Purl Soho

I have never seen such bright, beautiful colors of yarn lined up so perfectly in a spacious, bustling atmosphere. This is a very unique trait since even the best yarn stores have issues with cramped spaces with inaccessible items. I settled on a skein of teal yarn by Madelinetosh. They wound it up for me, and I thought nothing more of it until pulling it out for a project last night. After row 3 the yarn stopped coming off the ball, it had been wound up either too tight or tangled and would not come undone no matter how hard I tried. I had to find the other end, and slowly take the wound hank undone and remake it inch by inch. It took me well over 3 hours, the entire thing was an almost unsalvageable mess. A yarn store that does not know how to properly wind yarn and ruins expensive kinds has committed the ultimate knitting cardinal sin.

So apparently I’ve caught the bug as I’ve recently taken up knitting (28 going on 70, I know). I was looking for a higher quality wool or alpaca yarn for a men’s scarf and Purl SoHo is the closest yarn store by my place. It’s a wonderful store full of inexperienced and experienced knitters alike. The walls were full of quality yarn– I honestly had a difficult time picking out which skein of yarn I wanted to use for my project. The store associate (Christine) at Purl SoHo was absolutely charming and helpful in educating me about their stock as well as different stitches I could use for my project. I ended up choosing the Madelinetosh Merino in charcoal (it has beautiful shades of grey in it) for $ 23.20 per skein. It’s on the pricey side but considering the quality, staff, and location of Purl SoHo, I would definitely recommend this store to all knitters on Unilocal.Keep calm and knit on!

This is by far the best online shop for knitting, crochet, sewing, quilting and many other fun crafts. The service is FANTASTIC and the quality of the products can’t be beat.
It’s on the bucket list to visit the New York shop soon. I have been knitting for years, but only could crochet a edging. I bought the Learn to Crochet Granny Square Kit in the Slice of Pink Grapefruit color way and it came out soooo beautiful. I wish I could share a pic with you

My initial encounter with the store at the original location occurred when I called with a question about my first sweater, the hourglass from LMKG. «Hold on, let me get Joelle,» (!) who proceeded to walk me through joining the underarm. Purl is a favored destination when I am in NYC and sends out one email that never gets deleted before I read, unlike many many others. I have made countless hand/​wrist warmers — a top notch gift — and the super easy leg warmers are one of my boyfriend’s favorite articles of bundle-​up clothing on me. I just finished the cozy cable cowl pattern in emerald greens baby alpaca and have worn it here in (not so chilly this year) New England almost constantly since I blocked it. I can wash dishes with bare arms! Hand knits have had a significant impact on my heating bills and mental health over the years. Thank you for all the inspiration.

VERY expensive and full of VERY serious people.
I knit because it’s fun… I left empty handed.

I absolutely love Purl Soho. Their Learn to Knit Kit is how I learned to knit in the first place. Not only is the store charming, the staff is also extremely helpful and just nice (which is appreciated in NYC!). I now live in CT but have purchased multiple times from their website which is fantastic. Service is always great and anytime I have a question they respond quickly. I realize their prices are higher but their selection of yarns far exceeds a traditional yarn shop. Even though I still consider myself a novice knitter, everything I make looks beautiful because of the quality of their materials. It is an absolute pleasure to knit with anything from Purl Soho and to wear it!

I began subscribing to the e-​mail newsletter about a year ago – or more. I’m a knitter and love the original, simple and tasteful patterns that are written clearly, provide videos of techniques used in the pattern, and also offer a broad range of yarns and colors for each pattern. Though my primary interest is not in sewing, Purl Soho also introduces unique and clever designs for garments like shorts, an apron and accessories. The patterns to make them are free, but, of course, must be measured and drawn at home — but they’re easily done.
This site is a notch above!!!

Only thing keeping me from 5 stars here is the price — it’s a wonderful spot and has beautiful yarn choices and friendly staff, but then I realized that making a scarf out of one of their yarn options would run me well over $ 80.
Other than knitting/​crocheting supplies, they have sewing and quilting resources as well. They also have a ton of sample pieces knitted from the free patterns that are available on their website, so it’s really helpful to see them in the flesh before starting one of your own!
I wouldn’t make this your primary yarn destination just because of the prices, but their products *are* really nice — so I’m sure I’ll be back on occasion for a special project or for other supplies.
Oh — and they wind the yarn into balls for you if you ask! I passed on this the first time I came in and very quickly learned my lesson (turned the skein of yarn into a tangled mess, which I have yet to untangle completely). There’s sometimes a wait for this since it’s done manually (on a wooden contraption), but it’s far easier than doing it yourself at home (unless you have a similar contraption).

I love this yarn store! They only carry high-​quality products, and the staff is warm and helpful. I’ve often felt intimated in nicer yarn stores because I am no expert, and in some other nyc stores I’m too nervous to ask questions because of the condescending way some staff speak to customers. But here that is not the case!
They’re blog is also beautiful and full of wonderful free patterns! It is my home base for knitting ideas.

Some of the yarn is a little over priced and unless you ask for help you usually don’t get any. The girl winding yarn is slow and often stops to talk to people and causes the yarn balls to come out sloppy.

This is by far my favorite yarn store. It’s a teeny place but it’s packed with everything you could want including the friendliest and most helpful and knowledgable salespeople around.
The quality of their yarn is outstanding and they really know what they’re buying and selling. I’ve never been disappointed.
I wouldn’t recommend going with a stroller or any kind of grocery caddy. If there are more than one of you in there, the whole store is gridlocked! I’ve taken my niece and parked near the door and carried her around. Easier than wheeling!
Just go! Now that it’s cooler and everyone needs a scarf, just go to this amazing little shop. So relaxing and you’ll never be bored on the subway again!

I was so excited to visit this shop while I was visiting NYC. I was not disappointed. The selection was amazing and well stocked. The staff was what made the experience. They were helpful and answered questions even on the busy Saturday afternoon that I visited. I would recommend this shop to any yarn lover. It was everything I hoped it would be. Thank you for a wonderful experience!!! And I left with a beautiful new project to start upon returning home!!!

Since I first got into knitting 3 years ago I’ve been in love with this place. I’ve been a fan of their gorgeous patterns/​designs and equally beautiful website so it was a thrill for me to visit the store. The staff was so warm, so welcoming and so knowledgeable. I was greeted and had excellent conversations, but I was also allowed freedom to explore on my own. They have an extensive collection of beautiful yarns that are unique and one of a kind. They also have pattern books and tools for sewers as well as knitters. I am really looking forward to spending more time here. You won’t be disappointed!

If you want quality, help, variety, inspiration… It s the place to go!
The only place in town you can get 100% wool or 100% cashmere and buy enough to make a sweater!
The place isn’t made for 10 $ project. Most the yarn is better quality than anything you can find anywhere else! That s why it s so good!
It has nothing to do with Michael s! Thank god!
The workers are THE BEST! They ll work with you help you understand a pattern or even modify it. They could even show you how to do thing you don’t know yet!
I always have the wildest project from a rodarte destroyed sweater to a 1800s hand knit undergarment and they helped my do both of those in an heart beat! Why? Cause those people have passion! They ain’t in that job to pay rent they are cause they like doing it!
Look at them smile even if you don’t buy anything it ll put you in a good mood!
The shop get crowded so give them a minute on a Saturday afternoon ahah

PRO:
* There are some lovely luxury yarns on display here.
* They are not actually that much more expensive than any other brick-​and-​mortar place that sells high-​end yarns. For example, Madelinetosh Tosh Merino Light is about $ 24 there, not including tax.
CON:
* Organization. The yarn is organized by brand, not by weight. I am not here to buy «something by Manos del Uruguay” – I am here to buy some sock yarn. I don’t feel like poking through your 30 brands to see which sock yarns they make.
* Condition of the yarn. The store gets so much foot traffic that the yarns are frizzed from everyone pawing at them. (On the plus side, this does give you a good idea of how the yarn will stand up to wear and tear, but who the hell wants to buy yarn that’s already pilled before it’s even been balled?)
* Selection. They mostly carry solids, with very few variegated yarns. I got too annoyed with their organization to note all the brands and types of yarn they do *not* carry, but it’s also worth noting that their selection of knitting tools is rather limited. At least the ones on display. Maybe they hide the good ones behind the counter, which brings me to:
* I got the «you must be a shoplifter» vibe from them. I came in with a shopping bag from another store (duh, you’re in a shopping area, it’s pretty likely to happen) and one of their clerks loudly and somewhat aggressively asked me if I wanted them to hold onto it for me. No thank you, I’ll hold onto it myself, and I’ll hold onto my money and give it to a store that doesn’t assume I am a thief. You just lost yourself a sale.

Staff are very helpful but can sometimes be not as knowledgeable.
Variety of colors, but not much difference in type — basically, if you are looking for a solid color in a great soft texture, they probably have it in every weight. If you are looking for something more than just solids, this is not your place.
The price is quite high as well. even things like needles. of course you have to remember this is in SOHO. :)

It seems to be a nice store. Be aware of shopping online from them.
If you buy yarn from them, be sure to mention you need the same dye lot. Otherwise they will send you whatever they grab of the same color. And it is your false that you did not mention.

Yarn eye-​candy! Purl Soho was a spot on my knitter’s bucket list I needed to check off. Their yarn is delicious, but priced Manhattan-​style. I treated myself to 4 skeins, including three for a cowl that I got a free pattern for. The staff was very friendly and helpful. One person spent a lot of time showing me all their options for cashmere. Unfortunately, it was outside my budget. Very fun to explore and touch. Their blog is also really helpful and beautifully designed.

Cute vs. Expensive.
Cute vs. Expensive.
Ahhhh… 3 stars or 4? Ok, 4. The service is very nice too.
MSL and other magazines always boast this little yarn/​fabric shop. And I understand why. They have some very beautiful things. I could spend hours here. They have some great patterns and offer some free ones online. Note: Their blog is very nice.
I could also spend hundreds of dollars here. This is where you go to buy the yarn for that perfect little something you’re making for that special person who’ll appreciate it. This is NOT where you go to buy yarn for bulk scarves for your grandkids. (I don’t have grandkids but if I did…). There are a few garment district, 2^nd floor, secrets that are better values.
And, because of its fame, it is often crowded with tourists and browsers.
But! On a quiet day, this place is definitely a luxury to peruse and, perhaps, buy.

Prior to my Unilocal CM life I was a total crafty nut and Purlsoho was my dream store. I would day dream about projects while staring at their selection on their website, and drool whenever I would get to go in person. These days I don’t have as much time to putter around with the sewing machine but it’s still one of my faves to browse in. And what’s not to love?
–All the bolts of amazing and adorable fabrics featuring designs from Amy Butler to Charlie Harper to Lotta Jansdotter and more.
–The beautiful yarns in a rainbow of colors and materials (wool, cotton, alpaca, bamboo, silk, merino, etc).
–The stylish projects, kits, and patterns to buy. Embroidered iphone cases! Felt animal kits! Crewel kits!
–The fabulous notions (buttons, trim, needles, tools, etc)
It’s not a huge store, it can be hard to move around in there, and the prices are a little higher than most stores but the selection is top notch and wonderfully curated. There’s plenty of inspiration to be found and the employees are VERY nice and helpful. Overall, a great resource for crafters and artists alike.