As part of our regular Trader Profile series, we take a look into one of the Market’s longest running businesses, the Wool Stall located in the Market Hall.
With over 70 years’ presence in Aberdare Market, the Wool Stall continues to provide the community with yarn, conversation and a wealth of experience. Sue James, the manager is an expert knitter and has always bought her yarn here, long before she took over the stall. The Wool Stall has been in situ since 1937 - or at least that’s as far back as the current owners can trace. What is interesting though, is that the stall has, for the most part, been a family concern, being passed down through three generations of the same family until the early 80s.
Sue started knitting as a youngster and is passionate about yarn and about passing on her skills to the wider community. When she retired from her previous occupation, she took up a part time job at the Wool Stall and in her words, has never been happier. Her sister Amanda retired from teaching just over four years ago and, at the time, the stall was up for sale. Sue and Amanda and her husband Paul decided it was time to join forces and started working together. Since then, the stall has seen some changes. They moved the welsh gifts which were traditionally sold on the stall (in fact, go to any market wool stall in the valleys and you will always find a bit of welsh on offer) and opened a dedicated gift stall, but that’s another story for another time. The Wool Stall has been transformed recently, making it more open and welcoming, with a seating area to peruse the patterns or just have a cuppa and a chat while we sort out your yarn queries.
Sue is the knitter, Amanda the crocheter, so between them both, they are able to advise on patterns, yarns, accessories and know how and that is what makes them better than the multiple yarn shops online. You get to squish the yarn, see it made up, whilst getting professional advice and support. Sue and Amanda also offer a bespoke garment making service at very competitive prices. The Wool Stall stocks a range of excellent quality yarn, including Sirdar, James C Brett, King Cole, Stylecraft and West Yorkshire Spinners. Nothing is too much trouble for them. If you can’t see it on the shelf, they will do their best to find it for you, calling on their group of UK Hand Knitting Association shop friends.
In their quest to transform the valleys into a community of knitters and crocheters, The Wool Stall also runs a knit and natter class every Tuesday in a local café - Shake Waffle ‘n’ Cone. The group meets at 10.30 - 1pm, have a cup of tea and a teacake and sit and knit or crochet (although there seems to be a lot more natter than knit). Every Wednesday evening they hold a taught class for knitters and crocheters, at the same venue, with dedicated tutors to help beginners, intermediates and advanced makers. At present the class has around 45 people on their books, some as young as six and they have also managed to enticed 4 or 5 men to join them too.
Amanda and Sue’s passion for yarn is what makes this a stall to visit. Their sense of community and conversation is at the heart of their business. Pop in and visit them. The Wool Stall is open six days a week from 9am - 5pm
