I think I mentioned here before that I have got some of my Northern Lace Too stuff in a shop in Kirkwall called Simply Wool. Well, quite a few of my first consignment have sold so Chris asked me to take in some more.
The shop is on Victoria Street in Kirkwall, right next door to Lucano’s, a very good Italian restaurant. Perfectly placed, in fact!! It is only small and, like most yarn shops, it isn’t easy to take pix. Some of my batts are on the windowsill here…
…and the walls are covered with lots and lots of lovely yarns:
(Stupidly, I didn’t take a pic of Chris…)
I took in a load of batts – some hand-dyed, textured ones….
… and some smooth, sparkly ones. (These are only a few – there were a dozen or so of each.)
The balls are hand-dyed North Ronaldsay roving. It is hard to ‘package’ roving and the balls seem to work. These are fresh from the drying rack…
… and these have been weighed and labelled.
Hopefully Chris has enough to last until I get back from my travels next month.
Oooooh! We’re coming up to Kirkwall for a week in August and didn’t know about this place! How long has it been there – did I just miss it last time? Looks like the spindle will have to come with me as well as the needles. Is there anywhere else we should be investigating whilst we’re up there. Maggie
By: Maggie on May 19, 2012
at 7:41 am
It only opened at Easter so it might not have been there when you were last in Kirkwall. It is definitely worth a look! Can’t think of anywhere elese new off hand. The Craft Association shop is in a different place (along Albert Street)…
By: Elizabeth Lovick on May 19, 2012
at 2:16 pm
What a lovely yarn shop, I wish I could pop in!
I have visited Orkney several times (and I have indeed left a part of my heart there) and I used to buy yarn in the hardware store on the main street – still have some yarn left from my latest trip.
By: Anna on June 3, 2012
at 5:25 pm
I was in Kirkwall on April 21. Unfortunately, I was limping on an ankle broken while viewing the Calenish Stones on Lewis. A friend, and I, were looking at this store through the window but it was never open. We tried for 2 days. However R A Raffin was open and I purchased 2 of your books and some N. Ronaldsay yarn from him. Actually, I purchased quite a bit.of Orkney yarn and gave some for gifts at home. Your roving, in the window, looked lovely. Too bad, we were not able to get in and see it up close. We ate dinner at Lucano’s.
By: Marta Sullivan on June 13, 2012
at 3:18 am
Oops! I meant R A Finn. Sorry.
By: Marta Sullivan on June 13, 2012
at 3:20 am
I’m sorry about that. It was the time Chris’s assistant was ill and it took a few days for her to arrange cover for when she couldn’t be there herself (she was finishing a course at the College). Glad you got some yarn at Roger’s – is it lovely stuff, isn’t it?!
By: Elizabeth Lovick on June 13, 2012
at 7:53 am
I received a link via email to your website from a lady in Oregon who raises Shetland sheep. I purchased three fleeces from her and mentioned that I had purchased two North Ronaldsay fleeces from Teresa (Isle of Auskerry). I hope to purchase more fleeces later in the year and have them shipped to my parents home in Dorset. Lois said I should visit your website as you are well acquainted with these sheep and are a very talented spinner and knitter. Here in Ohio the tempreture is reaching 103 degrees F today and your pictures of Switzerland, which are so beautiful, and so invitingly cool, unlike the furnace we are experiencing. It was a pleasure to see your knitted garments and roving, plus the designer batts, not to mention your beautiful new wheel. I’ve subscribed to your website and look forward to reading more of your blogs. Pat Partida
By: Patricia Partida on July 7, 2012
at 2:20 pm
So glad you like the North Ron fibre! The sheep are real characters – shepherds either love them or hate them! And that roving is so easy to spin….
Liz
By: Elizabeth Lovick on July 7, 2012
at 2:42 pm