Yarn Traveler

I am a planner, an organizer, and an avid list maker. I also love to travel, and anyone who has traveled knows that the best travel experiences aren’t planned and don’t come from a list despite your best intentions. I am learning, slowly, that the best trips leave room for the unplanned, the spontaneous, and the unexpected. My pre-planning checklist has evolved from a scheduled itinerary of must-see attractions, to a backup list of suggested destinations (should fate leave us with some extra time on our hands). The way I see it, if you don’t cross something off this trip…you’ll get to it on the next. There should always be a next trip.

While planning a recent trip to London and Paris, it occurred to me to look up local yarn and knitting shops. As a regular knitter, I don’t know why this hadn’t occurred to me sooner! If I’m going to buy souvenirs, why not make yarn my souvenirs? This is so much better than dust collecting knick knacks! I can have a London scarf, or a Paris wrap, or a Berlin beer cozy…the possibilities are endless.

I made a list of a few stores in London that I wanted to visit (reviews to come shortly), and thought that I would “wing it” in Paris. Here’s what I learned:
* Searching for stores is a great way to get off the beaten path and see more of the city. You get off the main streets, and get a little lost, and end up finding some great things (even if you never find the yarn store).

* If you can’t find what you’re looking for, ask someone. Even if you don’t speak the language.

* Its helpful to have a list of knitting terms available in the local language.

* Its really helpful to have a list of stores to look for (the French phonebook is not my friend).

* Remember that the yarn store is just a destination. You’re here for the journey.

Filed under: Uncategorized on March 18th, 2007