Stitched Together: Spin A Yarn

What's the story behind your shop name?

Spin A Yarn - the name just popped into Joyce's head because she had been spinning natural fibres for 10 years and enjoyed chatting to like-minded people with a cup of tea to hand. She planned to provide free teas and coffees from the beginning and organised interesting workshops right away.

Where is your shop and what is the neighbourhood like?

Our shop is in the centre of beautiful Bovey Tracey, on the edge of Dartmoor National Park. The town is a hub of wonderful crafts, with the Devon Guild of Craftsmen, House of Marbles, and the Contemporary Craft Fair every summer.

Who works at your shop?

Joyce is there most days along with Lizzie, our shop manager who also teaches Beginners Knits. We have a variety of friendly regular staff who come in over the week, all of whom are experienced knitters in their own right.

What makes your shop special?

The variety of yarns we stock is fairly exceptional, everything from local alpaca to Arctic Qiviut from Alaska! The dazzling choice of yarns combined with the experience and helpfulness of the staff, combine to make a really special atmosphere. Customers are treated with warmth and friendliness, often being treated to complementary hot drinks while they browse and made to feel at home.

What are your most popular yarns?

The stunning hand-dyed kid mohair/merino skeins from Touch Yarns in New Zealand are the yarns which the shop was founded on, and remain as popular as they have ever been. Rowan's Kidsilk Haze and Felted Tweed are probably our other most popular yarns with their wide and versatile palettes of colours. We also love Adriafils Sierra Andina alpaca for its wonderful quality and Malabrigo has become very popular in a short time having been recently introduced.