The point is the new yoga.
"Knitting is fashionable for many reasons, but I like to highlight the social one. weave together it is a tradition lost with industrialization and preserved in the most domestic sphere. But with this new wave, it is being brought out into the street and is a way to socialize and share. Our grandmothers knitted in the corralas, we do it again, but in cafes and parks. It is It's fun, it's helpful, and it's very therapeutic." . Clara Montagut tells us, crafter & designer, inveterate blogger and passionate about crafts. And we just have to take a look at this compilation of knitting and crochet groups in Spain to verify that he is right. In Madrid alone we have 14 groups (and surely there are more unregistered).
Because, effectively, the subject that we like is that of socialization, those meeting in public places with our work bag , and that it has become a cool accessory. Groups (mainly women's) across the country flock to schools, cafes, parks, knit together . We could do it at home, alone and watching TV, but isn't it more fun in a group? "Weaving is the perfect excuse for a group of young and vintage women to gather around a table and share point, coffee, wine or champagne with a lot of experiences", says Rocio Torregrosa , from the school (and space to share) El Punto , which also gives us a very important clue: "Once the 'initial stiffness' phase has been overcome, and you finally manage to knit relaxed, the best comes, for something it is said that Knitting is the new yoga".
Weaves that weaves at the doors of El Punto Madrid.
WHERE ARE WE GOING?
If we have already convinced you that knitting together is cool, now where do we go? The first thing is to choose the place well. "For me it is paramount a spacious place ( weavers always carry out several tasks at the same time , something that we have to give or show to another weaver that we haven't seen for a long time -such as pieces, samples, needles, wool or books that we are going to lend or return-), that has variety of drinks and delicious food and have good light. As you can see, we weavers like to accompany the weaving with a hot drink most of the time, and if it comes with something tasty to eat, double the satisfaction!" says Clara Montagut. And Maria Jose Marin , from that **fun and modern community-online store that is We Are Knitters **, concludes: "May you have comfortable armchairs (very important for the posture of the back when weaving) ; have light (if it is natural better and if not powerful enough not to go blind) and, of course, some good Gin Tonics for the Gin & Knit" . These weavers really know.
whether they are cafes or schools What is important is the idea of a group knitting (and chatting, and drinking) at the same time . Here are the recommendations of our experts:
- SUCRE TEA ROOM. "It is the most beautiful place where we have stayed to knit and taste the more homemade pastries ", Clara tells us (and we were captivated by her chocolate tarts and natural juices). "He has a place near the Retiro, with cakes and a tea menu wonderful. The place is big and with very comfortable spaces to knit quietly ". _(Casado del Alisal Street, 16, 28014 Madrid) _
To settle in all afternoon.
- ** STARBUCKS BY PEDRO TEIXEIRA .** In the Cuzco area, every Friday from 5 to 9 p.m. and the first Saturday of each month, the Madrid Knits weavers meet. Siona, the founder and head of the group, tells us that "Starbucks has a philosophy that you feel at home. Unlike other places where we have been where they look at us quite badly because we take place for four nows , at Starbucks they treat us great. They reserve the place for us every Friday and the first Saturday of the month, they know us well and they serve us the drink to our liking, they wait for us with open arms, come on... Like many regular customers with whom you are already gaining confidence and the people of the neighborhood who already know us. They are not in vain six years there and the Starbucks staff started at the same time as us."_(_Calle _Pedro Teixeira 8, 28020 Madrid) _
**- THE NEXT **. "It is in the Las Salesas area [Fernando VI Street, 11] and has lots of light and huge windows to vindicate knitting in public", advises María José, from We Are Knitters, who by the way was inspired after a trip to New York to reorient her career towards knitting, after spending a season there and realizing that the Great Apple is "the knitting mecca for the number of wool shops and cafeterias that host knitting-parties" (and we add: attention, locals in Madrid: for when a knitting party here? ) .
In Las Salesas it is also woven.
**- THE FISH BOWL OF THE CIRCLE OF FINE ARTS **. "One of the places with more tradition to stay to weave, site of the first meetings held in Madrid. It is a place with a lot of history, a bit expensive for a snack, but wonderful ", says Clara Montagut.
Fishbowl
**- SOUP **. this lovely vegan restaurant of Berlin airs close to the area of Prosperity and the Berlin Park It is a good place to be armed with needles and wool: long tables, good light, tranquility and some owners patients and charming are points for which the group El Martes ha su Punto meets there every Tuesday. (Nierenberg Street, 23. Madrid)
Soup, vegans and knitters united.
**- THE POINT MADRID **. Rocío Torregrosa opened in 2007 "a space that my sisters and I were looking for and couldn't find, a place where being able to buy precious national and foreign wool in a space where also share with more people ideas, patterns, coffees... ". That is this already famous school for the area of Arguelles where there is workshops practically every day. "The places in the workshops are limited and therefore they are closed groups, but we like to organize gatherings to knit," they tell us, while commenting that the majority of attendees "are women, we have had some students (advertisers, computer , teachers….), but they are the fewest, and they attend with an expiration date. For girls it is different, the weekly appointment with the rest of the colleagues is leisure and fun" . (Melendez Valdes Street, 68, Madrid 28015)
**- BLACK SHEEP **. Between Alonso Martínez and Bilbao, Black Oveja is also a school considered meeting point for knitters and craft lovers. With the motto "left-handers and dyslexics welcome" it is not necessary to have experience and there are workshops that start from "zero patatero" (literal). "Weaving in a group is liked because it is shared, just like when you take some beers , but at the end of the conversation, you have also created something useful with your own hands and that is very satisfying", they tell us Merche and Alfonso , the owners of the shop-workshop.
"For industrious hands and young minds."
-BABEL. For those who live in one of the towns of the Sierra de Madrid , the cafeteria-cinema-theater-cultural-space Babel of Torrelodones is a wide space and New York airs , with a table and armchairs, perfect for a meeting of weavers (it has already hosted a few).
**- SWEET SIXTEEN. ** - Clara Montagut also recommends this t shop-school-meeting space "with a wide variety of yarns and fabrics ". Offer classes of knit and crochet throughout the year (Calle Padre Damián, 31, 28036 Madrid)
- ESTARIBEL . For the _ pro malasañeros,_ in this school on the street of La Palma you can learn from knitting a scarf to some very elaborate shawls , always feeling supported by a community and above all: re-la-ján-do-nos . (La Palma Street, 15. Madrid)
Weaving friendships.
*** You may also be interested in:**
- Cute cafes in Madrid where you can feel at home
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- Not just coffee: coffee shops in Madrid with a double life
- Ten cafeterias to go with children (and drink coffee to taste)
- 13 places in Madrid where claim the snack
- The best markets and flea markets in Madrid to enjoy this fall
The creators of We Are Knitters, Alberto and María José.