Five Minutes with a Friend: Purl Soho
We speak to Purl Soho about their relationship and journey with textiles.
Q: When and why did you open your store?
A: Purl Soho opened in 2002 in a tiny storefront on Sullivan Street in New York City's Soho neighbourhood. At the time, natural hand-knitting fibers were harder to come by, and our goal was to share our passion for beautiful non-synthetic yarns. Also, back then, it was not uncommon to visit a yarn shop and feel like an intruder with a bunch of dumb questions. We wanted Purl Soho to be the opposite, to make everyone feel welcomed and supported, inspired and happy. We don't actually have a brick and mortar shop anymore, but our vision and approach remain the same!
Q: Apart from Selvedge, what else do you sell?
A: We sell Purl Soho-brand hand-knitting yarn and have over 40 collections of yarns in over 700 colours, all available only at Purl Soho. We also sell all the tools and notions you need to knit whatever you want, things like patterns, knitting needles, wool care items, kits, and lots more. We also publish dozens of free knitting patterns throughout the year!
Q: Can you tell us a bit about your neighbourhood / community ? Why is it so special?
A: Our community of knitters is so passionate and curious... and brave! They're willing to try fibers they never knit with before, to learn new techniques, to embrace colours they never considered, and to take chances. Everyone wants the same thing, which is to feel proud of what they made, and we love that our customers go out on a limb every day to get that feeling.
Q: What has inspired you recently? This could be a book, film or an exhibition you have seen or an artist / designer you admire.
A: We are continually blown away by the ingenuity of the knitwear designer Ainur Berkimbayeva. She uses complex geometric ideas to make patterns that are wholly original and also approachable. She expands our ideas of what knitting can do and tackles every problem with rigorous integrity to the design and to the knitter. It's a rare combination, and we feel really lucky to have collaborated with Ainur so often over the past few years. She's a gem!
Q: Can you tell us something about one of your favourite yarns?
A: One of our favourite yarns is actually a bundle of yarn. Our Nine-Note Bundle is nine skeins of absolutely gorgeous yarn that range in value from very saturated to very pale. They are an incredible mix of fiber, with 80% of the softest extra fine merino in the world and 20% baby alpaca. This yarn feels just wonderful in your hands, and knitting with it is a true joy. Our Nine-Note Bundle currently comes in 11 palettes, and at purlsoho.com we share lots of ideas of what to make with your favourite one!
Images courtesy of Purl Soho
Purl Soho will be running a prize in the upcoming issue of Selvedge 117, Irresistible. Check on our 'ENTER A PRIZE DRAW' page from 15 February.
Find out more and follow Purl Soho:
www.purlsoho.com
@purlsoho