Gotham Fine Yarn

Gotham Fine Yarn
148 Orchard Street Between Rivington & Stanton Sts
Tel: 646.863.3504

Knitting and wine Thursdays and Fridays, I believe. I've never made it to the store when there was still wine to be had. The yarn is lovely, chosen for texture as much as color it seems, by someone who likes to play with the yarn. Large, once long table for a work surface, dedicated on class nights for attendees. Otherwise, table and chairs available for dumping your stuff on while you prowl this small, well organized space. Recent purchase of Tosh sock yarn was priced competitively to Knitty City, as was Brown Sheep Co's Lamb's Pride Bulky.

Hours:
Mon - Sunday: 1-8 PM

Yarntopia

Yarntopia
974 Amsterdam Ave SW Corner of W. 108th St
(212) 316-9276

This is what I always imagined a yarn shop would look like: small, not brilliantly lit, packed with lovely hued yarn, a little messy but the good, lived-in, kind of messy. It reminds me of some of my favorite cafes, the kind with the chunky, mismatches sofas, whose cups never matched the saucers (when there were saucers).

The needle and book area is small-ish and directly back from the door, perfect for the shopper who needs just that one more thing to finish a project, though they're actually open late enough for me to get there after work and do a little browsing!

There are random sales and always something on discount, usually to be found around the counter. There's a big, comfy sofa just inside the door, opposite the counter, and the owner is happy to have people come and sit and knit and chat. She's a lot of fun to talk to, too.

Not cheap, about on a par with Knitty City and then say +10%, but the discounted bits can make up for it. I've found I'll only do better than Knitty City on the internet, or if I catch a particular sale.

Hours:
Monday: CLOSED
Tuesday: 12-9 PM
Wednesday: 12-7 PM
Thursday: 12-9 PM
Fri - Sunday: 12-7 PM

Knitty City

Knitty City
208 West 79th Street Between Broadway and Amsterdam Ave
212-724-9596

The mother ship. You can always find help there, though it's hard to tell the staffers from the equally helpful and knowledgeable regulars. Can be a little spacey about calling you when orders arrive, or so I've been told. Too far out of my usual travel zone to be anything other than a destination. Fortunately on a couple of nights during the week they stay open late enough for me to actually get there. Though they will say things like the store is closing, please make your final selections and bring them to the counter they don't really shoo you out, which is nice. And the announcements come verbally (too small a store for a PA system), in advance of the actual closing time, and regularly spaced. Once the owner forgot the like 10 minute warning and just stayed open a few more minutes, basically saying "Well this is the 10 minute warning" even though it was already 8. Cheerful and helpful without the sell-sell-sell that can be anything but. The staff is never dismissive. However the place is usually full of regulars, or has been every time I've been there, and it can get a bit intimidating. On the plus side, I feel perfectly comfortable throwing down my stuff in a corner as I roam around the store, feeling the yarn. The only thing to be leary of is someone trying to make off with (read: purchase) my yarn (read: what I've already hunted and gathered and laid beside my bag with the intention of purchasing... in a minute, after I look at this next bit of yarn of there).

Hours:
Monday: 11-6 PM
Tuesday: CLOSED
Wed - Thursday: 11-8 PM
Fri - Saturday: 11-6 PM
Sunday: 12-5 PM

Lion Brand Yarn Studio

Lion Brand Yarn Studio
34 W. 15th Street Between 5th and 6th Aves
212-243-9070

Hours:
Mon - Wednesday: 11:30 AM - 7 PM
Thursday: 11:30 AM- 8 PM
Friday: 10:00 AM - 3 PM
Saturday: Closed
Sunday: 12 - 5 PM

Pretty, well organized and well lit store, with helpful people, willing to order anything they don't have on hand.  And what they have on hand is all at least partially acrylic, which doesn't work for me.  I was okay hanging out at the table in the middle of the store, far from the shelves that line either wall.  The far part of the store, closest to the counter, has their higher end, acrylic-free yarns.  Pretty stuff but nothing that moved me make a purchase.  And I haven't been back.