Kits
New! Celebrate this chapter of Ysolda.com as it comes to an end with a special, personalised bundle of our best products, hand-picked by our team just for you.
gift 2019
Subscribe to our Colourwork Club for a gift that lasts well into the new year. Your recipient will receive a new colourwork kit in Janurary, February and March
Last minute shopping? Gift cards are delivered electronically - forward the email or print it for your recipient. A range of amounts are available and gift cards don't expire.
A Knitter's Guide to Scotland
Updated 11 May, 2026
If you're coming to Scotland and thinking about planning some fibre related stops, here are some places we like. Follow the link for the area you're planning to visit.
Edinburgh, Glasgow, Fife and Dundee, Lanarkshire, Aberdeen, Speyside, Skye, Shetland, Orkney, Uist, Festivals
Edinburgh
If you visit all four of these shops, you will have visited four very different parts of central Edinburgh (and seen lots of beautiful yarn), giving you a good feel for why so many people love visiting or living here.
Mei's shop in Marchmont, a short walk across the Meadows from the Old Town, stocks interesting yarn from China, Iceland and Skye, magazines, needles and printed patterns.
In a new, larger premises on Montrose Terrace, Jess's vintage inspired shop is a colour lover's dream - when you walk in the first thing you see is the beautiful display of yarn dyed by Jess but she stocks other interesting yarn too, some stock for spinners, and a gorgeous haberdashery with fabrics and patterns.
Kathy's Knits has a wide range of British yarn, lots of great books and patterns and Broughton Street is full of cafes for a well deserved break in your trek around the city.
Edinburgh's newest wool shop stocks yarns in natural fibres from ethical producers.
In the Old Town, down a steep street, there's a converted bath house which now houses a gallery and a working tapestry studio. You can watch the weavers at work, have some food at the cafe, where cones of yarn decorate the tables, and convince yourself you don't need to take up a new fibre pastime.
The Scottish Textiles Showcase
Just off the Royal Mile and a few minutes walk from Waverley station, you’ll find this gorgeous antidote to the ubiquitous mass produced “Scottish” textiles in all the tourist shops. Everything they stock is from small local producers including yarn, knitwear, and Harris Tweed.
Glasgow
The Yarn Cake is a small knitting cafe with a selection of quality budget yarn and a small variety of unusual British yarn. The home baking is great.
Fife and Dundee
Pittenweem
A shop in a beautiful part of Fife, filled with a wide selection of yarn.
In the beautiful East Neuk of Fife, pay attention to the opening times so you can go in for a wander of the wonderfully curated selection of yarns, and then head to the seaside to knit!
Dundee
The home of the new V&A Museum of Design, Dundee has a rich textile heritage. As well as the design museum, there are other textile related sights in Dundee worth a visit.
Fluph is the home of Rusty Ferret yarns and also has selection of other fun knittery things. There's a knit night there on a Thursday, if you are missing knitting company on your travels.
The Verdant Works — Jute Museum
A museum dedicated to the less glamorous end of the fibre world - industrial jute production.
Aberdeen
Run by a mother and daughter, Wool for Ewe has a good selection of yarns typically used by British Knitters
Skye
Under new ownership but still beautifully located and committed to using natural dyes on the Isle of Skye
Mills
Lanarkshire
A social history lesson, a beautiful location (which is an UNESCO World Heritage site) and a chance to buy wool. It's a perfect day out. Ysolda wrote briefly about New Lanark a few years ago. There's even a video.
Speyside
Deep in the Spey Valley, Knockando Woolmill continues an unbroken 200 year old tradition, producing woven fabric on its historic looms. Knockando Woolmill has always been at the heart of the local community. Listed as the 'Wauk Mill' in parish records from 1784, the Woolmill has maintained its traditions of spinning and weaving through generations of families. You can watch all the stages of the spinning and weaving process and then buy some of the yarn.
We haven't been here, but their Gallery is full of beautiful images of their animals and their Alpaca and Alpaca-Wool blend yarn looks interesting - some of it is dyed by Shilasdair which is a great chance to see some of their work if you can't make it to Skye this trip.
Uist
If you get as far as the Western Isles, there's an exciting new venture waiting for you - the original idea to build a new Mill in North Uist emerged from a collective will to find a fresh purpose for local fleece that would reconnect the community with their cultural heritage of wool-working.
Shetland
If you're lucky enough to visit Shetland you'll see that yarn is still an important part of local life and you can visit the two most famous manufacturers of Shetland wool.
Knitting isn't the only craft practiced on Shetland. This tour gives you an idea of other crafts related businesses worth a visit.
Shetland Arts and Crafts - Craft Trail
Ysolda's Rose Red beret is made from one of Orkney Angora's yarns - they no longer have their own farm on Orkney but they do have a craft shop with yarn and other Angora products for sale.
After we first shared this list, Lucy Hague let us know about this amazing looking Tapestry Gallery on Orkney - now we are trying to think of excuses to visit.
Seasonal events and festivals
Woolly Good Gathering (Edinburgh)
Scottish Yarn Festival (Perth)
Textile related
