You’re absolutely right, Heather: Nordic Fiber Arts is in America. I spent a fair while yesterday googling for a Norwegian website that might sell Rauma Finullgarn, with no success, even toiling on to the 5th or 6th page of Google results.
I finally wrote to Nordic Fiber Arts, and had this sweet reply promptly: “I don't think the factory deals directly with retail customers, and unfortunately, I don't know the names of ANY shops in Norway.”
This morning I went to Ravelry, to pose the question there, and discovered promptly that the yarns are sold in Norway only through a chain of Nordic-Arts-type shops called Husfliden. I tried their website, found the yarn all right, but could see no hint that they do mail order. (My Norwegian is shaky, but I know “ull” and “garn” and “Rauma Finullgarn”. “Klikk her for…” seems intelligible, too.)
Why don’t I just hop on a ferry and cross the North Sea? There don’t seem to be any ferries from Scotland that cross the North Sea.
I could order yarn to be sent to my sister – she’s used to that – and she could bring it when she comes to see Rachel on her next trip to Africa. I think that’ll be in November.
But I don’t need any more yarn, or another project.
Meanwhile, here’s the present state of the 2nd bedsock.
I finally wrote to Nordic Fiber Arts, and had this sweet reply promptly: “I don't think the factory deals directly with retail customers, and unfortunately, I don't know the names of ANY shops in Norway.”
This morning I went to Ravelry, to pose the question there, and discovered promptly that the yarns are sold in Norway only through a chain of Nordic-Arts-type shops called Husfliden. I tried their website, found the yarn all right, but could see no hint that they do mail order. (My Norwegian is shaky, but I know “ull” and “garn” and “Rauma Finullgarn”. “Klikk her for…” seems intelligible, too.)
Why don’t I just hop on a ferry and cross the North Sea? There don’t seem to be any ferries from Scotland that cross the North Sea.
I could order yarn to be sent to my sister – she’s used to that – and she could bring it when she comes to see Rachel on her next trip to Africa. I think that’ll be in November.
But I don’t need any more yarn, or another project.
Meanwhile, here’s the present state of the 2nd bedsock.
And here’s my new KF sock yarn:
Old friends are coming to lunch today. Most of my life is devoted to cooking and eating – and here you thought it was knitting and vegetable-growing -- but even so the day will involve a certain amount of kerfuffle. So I will leave a discussion of my new Japanese knitting materials from the Needle Arts Bookshop until tomorrow.
A vegetable-growing note on which to conclude. I am going to put in some seakale, as part of my programme to make life a bit easier by extending the perennial aspect of vegetable-growing. Blanched seakale was a Victorian delicacy, and doesn’t sound all that difficult. I have just ordered five thongs – that’s what they’re called – from Marshall’s, to be delivered in March. When I originally google’d for “seakale thongs”, Google came up with the goods, as usual, but the ads in the right-hand sidebar were, for once, very wide of the mark.
Even though you may not need it, I think you can buy Rauma Finullgarn on www.helylle.se.
ReplyDeleteBest regards Anna
Jean, I used to live in Oslo and can understand some Norwegian. I spent many the happy hour wandering through Husfliden in central Oslo – as well as incredible yarn they sell all kinds of bits for the National dress (bunad), ready made sweaters, lovely linens, householdy things, wooden things, pewter things, books, etc.
ReplyDeleteI used to buy very expensive Rowan magazines and yarns there, and I also bought some pure linen yarn which I crocheted into a long coat and then embroidered down the fronts, and wore to Ascot one year. I found this on a recent trip home, still in the plastic bag my mum had taken it home in, in order to line it for me, to try to prevent it stretching any more. That was about 9 years ago…
Anyway, I’ve had a quick look at the Husfliden site and the linked Rauma site and as far as my understanding goes, they definitely don’t offer online sales.
It is disappointing that there seems to be no online Norwegian source for the Rauma Finullgard. Thank you for all the research. Thanks also to Anna for the swedish website - my yarn-specific swedish is improving by the day!
ReplyDeleteLooking forward to hearing about your Japanese knitting things.
Not that I need any, but out of curiosity: do the Rauma Finullgarn people even do mail order? I would think that they would do it within Norway.
ReplyDeleteNordic Fiber Arts is just a short drive from my house, actually. It's a small operation that she runs out of her home, but if there's something that you'd like, I'd be glad to get it for you and ship it.
ReplyDeleteI have ordered Rauma from Berge Husflid and they were happy to help. I knew what I wanted as I have many Rauma patterns and I have a yarn colour card. I contatced them via email. Rang my card details through to an English speaking assistant and recieved what I wanted within the week.
ReplyDeleteIf you want to browse however the information is in short supply.
http://www.husfliden.no/bergen/
In all, I don't 'get' Rauma. They do a beautiful product but trade very little outside of the Norsk domain. I have even sent them patterns translated into english free of charge. They didn't use them and didn't respond. Don't know whay they want to restrict their business opportunities.
Ok this may be a little late 2 years after the original post but: http://www.knitting.no/02_garn-merker/rauma.htm seems to sell some of Rauma yarn if you still need it.
ReplyDelete