a visit to philadelphia yarn shops…
This week I spent a few days in Philadelphia, and had the chance to visit 2 great knitting shops.
First stop: Loop
I’ve always been told that my shop has a similar aesthetic to Loop so I was excited to visit on Monday. The shop is beautiful – with inspiring displays and a great selection of yarns. I love the layout, the simplicity of the design, the overall feeling when you walk in the door. It’s a special shop… be sure to visit if you find yourself in Philadelphia.
Next stop: Spool
After seeing Loop I popped next door to sister store, Spool. It sure made me want to take a sewing lesson. There were so many wonderful fabrics and sample projects.
Next stop: Slip Knot
I feel so lucky for the friendship I’ve developed with Clare, the owner of Slip Knot in Newtown Square (outside of Philadelphia). We met at a Yarn Market News Conference a little over a year ago. Since then, we’ve talked on the phone a lot, exchanging ideas and offering each other moral support as business owners. I’ve always wanted to visit her shop. This week I had the chance to work there with her for 3 days. It was a great experience to meet her customers and see how she runs her business. Our shops are so different!! Everything is different – our location setting, our layout, our project samples, our customer requests… everything. And yet we have so much to learn from each other.
Clare and her staff are wonderfully talented. The shop offers so much: expert help, an amazing sense of community, a great use of space that maximizes every nook and cranny, and the most incredible collection of knitted and crocheted samples I’ve ever seen in a yarn store. Ideas and inspiration at every turn.
Here are some of my favorite Slip Knot projects on display:
7 Color Scarf
Morning Mist
Cloud
I loved my time at Slip Knot and I look forward to welcoming Clare to Nina when she visits in August.
I returned to Chicago feeling grateful for the perspective I gained from the other shops, and so happy to be back in my own. We have the absolute best customers at Nina! They are so nice, receptive to our suggestions, appreciative of our help, and fun to work with. Thank you all for that!
