OFF CAMPUS — Nestled comfortably behind Forever Fondue in downtown La Jolla is a stitchsta’s paradise more colorful than a king-size variety bag of Skittles. This effective United Nations of Yarn is packed floor to ceiling with just about every fiber, weight and luxury brand a discerning knitter could covet, with a DPN-melting sock arsenal and easily the best lace collection in the county. Selection and campus proximity earn Knitting in La Jolla the yarn-shop crown, with so much wool, silk, cashmere, alpaca, bamboo, hemp, linen, mohair, organic cotton and recycled sari silk you’ll get a contact high, and a generous sampling of novelty, ribbon and baby yarns. But be prepared to pay Prospect Street prices for this indulgence.

If you’re a crocheter or on the hunt for a pattern, try to make it out to Common Threads instead — its cozy back library, massive needle/hook section and hearty inventory (the area’s only Koigu carrier) makes the Encinitas shop a close runner up. And if you’re just fiending for some kettle-dyed Malabrigo, rich and creamier than fresh summer avocado, the prices at Pacific Beach’s Needlecraft Cottage deserve an honorable mention. Rock on campus knitters, rock on.