In the old mining town of Abertillery, in the South Wales Valleys, you’ll find The Valleys Yarnhouse — a celebration of the hands, hearts and heritage that have long shaped the craft of knitting.
We are a yarn shop, a craft studio, a social space and a community hub, so we feel the name Yarnhouse suits us best.
We stock a wide range of yarns from internationally recognised brands, selected local spinners, yarns from across Wales, and our own small range celebrating Welsh wool and landscape. Our aim is to create a place where the past and present entwine. We gather beautiful yarns from across Wales — from small farms, independent dyers and traditional spinners — and pair them with fine fibres sourced from remarkable makers around the world.
We’ve also teamed up with craftspeople across Wales to create, or re-create, traditional tools, accessories and other items for both usefulness and pleasure. This includes working with carpenters in Llanelli, soap makers in Lampeter, yarn spinners in Bala, and many more local Welsh connections.
Our community project brings knitting, crochet and yarn-craft teaching to local communities including Blaina, Abertillery, Llanhilleth and the surrounding areas. We offer free workshops and open knitting times for everyone, with particular support for those seeking wellbeing opportunities.
The Valleys Yarnhouse was founded by Tony (and his dog, Draig). Tony is a lifelong knitter who studied fine art and philosophy before working in the charity sector. He has now returned to the arts and crafts industry, bringing with him over twenty years of dedication to both hand and machine knitting. His knitwork has been used by museums in the UK, USA and Japan to recreate historical wartime knitting for their collections. He has also appeared on TV and radio encouraging others to knit, and discussing his books and writing on wool crafts.
Tony’s studio space is within The Yarnhouse, where visitors can see his works in progress.
We are a social space, so please drop by our shop in Abertillery. Feel free to bring your current yarn project and stay a while, sharing your work with us.
The Valleys Yarnhouse Ltd - Registered in Wales
