Address: 148 Queen Margaret Drive Glasgow G20 8NY (on Google maps here)
Website: http://www.theyarncake.co.uk/
Do they sell online? No
It's about ten minutes walk from the top of Byres Road at the entrance to the Botanic gardens, and 15-20 minutes walk from Kelvinbridge or Hillhead underground stations.
It sells cakes and yarn - a winning combination. Sitting in a row of shops on Queen Margaret Drive, the Yarn Cake is bright and welcoming. It opened in 2010 and has become a firm favourite of knitters based in the west end or for those from further afield looking for a nice place to sit, knit and eat cake. The shop itself is a slightly awkward long, narrow shape, set over two levels. However they make it work, with tables at the front for tea and knitting, and shelving running along the side of the shop with more yarn and accessories on the upper level, up a few steps.
The shop is prettily decorated with lovely knitted samples
The Yarn Cake run knitting and crochet classes for beginners or focusing on techniques - see their website for details. They have a drop in knitting and crochet clinic on Tuesday night and a knitting group every Thursday. They also organise the annual Glasgow School of Yarn, which offers classes, a marketplace and a design competition, and is a great bonus to the Scottish hand knitting industry.
The Yarn Cake has been well recognised by the British Knitting Awards too, winning Best Independent Yarn Shop in Scotland in 2013 and coming runner up in both the Best Independent Yarn Shop in Scotland and Best Yarn Shop Day Experience categories in 2014.
My favourite would be the Drops or New Lanark ranges, which are both well priced, as well as Rooster and Malabrigo. They also have sock yarns and knitting accessories including Knit Pro needles and hooks They have a great selection of knitting books plus cake, of course!
If you want to buy a Scottish product, try the hard working New Lanark, if you can't make it to the New Lanark shop at their mill. They also sell Jamieson & Smith Shetland laceweight and 2ply jumper weight.
A great place to stop and shop for yarn, with the chance to take a class and learn something new. Their Glasgow School of Yarn is an annual gateway to even more beautiful yarn.
I didn't know about here. What a wonderful looking place. I am smitten with the lovely lilac-varigated yarn in your second photo. Wool, tea and cake. Sounds like absolute heaven. Thanks for sharing this lovely wee shop. Xx
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome, you should definitely check it out.
DeleteMore craft places need to sell cake and coffee/tea. The marriage between the two are perfect. I'm so sad that Ray Stith in London got ride of the cafe section in their shop.
ReplyDeleteYou're so lucky to have this place to pop into!
You're right, it's a good tactical move to keep you in the shop as long as possible, as you'll probably be swayed to buy something!
DeleteBeing that I'm not a million miles from here I've been dying to visit, but my flatmate has warned me how expensive it is so I'm biding my time... maybe after Christmas when I have more time to knit for myself! :)
ReplyDeleteThey have wool at a range of prices, it's not all expensive - the Drops range is good value
DeleteWe found this on our first day in Glasgow, on that horrid first day after flying all night and not getting more than an hour or two of sleep but needing to wait 8 hours before you can get into your hotel room and take a nap. The shop owner was wonderful to us, including the slap-happy and yet simultaneously crying four-year-old. I still regret not buying a few more yarns that I didn't find elsewhere on our trip to Scotland. The cake was wonderful, she stocks children's knitting books for appeasing young ones, and was patient as I dawdled over my purchases.
ReplyDeleteWhat a nice review of the shop, I'm glad to hear your visit made such a good impression
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