A brand new knitting shop is coming to Forest Park this fall with lessons, groups, yarn bombs + more

Isabel Rubio, Knit Bham
Isabel Rubio near the future home of Knit Bham. (Nathan Watson / Bham Now)

Knitters of Birmingham, get ready, because a whole new knitting experience is coming to Forest Park this September. Isabel Rubio, the founding Executive Director of ¡HICA!, is opening Knit Bham—aka knit—in the same spot where Naked Art made its home for 20 years.

What you need to know

Knit Bham, Forest Park
The former home of Naked Art will have a new life as Knit Bham. (Nathan Watson / Bham Now)

We spoke to Rubio this morning to find out all about her new shop. Here’s what we learned:

  • What: a new bespoke yarn store in Forest Park Village, selling lovely hand dyed natural fiber yarns for the discerning knitter
  • Where: 3831 Clairmont Ave., Birmingham, AL 35222
  • Opening: September
  • Hours: Tuesday-Friday 10AM-5:30PM | Saturday 10AM-3PM, depending on football season + whatever else might be going on |
    • Thursday evenings: Third Space Knitting Society, an open group for people to gather, knit + talk
  • Social: Instagram | Facebook

The vision for Knit Bham

assorted-color textiles, yarn
Yarn can be so beautiful. (Paul Hanaoka / Unsplash)

Knit will be a place where the knitting community of Birmingham can come to get what they need, including:

  • Beautiful yarns
  • Needles + notions, including buttons + tape measures, stitch gauges + all the things a knitter could want
  • Lessons, knit-alongs + yarn bombs—”all of those kinds of fun things that just make knitting such a wonderful community and creative art form,” according to Rubio
  • Private lessons so people can get the basics down pat + then come be part of the Third Space Knitting Society

Why a knit shop?

When Rubio was a child, her grandmother taught her how to knit on bright blue aluminum knitting needles. It wasn’t until her 40s that she picked it back up again, but she’s been knitting ever since. Now she’s opening Knit Bham as a way to share her love of knitting with the community.

“I’ve been a creative person all of my life. Even though I have focused much of my career on the nonprofit world, I come from a family of artists. So when I was thinking about what is my next step after leaving the nonprofit world, it really didn’t take me very long to decide to open a yarn store.

Birmingham has an excellent knitting community. We are growing in numbers and so is the craft across the country and in the world. I’m excited to bring a store to the Forest Park area that carries beautiful natural fiber yarns that are hand dyed and offer our knitting community some new yarns to work with.”

Isabel Rubio

Another fun new business in Forest Park

Rubio said she’s really excited that they will be in Forest Park.

“I think that Knit Bham will complement the businesses there and will continue to build the energy and excitement that we all love in Forest Park.”

Isabel Rubio

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Sharron Swain
Sharron Swain

Writer, Interviewer + Adventurer | Telling stories to make a difference

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