Lila and Claudine’s Yarn & Gifts

My favorite yarn shoppe in the Twin Cities, I think. Love the vibe. Love the owners. Very, Very friendly. Great little place to sit and knit downstairs. And lots of gifts and tchotchkes to shop. I highly recommend you visit.

I’m from Chicago, and came here first a year ago in desperation to finish up a Christmas gift for someone who lives near here (needed yarn, not to mention an out of the way place to finish up the gift item).
I found a perfect match to the yarn I had been using for the gift item. And, more importantly for me, the place was SO charming. The décor, the comfortable seating and gathering place options, and… the people.
I had an internship in this state last summer, and tried knit shops in that town, but they weren’t right. I took to driving 1.5 hours weekly to get to the knitting group meetings they have here (they were on Thursdays while I was coming) just because they have lovely yarns, great books and patterns, and again, it boils down to the fantastic, friendly people both working here and patronizing the store. I have learned a bunch of techniques I didn’t know about (again, from both staff + patrons), and get tons of ideas for various other projects from this shop (as if I need any more…). They give great yarn recommendations, and have awesomely cute and great gift things here too. My new favorite lotion comes from here, also (clover scented).
This place is so wonderful. I have been to a bunch of knitting groups and stores in Chicago, and this one, from the first time I went here last year, has become my favorite. Handy, because I think I’ll be moving to this town soon (just got engaged). :)

as a average knitter/​crocheter (yes, I do both), I find that my mind wanders as soon as I hit a yarn store and the look of confusion usually scares away any help I might have gotten. Not so here, I had probably my best experience with someone actually digging in the rafters to help find one more skein of a certain color to make my project.
What makes this place even better… the coffee shop right next door… yeap, grab yourself a java, and then head down to Lila’s. Plenty of places to set your cup when you browse and couches/​chairs to sit if you become overwhelmed and need to collect yourself. Yes I had to do that… twice.
as soon as I finish my next project… I am already planning on heading back

After reading Beth’s review and looking at their web site I decided to head on over to this shop and give it a lookie loo.
LOVE!
I walked into the basement and was greeted by an adorable moppet of a dog — a sweet little shih tzu. Although it is a basement of a house they had awesome lighting — really really good lighting. I was able to see all the yarn — top shelf to bottom. Love that. So many yarn shops go easy on the light — I want to SEE the shine and color of the yarn so I can fall head over heals in love with it and want to take it home.
They had tons of samples all over the place. Wonderful to see the yarn worked up and lots of 1 skein! projects as well as more committed ones.
The employees were super friendly. When I couldn’t find the price on a yarn I told myself «If you have to ask you probably can’t afford it» and was reluctantly putting it back when someone asked if I needed help? Perfect timing. Turns out I COULD afford the yarn — and I bought two skeins!
The feel of this place is very homey. Just enough clutter to feel lived in — yet organized enough that you can find what you want.
The customer service was really nice. Friendly — not pushy or forced. The woman who rang me up seemed to really know her yarns and didn’t sigh when I asked her about what one of the fibers she mentioned was but rather explained patiently and nicely.
This place was so welcoming. I wish it was closer to my house. I would haunt the place if it were closer.
Love their loyalty program too. You don’t have to pay a fee to join and no punch card. They just take your name and number and enter it in the computer and it tracks it for you! Love that. My purse is full of cards already.
If you knit you need to stop in this place. Loved it!

Oh my goodness… yarnivores you have to get your tooshies to Lila and Claudine’s NOW!
Yarn stores are always kind of fun to visit but this yarn store, ohhhh, this yarn store is a *destination*. It blows almost anything else I’ve seen lately out of the water.
They have it all:
–an AMAZING selection
–friendly employees
–comfy and cozy seating
–artistic flair
–knitspiration galore
–reasonable prices
–a roomy classroom
–a customer loyalty program (spend $ 200, earn 20% off your next purchase)
–whimsy in every nook and cranny
I positively drooled over the Misti Alpaca and Malabrigo (in every imaginable weight from lace to worsted to bulky). They had types of Mountain Colors yarns I’ve never seen in person. And even though they didn’t have Koigu, which is one of my longtime favorites, I was happily appeased by the healthy selection of Claudia Hand Paints.
They also had a solid supply of your basic staples such as Cascade 220, Brown Sheep and Lopi.
I have a new favorite yarn store!!!