PORTLAND

The city boasts destinations galore to keep visitors busy.

Portland has a reputation as a crafty city, and with good reason. If you’re planning a visit, check out the frequent craft fairs, classes and workshops, and the world-class Museum of Contemporary Craft. But for great shopping, these four destinations are dear to my heart.

YARNIA

4183 S.E. Division St. yarniapdx.com

“Come, let’s make yarn,” says the Yarnia website. Indeed, this is a store where the shelves are lined with big cones of single-filament fibers: wool, cotton, silk, mohair, acrylic — you name it. You select just the fibers and colors you want, and Yarnia’s staff will wind you a cone of your own custom yarn, right on the spot.

Owner Lindsey Ross (pictured at top left), herself an avid knitter, will help you figure out how much yarn you’ll need, and what fibers will combine best for your project. It’s enough to make you weep, really.

Get a healthy vegetarian lunch at Kalga Cafe, just up the street at 4147 S.E. Division. They serve Mexican, Middle Eastern, and Thai food, and they make a yummy vegan pizza.

Diane Gilleland runs DI Y Alert (diyalert. com), a website devoted to all things crafty in Portland, Ore.