The Altered stitch-formally Stitch cafe, Los Angeles

Part yarn store, part craft school, and part community gathering place, Stitch Café is a hub of activity for practitioners of the fiber arts. Every shelf is lined with a colorful array of yarns from makers such as Mountain Colors Yarns and Lantern Moon, as well as Stitch Café’s own line of hand-dyed yarns called Delicious Yarns. In the center of the shop, ornate tables and plush couches welcome knitters and crocheters to settle in, work on their latest projects, and trade tips such as ways to sneakily measure someone for a surprise sweater. The center also offers beginner and advanced courses that teach everything from basic technique to knit cables and fancy color work.