Alanna Penk - Owner & Knitwear Designer

I personally have been a crafter since the age of 4, and a knitter since the age of 7, although it was only in my mid 20s that I discovered you could actually make a living out of (what was previously) an obsessive hobby. 

I am a knitwear designer (Black Cat Knitting Company) and total fibre arts enthusiast.

My goal for Loopine is to create a company that not only sells to, but enhances the local knitting community it serves by introducing new and exciting products into the New Zealand market, and by carrying and promoting locally produced goods.
 
I’m so pleased that the shop has truly become a community of amazing creative people who all share the love of the fibre arts.
 
Everyone should have access to great yarn, life is too short not to knit beautiful wool!

Carl Penk - Co-Owner

Carl is the “big picture” side of Loopine, always coming up with new and exciting ways to expand our brand and reach.

He helps with marketing and advertising efforts, as well as supplier relationships and product range expansion. 

He is also Alanna’s husband and provides a big support behind the scenes of the shop. We couldn’t do any of this without him.

Wiebke Truebner - Shop Manager

Hi my name Wiebke,  
 
I started working for Loopine in early 2022. I have been knitting ever since my mum taught me as a child. 
I studied fashion design with a focus on knitwear in Berlin and continued working with knitwear for a designer and in a knit design research company in Belgium. A travel itch brought me to NZ 12 years ago and I worked designing for a Possum Merino Company. In the meantime I have lived in Melbourne and 6 years in London and moved back to NZ 3 years ago looking after the production for a local fashion brand. 
My son was born 1 1/2 years ago and ever since I can mainly be found hand knitting up a storm for him. 
 
See you in the shop. 

Alex Liang - Marketing Coordinator

I guess I can say I knitted myself into being a part of this store.

When I moved to Auckland in 2021, Loopine was the first yarn store I visited. I just kept coming back…

Growing up wearing grandma’s hand-knitted jumpers, I learnt how to knit for myself at 15. My love for (and addiction to) knitting only grew when I went on to study fashion design in New York, with a focus on knitwear.

If you want to put a face to the person writing all the Loopine newsletters, that will be me 🙂 

You’ll probably see me in the store as well. Feel free to ask any yarn/ knitting related questions, always glad to help!

Visit our shop

Supporting Locals

Loopine Wool Co is very pleased to be carrying and supporting indie-dyed yarns and local independent pattern designers. As a pattern designer for many years I know the difficulties of making fibre arts your main living, and every successful indie-dyer, maker, and pattern designer who makes it in the big bad world is a big win for all of us!

A sense of community is an important part of what knitting is all about, and when a fibre arts community has a central hub to gather and share ideas and projects with one another, that’s when ideas, frienships, collaborations and wonderful new creations can emerge. I feel a yarn store should not only be a place to buy your wool, but also a place where you can practice and enjoy this gentle art.

Loopine Wool Co will continue to promote the local community of knitters, dyers, and pattern designers and will do it’s part to help foster our little island’s wonderful fibre arts community.