What's your shop called? Is there a story behind the name?

The name of my shop is Pins and Needles (Devizes). I inherited the name from the previous owner, I liked it so I kept it. It's succinct and sort of says what we do. The logo explains a bit more with its ball of wool, knitting needles and needle and thread!  

Where is your shop and what is the neighbourhood like?

The shop is in the historic area of the town, very close to the canal with its wharf, theatre, museum and tea-rooms. Devizes is a thriving market town in the beautiful, tranquil county of Wiltshire, famous for Stonehenge, Avebury, crop circles, the magnificent Salisbury cathedral and the rolling expanse of Salisbury Plain.  

Who works at your shop?

I am there five days a week, my friend Dee works on a Wednesday to give me the day off during the week and then I have a little team who I can call to cover longer periods of time. We are all talented crafters ourselves.  

What makes your shop special?

We absolutely adore what we do! We pride ourselves on personal service and the fantastic choice of yarns, patterns and kits we sell. We stock a wide range of yarns, from budget to luxury, a good selection of British wool including independent producers (e.g Home Farm Wensleydales). We have a large range of patterns by local designers, including Vixter Woolista (my designs), The Secret Crocheter, Yarn & Blarney and my friend Dee who designs Frosty-Dee,  most of which are exclusive to the shop.

We encourage a community feel, we recognise that retail these days isn't about buying something, we know that people want an exciting, positive shopping experience, so that's what we give them, with a bit of Pins & Needles thrown in!  

What are your most popular yarns?

King Cole is probably what we sell the most of their baby yarns, Comfort and Cherish are very popular but so is their Drifter self-patterning brand. West Yorkshire Spinners is probably our best selling mid-range brand, across their range, particularly their pure wool Arans (Croft and Jacob) and their Signature 4ply sock yarn.  

Do you have a knitting group? When do they meet?

No, there's not enough space at the shop but we do have several social events a year, sometimes meeting in the nearby tea rooms.We also support a knitting group from the next town (Devizes doesn't have a knitting group itself!) named Crazy About Knitting, who have won several awards for their charity work.  

What's your favourite piece of knitting advice?

Buy the best yarn that you can afford and always knit happily - it will show if you don't!  

Address: Pins & Needles (Devizes), Units 9 and 10 Wharfside, Couch Lane, Devizes, SN10 1EB

Phone number: 01380 727212

Email address: Victoria_pinsandneedles@hotmail.com

Facebook: Pins and Needles

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