About a year ago I read the book “The Friday Night Knitting Club” by Kate Jacobs about a fictional yarn shop in New York and I created an image of what that shop looks like in my head. But on an actual trip to New York we stayed in a Soho street about 20m away from a shop called Wool and the Gang. And off course, this being NY, the actual shop was just so much cooler than the image in my head. I stopped every day to stare at the amazing window displays.
And their website is super funky, with video tutorials, free patterns, a blog and an online shop.
Closer to home, I popped into Arthur Bales to have a look at their beautiful range of fabrics. Asking about their history after reading their “since 1902” sign outside, I learned that the shop was opened by its namesake Arthur Bales, a young immigrant from Norfolk whose family name has been associated with wools and textiles since Norman times. He started a small drapery and clothing shop in Braamfontein in 1902 and later opened two more stores. Over the years the shop has changed into more of a haberdashery. The 3rd generation of South African Bales opened a branch in Linden in the late 1960’s and this was to become the flagship store. It is now partly managed by family members of the fourth generation.
62 4th Avenue
Linden
Johannesburg
Tel: 011 888 2401
Image credits: 1) Photo taken by me 2) Wool and the Gang 3&4) Photos taken by me
Below are a few more images that I found on the internet.
Image credits: 1) Christmas wreath on Country Living 2) Yarn bowl
on Crafty-licious 3) Empty bottles wrapped in yard on Etsy 4) Christmas decoration
on Craftster
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