the blue blog archives: reißverschluss gesucht

No more knitting progress on the LMKG zip raglan to report. Instead of knitting, I've been shopping the last two days. But I haven't been neglecting hubby's sweater entirely; I was on the hunt for the perfect zipper. I really, really, really wanted a zipper just like in the pattern with a big ring in a nice contrasting color. But I couldn't find any like that around home, so I thought I'd check in Germany.

It's nowhere near as cool as the original, still, it'll do. The zipper might not be much to look at but hey, look at the view from the department store cafe!

It may be a no-name, small town department store, but it has one hell of a view. And sock yarn.

This is my new favorite sock yarn. It's called Canadian Color and it's from Regia so you can machine wash it and it's got that crazy 10-year guarantee and everything. And this style makes the coolest stripes! As you may know, I have a little difficulty with the whole variegated yarn thing, but I really dig stripes.

Just so you don't get the wrong idea, it's not all this lovely out here in the Hinterlands. An aunt tipped us off that there was Regia sock yarn on sale for 20% off at the local SparKauf, so we went to check it out.

They did indeed have Regia on sale, but not in any colorways that I really liked. (Note: Havanah Color is variegated, Canadian Color stripes.) Pssst, if you're looking for FunFur, I know where you can get some cheap! German knitters are waaaay into FunFur.

Still, we didn't come home empty-handed. My father-in-law picked up orange reflective vests that the Germans are required to have in their car in case of an emergency. Woo hoo. Well, he was excited to find them so cheap. And I found these little lovely boxes of sewing notions by Prym. (Have you looked at the Inox needles in your LYS recently? They're all called Prym now.) They were just soooo cute, I couldn't resist!

Amazing what you find when you go looking for a zipper. Stay tuned tomorrow for another shopping adventure!

posted by alison at 6:04 pm | in man sweater , socknut , vacation 2006

Comments

Okay, Friday night, HeWhoMustNotBeNamed will be on the plane to Paris....this will mean...I'll be heading to an LYS first thing Saturday morning to pick up some Regia Canadian Colours. (Even though I have waaaaay more than enough sock yarns in my stash).

Posted by: Elemmaciltur at February 22, 2006 6:40 PM

Wow ... the Regia Canadian colours are so pretty!

Posted by: Agnes at February 22, 2006 6:46 PM

I love the view from the department store. It always strikes me, when I see photos like that, how new everything here in the USA is in comparison.

Posted by: Carole at February 22, 2006 6:55 PM

OOOOOOH the Prym notions are wonderful. I probably would've left w/six of each with the idea of giving them away to friends but end up with all of them in my stash.

Anyway, the part about the safety vests made me laugh b/c I remember long ago when I was first on livejournal, one woman and her husband were "libertarians" (not too bright unfortunately) who complained about the way the US coddles people/how it shouldn't be a law to wear a seatbelt, etc. and how in Europe they don't have barriers along the mountain roads. And that was a shining example of non-socialized government. It gives a really interesting perspective on our freedom that we insist on being protected in public, yet would totally resist any law intended to force us to care for ourselves like that.

Posted by: Daphne at February 22, 2006 6:55 PM

I want to go to the town you're in and walk around after seeing that view - how beautiful. Looks like the MeisterBurger BurgerMeister might be there too!

Posted by: Thea at February 22, 2006 7:36 PM

I love regia also. Great yarns, wonderful colorways.

Posted by: Kris in Wisconsin at February 22, 2006 8:45 PM

I've heard that they have sock yarn just about everywhere in Germany. Like in the checkout lane at the supermarket. That would be really cool.

That's a beautiful town & those sewing notions are very cool. Love the style!

Posted by: stephanie at February 22, 2006 8:46 PM

Hey Alison...

if you fancy a trip to St Louis in April...

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/geekway/files/Promo-Flyer.pdf

baordgaming event! come join us!

Posted by: Timothy at February 22, 2006 8:56 PM

Fun!! Vicarious foreign shopping - my favorite. :)

Posted by: Chris at February 22, 2006 10:46 PM

Oh what fun shopping. I wish we had a SparKauf with yarn on sale, but we don't in Berlin. Viel Spaß!

Posted by: kimberly at February 23, 2006 1:09 AM

I envy your successful sock yarn shopping. I actually went looking for some myself today. After two yarn stores, I came away empty handed not finding any colors I really liked. :(

Posted by: Laura at February 23, 2006 1:23 AM

I was looking for a zipper with a ring puller the other day, and although I couldn't find any, I found the coolest thing. You can buy the actual ring as an attachment. Then you just need to figure out how to get the normal zip puller off and insert the ring instead. This ring thing is also from Prym and it seems to be called Ring-Zupfer in German. You must be able to find it in Germany!

I tried to look for it on their homepage, but it doesn't seem to work all that well.

Posted by: Sigga Sif at February 23, 2006 2:13 AM

Great Canadian Color Regia yarn! I bought two of those colours whilst on holiday in Switzerland last year, the socks were indeed beautiful, and wash and wear so well too!

Good to hear that you are enjoying your time in Germany - looking forward to hearing more of your shopping!

Posted by: Gill at February 23, 2006 4:22 AM

Thx for the pics. love it. never been to Germany so it's nice to see what it looks like.
My LYS in Kfar Saba has REGIA...when I clear up some stash I might get some.
As for: "orange reflective", as of January 1st, it's been made a law in Israel that ever driver should have one these in his car...they seem to think it might help save lives. (that remains to be seen)

Posted by: Orli at February 23, 2006 4:29 AM

Nice Regia! my first sock was made from regia 2+ years ago and still going strong-I wear them every week--great choice!

I love stripes too!

Posted by: suzanne at February 23, 2006 8:13 AM

What no name town? I've spent a lot of time in Marburg and that looks a lot like the view up the hill to the castle. Of course, every no name town has a castle in Germany and they all look alike!

Posted by: anmiryam at February 23, 2006 11:00 AM

It does look a lot like Marburg. I lived there for a year, and that's the first thing I thought when I saw the photo! Is it? I love that town!

Posted by: Valerie at February 23, 2006 11:18 AM

It is Marburg! But I meant the department store is no-name. It's not a Karstadt or anything that's really nation-wide, just a local department store.
Marburg really is lovely though, isn't it? But it is a small town. When I really want to do some shopping, I go to Gießen.

Posted by: alison at February 24, 2006 9:22 AM

I knew it! My boyfriend went to school in Marburg two years ago, and I just called him over to the computer because I was *sure* recognized the castle! He's all wistful and missing Marburg now.

It's a great town. Except the hills, when you're jet-lagged. My boyfriend lived in the student residences on Geschwiester-scholl-str, and when I visited, we took the bus downtown and then WALKED up to the castle. I hadn't slept in like 24 hours. He told me about the elevator once we were at the top - asked if I wanted to go down the hill that way! :)

Posted by: Nikki at February 25, 2006 11:33 AM