I heard that there are various small yarn shops in Taipei, but they tend to be open only one day a week or have inconvenient opening hours, so we decided to visit three stores this time, one of which being Ting Knitting Studio.
Shangdrok is a manufacturer run by a couple, April, and her husband. I am not sure if I would describe them as a yarn manufacturer. The business originally started in Tibet, using raw yak wool to make felted hats, bags, and interior items. At first, they handspun yarns, but now they also hand-dye a variety of yarns, including yak blends.
This time we visited their showroom and studio. It is not usually run as a store, but you can make an appointment to visit. Their main business seems to be selling wholesale to yarn shops. You can purchase yarns there, too. I had the pleasure of talking with April when she visited Walnut Kyoto around the time they had just started their business. She showed me their various products and meeting her back then feels nostalgic now.
This time, we chatted happily for hours about their thoughts on Tibet and their history, and I bought some yarn to take home with me at the end. The products, made from raw yak wool and water-felted, had a wonderful texture, and I wanted to buy so many of them. I bought some yarn for my mother and some cute sheep coasters for myself. It was a beautiful space that was fitting of April, as she loves old things.
Tomo runs this store and speaks fluent Japanese. She also participated in our retreat last year, and I was completely taken aback by her energetic and cheerful personality. It's a shame that the store is only open on Saturdays. It has a collection of beautiful yarns that are popular around the world.
She said that she loves knitting so much that she just stocks what she wants. "These are all my favorite yarns, and even if they doesn't sell, it's totally OK because I'm happy to just have the yarn,” she explained. Merely seeing her passion for knitting allowed to me rediscover how fun knitting is and how wonderful yarn can be.
On Saturdays, customers arrive as soon as the store opens and start taking up seats at the table space in the center. Everyone has a great time knitting, chatting, shopping, and enjoying a wonderful Saturday. What a lovely space to spend the day!
If you are in Taipei on a Saturday, this is a must-stop store!
I'll introduce events held at Ting Knitting Studio next time, but lastly, let's talk about the fabric markets in Taipei.
Yongle Market
In Taipei, we visited an area (Dadaocheng) that specializes in handicrafts, similar to Dongdaemun Market in Seoul. Mei, who is in charge of sewing at amirisu, went to this area when she was a student.
There is a large building (Yongle Market) that sells only fabrics, and the selection is breathtaking! Unlike Dongdaemun Market in Seoul, where all the stores have almost the same selection of goods and only sell trendy and inexpensive items, each store has its own specialty, and the selection of goods within that specialty is amazing. For example, there was a store selling only lace cloth, another selling only quilting cloth, and another selling only waterproof cloth for outdoor use. You can easily buy all kinds of materials that the average person would not be able to purchase in Japan. Above the market, there is even a floor where seamstresses have booths. If you bring your items there, they will sew whatever you request. These seamstresses also seem to have a variety of specialties, such as bags and clothes.
In the neighborhood of Yongle Market, there is also a specialty store that sells only notions.
It was a bit geeky, but I would love to visit again when I come to Taipei.
Next time, I will introduce events at Ting Knitting Studio.