Yarn Shop Day 2018: What’s Happening At Your Local Store?

Yarn Shop Day is in its FIFTH YEAR and is set to be the best one yet!

When Let’s Knit launched Yarn Shop Day with our sister mag LGC Knitting and Crochet in 2013 our aim was to celebrate everything we love about our local yarn shops. Where else can you go to squish balls of yarn, chat to other knitters and get inspiration for your next project? Our bricks-and-mortar stores are an integral part of our creative community and we cannot wait to celebrate with you on May 12th! Take a look at all the fun things some of our shops have in store!

BLACK SHEEP WOOLS, Cheshire

Get expert advice on all aspects of sock knitting with YSD ambassador and sock knitting extraordinaire Winwick Mum (Christine Perry). Crochet designer and blogger Emma Varnam will also be on hand sharing her skills. Rowan consultant, Melanie Boocock will be holding mini knitting sessions and hand dyeing expert Debbie Tomkies will be running demonstrations throughout the day. Find out more at www.blacksheepwools.com

JENNY WREN’S YARNS, Suffolk
Visit the store for special offers aplenty, goodie bags, an all-day knit and natter drop-in, and of course, cake! There will be a raffle, book tombola and other fun and games, plus Jo of Lime Green Jelly will be in store with her lovely products for shoppers to admire and purchase. Local knitwear designer and regular tutor at Jenny Wren’s, Anni Howard, will also be showcasing her fabulous designs! Click here to find out more, jennywrensyarns.co.uk

ALTERKNIT UNIVERSE, Bristol

Podcaster and independent dyer Amy Florence of Stranded Dyeworks will be in for the day to share her dyeing wisdom and shop owner Kim will be doing a trunk show!

Amy will be in store for the weekend with yarns and samples to squish and Kim and Amy will both be around to meet customers.
Read more about Alterknit at alterknituniverse.co.uk

SCONCH, Essex

As always, you can expect a fabulous yarny party at Sconch, with offers, goodie bags and prosecco! Pop down to Sconch for special offers, a charity knitalong and crochetalong. Special guests include our very own Sarah Neal from Let’s Knit and Michele Turner will be demonstrating spinning, so bring along your own drop spindle or wheel and join in the fun! Georgia Farrell, knitting designer and author of ‘Inspired Knits’, is also going to be in store running some workshops! Check out the store at www.sconch.com

CHRISTINE’S WOOL SHOP, Birmingham
Sarah Shrimpton from Annaboo’s House will be at Christine’s on the day. Customers can also expect exciting goodie bags, cakes and refreshments.
Find out more at www.cityknits.co.uk

Pick up the pattern for Dixie the knitted llama at participating shops!

Sew Susie Bloom (Yorkshire) will be giving goodie bags to the first 20 customers of the day who spend over £10. Special guests will include Kathryn Senior, podcaster of Crafternoon Treats running a crochet workshop, Stylecraft rep Tracey with a range of display garments and one of Stylecraft’s star bloggers. Also look out for knit and natter sessions with refreshments, hunt the raffle ticket prize, 10% off yarn (terms apply), and prizes for the best knit or crochet garment! Check out the shop’s Facebook page for exciting updates!

Westcliff Wools (Essex) is planning prosecco, tea, coffee, cake and biscuits. Fabulous raffle prizes will be up for grabs including knitting kits, a gift voucher, a Jean Greenhowe toy book and personalised knitting tote bags. A knit and natter session will take place all day, and there’s an opportunity to take part in crochet and knitting demonstrations or try out machine knitting. Shoppers will get 10% off all day and one lucky customer will win back what they have spent on the day! See more on the shop’s Facebook page.

Click on the shop names below for more info!
Crafty Stitches (Cheshire) will be celebrating the fact that Yarn Shop Day coincides with Summer in Bloom by making floral archways from of yarn! There will be plenty of offers and deals in store, a marquee, and an artesan market.
More to the Point (Norfolk) plans to host an exciting ‘Rocks Rock!’ event!

Locals are invited to find and post pictures of rocks hidden in the town with the store name on them to get some fab discounts! There will also be cake, in-store offers, as well as crochet and knitting events.
Wool n Stuff (Wakefield) is going all out on the day!

The team are planning a knit and natter session, an exciting game of yarn bingo, goodie bags for customers, a fabulous prize draw and the exciting unveiling of plans for the store’s new premises!
Seeded (Hampshire) is very busy making plans!

Head down to Seeded if you like the sound of tea, cake, a tombola, special in-store offers, and extra special Seeded merchandise too!
Treacle Wool Shop (Northumberland) is the place to go on YSD for one-to-one sessions, a craft2gether, a raffle and mini skein workshops, plus local business pop-up shops will be joining in the fun too!
Flock on the Plain (Wiltshire) is doing YSD for the first time by organising Flockfest! A celebration of hand dyed yarn.

Find out more at flockontheplain.com
The Wool Nook (Buckinghamshire) will celebrate Yarn Shop Day with an outdoor yarn social (weather permitting!), free patterns for both knitting and crochet, a raffle for every customer that makes a purchase in the shop on that day, a separate raffle for customers who sign up for workshops being held in May and June (T&Cs apply).
The Spotted Sheep (Bedfordshire) plans to run competitions with fab prizes, goodie bags for customers and learn to knit and crochet drop in sessions.
Woolfull (Derbyshire) has a full week of YSD celebrations planned fun to mark the shop’s first birthday. Head to the store for lots of new products and special offers!

The crochet pattern for Milo the cat will be available from participating stores on YSD!

Nimble Thimble (Buckinghamshire) will be getting creative on Yarn Shop Day with an exciting yarn bombing session! Bring in your latest project, set aside a couple of hours to join in knitting and crocheting. Also there will be competitions, raffles, goodie bags, discounts off selected yarns and the launch of new Sirdar and Stylecraft ranges in store.Tea and coffee will be available all day.
Knitters of Romiley (Cheshire) will have a Yarn Shop Day logo cake made as last year’s was such a success!

Also look out for goodie bags and a raffle!
Ida’s House (Surrey) has organised a whole timetable of demonstrations of different yarny skills, the party starts at 3pm, look out for the raffle!
Stenhouse and Crafty Artists (Scotland) is planning a sock knitting competition, the fastest knitter wins!
Shed Load of Crafts (London) wants to enhance your skills so is planning spinning and needle felting sessions.
Owl Tree Crafts (Norfolk) is giving you the chance to try spinning and weaving and will also be hosting a raffle!
Button Moon (Nottinghamshire) is planning knit and natter sessions throughout the day, fab discounts in store and and goodie bags!

Yarn Shop Day sponsor Vanessa Bee has creates these fabulous mugs to commemorate the event - available from selected stores.

Threads Wool Shop (Dumbarton, Scotland) will be offering fantastic goodie bags and a raffle, as well as a talk on colours.
Needlecraft (Hertfordshire) is offering pom-pom making sessions and crochet classes.
Mary Bobbins (Scotland) will host an exciting raffle, a knit and natter session, and the chance to enjoy some delicious food!
Remember When (West Midlands) is offering its first ten customers a goody bag. Refreshments will be provided and there will be 50% off all yarn, patterns for £1.50 and buy two patterns get one free.
Knit Knacks (Isle of Wight) is hosting an all-day tea party and raffle.
Rainham Sewing Centre (Kent) will have cake, tea and coffee for all customers, other events are in the pipeline and all money raised will go to a local cancer unit.
Bobbins & Bows of Bare (Morecambe) is a great place to head for a free learn to knit session in the morning, goodie bags, knit and natter in the afternoon and special offers throughout the day.
Sussex Crafts (West Sussex) is giving you the chance to take part in a variety of workshops.
Craft Arena (Essex) will host crafty activities and an exciting tombola!
Whichcraft Wools (Surrey) is having a tombola and other exciting competitions throughout the day! Goodie bags will be up for grabs for the first twenty customers who spend over £20.

GREAT OFFERS ON THE DAY!

There are some amazing prizes to be won in the great Yarn Shop Day raffle!

Tickets will be available from each participating shop, and on Tuesday 15th May winners will be drawn by the Yarn Shop team via a live Facebook video link.

Prizes include yarn bundles, a spa day, show tickets and much more.

Is your yarn shop taking part? Email heidi.wilkins@aceville.co.uk with details of your plans and we’ll include you in our next YSD blog!

Find out more about YSD 2018 at www.letsknit.co.uk/yarnshopday