Article
STEPHEN & PENELOPE, AMSTERDAM
With such a prestigious name as Stephen West on the door, it’s no wonder that Stephen & Penelope is one of the world’s best-known yarn shops.
In a popular shopping street in the heart of Amsterdam, the shop sells such cult brands as Hedgehog Fibres, Brooklyn Tweed and BC Garn among an extensive international range. The shop was founded as Penelope Craft in 2010 by Malia Mather, the eponymous Penelope, and Stephen came on board in 2014.
Malia tells Knitting: “We have a good mix of American brands such as Brooklyn Tweed and European favourites like Schoppel Wolle. We love Scandinavian yarns such as VaxboLin and BC Garn, and British yarns like Jamieson & Smith and West Yorkshire Spinners. Probably our newest and most favoured yarn is anything by Hedgehog Fibres.” Malia says new customers can be awestruck when they first enter the “colourful and tidy” shop – “it can be a little overwhelming”.
She adds: “We want to be an inspirational place where people feel encouraged and excited to try new techniques and experiment with yarns. As well as selling yarns, needles, accessories, books and kits in the bricks and mortar store, the shop sells online at stephenandpenelope.com. “It’s our way of reaching clients from around the world and sharing our love of yarn with everyone,” says Malia.
So what other yarn shops does she rate? “My friends in Denver have one of the best craft stores I’ve ever been to, called Fancy Tiger Crafts. Everything they carry is perfectly curated.”
Nominate your favourite yarn shop and win a copy of Erika Knight’s The Collection if it is featured – simply email christine.boggis@thegmcgroup.com with the shop’s details and a brief note on why you love it.