O perfil de francella

Yarn shop with a very nice range of yarns, fibres, colours and prices. Something for everyone!
I particularly loved their Malabrigo, Fyberspates Scrumptious, Alpaca Drops, JC Rennie and Skein Queen yarns. They have lots more! They also do gadgets and tools, cards, ribbons, buttons, kits, merino tops and probably a lot more that I can't think of right now.
At the back is an area with seats and sofas - they will be hosting a knitting group on Thursday evenings and offer courses and drop-in sessions.
I went along on their opening day Sat 30 October and found that the mother and daughter team who run the shop are very warm and welcoming. I really liked the atmosphere of the shop and I am looking forward to coming back often!

The shop is located in a small parade of shops on Weston Park (that's the name of the street) and it is very easy to get to on the W3 bus from bus stop B at Finsbury Park. You can also take the W5 from Haringay's Sainsbury's or from Archway. Well worth a visit.

This is one of my local yarn shops and I'm sure I'll go back often!

This is one of the most amazing craft stores I've ever been to! I cannot recommend it enough. The variety of crafty supply items is outstanding, they've got a very wide range of the things they stock. They have fancy shoe laces, lots of ribbons and trims, jewellery making items, yarns, knitting and craft books, gadgets and so many more things that I can't think of that they sell. Oh, fabric dyes! Both the machine and hand dye ones. Just fantastic.
Must go back soon to stock up.

This is the oddest place: I wandered around the ground floor food bit looking for something to buy and couldn't find anything I actually wanted. Basically: if you're either not keen or can't eat chocolate then most of the food on offer is a no-go area. I wasn't keen on coffee either though the varieties looked amazing.
I had occasion to buy some underwear years and years ago (really yonks) and found the prices rather resistably high, I don't know if things have changed.

What I really don't like about the store is that the post code given does not work on any of the mapping websites out there. I've even emailed to tell them and had a ridiculous reponse of 'can you tell us your order number so we can answer your query?' back. Do they actually read their emails properly? The quality of customer service left me extremely underwhelmed.

The only reason I can see for wanting to go to the store is if you fancy playing tourist for the day to gawp at the amazing building and wander about pretending that you live in a century gone by. Other than that: not keen, sorry.

I just love the concept of individually wrapped sushi parcels (in cellophane I think) so it's all really fresh and easy to help yourself to the amount you want of each. Much better than prepacked lunch boxes. I don't really want to consider what the impact on the environment is though but this is more hygienic than if people helped themselves with tongs.

I stay away from the hot food: it is tasty but way too salty. It just leaves you parched because your sodium intake must be literally through the roof. Can't recommend it.

The pre-packed rice balls (they are triangular in shape) are good. You do need to stock up on soy sauce for those though because they tend to be a bit on the dry side.

The condiements like soy sauce, wasabi paste and ginger are extra, you need to pick however many you need. You will get chopsticks and a little plastic pot to mix soy sauce and wasabi. I try not to take it for environmental reasons but it isn't easy to make the Japanese staff understand that you don't want it.

All in all the sushi are the best thing about this chain. I also like it that all the stores are light and airy and easily accessible.

Fabulous quilting fabric shop!
They have a really good range of colours: any colour you need to round of your quilt, you'll find it here.

The shop isn't too bad to get to: Oakwood tube and then one bus from the bus stop outside the station. The bus stop at The Links is also just outside the shop: 20 yards from its door, couldn't be easier.

Very friendly shop owner. There is also a quilting club taking place in the shop which makes for a really wonderful, warm and cosy atmosphere!

I arrived a little bedraggled from my journey (I had another stop before) and was given a wonderful cup of tea! Being able to use their loo is also a wonderful thing.

I cannot recommend this shop warmly enough! There are places where you can get quilting fabrics online (for the same prices though they'll charge postage on top) but Quilting Bee's range is second to none and you can check the colours against what you already have. Big plus! Don't forget to bring a sample card along if you need to match or complement colours.

I am sure that they do other bits too: wadding and supplies. I didn't need any so I didn't ask.
The Fat Quarter on offer basket was a right little treasure chest!

They have an amazing amount of craft supplies: knitting and crochet yarns, beads, felt, needles, fabric dyes, zips, gadgets... too many to list.

They have quite an intriguing system that lets you see their yarns: there are wheeled stands dotted about that the staff will happily pull out of your way whenever you approach another wall shelf - it feels as if you are visiting royalty and you get all obstacles swept out of your way as you walk! (come on, I'm using my imagination here).

The staff will also be wonderfully helpful in giving you a hand with the yarns and other supplies you want, by putting them near the till: it keeps your hands free (so you can select more stuff!), you don't drop anything and who knows it might put their mind at ease.

There is one disadvantage that I do not at all like about this shop: they have a no returns policy. Once you bought something, that's it. No changing your mind later and also no chance of swapping the shade you picked up by mistake with the one you wanted. There's just nothing doing. I can see their point on not wanting to take wool back that may have been purchased ages ago in a dye lot they won't be able to sell, but surely it is something you need to do to satisfy your loyal customers who keep coming back? This is my one gripe and unfortunately it is a major one. I feel they need to be quite a bit more diplomatic and selective in how they apply this policy.

A very good shop otherwise. Lots of variety, some yarns are very good value, others very interesting fibres (undyed British breed wool!).

They call themselves a "proper pub" and that's exactly what they are: fantastic! And what a relief from all the other pubs that are either themed or tired and worn.
I love that it has three distinct areas: left of bar, near bar and lots of tables to the right, and at least one of those has proper good lighting if you want to do a bit of knitting with your pint. That's a rare treat, please keep it up!
The atmosphere is very pleasant and I'm happy to go in on my own.
I just have one gripe: the ladies loos are yucky. If they could get that right I'd make it my favourite pub in London.

This is one of my top three in terms of London yarn shops. The wool and yarns they sell are great: there is always something interesting there that 'leaps' off the shelf and into your resisting hands...
Unfortunately their range seems to change rapidly between visits so if you are hoping to find an additional skein you could be disappointed. It's a very good idea to call ahead and ask.
They have an amazing range of gifts, so if you're looking for a funky knitted item: this is THE place for it.
They do other accessories: I picked up some ribbons for bargain prices and little flower applique things.
There is just one gripe that I have and it's a major one: on the last two occasasions when I popped in they did not have a single 4mm circular needle. They had lots and lots of 3.25 but had completely run out of the standard sizes. I pointed it out to staff who wasn't aware of it at all. Should I need another Knit Pro or Addi Lace, I'll call ahead as well.

PS: The very best thing about this shop is their completely amazing opening hours: they are open seven days a week (yes they are, I couldn't believe it either) and pretty late too: 11-7 Mon-Sat and 12-5 on Sun. Amazing!