Ni hao everybody, it’s winter and I’ve gotten interested in knitting again.
Last year I was in Korea, now I’m in Beijing, China. Anyone else in China browse this forum?
People's Republic of China
Obviously I’m not in China, but I just wanted to say HI! :waving:
It’s raining and cold here. Perfect weather for knitting. Hows the weather in CHina? :waving:
It’s dry and cold. Beijing doesn’t seem to get rain. Maybe just a few times in spring. But, yes, it’s the time of year for indoor hobbies.
How are the yarn supply stores out there??
Hi there. I’m maybe the only(?)Korean in here… MAYBE. It is nice to know that someone has visited my country.
I don’t know about how much yarns and knitting suplplies cost exactly in there, but I know it is VERY CHEAP!
I bought in Korea my favorites needles, aluminum circulars and they were maybe 1 or 2 dollars cheaper. I wish I was into knitting in there so I could buy a lot of supplies… hmm
Hi Juneko, did you ever go to the wool market at Dongdaemun? I wrote a post about that last winter: http://www.knittinghelp.com/knitting/forum/viewtopic.php?t=7985.
I’ve been searching for a similar market in Beijing. I know that China is the biggest textile-producing country in the world and the professionals must have a marketplace, but I haven’t found it yet. I have some names of markets still to check out, though… I will find them!
As for the LYSs, they are fair. There are apparently quite a few; I was able to find one only a few hundred meters outside of the university, in fact it was that accidental discovery that got me started on knitting again this winter. The yarns are good quality and there are several imported brands, mostly from Australia/NZ. One thing I don’t like is that most of the yarn is behind a counter and you have to ask (in Chinese) if you want to feel it.
Hi Joe,
When I went to China almost a year ago, I went to a sort of “yarn district” in Jinan, which was awesome. It was a street with several yarn shops within a few feet of each other. One of the 2 I went into was fairly large, and if I had more time, I definitely would’ve bought more yarn. As for Beijing, I saw 1 yarn shop near the Forbidden Palace, but was unable to go in, even though we drove by it twice!
Good luck in your search! I would love to visit a wool market in Beijing if I ever go back, so I really hope you find one!
Hey Joe–tell us again (or maybe just tell me 'cause I don’t remember)…why do you travel so much? Do you love it (I do) or are you in some type of career or educational path that requires it?
Hi Joe from chilly So. Cal. (44 degrees is chilly for us!). Have you found any of the yarn markets you’ve been talking about? I hope so. How’s the weather over in China these days? Have you met anyone else there that knits? It seems like it would be a lonely place to be ~ are you the only American? How do they treat you? I admire your spirit of adventure.
Hi Joe. I lived in Korea for a total of over two years. 그리고 안녕하세요, 준씨. (hmm, wonder if that font will show). I’ve never been to the wool area in Dongdaemun, but I know that lots of Korean department stores have a section for yarn and such. It’s usually on the ground floor or in the basement. I don’t remember it being all that cheap, but then again, they were dept. stores. Oh, and I do remember a fairly large area in a local place, I have no better name for it other than “indoor swapmeet”, though that was in Deajon. I’m sure there are plenty more in Seoul.
Sorry I can’t help you on the China side.
Oops, haven’t been paying attention to Knitters Knear You.
To answer the questions: I started learning Chinese six years ago in Taiwan and I came back originally to find an unspecified “business job” for a multinational in China… but didn’t find it. Instead I’ve chosen an academic career. I teach undergraduate business classes (not English classes!) at a top-20 university in China, and I’ll go back to North America (probably) for my PhD which will keep me in one place for five years or so, then become a real professor.
I haven’t found any other knitters here, except for yarn vendors of course, but I have located one big wool market. I’ll go again and take pictures sometime soon. The first time I went there was kind of a dust storm going on outside.
Posting this again because I just met a few knitters at a kind of informal meeting last weekend, and told them about the site. If they log in, hope they’ll ID themselves here.
What a name, Joe! I was in China for two years and lived some time in the countryside and all I call it is ‘stinky’!
I wasn’t into knitting at all when I was there but boy, oh boy, did I love the fabrics. I didn’t have a machine so I made pillowcases and even Christmas stockings by hand.
My brother-in-law lives in Nanjing - yes, I married a Chinese - and has invited me to the Olympics next summer. If I have time, I will definitely stock up!
Happy knitting,
Karen from Brantford, Ontario, Canada