Where to Buy Knitting Supplies

Archived Q&A and reviews ▼

Archived Q&A and Reviews

Knitting Finisher

May 2003

I am an inexperienced knitter who is occasionaly looking for someone to ''finish'' projects for me, from sewing a pom-pom onto a knitted hat or sewing up the seams of booties and putting ribbon or crochet through the eyelet holes. I am looking either for a professional who offers these kinds of services or someone who is very experienced and looking to make a little money on the side. Thank you for any help you can offer. I checked the archives and couldn't find anything and I also asked at Skein lane and they didn't really recommend anyone. A knitter but not a finisher

Try Article Pract, a new yarn store on Telegraph Avenue in Oakland, right off 51st Street. I saw business cards there for a finishing service. Another good possibility is The Knitting Basket on Mountain Blvd in Montclair. I am pretty sure they offer the same service. Hope this helps, Laura
I think Song Palmese (former owner of eKnitting in Berkeley) does finishing for a fee. I saw her card up at Article Pract in Oakland. I don't have her contact information but the phone number for that yarn store is 510-652-7435. Most yarn stores will be able to refer you to someone who does professional finishing.

(I also recommend the ''I Hate to Finish Sweaters'' book by Janet Szabo, but you didn't ask that!) a fellow knitter

Knitting shop in SF

Oct 2002

Can anyone recommend a good knitting/yarn shop in San Francisco? Thank you! Liz

Years ago I took knitting classes at Atelier in SF. It's on Divisadero at California. Grace Cooper is the owner. She has gorgeous yarn. Not cheap, but definitely beautiful stuff. I also really enjoyed the classes (socks, hats, and seamless sweater classes are what I took). Lori
Try L'Atelier on Divisadero & California or Greenwich Yarn (can't remember exactly, but look it up in the white pages) on Greenwich. Also, Art Fibre, downtown on Sutter Street. Anon
The two yarn stores that I am familiar with in the city are Atelier Yarns at 1945 Divisadero (415-771-1550) and ArtFibers at 124 Sutter Street,near Union Square (415-956-6319). Both are worth a visit. ArtFibers sells its own unique brand of yarns, which it buys from manufacturers catering to the fashion industry. I have also heard of a brand new yarn store called Imagiknit, located at 3897 18th Street (415-621-6642) but haven't checked it out yet. Happy knitting, Laura
I believe there are several. Atelier on Divisadero is the only one I know by name. There's also one on Sacramento west of the vogue theater. Good luck, Liz

Knitting shop in East Bay

June 2001

Straw Into Gold has closed its retail operation. LW.

June 1999

I'm posting this for a colleague. She is looking for a good knitting store in the Berkeley/Oakland area. One with a little old lady knitting behind the counter who can give you all kinds of help and advice, not just some place that sells acrylic yarn. She wants to knit a baby gift for a friend.

Straw Into Gold may be what your colleague is looking for. It's on the corner of San Pablo and Ashby in Berkeley. They have classes, and have been fairly helpful with stitch and stock questions. They're closed on Sundays. They have quite a large variety of yarns, patterns, and accessories. -- Mollie (6/99)
Skein Lane in El Cerrito on Fairmont (across from Fat Apples) might be what she's looking for. -- Deborah (6/99)
I would highly recommend Skein Lane in El Cerrito. It is a small store with lots of personal help and interesting yarn products. Carolyn, the proprietor, is very knowledgable and helpful and also runs knitting classes through the store. The store is located on Fairmount Ave. near Colusa and across the street from Fat Apples. Phone is 525-1828, e-mail is skeinlane [at] aol.com and they are open at least part of every day of the week. -- Wendy (6/99)
My favorite yarn store is Creative Accents in San Leandro 351-5760. It's located in a funky old style shopping mall called Pelton Center and looks from the outside like a picture framing store. It has the requisite lady knitting behind the counter, and a lovely selection of yarns of all kinds. Check out the Brown Sheep Cotton Fleece for a baby blanket. The Knitting Basket in Montclair has the ladies to give advice, but carries primarily expensive designer yarns. Straw Into Gold sells nice yarns and has classes, but I am not keen on their selection of baby yarns. There is a store in El Cerrito called Skein Lane that I have not visited, but their but their yarns looked good at the big Stitches conference this year. -- Eleanor (6/99)
straw into gold on the corner of san pablo and ashby. they know what they're talking about, and they also have classes. -- Kath (6/99) I know of two good knitting shops: one is Straw Into Gold, at San Pablo and Ashby. It offers knitting classes and some behind the counter help, and a very broad selection of yarns, patterns and other handcraft materials. It's a bit warehouse-y and you do have to search to find what you need. The other store is the Knitting Basket, on Mountain Blvd (?) in Montclair Village. Very good selection of highend yarns, very helpful staff. -- Wendy (6/99)
Straw Into Gold on San Pablo has good prices, great help from very experienced knitters and a good selection of a wide variety of yarns. The Knitting Basket in Montclair has steep prices, good help and a beautiful selection of pricey designer type yarns. Straw Into Gold has more of a warehouse feel, while The Knitting Basket feels like a boutique. I myself go to Straw Into Gold because it's cheaper and they still have some very nice yarns (they carry Rowan) and the staff people can get very ethusiastic about your projects. Have fun! (6/99)
Straw Into Gold at the corner of Ashby and San Pablo is nice, depending on who is behind the counter! -- carrie (6/99)
Straw Into Gold on the corner of Ashby and San Pablo. Although it is a large store, it is owned and staffed by people who love to knit, spin, and weave. They will advise you and they have classes as well. -- Elysse (6/99)
Try Straw Into Gold on San Pablo Avenue just south of Ashby. It may not have a little old lady knitting behind the counter, but they have fabulous selections of all kinds of yarn. -- becky (6/99)
For a good knitting store, you can't beat Straw into Gold, at 3006 San Pablo Avenue in Berkeley, at the corner of Ashby Avenue. There's also a smaller store across the street from Fat Apple's restaurant in El Cerrito. I think it's called Crewel World. -- beverly (6/99)