Quernstone Knits: My local yarn shop
November 20, 2007
It can be a struggle to keep local businesses going, which is why I like to do anything I can to promote ones here in my town of Stromness.
Quernstone Knits is one of 3 shops owned locally by the same person, Elaine Bentley, and is my local source for yarn and handmade knits.
Elaine also manages The Quernstone which sources me with small gifts for friends and family, and The Christmas Shop, a seasonal shop that brings just a dash of Dickensian charm to our main street. Elaine was telling me today what hard work it is to set up and run the Christmas shop in particular, which got me to thinking about what a tremendous difference even one good shop can make to a place.
Good shops make a difference
In a town like ours of only 2,000, a well-run, attractive and useful shop really makes an impact, and should you come to visit Orkney, I hope you’ll stop in some of them before heading off to the standing stones and Skara Brae.
Sometimes something as simple as a local shop gives a person a taste of island life.
Here’s a few more pics for you (click below on one to see a larger version) of Quernstone Knits on our main street that I took today:
Visiting via Ravelry, Quernstone Knits is helping persuade me to go to Stromness sooner rather than later. When I was a child (80s) this was a toy/jewellery shop.
I’ve heard it used to be a Italian ice cream shop before that even. That that’s why there’s all this marble and elaborate mosaic tiling on and inside the building. Wish I could have one of those too!
I saw you’ve got a “Skye dream” and I’m rooting for you — that and being a professional housewife, otherwise known as not having to do work just for the money.
Our dream is one day to build our own totally off the grid house. I’ve been to the earthship in Fife, which was a bit too recycled-bottles-as-architecture for my ideal place, but a really cool idea with some principles worth borrowing.
I haven’t been up to Stromness in years, although my parents visit friends there nearly every year. I have VERY fond memories of my visits to the island, where we had some wonderful days out on Rousay, taking the hay in at Kirbister Farm and visiting the places of historic interest.
I really do need to make a return visit. In fact my mother was telling me that her friends DIL spins and dyes her own yarn. She lives in Stromness too. (I think).
Yes, I remember all that marble in there. It’s been empty for years and years so good thing it’s being used and even better that it’s for a knitting shop!
Keep meaning to go to the earthship for inspiration.