La Casita Yarn Shop Cafe

I’m from out of town and went into the shop because I had an issue with my knitting project. I spoke with both Kathleen and Hannah and they both couldn’t have been more sweet and helpful. I’d highly recommend this shop to anyone. They have a coffee shop in the back and a knitting group you can join. A great and welcoming knitting store.

I am a long time knitter and have shopped at every variety of yarn store in NYC. When I enter a shop I usually have a particular project in mind and know what types of yarn, I like already. My first trip to this store I felt that typical hobby shop treatment. You know the kind of mean when you enter a tattoo shop, comic book store, print shop really any place where even if you are spending a good amount of money the staff has to warm up to you. Not a problem being used to this I made my purchase and left. My second trip I was choosing yarn colors for a gift cardigan when a man entered the store while I was browsing. He seemed to end up close or behind me as I moved through the shop. The shop is pretty small so at first, this seemed innocent, but then I started feeling uncomfortable and moved to the opposite side of the store. Observing his clothes, smell and dental hygiene, I concluded he was possibly homeless. After a few minutes, he sat at the table in the middle of the store and after a while he left. The entire time the person working there was moving around space and seemed comfortable with him, so I figured he must be a regular visitor there. Suddenly she runs to the center table yells about her phone being missing, runs to the front of the shop and comes back asking me where he went. I shrugged and replied I had no idea. After running back down the sidewalk, she comes back to me and is very upset saying that she thought we were together. I am still upset with myself, because my response was to answer stupidly no we weren’t. What I should have asked was why did you think we were together? We arrived separately, I never spoke to him; he was obviously disheveled and I was dressed in pretty standard office attire. I paid for my items and left. I shouldn’t have though. I regret not taking the time to work out my thoughts and give her a clue. You can’t name your shop La Casita, pipe in a little salsa music for ambiance and then obviously be uncomfortable with people of color in your shop. I hate even reaching this conclusion, but next time someone comes in your store greet them and ask them how you can help them, perhaps don’t ignore them and then maybe you won’t miss who is coming in to steal your phone and who is there to buy overpriced yarn.
I am only writing this overly long review after having a recent conversation with an excited, creative young man who is a newbie knitter and happens to have dark skin. I asked him what his favorite yarn shops were, and he mentioned having an uncomfortable experience at La Casita. I am sure he isn’t the only person who has felt this way, and it’s sad. I told him he should go to Purl Soho they treat me like they do everyone else.

How cool is it that you can order a glass of wine or a coffee and hang out and knit? I love having this shop in the neighborhood!!! The owner is always friendly and VERY helpful. I took beginning crochet with Hannah and have been happily crocheting ever since. They have beautiful, high-​quality wool– quite expensive but standard for wool of this quality. Any knitter or crocheter should definitely stop in when in the area. You will be warmly welcomed and will likely find some inspiration from fellow knitters.

The people here are so nice. And the shop is cute. They give tutorials and the seem to serve food and wine. So I think if you want to socialize at your yarn shop this place is great. But it is really expensive, and their choices are really narrow (probably because it is a really small space). I just always walk away feeling like I spent too much on not quite the right yarn. So if you just want to pick up some nice yarn I would recommend the shop on Union between Hicks and Columbia.

I am so thankful that I live in this ‘hood! One of my New Years resolutions was to nurture my crafty side, so I decided to take Beginners Knitting here, and I’m so glad I did. Hannah is a fantastic teacher — warm, interesting, funny, patient and incredibly knowledgable. I had my second and final beginners class with her yesterday, and she enthusiastically helped me get my first project going.
Throughout my class periods, I saw how warm the staff was with everyone and anyone who walked in the door, and saw a few regulars who are understandably very devoted to this little shop. I also came in one night to «knit and sip» with a glass of red wine and it is now my new favorite thing to do…
Did I mention there is a working fireplace? I would live here.

Just took beginning crochet with Hannah, and I’m now a crocheting machine! Alright, that might be a bit of an overstatement, but I do know how to do it and am about to embark upon an infinity scarf project. I took the class with a friend who is much more experienced with knitting, so she moved at a faster pace. Hannah helped us both learn at the right speed, was really attentive, and demonstrated how to do things so I feel comfortable on my own. She’s also a lovely lady, really interesting to talk with. I bought some gorgeous yarn and am excited to see how my scarf turns out — and I feel great knowing the La Casita team is there if I need to go in for help!

I have started coming all the way to La Casita from up in the far reaches of the Upper West Side. There is such a nice, happy, helpful vibe there, not to mention the great baked goods, cocktails and wine, and coffee. Hannah is a wonderful teacher as is Rachel. I love that they offer a «project class» in which you can come for two hours, work on whatever you’re working on (or what is making you tear out your hair) and get almost individual attention. It’s a good deal, too. And of course the yarn is beautiful, but being more of a «process knitter,» –I knit because I enjoy knitting, taking on new challenges in construction – I don’t always notice it. But I DO notice the more-​than-​helpful staff.

I have moved away from my regular yarn shop ‘hood and into the ‘hood where La Casita is located. On a whim, I stepped inside La Casita.
Ladies are sitting down, knitting, with smiles on their faces.
They are drinking lovely-​looking drinks. From the La Casita «bar.» Yes!
I needed Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino in Silver. Voila, it’s here! (that may have been a coincidence, but a very good one that day)
I needed help figuring out Ravelry. «We have a class on Ravelry tomorrow night!»
The staff are friendly and competent.
The hours run late. Like, really late! You can knit til the cows come home!
I don’t know if this place is heaven, too good to be true, or what. But I am happy that La Casita is here.

I had bought a knitting lesson through a discount site (it was years ago so I don’t remember which one). I was luckily enough to be the only one to sign up for that particular class so I was one on one with Hannah. She was an excellent teacher and made it quite easy to grasp. Since then I have done many projects, letting some sit and collect dust for months before picking them up again. When you get stuck they are all very helpful to get you through it. Once I find a place I like I stick with it, they have gotten my loyalty and return often. Plus when you get frustrated with your project there is always wine!

Such a pretty little shop. I love the café at the back, and kids learning knitting at the front, adorable. Unfortunately ‘little’ is the key word. They didn’t have the brands I wanted. They lean towards fancy and expensive fibers. It’s a lovely little boutique but not that useful to me.

I stopped on by to this little mom and pop yarn store on my way to the city this afternoon. Had to take advantage of that Smith Street Sale via Unilocal!When I walked in everyone was super friendly. I mentioned the Unilocal deal and that I’m an advanced beginner knitter and just checking the place out for some new fancy yarns. They were really enthusiastic. And I quote «We LOVE Unilocal!Some guy (Peter D.) just came in and asked if we’d like to do STUFF with them!» Trying not to chuckle too hard I picked out two skeins of a dark emerald green. So soft and fluffy! Only thing that put a little trepidation into my decision was that there is some freaking expensive yarn in this store. You can knit yourself a cashmere sweater. But it will cost you a pretty penny at around for some of them $ 15 – 30 a ball. I settled on a more moderately priced one. But you will not find too many cheap threads here. The selection is a little limited. I do however like the homeiness aspect of the place. They also offer classes for beginners and advanced beginners. But I enjoyed the trip and the ten percent discount.

I found this adorable shop while looking for places to take knitting classes. Then I realized that not only are they a yarn shop, but they also have a café/​bar! Coffee, food and wine, plus knitting? How clever is that!
I signed up for a beginners class with Hannah and it turned out to be a great experience. She was patient, very helpful and clear with her instructions. After some trial and error I was able to pick up simple knitting techniques fairly quickly and I’m currently working on my first project.
This is a great neighborhood shop with friendly, attentive staff and lots of regulars always popping in to say hi or pick up more items. I will definitely be coming back.

If you’re a novice (like me!) I absolutely recommend this as a place to get started.
I took a beginners knitting class here in March and loved it. Immediately started a project which I subsequently abandoned for months on end, only to pick it up again in the last couple of weeks. When I was done, I took it into the store for help sewing in all of my loose ends. The woman who had taught my class immediately sat me down and showed me what to do, answered all of my silly amateur questions, and then helped me select yarn for a new project I wanted to start.
The shop itself is adorable. Super cozy and homey, and the staff encourages you to just hang out and knit while they chat and answer any questions you have. I could easily spend a few hours (and a few hundred dollars) here.
As far as yarn selection goes, I’m not an expert by any means, but they have packed several shelves of beautiful yarns in here. If you’re looking for a huge selection, this probably isn’t the place to go, but what they do have is gorgeous and high quality.

I adore this store. It’s open late (praise be!), inviting, and incredibly enjoyable. I can’t quite afford all the gorgeous yarn I want there, but have certainly enjoyed the yarn I’ve gotten.
I’m a novice knitter, and the staff is patient and authentic and willing to answer all my questions. There’s a real community vibe there.
Also, GoogleMaps puts this store on Smith btwn 9^th and Mill… It’s between degraw and douglass.

This place is just fabulous and welcoming and fun – everything a local yarn store should be and more. I came here for the first time the other day with my little daughter and I couldn’t believe how many lovely yarns they had packed in such a small space. I browsed the yarns, got lots of helpful advice from the wonderful women working there, bought some fancy hand-​dyed sock yarn from a local Brooklyn artist, got a scone and a cup of tea and sat and knit on the couch while my toddler snoozed in her stroller.
Even though they didn’t have the exact color I wanted in a particular yarn, they did have the color cards and were happy to order it for me. And they had lots of knit-​up samples and swatches of their yarns.
When my toddler woke up they were super nice to her and let her wind the yarn I had just bought with the ball winder and swift. Meanwhile a knitting class for kids was going on where a teacher was showing a young girl how to knit a bunny.
I was especially pleased by my experience because I had recently tried to go into another yarn store that I will not name and the staff had been rude and cautioned me to «watch your daughter around the yarn» even though she hadn’t been doing anything but pointing at the yarn and naming the colors.
Anyway, I have a new favorite yarn store now and will definitely be back.
Some of the lovely yarns I saw while browsing: Cascade (from the basic 220 and Ecological Wool to the fancier ones and sock yarns), Malabrigo (sock to Rios), Rowan yarns, Araucania, Zara, Louisa Harding, Artyarns, and many more!

Like a vegan at Peter Luger’s, I suppose I’m not the most qualified to review this place. I’ve never knit a day in my life. However, I do love a cute place, and this was downright adorable and inspirational.
I came here with a friend at 9 p.m. on a Friday night looking to grab a coffee and respite from the cold. We stumbled upon this knitting haven and were completely awed by all the colors, yarns, and creations. The women who worked there were so lovely and conversational, and they treated us as if we were long-​awaited guests in their bar/​kitchenette. One of them complemented me on my hat, and I didn’t have the heart to tell her that I got it on sale at Target. Just couldn’t ruin the magic.
If I ever take up this hobby, at least I know I’ll be welcomed.

This is definitely a NYC establishment. I walked into a sweltering hot room filled with knitting ladies that don’t have white hair drinking glasses of wine. The girl who helped me was super friendly and helpful but I sort of hoped there was more options to what I finally decided to purchase. This yarn also seems to be special boutique priced at upwards of 20 for a small skein. Not good pricing for a beginner who could potentially screw up several times. You really shouldn’t spend that much on yarn as a beginner!
Now I don’t know that much about knitting but I’ve successfully learned how to knit some pretty complicated things without the help of a class. The chica helping me was trying to get me to join one but I kept thinking to myself everything she’s saying about what I’d learn is common sense and on the Internet for me. I tried to explain my knowledge isn’t that severely lacking and we kept having the same conversation over and over. I suppose the classes are profitable for the shop.
One thing is true about this place. If you need friends to knit with you can make some here. You can also get some free patterns which is very nice.
I thought I’d kill two birds with one stone via coffee and knit supplies but I only ended up with knitting supplies and confusion and a little guilt about dropping almost half a Benjamin on them. I also found that my moderate priced yarn easily falls apart and am sort of disappointed.

Where do I begin? As you walk up to La Casita, you find plenty of inspiration to draw you in… knitted samples carefully staged in the storefront window. The moment you walk in you’re cheerfully greeted by the friendly staff. Yarn of all weights and colors abound.
I spent the afternoon perusing their decadent selection, sipping on wine from their café, knitting and hanging out. La Casita lives up to their name; one easily finds themselves settling in, as if visiting a dear friend’s house.
Of course they carried my favorite yarns (Misti Alpaca, Malabrigo, Blue Sky and Araucania) so I’m a happy knitter! I even discovered a new favorite, Jade Sapphire’s Mink, which unfortunately sold out. Luckily the ladies who own the shop were more than happy to add me to the list of people to call when it came back in stock.
After one visit, I feel like customer for life. I have found my knitting mecca. Two of my favorite vices combined into one unforgettable experience… yarn and wine!

Every now & then I like to get in touch with my feminine side… oh yes… i have one i swear!
So with that, I decided to get some knitting classes. Me & my gf got knitty with it on 2 beautiful Saturdays and we had a great time. The instructor was a sweet and helpful woman that spent countless minutes explaining to us what a stitch is (of course I still don’t really know!)
The store is really cute with a small selection of yarns. I’m sure there are other yarn stores with more selection, but this shop has more than just yarns, they have personality. All the employees were super nice and did not make me feel any less of a femme because I did not know how to stitch & bitch.
They also have a little bar in the back with a decent selection of beers and tasty full bodied coffees.
I highly recommend visiting this store either to just chat it up w. the employees or take a lesson and get knitty with it!
PS — when you make a mistake in knitting, you have to TINK — which is just knit spelled backwards! HOW CLEVER!!!

LOVE IT! I know absolutely nothing about knitting but took my first class there last night (taught by Hannah). I was knitting withing 20 minutes and Hannah was so helpful, patient and really fun to talk to the whole time. Can’t wait for next week’s class.
Even before I decided to take a class here I have stopped in several times, just because they always have cute displays in the window and have a really cool selection of unique yarns that are fun to fondle. Everything from fine silks to beautiful hand painted wools. Not being a yarn shopping expert the prices seem reasonable to me, and they do have sales pretty often. The classes were affordable too, $ 75 for 2 2-​hour sessions including materials. While in class you also get a 10% on supplies you might want to buy.
Would recommend La Casita to anyone who loves to knit, or doesn’t know how yet and wants to learn in a cozy, fun environment!