This summer I took a week's vacation in the Big Apple. What do you think I did while I was there? Why I went to as many yarn shops as I could of course! Also, I visited a whole lotta skate shops (to keep my skateboarding teenage son happy). In between all of those jaunts to yarn and skate shops we did do some sightseeing ;)
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| Knitting NYC near Battery Park. This was how I passed the time while my son tested a nearby skate park. |
So here is my review of the shops I visited.
Purl Soho
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The Yarn Wall at Purl Soho
That's me on the right :) |
Purl Soho is an exquisite shop in, you guessed it, Soho. That's near the bottom of Manhattan. It may be the most popular shop on the map due to its vast advertising on knitting and craft sites to drive traffic to the shop's website. So the good news is you can shop Purl Soho right from home, no need to venture all the way to NYC. Many of my crafty friends have visited this beautiful shop and have declared it as a favorite. It not only boasts a great stash of yarn but you can find designer fabric, embroidery and needlework supplies and a selection of gifts, notions and accessories for the fibre enthusiast. The physical space is beautiful. Long and narrow with shelves along one side, tables of product down the centre and two skinny aisles for getting around. If you are a polycrafter, like myself, then this is a must-do shop for you. One of my favorite products is the
Purl Soho Scrap Bags they put together. Its a pretty collection of colour coordinating designer fabric. Last year I bought a pack and it even had some really cool trim and heavy felt!
Knitty City
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At the front of Knitty City. Love their shopping bags!
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| Available at Knitty City only $19.95 |
If you are in the Upper West Side you have to get to
Knitty City. This shop wins the award for the most welcoming, down-home feeling of the bunch. There was so much activity with knitters gabbing and stitching at the table in the back of the shop. This is exactly what I want to find when I visit a yarn shop. It's packed to the ceiling with yummy skeins and a big basket of spinning fibre to keep the spinners satiated. There is also a wonderful library or stitching books and magazines. I picked up one of Vogue's limited edition copies of
Vogue Crochet Magazine. Something to note is that this shop is
accessible - friendly to those using walking aids or wheelchairs.
The Yarn Company
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| At the table in front of the big windows at the Yarn Company. The bags behind me are really cool. Look to be made from recycled materials. |
While you're in the Upper West Side you might as well visit
the Yarn Company, just around the corner from Knitty City. The Yarn Company is located on the second floor, you have to walk up some steep steps to access the shop. I was a little confused what door to use to enter the shop and rang the bell for the wrong entrance. Ooops! When I found the right door I went on in and found a bright well organized room. I was hoping to find a huge selection of spinning fibres, and left a little disappointed. I would have like to see more variety of hand dyed fibres. But it was nice to see they carried hand dyed by a little indie dyer. The shop looks like it lives in a couple of converted apartments. The main room is spacious with big windows letting in lots of natural light. Big heavy tables are parked in front of the windows with stools inviting patrons to sit and knit or examine potential purchases. I purchased the current issue of Spin Off magazine this time. Trying to be conservative with my spending haha!
Brooklyn General Store
Located in my favorite NYC neighbourhood, Brooklyn. Brooklyn reminds me most of home and its a fantastic 'hood brimming with cafes, restaurants, indie shops and street sales.
The Brooklyn General Store had me at hello. I found their website and watched their promo video. I was instantly in love. Go to the website's main page and click the play button on the jar just above the tagline "where country fiber warms the big city" and you'll see what I mean. Go ahead, I'll wait. Are you back? Wow! Just wow! The shop reminds me of Purl Soho, but less hectic. Its got designer fabric, the best yarn, crafty kits, spinning fibre, adorable ribbons and trims, and lovely gifts. I enjoyed the pottery and greeting cards. I loved the focus on carrying items from local artists. Big bonus points for that one! The back of the shop has a table and chairs for gathering and stitching. The front of the shop has a comfy arm chair. The store was perfect and if I was to open one myself I'd love for it to be just like this.
La Casita Yarn Shop Cafe
The last yarn shop on my tour was
La Casita. I found this shop by accident while walking around Brooklyn and just minutes before closing time. The shop was packed! All it took was 5 or 6 people and we were at capacity. The little boutique was brimming with fibre, a huge table up front that ate up a lot of floor space and a cafe tucked neatly into the back of the store. It must be such a welcoming space for local knitters to grab a cuppa and then pull up a chair at the big table and knit the day away. The staff were friendly and cheerful, though it was the end of their day. I found some vintage buttons that I had been coveting for a while on Ebay. I was so excited when I saw them right there in the flesh! We would've stayed for a cup of tea, but unfortunately it was closing time. Next time I'll come earlier La Casita!
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