I just got back from Europe with stops in Scotland, Germany and France. While there, I tried to visit some local yarn shops and see what they have that is different from what we have here.
Our first stop was in Glasgow. I was travelling with my choir, Chorus Niagara, and we were singing with the Bearsden Choir in the 850 year old Paisley Abbey. So between sight seeing and choir rehearsals, I was able to get to The Yarn Cake. My husband is also in the choir so he, along with another friend from the choir, made the trek out to see a local yarn store after a visit to the Botanical Gardens. The Yarn Cake is a small shop but very friendly. They had some yarn from a local mill called Lanark Mills which I bought in 5 different colours to make hats for everyone in the family. It looks like a beautiful aran weight wool. I also picked up some Drops sock yarn in a pretty blue combo. Even our friend Chuck enjoyed the visit to the Yarn Cake.
Next stop was Inverness. We only had a couple days in Inverness so most of it was choir related activites with a little bit of time to get a quick look around the city. I wasn`t able to visit a yarn store but I did get to go to James Pringles Weavers of Inverness. We picked up some beautiful scarves for our kids and for a friend. My husband almost got a Harris tweed jacket but unfortunately they didn`t have his size in stock.
From there we travelled to Germany. We stayed with friends in Ochsenburg. We toured the Residenz, checked out some old churches and drank wine on the Alte Mainbrucke in nearby Wurzburg. We went to a bratwurst festival with an oompah band for dinner and spent an afternoon in Rothenberg. No yarn stores in that part of Germany but once we got to Munich we happened upon a beautiful modern yarn store near our hotel. Everything was so well organized and on white shelving. It was called Wolle Rodel. It is a chain of yarn stores found throughout Germany. Most of the yarn is commercial brands, no hand dyed or indie yarns. I really wanted something that I cannot get here. Space in my suitcase was at a premium so no frivolous purchases. After all I still had Paris to think about.