When I was a really big knitter (or should that be really productive knitter) I used to buy big bags of yarn from Walshes/Rackhams and also Coles in the sales and have something to work on all year round. They would often be seconds from yarn companies in the bags or discontinued yarns. I also remember a yarn shop on Cambridge street. I realise this is going back a bit. Is there somewhere in Sheffield that has regular yarn bargains?

Atkinsons is the only one that does regular packs of real total bargains.

Thanks AmelieB. I had some from there a few years ago. Do they have them all the time or is it a seasonal thing?

Well I got a bargin from the Wool Baa the other day - I believe room was being made for winter stock:D King Cole Kwikknit for £1.50 a 100g ball (I had been eying it up for ages - glad I waited). John Lewis had a big wool sale a few months back (beginning of summer hols) - not sure when they might have another one but someone normally mentions it:)

Well done with the bargain. I suppose its a matter of being in the right place at the right time. I must visit the Wool Baa. But I must admit with wool shops I usually fall in love with something that ends up costing at least £20 for a garment that I dont finish and I just cant afford that any more. Knitting for me is about being thrifty: I grew up in hand knits and then it was a thrifty way to clothe your kids.

Whilst I can't praise the Wool Baa highly enough, Atkinsons have "Blue cross" days where they do bags of (mostly) sirdar yarns for between £3.99 and £7.99 for 500g (five to ten balls, depending on the yarn) you can occasionally get them at the end of the sale for about£1.99/ £2 .99. (but you are taking your chances there, as the "best" wools have often been snapped up by then)

Whilst I can't praise the Wool Baa highly enough, Atkinsons have "Blue cross" days where they do bags of (mostly) sirdar yarns for between £3.99 and £7.99 for 500g (five to ten balls, depending on the yarn) you can occasionally get them at the end of the sale for about£1.99/ £2 .99. (but you are taking your chances there, as the "best" wools have often been snapped up by then)

Oooh I haven't seen those yet! I'll have to get myself to Atkinsons...
I've had some from Knitwell Wools (on t'internet) - 10 50g balls of Sirdar wool for £11, which I thought was quite good. In fact, that's the stuff I was knitting with last Wednesday...

Whilst I can't praise the Wool Baa highly enough, Atkinsons have "Blue cross" days where they do bags of (mostly) sirdar yarns for between £3.99 and £7.99 for 500g (five to ten balls, depending on the yarn) you can occasionally get them at the end of the sale for about£1.99/ £2 .99. (but you are taking your chances there, as the "best" wools have often been snapped up by then)

PT, is this available all year round or just at sale times? i.e. is it worth a special trip this weekend?

My dear little car has ceased to function so Ive had to get ont tinternet for crochet needs

I found this site good for crochet patterns (also sells knit & yarn) and you get free p & p over £10.
http://www.mcadirect.com/shop/index.php/cPath/34_43?osCsid=0d634f12a7629c63dc60c48c003f82b7

Also got some bargain Sirdar from here at £ a ball
http://crafts.search.ebay.co.uk/_Knitting_W0QQcatrefZC12QQsacatZ3103QQsassZdebbiem oir

Some more sirdar from here too:
http://stores.ebay.co.uk/Disara-Knitting-and-Crafts

Looks like being a while before I get out.

PT, is this available all year round or just at sale times? i.e. is it worth a special trip this weekend?

It tends to be only at sale times YR... IMO it wouldn't be worth trekking in, right now.

Atkinsons usually advertise extensively in the Star paper in the run up to their Blue-cross sales.

you may find the odd bits and pieces on offer outside this time, but it's not certain.

last time I went in they'd got a baby DK from sirdar reduced from 2.5o to 0.9/0.99 a ball, but it was only available in a shade of mottled green I'd have described as "day-glo meets gungy"
:gag:

last time I went in they'd got a baby DK from sirdar reduced from 2.5o to 0.9/0.99 a ball, but it was only available in a shade of mottled green I'd have described as "day-glo meets gungy"
:gag:

Some children suit that colour...............:D

true, but only for about the first five minutes after they've got off the waltzer...

;) can you say "queasy"? ;)

Yellowrose,

I was in Atkinsons wool department, yesterday, "feeding my adiction", as Jill would have it...

At the moment, they have some yucky eyelash yarns on offer, but not much else.

However! keep your eyes peeled, in the next 2 to 3 weeks... as they told me there'll be a sale coming up around then.

Yes, Atkinson's is good for cheap 2 ply yarns and you can get the odd cheap ball at Wilkinson's, castle market and sometimes charity shops have wool in them. All worth a look, may find something you like. I am only starting out so daren't buy expensive wool in case I mess up!:blush:

Practice saying 'Oh, that is a design feature, it is meant to look like that' until you are really convincing. Lol! Works for me :) Although I am still happy with bargain yarn, I have to have something in mind before I will buy it, or else there would be no room for anything else in the house.

Yellowrose! there is a sale on right now!!

There isn't a huuuge amount of choice, but there are some nice packs of yarn on offer.

They've got 10-packs of 50g Sirdar snuggly (in a white shot through with pastels) for £7.99 (instead of 25.00) and 400g balls of aran (either 10 or 20% wool) in some nice colours reduced from £4.99 to £2.99 there was some eyelash-y yarn as well, but that didn't "catch" my imagination at all...

At the risk of being obvious, lurking around ebay's a good option for bargains, especially if you're not fussy about the brand. The John Lewis yarns get discounted when their normal sale starts, though tangled balls and the last ball of a dyelot's sometimes discounted.

Ive bought one or 5 lots of yarn online now. Some from ebay and some from online shops, all really good value, especially the Sirdar Spree at 49p a ball from Kemps (saving for next summer). Ive Also had 3 lots of sirdar denim, two aran one dk all reduced prices. So I darent go to Atkinsons now, as every time my darling husband opens one of the top cupboards on the wardrobes a bag of yarn falls out and hits him on the head. Then he says, Im sure I put that back yesterday ... I dont let on it was one of the other bags!

I used to hide my new clothes from him, now its my wool!