As the maker’s movement has gained momentum over the last decade there is renewed interest in shops for making. These are our best shops for handcrafts, a selection of shops for knitting, sewing, and embroidery. Like candy stores these best shops for handcrafts have shelves and cubbies piled high with colored yarns, printed fabric, and embellished trims. I could spend hours in these shops admiring the all the different textures, colors and patterns. These shops offer so much creativity with projects, workshops, online tutorials and kits to get you started. There is still time to make a gift for yourself or that someone special – or if you’re like me, get an early start on next year!
PURL SOHO
459 Broome Street, New York City
Purl Soho, a needlecraft supply shop in New York, is the ultimate destination for any one who loves handcrafts. Walls and tables are lined and covered with skeins of colorful yarns, fabrics, threads, and notions. There are supplies and books for every imaginable project. Read More
Photo: @purlsoho
THE CLOTH SHOP
290 Portobello Road, London
Popular for it’s linen fabric available in 54 colors, The Cloth Shop’s shelves are stocked with an eclectic mix of beautiful antique linens, vintage quilts and a large selection of antique glass vessels.
Photo: @clothshoplondon
LOOPY MANGO
500 Main Street, Beacon, NY
Loopy Mango’s signature Big Loop yarn is produced in their mill in Key Largo. I love their chunky knits and easy projects for beginners. I have been promising myself to knit a Nantucket Throw for ages – the perfect winter night project in front of the TV. And they offer worldwide shipping.
Photo: @loopymango
BROOKLYN GENERAL STORE
128 Union Street, Brooklyn
Old Frank’s Department Store is now home to Brooklyn General Store, with its preserved floor to ceiling shelves, rolling ladders and classic old wooden floors. Now these vintage shelves are filled with all manner of yarns, fabrics, and notions. Brooklyn General Store promotes all things handmade, offering a wide variety of classes in knitting, sewing, quilting, furniture upholstery, felting, spinning, rug hooking and embroidery.
Photo: @brooklyngeneralstore
24 rue Veron, Paris
Les Petits Points Parisiens is located on a quiet street in the heart of Montmartre. Offering a selection of yarns from around the world as well as their own brand of wools hand-dyed in their studio.
Photo: @flynnclancy
FRENCH GENERAL
2009 Riverside Drive, Los Angeles
French General began as a retail store on Crosby Street in New York. Apothecary jars brimming with vintage notions, the founders Kaari and her sister Molly began selling a French-inspired lifestyle that included textiles, notions, ephemera, and household items found only in France. After a move to Los Angeles French General set up in an old Spanish style warehouse and opened up one day a week for people to come in and browse their ever changing collections that they collect on yearly trips to the South of France.
Photo: @frenchgeneral
Regent Street, London
Renowned for it’s pretty patterned Tana Lawn, Liberty maintains a beautiful fabric department within its historic London shop. Alongside the classic Liberty fabrics is a sewer’s dream range of various fabrics, haberdashery and notions.
Photo: @bazaaruk
MERCHANT & MILLS
14a Tower Street, East Sussex
Established in 2010 by Carolyn Denham and Roderick Field to bring style to the overlooked world of sewing. A treasure trove of sewing patterns, fabrics, sewing notions and tools. The shop’s branding and packaging is modern and timeless, creating a brand that is beloved by designers and makers.
Photo: @merchantandmills
15 Camden Passage, Islington, London
A gorgeous yarn shop, stocking beautiful yarns and haberdashery sourced from all over the world. Loop offers Thursday knitting nights.
Photo: @siobhaise
THE OLD HABERDASHERY
33a High Street, Ticehurst, East Sussex, U.K.
A charming shop filled with vintage textiles waiting to be repurposed, an eclectic mix of vintage homewares and a wonderful selection of notions and haberdashery. Read more
Photo: @theoldhaberdashery