Working on my first sweater, and the owner of Knitters Niche has taken time to work with me, give me tips, and show me techniques for a sweater I was knitting with materials I did not even buy at... More

Working on my first sweater, and the owner of Knitters Niche has taken time to work with me, give me tips, and show me techniques for a sweater I was knitting with materials I did not even buy at her store! She is very willing to help. I've heard a couple of people call her unfriendly; they're wrong. She has a no-nonsense personality that I find refreshing, funny & helpful! Her work is amazing. She'll help you to get started on a project or help you with problems on an existing one. She's done both for me!
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Having been warned through lots of friends and reviews I did not pay heed! The store itself has a lovely array of yarns. Very expensive, but... beautiful! However, the owner's overall attitude is... More

Having been warned through lots of friends and reviews I did not pay heed! The store itself has a lovely array of yarns. Very expensive, but... beautiful! However, the owner's overall attitude is too much to take. You get the feeling that she hates for anyone to be in her store or to be around her. People skills are lacking. I will spend my money elsewhere for a friendlier face. Very scary! PROS: Beautiful exotic yarns. CONS: Poor people skills. Unfriendly.
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The store offers classes, workshops and an area where customers can sit & knit, with personnel available to offer assistance with knitting projects. Personnel are knowledgeable and often willing to... More

The store offers classes, workshops and an area where customers can sit & knit, with personnel available to offer assistance with knitting projects. Personnel are knowledgeable and often willing to write out patterns for free. The woman in charge is very opinionated (for example, she doesn't like red, so the selection of red/burgandy yarns is very limited), and while her advice is excellent, its delivery can be rude or abrupt. Depending on instructor, classes can be excellent or mediocre. Yarn selection includes good basics, but special or unique yarns are harder to find and have to be special ordered. They never seem to have a full selection of needles in stock. Overall, a good place to buy yarns, needles and get some help with projects, but it doesn't rise to the level of the neighborhood shop where enthusiasts can gather that many knitters are looking for. Pros: Free patterns, Hands on help, Yarn selections Cons: Spotty service, Long waits, Not fully stocked
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I've been very happy with Knitters Niche over the year or so I've been shopping there. The staff are helpful, funny, and patient and are very accommodating with special orders. I think the... More

I've been very happy with Knitters Niche over the year or so I've been shopping there. The staff are helpful, funny, and patient and are very accommodating with special orders. I think the selection of yarn is excellent, and the staff are great about providing recommendations and patterns for your purchases. It's definitely a great place to buy yarn, especially if you're looking for a place that isn't very hipster-infested.
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Because I'm new to knitting, I found the selection of yarn to be great. Better quality than stuff you find at Michael's or JoAnn Fabrics and there seem to be alotof patterns. I found the owner to... More

Because I'm new to knitting, I found the selection of yarn to be great. Better quality than stuff you find at Michael's or JoAnn Fabrics and there seem to be alotof patterns. I found the owner to be hilarious and she was wonderful about my toddler poking around in the store. This is a great shop for beginner knitters!!
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I will say this store has the friendliest staff of any knit store I have been to in Chicago. However the selection of yarns is just okay. There is not a big slection, but they tend to have yarn on... More

I will say this store has the friendliest staff of any knit store I have been to in Chicago. However the selection of yarns is just okay. There is not a big slection, but they tend to have yarn on sale and the owner has been knitting a long time so she can help you with just about any question. She is also good at helping people fix projects
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I've gone into Knitter's Niche for questions about projects involving yarns purchased from this store, only I was made out to feel like I had no business trying to knit. The selection of yarns is... More

I've gone into Knitter's Niche for questions about projects involving yarns purchased from this store, only I was made out to feel like I had no business trying to knit. The selection of yarns is ok, not great. They have big binders of patterns, but most things seem somewhat dated in style. Seems like a convenient shop for Lakeview knitters located on Belmont and Southport, but head elsewhere if you are new to knitting or require coaching along the way. PROS: Close to el - main owner is quite a character CONS: store lacks air conditioning
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