Tipped

Knitting supplies with a smile

February 19, 2010

While in London on vacation, I stopped by Loop to pick up a new set of knitting needles and some yarn. I was pleasantly surprised by the friendly staff. I felt right at home and they were most helpful.

Keywords: yarn, needles

Loop is lovely

February 22, 2009

Pure and simple, Loop is lovely, as is its owner, Susan Cropper.

Keywords: knitting shop lovely yarn crochet knit

Lotsa Yarn, Fun Classes

December 06, 2008

I searched high and low for a knitting class, and found the perfect solution at Loop. Three evening classes at 2 hours each, including knitting needles, yarn, tea & biscuits, fun classmates and a great instructor (thanks, Claire!). It was great fun and I'm on my way to finishing a hat already. The classes are offered in the (small) cosy downstairs in the evenings.

Upstairs Loop offers a great selection of yarns, needles, books, kits and crafts for sale, and the staff are all experienced knitters that are always eager to help.

Keywords: knitting, knitting classes, yarns, crochet, hand crafted, islington

All Looped Up!

November 03, 2008

I was delighted to find the location of a yarn shop in Islington while surfing the internet. I decided to venture out there this pass rainy Saturday. I walked down Cross Street and kept looking up under my umbrella thinking that I had missed it, but luckily they had a sign on the sidewalk or else I would’ve strolled right by. The building is tucked next to a larger building, so without the sign it might’ve been easy to miss.

I was happy to find it (and get out of the rain). It’s a tiny shop, but has an extraordinary selection of... anything and everything yarn/knitting/crochet related. There is literally a wall of yarn—they’ll gladly climb up a ladder to help you grab the skeins on the higher shelves. Though the cashmere is a bit pricey, I couldn’t help but cuddle up to it.

Loop also has plenty of books and kits, whether you’re a newbie knitter or an experienced crocheter. I was also excited to see that they sell Lantern Moon needles. They’re fancy (and strong) knitting needles made with rosewood from Vietnam. I had never seen them in store before. They carry plenty of haberdashery from recognizable brands such as Clover, Susan Bates, and Boye.

Not only do they sell all this awesome haberdashery, they also sell items by textile artists. I smiled when I saw a set of beautiful vases by Annette Bugansky (www.cockpitarts.com). She hand makes lovely knitted textured ceramics. There were also intricately knitted blankets, gloves, and scarves for sale by other artists randomly placed throughout the store. Classes are also available, so check their schedule online.

Overall my experience here was very pleasant. The staff was very helpful and knowledgeable, though it got a bit crowded in there on a Saturday afternoon. I walked out with some Susan Bates crochet needles and Rowan DK wool for an upcoming crochet session (enough for 5 people). And the damage was less than £20!

Keywords: textile artists, yarn, buttons