Yarn Traveler

All the Fun of the Fair
This little store is a pain in the ass to find. You’ll need directions from the site, an A to Z guide, and persistence. You will not just stumble upon this store, you will need to seek it out.

They have a tiny yarn selection; mostly baby yarn and acrylic with the odd ball of novelty yarn. The photos on their site exaggerate their stock. What they do have is a lot of quirky buttons and pre-knitted or crocheted toys. As I knitter I can appreciate a knitted camera or a knitted cake, but I would rather buy the pattern and make one myself. Unfortunately, they don’t sell the patterns, just the toys. I did take a fancy to some knit-covered tape measures.

As a tourist, you’ll have to decide if this is worth your time or not. If you’re looking for Big Ben buttons to finish your sweater, then this is your place. This may also be a good shop to visit if you’re traveling with someone who doesn’t knit. They’ll be entertained with the toys while you can get a little bit of yarn squishing in.

This would also be a good store to visit if you’re traveling with teenagers. The nearby streets (Carnaby Street in particular) are prime big name retail (Puma, Diesel, Gap, etc.). Give the kiddies some cash and tell them to meet you in the courtyard at Kingly Court in an hour. After your stop at All the Fun of the Fair, try some tea and quiet at Camilla’s World Teas before throwing yourself back into the din of central London.

This store is walking distance from John Lewis and Liberty if you want to try to combine all of these into one big shopping trip. Just be warned that the Oxford/Regent/Carnaby Street areas are very busy on the weekends, and just navigating the throngs of people can be exhausting. I suggest making the trip mid-week, during the day.

SUMMARY
Pros: Lots of unique buttons and knitterly gifts.

Cons: Small yarn selection, hard to find location.

How to Get There: In Kingly Court, off Carnaby Street; look up for the arrow sign directing you down the alley (Oxford Circus and Piccadilly Circus Stations).

Filed under: Yarn Store Reviews, London Yarn Stores on March 4th, 2009