I've been pricing Rowan yarns in CA and they're very pricy. Could anyone tell me if the price is better in England, where they are from, even with the ratio of the dollar to the pound being as it is? Thanks alot. Mary

mcmrjm, my wife is a knitter and suggests the following. For a list of places where you can buy Rowan yarns in the UK, take a look at the list of stockists here:

www.knitrowan.com/html/stockists.asp

To get an idea of prices in the UK, she suggests you look at Kangaroo. Here's what they offer from Rowan; scroll down to the bottom for the prices in sterling:

www.kangaroo.uk.com/rowan/rowan.asp

Hope this helps.

Anselm

Anselm: Thank you for the tips. I see it's just about the same price in England with the exchange...and I'm sorry, I did know that it's the pound rather than the Euro..just a slip! Mary

On the subject of knitting, but not yarns ... Two questions: 1. What's the latest on taking either knitting needles or crochet hooks on the airlines? 2. I have a great knitting friend in US and was wondering if any knitters out there know of something special to bring back from Italy/France/Belgium/Netherlands as a gift.

Mary, glad to help out.

Sammie, I don't know what other countries have decided, but knitting needles and crochet hooks are now permissable as carry-on items in Canada. My wife has also carried both items into the cabin when boarding in France, so we have assumed it doesn't cause any anxiety there, either.

Anselm

I think that the last time the question came up the consensus was that plastic needles with rounded points were OK.

I would ask the airline, however.

Sammie, I travelled with wooden size 20 needles in my carry on last month on a BA flight from DC to London. No issues. Are you flying in and out of the US? If so, and at the risk of violating the no cut and paste rule, here's what the TSA says about it:

Transporting Knitting Needles & Needlepoint

Knitting needles are permitted in your carry-on baggage or checked baggage.  However,   there is a possibility that the needles can be perceived as a possible weapon by the TSA screener.  TSA Screeners have the authority to determine if an item could be used as a weapon and may not allow said item to pass through security.  TSA recommends the following when bring knitting needles on an airplane:  

Circular knitting needles are recommended to be less than 31 inches in total length

We recommend that the needles be made of bamboo or plastic (Not Metal)

Scissors must have blunt points

In case the screener does not allow your knitting tools through security it is recommended that you carry a self addressed envelope so that you can mail your tools back to yourself as opposed to surrendering them at the security check point.

As a precautionary measure it is recommended that you carry a crochet hook with yarn to save the work you have already done in case your knitting tools are surrendered at the checkpoint.

Most of the items needed to pursue a Needlepoint project are permitted in your carry-on baggage or checked baggage with the exception of circular thread cutters or any cutter with a blade contained inside.  These items cannot be taken through a Security Checkpoint.  They must go in your checked baggage.

I have not had a problem bringing my knitting needles on my flights to Paris or London for that matter with American and United. I have heard that other airlines might not let you take them on..... i.e. Lufthansa, SAS etc. I am checking that out since I am flying Lufthansa to Barcelona in 2 months. I usually knit almost the whole way back on the plane to stay awake.

Last April I carried plastic knitting needles on a NW flight to Gatwick with no problem. Leaving Gatwick, however, there is a huge sign by the NW check-in area that states that knitting needles are not permitted. I asked a security agent just to be sure, and he told me that while the US lets you carry them on flights to the UK, they do not allow you to carry them on flights out of the UK. Luckily I had not yet checked my luggage so I was able to put them in my checked luggage.

Thanks all. It will be a long flight overseas and I thought it would help to pass the time to knit. Haven't taken an international flight in ages, does each airline have it's own security check-in? Otherwise wouldn't it be hard to pass them through for one airline and not the others ... guess it depends on the airport.

Sammie, I tried to explain this to my husband (AnselmAdorne, who posted above), but his eyes started to glaze over, so I thought I'd better register and post it myself.

I can only comment about yarn stores in France, but I found that a Google for "yarn stores" and the country you're interested gives lots of information, such as an amazing outlet store in Florence called Campolmi Filati.

I haven't bought a lot of yarn in France, though we did find our way to a farm in the south of France that sold mohair. I bought 10 balls in fabulous colours—so beautiful that I still haven't done anything with it, though I fondle it from time to time.

One company, Phildar, has stores all over France selling yarn and manufactured knitwear. Their patterns are very fashionable, but the yarn contains a fair amount of synthetic, so I've tended to avoid them (I don't like the feel when I knit with it). However, my daughter has grown out of the "don't knit me anything unless it's a black/charcoal ribbed hoodie with a zip" stage, so I'll probably check them out on my next visit. I'm definitely paying a visit to La Droguerie in Paris in the 1st. Apparently it carries some beautiful and unusual yarns, many of which are featured in patterns in Marie Claire, as well as trims and buttons, and the whole Droguerie experience, is reputed to be one of those ... um ... Paris experiences.

I hope this helps,

Margriet

To add a bit more to Margriet's post: La Droguerie is at 9-11 rue du Jour, which is opposite the front doors of the church St. Eustache near Les Halles.

Another very good shop for knitters is in the Marais. It's Anny Blatt at 40 rue des Francs-Bourgeois. The website is http://www.pelote-paris.com. I bought several skeins of yarn there. They had some gorgeous stuff in that shop!

Thank you so much! Just a very special friend who got me hooked on this passion (I'm still a beginner)so I am delighted to know a place or two to shop for her ... and probably me!

Margriet...Thank you for the great info on yarn in France....any chance on you sharing the place in southern France where you found the yummy yarn? Mary

I found a yarn store near Marais that sells Anny Blatt yarn. I am going to go there in a few weeks. I didn't know about the yarn outlet in Florence. I have heard about Beatrice Galli's yarn store there which I will visit when I am there in May.
Thanks for the information,
kari

wait - there is a yarn store in the 1st arr? give me the address so i can visit in a few weeks.

thanks,
kari

SUNSHINE, dear, the answer's in my post. Happy knitting!

Thanks for that info, I saw it and didn't finish scrolling down before replying. I will be dragging my friend there. Can't believe I will be looking for yarn when I am in the midst of working on 3 sweaters. But its fun to look for yarn.

Mary (and any other knitters),

We found out about the mohair farm—L'atelier mohair when we were in Nyons in the Drôme Provencale.

It's near a village called Arpavon just off the road to Gap. I can give more detailed instructions if you want. It was a bit of an adventure as we kept climbing and the road kept getting narrower to the point that we were concerned about meeting another vehicle. Fortunately we didn't, and while Anselm waited patiently in the car, I had a delightful time trying to make up my mind.

In the end I bought kid mohair spun around a silk core in wonderful saturated colours like curry and olive and cerise. You may not have to go to Arpavon to get it. The yarn is produced under the brand Le Mohair des fermes de France by a mill in the southwest for a group of 150 mohair producers from all over France (from Normandy to the Cote d'Azur). I found a website (http://perso.wanadoo.fr/sicamohair/menuindex.htm) that shows where they are all located, and another (http://www.bergers-cathares.com/pelotemohair.htm) that has fairly good pictures of the yarn. If you do a Google for "Mohair des fermes de France" you'll find a lot more sites.

Happy knitting,

Margriet.