see that you are a knitter too...it is such a great hobby. Will certainly be showing this poncho when I have finished it...one ball knitted up and 3 more to go...
I am so jealous! Bainbridge Island - and specifically Churchmouse Yarns and Teas - is on my bucket list. In fact I am knitting that reversible poncho right now. Love it.
I love Seattle and Bainbridge Island ! Great getaway f if you are from Portland ! Oregon, as I am . Loved your photos !
I'm so delighted ! Your post just planned a day trip for us when we visit Seattle in May. I'm a knitter,so going to Churchmouse Yarns was on the list. But the shops and restaurants you visited will make it so much easier. I was thinking of purchasing the same poncho pattern and yarn - I saw it online. Thanks!
Charming!
Soooo glad you decided to keep on blogging! I don't always comment. Still fully entrenched in the working world, and it takes all I have. At the end of the day, I logon to decompress and enjoy checking in with you! THANK YOU! You are an inspiration.
I have heard the Bainbridge Island is a beautiful place.
I love your new yard and the pattern...it is going to be very pretty.
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