Yarn Traveler

I’ve wavered and waffled (mmm…waffles) about writing this series of reviews. On one hand, I hear my mother’s voice in the back of my head, “If you can’t say anything nice, then don’t say anything at all.” On the other, what if I can help steer a traveling visitor in the right direction; to help manage their expectations; or to save them valuable vacation time? That would be worthwhile right?

For that purpose, I’ve decided to go ahead with my reviews. I’ve included my experiences when they were notable, but I have tried to provide the straight dope, so to speak, for the visiting tourist. Please note that I do not expect you to subscribe wholeheartedly to my opinions. That’s all they are, my opinions. Everyone’s experiences vary, grain of salt, and all that.

This is not meant to be a comprehensive post, reviewing EVERY yarn store in London. These are just the stores that I have visited, although I think it covers all of the big ones that are most commonly recommended (based on my experience in the London forums on Ravelry and Knittyboard).

So, on that note, here we go!

John Lewis
John Lewis is a chain of department stores throughout the UK. It is virtually indistinguishable from Sears or Macy’s or any other large department store in the US, with the exception that they usually have a haberdashery department that houses the knitting/sewing/craft section. I haven’t been to all of the John Lewis’ (mostly Oxford Street and Brent Cross), but the selection appears pretty uniform. I would say that Rowan yarns make up about half of their stock, with the other half being Sidar, Debbie Bliss, and Noro. This is where you go to buy your go-to, every day yarns while you’re picking up a pair of tights and a new toaster.

As a tourist, I would say this is a miss unless you have unlimited time or there’s a fantastic sale (go early and expect to fight for the good stuff). If you can’t miss the novelty of yarn in a department store, then I recommend a stop at Liberty (see Part 2 for the full review).

SUMMARY
Pros: Lots of locations in London and throughout the UK, good stock of go-to yarns for everyday projects.

Cons: Staff may not be as knowledgeable or helpful as those found in a local yarn store, lacks atmosphere, almost entirely big-name commercial yarn (no local or small batch yarns).

How to Get There: Check the website for locations and directions. If staying in central London, check out the Oxford Street location (Oxford Circus Station).

Filed under: Yarn Store Reviews, London Yarn Stores on February 22nd, 2009