Included: Certificate for Knit 101 Workshop and beginning knitter's kit, including knitting needles and various shades of yarn in a cute drawstring bag.

Tucked in a colorful and fresh little corner of Victoria Court, The Knit Shop is an oasis for anyone who yearns for beautiful yarn. Owner Brooke Rademacher took over the former Palma Colectiva space in March 2024 (they moved to a State Street storefront) and transformed its whitewashed walls and bleached wooden floors into a space bursting with energy, life, and color — oh, so much color! “People have really been enjoying being able to feel yarn in person,” Rademacher tells me on a recent weekday, as she balances our interview with a steady stream of customers.

Everyone feels like a friend at The Knit Shop. Rademacher walks customer after customer around her little corner of downtown Santa Barbara to help them find exactly what they need. Filled with soft, pillowy yarn options from all over the world, such as certified fair-trade, hand-dyed yarns from Uruguay; an endless collection of books on knitting and crochet, such as the fun Gilmore Girls: The Official Knitting Book; and accessories, such as a tote bag with “I brought my knitting just in case” — it’s a space that serves as an invitation to novices and professionals alike.

In addition to retail services, the knit shop offers classes, workshops, events, and social knitting hours. Rademacher’s hands-on attitude and one-on-one customer service is reflected in events like her weekly help hours — open sessions for knitters to work through a current project’s issue or pain point. “People have really been enjoying the community,” she adds, noting that in particular a small group of newer knitters have found their way to her shop by way of classes such as Intro to Crochet and Knit 101.