Meet McIntosh: Where Knitting Meets Wellbeing
Hello, lovely knitters and makers!
I’m James McIntosh, and if we haven’t met yet, I’d love to tell you a little about who I am and why McIntosh is more than just another yarn shop.
At 35, I was diagnosed with a moderately severe depressive episode. My world turned black and white, and the only thing that gave me calm was knitting. Sitting with two needles and a ball of yarn, stitch by stitch, I began to feel human again. Each stitch became a breath, the next stitch became a feeling — and I realised that if that stitch was worth something, then so was I.
I call this practice Knititation®: mindfulness for busy, fidgeting minds. And it saved my life.
McIntosh was born out of that journey. From the spare room in my flat in Peckham (the posh part), South East London, I now ship knitting joy all over the world.
What We Do at McIntosh
I'm proud to be the UK’s leading independent retailer of premium knitting supplies. In fact, I stock more Addi needles and accessories, and more LANG / WOOLADDICTS / Schoppel yarns, than any other shop in the UK. If you’ve ever knitted with Addi’s smooth German-made circulars or felt the buttery softness of LANG’s Cashmere, you’ll know why we put them first.
Our Brands
- McIntosh - my own hand-dyed wool brand where some yarns are accredited by British Wool
- Addi – world-renowned German engineering for knitting needles, crochet hooks and accessories
- LANG & WOOLADDICTS – luxurious Swiss yarns full of colour, texture and inspiration
- Schoppel – bold, creative German yarns (Zauberball, anyone?)
- Opal Sock Yarn – iconic self-striping wool, made in Germany by the Zwerger family
- Symfonie Hand-Dyed – small-batch hand-dyed wools full of unique colour-ways
- Clover, Lantern Moon, KnitPro, Seeknit – knitting and crochet tools crafted to perfection
- Eucalan – delicate washes to keep your handmade knits looking their best
- The Oxford Company – punch needle rugs and wall hangings
Why Shop With Us?
At McIntosh, I believe knitting is about more than yarn and needles — it’s about wellbeing, colour, and joy. That’s why I only stock brands that I love and trust, and why I've built a community of knitters who share our passion.
Every day I ship worldwide and I'm thrilled to have earned glowing reviews from our customers: 4.9/5 on Trustpilot and 4.96/5 on Judge.me. Thank you for trusting me with your projects and your creativity!
Welcome to McIntosh — a stitch in time saved my mind, and now I’m here to share that joy with you.
