Hi. Now that I am a beginner knitter, I am obsessed with needles and especially yarn. We are going to NYC in April and I am wondering if anyone knows of any good yarn shops there, particularly something small and local. Thanks.
Sara
Nestled on a second floor above the fray of traffic on New York City’s Upper West Side, The Yarn Co. has served avid knitters for over 20 years. During this time, the store’s well-earned reputation as New York City’s best source for knitting, crochet and needlepoint supplies has attracted a large and loyal clientele from all points of the world.
I have the book that was written by the girls who own this store. The title is “the yarn girls quide to simple knits”
Thanks so much Anne. I will put that on my list of places to go in New York City this time. My husband will love it. :lol: He says I am not allowed to purchase any more yarn or have any more projects going at once. Of couse, this is because he is waiting for me to finish a simple scarf for him. 
Sara
i’m dying to visit the yarn company!! you should check out some of their books before you go.
[color=indigo]I’m going to NY in May! I was lucky enough to win a trip.
Anyway, I peruse other boards and this is a list of shops I have collected from others so far. Everyone, please post feedback on these if you have any - thanks![/color]
Downtown Yarns (they are so helpful, friendly and sweet over there - I was just there last night and got some great advice about what size needles to use when knitting with a strand of Koigu and a strand of Kid Silk Haze) and every day there is something new and gorgeous in the window. (Ave A & East 3rd or 4th). THE BEST selection; most helpful staff; best prices on good quality wool, silk, cashmere, mohair, cottons and they offer CLASSES year round). The girls that work there are such experienced knitters that you can have some of them DRAFT a pattern for you! Absolutely the best. Although the shop is small, the welcome you to sit there and do your gauge and get your product started.
>Avenue A between 3rd and 4th streets.
+Habu (29th St - 6th Av) I LOOOVE Habu as walking into the shop is like going into a zen garden. I frequented it last year purchasing Japanese patterns, yarn, etc.
+++Seaport (Andrea is a wonderful lady) They have a huge selection of yarns and books although there are a couple of my favorite yarns that they don’t carry. Remember to bring either cash or checks as Andrea does not take plastic
Purl is a great store too. (Soho - Sullivan St. off Prince). This shop is the prettiest with the most delicious mohair, cashmere and specialty yarns. The girls here are great and sweet and extremely helpful. But its usually so busy
> Purl 137 Sullivan Street (bet. Prince & Houston Sts.) 212-420-8796
Gotta Knit located on Sixth Avenue between 12th and 13th Street., on the second floor of a walk up on Sixth Avenue in Greenwich Village.
schoolhouse products
Knit NY (at 14th and avenue C is also in the neighboorhood. (and it has a cafe for mid day coffee breaks and a sit down)
>on E 14th Street (1st & 2nd).
Hi. I wanted to repost suggestions on local yarn shops in NYC…we are leaving in a week, but I know there are quite a few new people on the list now and some of you may live in NYC or have been to NYC. I know Carol listed a bunch and was hoping for feedback from anyone who had visited or frequents those stores. Thanks so much!!
I live in New York so I’ll give you my 2 cents on some of the stores.
Downtown Yarns is by far the friendliest, it is a small store, but has a good selection and very nice and helpful staff.
Purl is mostly about natural fibres, so you won’t find any novelty yarns there. They are also small, so if you go on a weekend when they are crowded, don’t expect too much help.
Seaport Yarn is huge, the staff is nice and knowledgable. They are set up in an office bulding and each office holds different types of yarns. The store is worth a visit just to check out the layout. Note, they do not take credit cards. They take checks (though I’m not sure if that goes for out of state checks).
A brand new LYS that just opened is called “Eat, Knit, and be Happy” they are located at 37A Bedford Street, in Greenwich Village. They sell snacks and coffee also, I think the idea is to encourage you to hang out and knit.
Schoolhouse Products is great also. They sell lots of imported Italian wools on big cones as well as more standard balls of yarn.
If you feel like venturing into Brooklyn, there is a hugh yarn store at 398 Atlantic Ave called Knit-Away. They have one of the biggest selection around, second only to Seaport Yarns. Their yarn also runs the biggest gamut, from inexpensive acrylics to delicious alpacas and merinos. They have novelty yarns as well.
Hope this helps.
Hi! Well I live in New York & practically across the street from The Yarn Company. I’m going to sound like a grouch here, but their prices are HIGH. I’ve only bought their sale stuff. But maybe you have lot of $$$! The following links will lead you to a place I’ve been dying to visit. It’s 30 minutes out of NY but I’ll bet it’s a lot of fun. You might want to try it.
Have a good time and if you’re in the neighborhood of the Yarn Company be sure to try Artie’s Deli for lunch (Broadway & 82) right up from the yarn company. It’s the best! Vic
http://www.newyorker.com/talk/content/index.ssf?050321ta_talk_collins
Thanks Vic! I am always looking for a good place to eat too! We will definitely check that out. On another note, off the subject of knitting, do you have any Italian recommendations?
Bobbinbrooklyn: Do you have addresses for the places you mention? Also, we are actually staying at a friend’s place in Brooklyn, so I will definitely check out the one there. Thanks so much for all of the information! I don’t know if I am necessarily looking to purchase too much (of course I say that now) but more interested in just checking the places out and seeing how the look and what they have. I am always looking for a good bargain on some natural fiber yarn though!
Thanks again.
Hello,
I’m a NYCer too. I also live near The Yarn Company and I love it. It’s not so much the prices, it’s the people there. The owners, Julie and Jordana are both terrific and everyone on staff is so helpful, especially Nikki and Petra. Petra is an extraordinary knitter! I think she can knit in her sleep! Nikki is so kind and has a real eye for color. Every time I’ve asked for a recommendation, I’m very pleased with the results. They always take the time to answer questions and help with your knitting. They even go up and down the stairs to help me bring up my baby and stroller! So, I love them. The prices may be a little high, but they only use natural and really cool yarns. They also make some very nice patterns. Here is their website: http://yarnco.com/
On some yarns, YarnCo has the same price or even cheaper than Seaport Yarns. Seaport Yarns is also great. Also a very friendly and helpful staff. Their extra yarn return policy is not great though. You have to return any unused yarn within 30 days – not a great policy if you’re making a big project. But they are so nice! Here is their website: http://www.seaportyarn.com/
I’ve never been, but my friend says that School Products Co, Inc is the ultimate yarn-lovers’ mecca. It has amazing specialty yarns left over from local designers. It’s supposed to have awesome yarns at very good prices. Here is their website: http://schoolproducts.com/content.html
As for good Italian food, in my 'hood (the Upper West Side) we have a terrific restaurant named Gennaro 212/665-5348 . Delish!
Good luck to you and have fun!
Your welcome Sara. I appreciate those comments by Gatamoso also… I think I’ll head down to School Products this week coz I’ve wanted to but wasn’t sure if it was worth it. (plus I can check out the beautiful flower show at Macy’s)
My favorite Italian around here (I haven’t eaten at Gennaro after all these years! coz of the crowds out front and no reservation policy) is Arte Pasta on 73rd near Columbus Avenue. Although the prices aren’t cheap at night, they have a fantastic lunch special where you’re getting the same food but for only $8.95 or so. Excellent Italian.
cheers,
Victoise,
You haven’t gone to Gennaro! :shock: You must eat at Gennaro! The lines can be daunting . . . fortunately . . . you can order in! The food is also not expensive $8.00 or so for dinner pasta dishes. The specials and meat dishes are more, but oh so tastey! Such good food! I love the rigatoni con melanzane; it’s made with a tomato sauce, eggplant, and baked ricotta. The tortelloni di spinaci is also yum!
Mangia!
Thanks Gato! I know I know, it’s weird we never went there coz I had friends who raved about it. Get lazy sometimes you know and go to the same places. Will try it soon!
I’m feeling guilty. I said the prices were high at the Yarn Store but then I remembered I bought some beautiful wood dpns for $10.50 and saw them for much higher prices at other places.
Just to set the record straight!
Hi wildforyarn,
Most addresses are already in carollovesyarn’s post.
For the others:
seaport yarn check out: http://www.seaportyarn.com/
schoolhouse: http://www.schoolproducts.com/
Also, check out this link for a description of someone’s NY yarn odyssey: http://www.woolgathering.net/archives/2004_05_09.html
have fun!
btw, if you happen to be staying in the Park Sloope area of brooklyn, also check out “stitch therapy”: http://www.stitchtherapyparkslope.com/
have fun!
Thanks for this post!
I live in New York City, and have found a number of the boutique yarn places very expensive. Okay, so they have to pay New York City rents . . . but so do I! And I would rather stretch my yarn $$!
That being said, there are too many yarn brands and types out there that I am unfamiliar with, so I DO need to see and feel them in person.
With that in mind, I searched this thread, and visited two: School Products, and Seaport Yarns. Here is my experience:
School products was a neatly organized store. I went on a Saturday, when their hours were limited, and indeed, I was the only customer there for the duration of my visit. They had a number of cone yarns, and both these and the skein yarns were in a large part European, particularly Italian, in origin. It was quite a sensory experience, getting to feel all the different blends and exotic fibres. They did carry Lamb’s Pride Nature Spun (worsted and bulky) in a fair amount of the colors available. I bought two of the three colors I needed for a scarf at $7.99/skein. I AM a bargain hunter, and knew this was a little high, but the savings in shipping more than evened things out. The gentlemen behind the desk was not the friendliest, and wasn’t “chat-uppable” at all, though he didn’t appear very busy with any other business. I barely got a goodbye out of him when I left (remember, I was the only one in the store).
My next visit was to Seaport Yarns. This place has to be SEEN to be believed. As another poster to this thread had mentioned, it resides in an office space, complete with receptionist area, conference room, and 6 or so private offices. But instead of a receptionist, one is greeted with stacks of boxes and skeins everywhere! I have never seen so many yarns – with some loosely orgainzed system of different types of yarns grouped together in the different offices. The owner, Andrea, was extremely helpful. She took me on a tour, discussing the different yarns and yarn companies, her life as a yarn business owner, and offered advice as to what yarns were interchangeable and of better quality or a better bargain than what I was asking about. She had several colors of the Brown Sheep nature spun I hadn’t seen in the other store, and I was able to purchase the third color I needed for my project. The cost was $7.50 ($0.49 cheaper than School Products). She had a huge shipment of Arucania yarns in, which she was discounting 15% to get people to try it, 'cause she likes it a lot. She had many, many of the brands I had heretofore only heard about. When she heard I was an actor and working parttime, she even offered me a job as a “survey taker” with her marketing research company! On the down side, the office space hallways (which were also full of yarn) were difficult to see in the buzzing fluorescent light – I told her I would come back (note to myself: earlier in the day, when the space would have more light!).
I would recommend ANY yarn person coming to NYC should stop by this place. I’m afraid she might not be around much longer, and, as I said earlier, this place needs to be seen to be believed!
Have fun!
When the Harlot herself came to NYC last March a bunch of festivities ensued. Including several organized yarn crawls.
Here is Ambers map of the NYC yarn shops:
http://www.batchgeocode.com/map/?i=f5f723954d28fe6cc0d5d1c49bb09eb2
You can find the some crawl routes around midway down on Stephanies March archive (March 15th to be exact):
http://www.yarnharlot.ca/blog/archives/2007_03.html