The people of the Netherlands have been into DIY and creative activities since before it became trendy around the world. Stroll any city center and among the shops you pass will be some kind of arts or crafts related business. Some of the ideas are homegrown and passed on from generation to generation, others come from abroad, adopted and celebrated by people who fancy themselves connoisseurs of world culture.

Within this tradition you can also find excellent online shops dedicated to DIY crafts of various genres. One great example of such a store is Penelope Craft.

This virtual shop is run by crafty minds and hands located in Amsterdam, but their products are available to you wherever you may be. Specialty areas include knitting, embroidery, buttons, bamboo and beyond. They not only offer the materials for pursuing your area of interest, they also deal in books for beginners or advanced practitioners.

What is great about their online shop, besides their selection, is the care put into the details like washing instructions, product thumbnails, measurements and pricing. This should surely be standard issue for online stores, but like anyone who browses alot of online shops, you know this is not always the case.

If you're interested in Knitting, Crocheting, or other types of Crafts, whether you're in the Netherlands or not, I recommend Penelope Craft.