09/04/09

do not recommend

by beyal

I was unpleasantly surprised to find that the last ball of thread I needed to use consisted of broken thread. Not thinking much of it but finding it a bit strange (It's the first time I have come across broken thread in a ball of thread) I re-attached it and continued and to my utter dismay found that I could not continue because it was broken several times. Basically it was 12" pieces of thread rolled together in a ball and held together by a rubber band! Very disappointing.

I would give it no stars but this review form doesn't allow one to do that.

There are other places in the city to shop for thread/wool etc. where you don't feel cheated like Seaport Yarn downtown on Broadway and they are so very nice and extremely helpful.

• Pros: none
• Cons: will NEVER go here again

07/09/09

Specialty Yarn Shop unlike any other

by KnitwitNYC

I've been happily shopping at School Products for many years now. I think that you do need to know what type of yarn you are looking for rather than brand though. The owners started and founded the karabella line which has a good substitute for any other yarn out there. They use great quality fiber and spin/ply techniques for their yarns. There is a small selection of some other brands (koigu, brown sheep, etc), however other shops have better selection of those brands.

You come to school products for their fiber knowledge, and for something else that you cannot find anywhere else in the city. Leftover mill yarn. From years in the business the owner made contacts with italian sweater mills that make all the luxury fiber designer sweaters in today's high fashion. School products is able to get their hands on the leftovers. Some they leave on the cone and others are wound into skeins or center pull 'cakes.' It's the best deal in the city for some melange cashmere, or baby camel, or wool cashmere blends, cottons, etc. Some pretty exotic stuff at great prices (comparatively for the fiber). Some of the space dyed cashmere's are just gorgeous.

Beware though that because some of this yarn is meant for machines, they need to be washed so the fiber can 'bloom' and become as soft as you expect it to be.

I suppose that I've always had good experiences in this store because I know what to expect. I'm either getting a karabella yarn, open to a karabella substitute, or ready to be surprised by a great mill deal while petting some fabulous cashmere. While there's great pattern support for the karabella line, it's not the type of yarn shop where you're invited to pull up a chair while browsing in patterns chatting the while away. You go, buy great yarn, and leave.

• Pros: Leftover italian mill yarns at great prices
• Cons: Not many brands besides Karabella and Special luxury deals

04/24/09

Mean mean scary old man.....

by Professional

The Brown Sheep yarn must be a hot button for this owner couple. I went to their store one evening right after work. The store was supposed to close at 6:30 pm and I arrived at 6:09. i went directly to the shelves that held the Brown Sheep yarn and when I couldn't see the color I was looking for I asked the owner. He looked at me nasty and said that they are not ordering this yarn anymore and pointed toward another (according to him) similar yarn. When I politely refused to buy that one, he suddendly shouted at me: "Ok, ok, then get what pleases you, I WANT TO GO HOME!!!'.

Then when I was just staring at him incredule he continued in an arrogant tone (maybe to justify his unexcusable behaviour) that his store is famous and people come here from Japan and allover the world.

What's wrong with this mean scary old man?

The store is not for the fainthearted.

Too bad, otherwise great selection, but looks like the fame went up to their head........

(Oh, and it DOES NOT deserve even one star........)

• Pros: Umh, it's hard to focus on that after yelled at....
• Cons: as I mentioned :"mean, mean ...."