Yarn Tourism – March 2025, Brooklyn, NY.
Keeley Richardson
Founder and Chief Fiber officer
Now that our kids are grown up I sometimes have the opportunity to accompany my husband on a business trip, so when he mentioned New York, I jumped at the chance to tag along. Brooklyn yarn stores have been at the top of my “must visit’ list for ages, and although I have stayed in Manhattan before I have never had enough time to make it south of the East River until last weekend.
New York had crazy weather last Saturday – 75 degrees just for one day. We took the subway from The Rockerfeller Center to Carroll Street and when we emerged on to the streets we were surrounded with sunshine, warmth and a chilled “summer” vibe in Brooklyn. We wandered through the treelined brownstone streets soaking up the atmosphere as we headed to two fabulous fiber paradises in the heart of Brooklyn.
Brooklyn General Store, Union St, Brooklyn, NY.
“Love is in the making.”
This charming store is every bit as beautiful as I hoped it would be. Nestled in a parade of quaint brownstones, when you walk through the door it almost feels like stepping back in time to an authentic haberdashery from times gone by. The walls are covered from floor to ceiling with shelves that burst with fiber, fabric and notions. The beauty lies in its authenticity – this is not interior design, it’s uncovered, restored and loved vintage. Something to cherish in our modern world and it’s a haven for fiber enthusiasts!
I was there for the yarn, of course, and the Brooklyn General Store is bursting with beautiful high end skeins across a range of weights and fibers. Heading there with a project in mind is a good idea – there is so much choice it could feel a little overwhelming. Many of the yarns stocked at Brooklyn General Store can be found in our local yarn stores, but I found plenty of yarns that I hadn’t come across before – plant dyed Mehlsen yarns from Denmark, and Skydance fibers from the Hudson Valley caught my eye. Sadly, I only had room for a couple of tourist skeins in my suitcase this time, so I opted for these pretty fingerweights from Cozy Posy Yarn Co, a Canadian indie yarn dyer. I was obviously picking up on the day’s summer vibes when I chose these two!
You will absolutely find inspiration for your next fiber project in this wonderful store – delightful knitted and crocheted samples are all around. You may even be tempted to take up a new hobby – Brooklyn General Store also has a truly beautiful selection of fabric and dressmaking patterns. The store also offers a great range of classes, so if you’re in town for a while, it’s fun opportunity to spend some time soaking up the ambience of the store. Such a great experience for any fiber lover!
Woolyn, Atlantic Avenue, Brooklyn, NY.
“We can help you do everything but raise the sheep.”
Woolyn is a super cute store in a fabulous area of Brooklyn that is full of artisan shops and cafes – a great neighborhood to explore and enjoy.
As well as a good selection of mid priced yarn store staples like Blue Sky Fibers and Berocco, Woolyn also has a wonderful selection of locally dyed yarns. This store is all about supporting locally sourced products and small businesses. Yarns from Murky Depths, Yarn Over New York and Knitted Wit are store exclusives, as well as Woolyn’s own range of yarns – Tesserae. I treated myself to a lovely skein of sock yarn from Murky Depths and a set of irresistible stitch markers; store exclusives from Wee Ones. How cute are these cockatoos?
Spinning and weaving enthusiasts will be delighted to hear that Woolyn has a good selection of supplies and regular classes.
The people at Woolyn are such a friendly bunch. We were met with a friendly greeting, my husband was offered a place to sit while I shopped (we were both grateful), and they were super helpful with directions on how to get to the DUMBO district – our destination for a bite to eat before heading back to our hotel.
Exploring Brooklyn and enjoying these two fabulous stores was a real treat. It is definitely worth taking a look at both the Brooklyn General Store and Woolyn website, particularly if you are interested in trying out yarns from a different part of the country. If you are heading to Brooklyn and fancy a bit of yarn tourism you will be pleased to hear there are more stores in the area. Brooklyn has its own yarn crawl at the end of April and a total of five yarn stores participate – more Brooklyn yarn stores to explore and enjoy, what a fabulous idea!
