i did some research in advance of the trip, to figure out which yarn stores i ought to hit up. as it turns out, there aren’t many yarn stores of note in bristol, although in london, one store became the quite obvious choice for me: loop. since i had no real plans to visit any other yarn store on this trip, i made the scary decision to give myself a free pass to not budget my spending. (do you guys do this? i always always always go into shopping trips with a budget in mind. i find that it helps me a lot…)
as we arrived in camden passage, i felt the onset of slight grumpiness, which came from finding a neighborhood that looked fantastic, that i wish i had a day to explore, but instead i had a measly half an hour, which my inner fiberphile dictated MUST be spent in the yarn store. and honestly, most of the rest of me agreed.
once inside i basked in the fibery utopia. oh, excuse me, i’m waxing poetic.
downstairs
the store is two floors, with a lot of really lovely yarns. their selection is skewed towards the discerning knitter, who cares less about the price, and more about the other qualities (types of fibre, color/dye, where it’s sourced). i find myself wanting to re-use the phrase ‘well curated selection’, both because they have that and that’s what i really look for in a yarn store.
upstairs
they had a good selection of brands i was very familiar with (i was this close to buying some malabrigo lace weight in frank ochre, just because it’s so dang pretty), but i was more interested in the selection they had that i’d never seen before. a very kind lady who worked there helped me find a good selection of UK based yarns, of the artisan variety, as i was feeling a little pressured about the time restrictions.
as we left, i felt the ghost like presence of my inner child, being dragged by one hand, looking back towards camden saying ‘but, but, but, but!’ we were running late, though, with 45 minutes to take the tube (with one transfer) back to the hotel, grab our luggage, and scoot over to catch our train. we did make it, with 10 minutes to spare, no less, but there were a few times when we weren’t 100% that we would.
can i just say, though? london’s tube system is great. everything is clearly marked, there are signs everywhere, maps of the system are clear. while i wouldn’t say we mastered it in our 30 london hours (that would smack of hubris), we were also never left feeling adrift, with no idea which tracks/direction/line we wanted for our destinations.
anyways… would you like to know what i got?
4 skeins shilisdair luxury dk in uig sea-green (they make note of what natural dyes they use, which i think is super cool! this is indigo over tansy)
approximately 1488 yds (sweaters worth!), 40% angora, 40% wool, 20% cashmere
in person this yarn has a more kettle-dyed color-variation than is evident in these pictures, and has a soft but crisp feeling that i especially love.
the uncommon thread dk in toast
246 yds, 100% wool
dyed exclusively for loop. i’ve been trying to be more careful in my color selections, get things i can really see myself wearing, as opposed to things that i am simply drawn to in skein form. this is actually falls into both of those categories.
artisan yarns silk and baby camel fingering in logwood grey
437 yds, silk and baby camel (!!!!! i’ve been wanting to try camel yarn for several years! but generally speaking i find the cost a little prohibitive. not when i’m on vacation, though!)
i wish you guys could feel this. for real. so very silky soft.
juno fibre arts alice sock in corn dolly
437 yds, 70% alpaca, 20% silk, 10% cashmere
this also feels dreamy! they had several gorgeous candy colored skeins, but i went for the safe color: a muted yellow with some mustardy tones. how pretty is that ball band?
in case you’re interested, everything they stock is available in their online shop!
mmmm…. pretty. have any of you ever been to loop? what is your favorite yarn store? did any of these skeins make you think immediately of a specific pattern they would look ah-mazing in? talk to me!
ohemgee. I think I just ruined my keyboard by drooling on it. I think you did a great job of selecting colors that are very wearable. I’ve been more conscious of that factor of yarn-buying as well.
Incidentally! I finally got around to dyeing up that worsted I mentioned, and one of the skeins is eerily similar to the uncommon thread’s toast! Spooky!
ooh, ‘spooky’ would be a great name for a colorway! i can’t wait to see it!
You did well at the wool shop! The Shilasdair is amazing yarn. I have made 2 sweaters with it and I would recommend pullover vs. cardigan. It is kind of floppy and creates a nice halo when washed. Also watch out for the dye running or rubbing off on your hands! A message from Shilasdair suggested that I add a few tablespoons of vinegar to the rinse water after the first wash. It worked well. And… Mr. Coollike is a very lucky man to get one of your lovely hats. I presume he gets to keep it, and you didn’t repo it after the photos?
hmmm… are you saying no to the cardigan because it’s floppy yarn?
thanks for the tips & info, max!
and, yeah! i made the hat for charlie, so he got to keep it ^_^
Yeah, I suppose I am. But some cardigans look good floppy, so it should be ok!
I like to see the hats or things I make on other people too. These are small things, but made with a lot of care.
OH WOW! Lovely lovely choices! You better knit them up fast so I can see the projects!
How exciting! Love the choices you made – the fibres sounds amazing (angora?… Camel?… silk?!..) and the colours are exquisite!
omg, omg, omg! utterly stunning yarn choices, no question. and to think you had 30 mins! Glad you made your train, though.