My last post was about fabric stores in Stockholm, and now a post for the knitters who are looking for good yarn stores in Stockholm.
This mission was much tougher than the fabric mission, for some reason. I found lots of bits of wool in various fabric stores and also in Åhlens department store, but it was disappointing in the lack of variety. I wanted something Scandinavian, and by the end of my trip I wanted anything that wasn’t Debbie Bliss (nothing against Debbie, but I can buy her yarn at home).
I followed a bit of a lead to a fabric store at Gamla Stan on Österlånggatan 11 – Anntorps Väv. The shop is run by a really lovely lady with limited English. However her knitting is a wonder! Some of the garments in the shop were really interesting, but she didn’t sell the patterns (or even have them), and the items themselves weren’t for sale, so that was all a bit awkward. Some of them were knitted on a loom (not woven, but knitted) and I immediately wanted to see this process but even I felt a bit forward inviting myself into her back room for a play, so it will remain a mystery for now.
I bought a few balls of yarn from her sale bin to knit Mark a jumper, but I didn’t find what I was actually looking for (some worsted yarn for a Miette). She had some wondrous hand spun and hand dyed yarn but it was exceedingly fine. This shop is worth a look.
Then I went to Sticka & Virka on Hornsgatan 178, but they were closed until August (at least I think that’s what the notice on the door said, but they were definitely closed). I was desperately disappointed as this looked like a fabulous shop.
Whilst on Hornsgatan, I should mention that this street is full of interest. It has a fabric store, lots of design shops, some lovely vintage and second hand shops, and the neatest Red Cross store I’ve ever seen. Definitely worth a trundle up and down the street.
Quite close to Hornsgatan is Sankt Paulsgatan (parallel and up the hill), and number 20 has the best yarn shop that I came across in Stockholm – Litet nystan (I think it may have been called Maria’s Garn at some point).
Again, this was a shop with fabulous customer service and they are posting me something that they didn’t have in stock. This street also has the two Tygverket stores.
Back near my favourite fabric shop is Ljungqvist garn on Karlbergsvagen 10 near the Odenplan T-bana. I didn’t buy anything here, but it was a lovely shop with an old fashioned feel about it (in a good way).
This area abounds with vintage and second hand stores. My favourite was Old Touch on Uppslandsgatan, but there were three or four within a few metres of each other. In fact the whole of Stockholm seems to be in love with vintage and second hand shops – they literally were everywhere I looked. I did think about a blog listing them, but it would be a waste as they are so easy to find. 
A quick insight into my new yarn stash – none of which was made locally – gah!
I have already packed it into space bags for the trip home. The brown yarn is already being knitted into the Miette, so is reserved for the flight.