Knitting in China

Anna Wong emailed me today and indicated she is going to China in a few months. I liked that she said knitting is a universal language. It's so true - my best communications with Chinese were over knitting, as with this woman who showed us her project (one of the slippers previously pictured).

Many people ask about the airlines and knitting needles. While I'm not an expert and can only speak to my experience, I had knitting with me on all flights (Air China), both to/from the US and within China.

About the food. I don't remember what this woman was selling, but the food always looked good! Lots of veggies.

My daughter, Rose, who went to China with me, was up today with pics on disk. I have downloaded many, but particularly was looking for one of a woman we saw knitting in a little park. We were in Xi'an with a bit of time on our hands before going to the airport. I suggested that we visit the Silk Road statues that were on a little touring map I had (actually, as I remember, it was the placemat at our lunch restaurant). The driver and guide agreed, so we all went to see the statues, which were remarkable more for the legends and stories they represented. I am fascinated by the Silk Road, that so much traveling and trading was going on between Asia and Europe such a long time ago. I hope to travel the Silk Road someday.

Lastly, I wanted to post the picture of the yarn shop we visited in Shanghai. The yarn is all neatly packaged in project size boxes, though it was possible to buy just one skein. The yarn was wool mostly, some cashmere. All lovely!

Put up is mostly 100 gm balls, though some was smaller. Several boxes are sitting on the display case and more is in the case. The yarn pictured here is most of what was in the shop - this back wall covered, then a space for the clerk with a display case marking the yarn section of the store. The rest of the store was ready made knitwear, most likely machine made. It didn't look handmade.

Next to the yarn display, at the center of the back wall was the cashier (if she was in this picture, she'd be to the left. The clerk wrote up a receipt, I went to the cashier and paid, then back to the clerk for my goods with my paid receipt.