Things of desire - here and there...

[Susanne]

Just found a - for me - funny thread. Some of you are speaking of ordering Steinbach Thread together, to get a better price (and to meet the quantity necessary for the order). What is so funny with this threadordering-thread?

 

Steinbach yarns and threads are so common in Austria that you won't even think of seeing them something special (we learnd in school needleworks with them, because they are cheap) You can buy them in most of the supermarkets, it's a Austrian Brand.

 

So I thougt: maybe it is funny for you that I asked yesterday where to get colored aluminium hooks? I finally ordered a set online (the shipping is going to ruin me, but I have to have these) which I really really fancy.

 

Same thing with yarncutter (the ones which are round and look nice) - never seen these in Austria, not even in a catalogue. Many things are simple not available for me (or so expensive that I can't afford them, althougt they are cheap in the US) - I thought also of colored afghan crochet hooks - no way.

 

Or am I completly wrong? Are things like colored hooks and yarn cutters even difficult to find where you live? Tell me of your "things of desire" which are possibly easy to get somewhere else in the world...

[Melissa]

So I thougt: maybe it is funny for you that I asked yesterday where to get colored aluminium hooks? I finally ordered a set online (the shipping is going to ruin me, but I have to have these) which I really really fancy.

That is a bit funny...colored aluminum hooks are the 'normal' and, I think, most widely available hooks here. I do think they're pretty, and if I can't remember which hook I was using for a project, sometimes I can jog it loose if I can remember what color the hook was.

 

And as for things you just can't get...my husband and I are in love with this type of Filipino pasta - Lucky Me Pancit Canton, chilimanci flavor? Mmm, so good. It comes in little packets like ramen noodles, and is just as common over there, but I haven't had any in over a year, and there are days I'd kill for some...

[auntbubbels]

melissa - have you tried ordering them via the internet - these days, you dont have to crave for anything, you can just order it!!!

[Roli]

Susanne, I'm surprised that some of the basic crochet items we have here are not available in Austria where the weather is perfect for knit and crochet clothing! I always thought that the European countries had everything related to needlework. If you don't use aluminum hooks, what types of hooks do you have there?

 

My background is German and I grew up eating a delicacy called tongue. Yes, it is the actual beef or veal tongue and is so wonderfully flavorful that everyone would like it if they could just get past the idea! Very occasionally I can find it in Jewish delicatessens but usually I have to make it myself!

[nucki]

Coming FROM the U.S., but living IN the U.K. now, I find that the things I'm "used to" being able to get (colored aluminum hooks, WW yarn, crochet thread) aren't readily available, and THAT'S what drives me crazy. *I* see it as "normal," so to NOT be able to find those things just drives me up a wall!

 

As far as other things I "desire"... most of it is U.S. fast food that we don't have here. So unless I win the lottery or some anonymous benefactor decides to pay for my airfare to go home for a visit... it ain't gonna happen.

[Sylvia Lee]

Once several years ago when my family was visiting the East Coast we decided to make burritos for dinner, but it was practically impossible to find any tortillas! We finally found like, one shelf at the back of the store. It was sad...

[Sylviaf]

My sister and I did that about twenty years ago in Switzerland when we decided we wanted nachos. There were no tortillas so we used crackers and the best cheese we could find for them was English cheddar. We put it under a broiler and pretended it was nachos.

[AngiR]

I can understand your humor. My dad was in the military and we spent three years in Germany. I ended up addicted to an apple candy that I can't find here in the States.

One thing that you may be able to find in Austria that I haven't located in the States yet are Holz & Stein knitting needles aka the Rolls Royce of Ebony needles. I have heard the legend of these needles, but like urban legends, you never see them first hand. It's always someone's best friend's uncle's third cousins mother in laws neighbor (or something like that) that has seen or handled these needles.

So I can understand where you are coming from.

[Susanne]

If you don't use aluminum hooks, what types of hooks do you have there?

 

I do use aluminium hooks (but only the boring grey ones) and I have a set of clover soft grip hooks (I bought them in London, I travel to London two or three times a year and spend a few hours at the John Lewis Haberdashery-department)

 

@AngiR

I saw the Holz&Stein-Needles online at a german store. They are not very expensive, they are around 10 Euros for 5 of them (set for socks) - but I never saw them in Austria, maybe they are a german thing. I think that they are special because they come from a small manufacturer. But if they are so famous I will order a set of them and tell you if they are really the rolls royce of the needles...

 

I just noticed: I bought the aluminium hooks online, as I told you. The money I pay for this would be 3 sets of the "rolls royce" ebony needles (but I don't fancy them, because I am not into socks-knitting, I crochet them)

 

This must be really funny for you, isn't it? Next time I fancy something completly normal for you I ask someone of you if we can trade - maybe Steinbach thread, ebony needles, or what else is easy to get in Austria and then exchange the things per mail...

[nightowl]

I completely sympathise with Suzanne and Suzi (nucki) -- the lack of coloured aluminium hooks in the UK is one of my hobby horses. I can't understand why we've never had them, since we *do* have the Coats group here and other Susan Bates branded items (e.g. tatting shuttles) are available.

 

Suzanne, keep an eye out on Ebay for some good deals; I got *two* brand new sets of Susan Bates coloured hooks in sizes B-K (2.25mm-6.50mm) complete with storage folder for GBP 16 (just over 23 Euros) including shipping from the US.

[Twinnish]

For me it would be DK yarn. Apparently, it's popular in Europe. Ever since I bought the book 200 Crochet Blocks in which the author uses many beautiful colors of DK yarn, I've wanted to try using it.

[Susanne]

For me it would be DK yarn. Apparently, it's popular in Europe. Ever since I bought the book 200 Crochet Blocks in which the author uses many beautiful colors of DK yarn, I've wanted to try using it.

 

yes, DK yarn is easy to get here. most yarn stores stock it.