a coffee and a yarn

A couple of months ago, I decided to park on the blog, hookandbean with the idea that beautiful coffee and beautiful yarn look so good together. I planned on making it pure photo blog with minimal text to document my caffeine-fueled crochet follies. The idea was that'd I sprinkle in a periodic local cafe review. The plan fell short when I realized that blog really deserved digitial SLR photos, but I couldn't be bothered to carry that monster with me each day to the coffee shop. So that blog never got off the ground. Yesterday, I treked to Newtown with Craig's portable camera in tow. I'm not sure it does justice to the yarn.

A Coffee and A Yarn
413 King St, Newtown

A Coffee and A Yarn is one of Newtown's latest additions. As the name implies, you can get both coffee and yarn. Additionally, you can get a yarn there as well. A yarn as in a story to be told, a conversation. During my first visit to the shop this yarn was with Ellie, the store's owner. She introduced herself, and I asked about the evolution of her new shop and cafe. Ellie, primarily a knitter herself, told me the store has been in the works for nearly three years. She wanted to create a space for people to come together.

The knitting cafe, as Ellie calls it, has four or five large tables with assorted stools and seats arranged communal style. Each table cluster has a wooden box of knitting needles, yarn and directions for anyone want to do a little charity knitting. Alternatively, you are welcome to bring your own project. Ellie and I had quite the long chat about where she sees the store heading and what might be helpful in the future. Ellie seemed open to suggestions and asked what I thought might be useful additions in the future, as well as asking more about the yarn that I was using.

Then I probably bored her my newfound knowledge of yarn plies and twists, as I had hoped she would have more on the topic and might even know how the plies affect my crochet. For that, I'm going to have to keep digging...

Though, I didn't study all of her yarns closely the majority of the range seemed to be luxury stock not the best for a mid-range crochet gal like myself. Ellie noted she wanted to specialize in "fair-trade, independent and eco" yarns including Tofutsies and Angel Touch Organic Alpaca, as well as other plant dyed organic brands. There's also a bit of Rowan and Checkheaton in the mix as well, I'm not quite sure how it all fits together. The yarn is displayed on the back wall in large whitewashed/aged paint cases which have that fanastic white on white walls look, giving the space a character and transporting us back in time a bit to an era where our grandmother's may have been knitting themselves. In it's simplicity, the shop has a nice modern meets vintage aesthetic. Simple and effective.

I do like the space and my coffee was terrific. I ordered a skim latte which heaven on the palette. Even in the absense of yarn, I think I'd be back for the coffee. This would be a great place to meet up with friends for a weekly stitch & bitch.

The shop is currently open from 7am-4pm most days with knitting lessons running on Mondays and Tuesdays from 6-7pm. Stop by the shop for more details on the lessons.