Yarn Tourism – England, January 2025
Keeley Richardson
Founder and Chief Fiber officer
Are you even a fiber enthusiast if you don’t try to visit a yarn store whenever you travel? Souvenir skeins are a thing and there is something deeply satisfying about taking home a little piece of the local fiber scene from your latest travels to remind you of your visit.
Sometimes it’s just not possible, but here in my household everyone knows that if there’s a yarn store nearby I am certainly going to do my best to pay a visit wherever I travel be it near or far. I head home to England two or three times a year. One of those trips is usually solo and that it is when I indulge my yarny passion. I have been known to coincide my time spent with friends and family with UK yarn festivals, but on the most recent occasion in early January, I carved out a couple of afternoons to check out two yarn stores that have been on my fiber radar for a while. They are both in the south east of England within a stones throw (car or train ride from central London), and if you find yourself in the area I highly recommend you stop by to sample these beautiful British yarn stores.
Knit With Me UK, Richmond Upon Thames.
Located just outside of London, the historic town of Richmond Upon Thames is definitely worth a visit. Today Richmond is full of beautiful buildings, shops and restaurants, but it has a rich history that dates back to medieval times. Nestled on Richmond Hill (head to the top for fantastic views across the River Thames),you will find the delightful Knit With Me.
It was great to meet Carol, owner of the store, who has curated a great selection of European and local British yarns in a range of fibers. Carol introduced me to a couple of local favorites.
If you are in search of yarn with a local pedigree, the Wool Decanted range comes highly recommended. It’s a truly British yarn that is grown, spun and dyed in The UK. Wool Decanted is a woman owned business – a success story that grew out of the pandemic. Lisa and Linda, the co-owners, began their mission to keep British fleece from becoming landfill back in 2020 when their first batch of yarn was launched. Color inspiration for the Wool Decanted range comes from the natural landscape that is found near to the owners’ riverboat home on the River Thames, not too far from the Knit With Me shop.
Ainsworth and Prin yarn also caught my eye during my visit. These are beautiful hand dyes in elegant palettes that are dyed by the Knitting Shed, a family run business in West Sussex. Carol has a great range of both of these yarns along with many others that are hard to resist.
Knit With Me is also a venue for fabulous workshops with knitting super stars such as Aleks Byrd and Florence Spurling. You can find all of the details on the Knit With Me website. Maybe coincide your yarn shopping trip with a workshop? I certainly hope to next time I visit.
Gillian Gladrag, The Fluff-a-Torium, Betchworth, Surrey.
Who could resist a visit to a shop called The Fluff-a-Torium?
I first came across Gillian Gladrag’s gorgeous designs around twelve years ago when I took up needle felting. She is the author of four wonderful books that welcome you to her brightly colored world of fiber art. I had previously visited Gillian’s store in 2018 when it was located in a beautiful Tudor building in the town of Dorking, so I was excited to visit the new location – an idyllic farm building in the rolling Surrey Hills. It was a stunning, crisp January day, and the bright blue of the sky was only matched by the beautiful rainbows of fiber that my friend Emma and I discovered when we stepped in to the Fluff-a-Torium.
This shop is not for those in search of muted tones. It contains a joyful riot of color that lifts the spirits. You will find a range of products that span the fiber arts – wool roving for felting and spinning, fabric, haberdashery and of course, yarn. The Fluff-a-Torium has a great range of economically priced yarns and it is definitely worth checking out the range of craft kits – tapestry, embroidery, punch needle and of course felting. Who wouldn’t want to make felted sardines or Monsieur Saucisson, the felted sausage dog?
Gillian also offers a great range of crafting workshops. Be sure to check out her website before you visit to find a class that will enrich your fiber world.
