The Knit Cafe

Just finished 4 weeks of knitting classes through the Knit Café, and thoroughly enjoyed it! Really impressed at what we covered — we managed to make a washcloth, leg warmers, and a super cute toque, and came away feeling equipped to take on more projects now too!
Iwona was a great teacher — super patient and accommodating. Definitely knows what she’s doing and worked at a great pace.
Will definitely take more classes down the road!
Store is not huge but seems to have all the essentials, and the yarn we used for our projects feels lovely.

I loved the Knit Café in its old location on Queen West and it is now not far away on Roncesvalles, another cool part of town which is fun to visit. If you don’t live around there, it is worth the trip. Check out the other stores to the north before or after going to the Knit Café. Lots to see and do.
Back at the Knit Café, they have largely recreated their old shop (which is good because it was charming!) Yarn selection is smaller than at some other yarn stores, but they make up for it by curating their choices really beautifully. The yarns are gorgeous and all natural. That said, there are still reasonably priced choices for those of us who don’t want to spend a fortune. There is a nice selection of books, tools, and in house patterns.
I find the staff are consistently knowledgeable and friendly. They are willing to help with any project whether it is planning a complicated piece for an experienced knitter or helping a new knitter to find their way out of a mess. And they create an environment in which any new person can order tea, sit down, take out their knitting, and join a conversation with other knitters.
My only critical comment is that the new space is perhaps a bit less welcoming than the old one because it is laid out differently with the tables at the back. I wonder if some seating arrangement could be set up in the front? A sofa? A couple of arm chairs on an area rug? Might draw people in more to see folks right in there? Just a thought.
At any rate, I recommend the knit café highly!

This is my favorite knitting shop in the city! I go here weekly for the stitch-​and-​bitch on Tuesdays and it makes my week, every time! A really exquisite yarn offering as well. Yum yum.
There are bigger yarn shops, but in my experience the staff can be kind of snarky, and you know what? Choosing yarn is hard! My first experience at the knit café was many years ago at their Queen street location. I had never knit a stitch and I just wanted to make a super simple chunky scarf for my boyfriend. I’m crafty, so the technique wasn’t going to be a problem (I’ve since become a knitting ninja), I needed help just getting matching yarn and needles. The knit café stepped in when I was about to give up after a rude experience at another store. They were well above and beyond helpful!
Since then I’ve also taken some of their classes, I’ve become a «Sock Master» and I’ve «Designed my Own Sweater». FANTASTIC skill building, hence my title of knitting ninja. It’s all thanks to this amazing space. I literally have new questions every week and they help me through my projects time after time. It’s an amazing resource that I will miss dearly when I move from Toronto. ;)