On the last day before we flew home, the plan was to visit a couple of museums and then do a little shopping before lunch.   The museums were excellent (Museum of Asian Art, an extensive collection of Asian artefacts and a great insight into the Hellenic influence,  and Casa Parlante, a living history museum).    The shopping aim was to try and find some oregano in a small terracotta jar.  We had bought one such jar 6 years ago but had broken it fairly recently.  There were lots of herbs and spices for sale in the usual tourist shops, but no little terracotta jars.  My memory told me we had bought it on a road somewhere near the old market and not a very touristy area.   So we were heading up to this location and were having no joy in finding terracotta jars when I suddenly spotted this sign:

The sun was bright making the window more like a mirror than a window, so I looked very closely and was amazed to find a it was a very lovely yarn shop!

I was in there in an instant.   I think my enthusiastic entry surprised the owner Elli!    The shop is very new (only open about 3 months) and has little internet presence (yet).  There is a facebook page which I am certain will gain more followers.

I had a long chat with Elli, a lovely lady with excellent English who has set up a perfect shop:  fresh, new and very modern.  She has many English friends who are interested in knitting and crochet and she told me it is also a growing trend amongst the younger generation in Greece, very much like here.    I explained my search for a yarn shop and finding one in a lingerie shop which she said is the traditional way to buy yarn.      She has a small library of English magazines and books, which she wants to expand so that her English customers can have a good browse, but as we know knitting and crochet is international, especially charts and symbols.   And she plans to do workshops.

I promised that next time I am in Corfu I will have coffee with her for a much longer chat, in fact that’s a very good reason to book another holiday 🙂

I asked if she had any cotton yarn and she took me in the back of the shop where the cottons are (as they are out of season now) and amongst the selection I found a linen mix in a lovely pale blue:

When I purchased she handed me a perfect little crochet heart as a present:

Pompon is located at 7, Velissariou and is near M&S.  With M&S on your left, head north and take the second turning to the left – that is Velissariou – Pompon is a short way up on the right.  It’s a short walk from everywhere – the shopping area, the old town, the old port and the new port.

I know there are plenty of people who visit Corfu Town on cruises, every day we were on holiday we saw one or two very large cruise ships in port.  I even know of some that do specific craft cruises – so if you are in Corfu Town, whether on a cruise or staying on the island, even if just for a day, pop by to see Elli at Pompon and enjoy her thoroughly modern yarn shop, a new gem to be found in Corfu!

Happy knitting and crocheting xxx

PS we never found the oregano in terracotta jar, so if you know where I can find one please let me know.