More from Tutto: the Opal Factory

...for my yarn-addicted friends!

Here are more pictures from our visit to the Opal yarn factory and shop in Hechingen, Germany.

I've discovered through my email correspondence with Henrike Zwerger that Felix, our factory tour guide, is her brother, her mother is the lovely storybook lady who helped us in  the factory store, and her father, Wolfgang Zwerger, and other brother, Frederik Zwerger, are the two faces that appear on Opal yarn ball bands.  Tutto is a small, family-run organization, and they make my favorite sock yarn. Here are pictures from inside the factory:

This machine converted the yarn from hanks to cones, and has a special attachment on certain sections for waxing yarn to be used directly from the cones by machine-knitters.




This machine is the 'steamer'.  It's purpose, according to Felix, is to help the yarn 'relax'. : D  just like a sauna does for us.  The yarn comes from the cones and is wound into spirals on a continuously-moving conveyer belt that takes the spirals of yarn through a steam bath.  I suspect the steam also helps to make the dyes colorfast and set the twist.
From this machine, the spirals of yarn are laid onto the the big 'cake' spools that I showed in the picture of me with Felix. 

From the cakes, the yarn is taken into the machine that winds it into balls and applies the ball band. A worker inspects every ball band, makes sure the adhesive is applied correctly so that the band won't come off, and packs the finished balls into clear plastic bags. You can see the balling machine behind us here.



In the factory store, here is the Vincent van Gogh collection.  Michelle and I both bought yarn from this group...I only wish I'd bought more of these lovely colors!



A view of a small part of the factory store. It was truly a sock knitter's heaven in this room!  Opal sock yarns as low as 19.90 euro for a bag of six balls of Unicolor (around $26.50 American) and individual balls for as little as 3.99 euro!



The contents of the Big Bag O Yarn that Felix gave me.  There is every imaginable color of sock yarn here.  The pile you see stretches nearly all the way from one end to the other of my extra-long twin-sized bed at Michelle's apartment.  The ball of black-and-white yarn at the left of the picture measures about five inches across, for reference. 
I used the packing skills I've learned as a motorcycle traveler to pack for my trip, and came to Germany with just one carry-on bag that fit in the overhead compartment, and one tote bag for my purse and knitting, an extra sweater, a book to read (Teacher Man by Frank McCourt), my laptop computer, and various and sundry small items that wouldn't fit in the carry-on.  Michelle was amazed that I came to Europe for two weeks with only one small bag and a tote.  I was able to use Michelle's washer and dryer, and never had to have more clothes than I needed for up to five days.  I left all my  regular toiletries and hair-care tools at home, which meant that my hair was pretty much a total mess for the entire trip, though.
This meant that I could borrow a large suitcase from Michelle that I was able to check in for free on my flight home (the first checked bag is free on Delta).  I packed the contents of the Big Bag O Yarn into two vacuum bags, and placed them in the suitcase, so no charge to ship the mess back to the USA!  I carried one gallon-sized zip-top bag with me on the flight, filled with all one color of yarn, and spent most of the flight home untangling it and winding it into balls.



Here are the contents of the Big Bag O Yarn sorted by color and weight on the floor at home.  The pile on the right, resting on the red plastic bag, is all six-ply, or roughly DK-weight yarn, and all the rest is fingering-weight, or sock yarn.



And here is all the yarn, bagged and ready to be untangled and wound, and knit into socks and mitts and all manner of fibery goodness.
Much of this will end up as MonsterSocks and MonsterMitts.  There is no way possible that one could knit exactly-matching socks or mitts from this, as the lengths are uneven and many.





These are the full balls and hanks that Michelle and I bought at the factory store.  The three balls at top left are hers, and I'll use them to knit socks for the BEST friend EVER!
The lovely Frau Zwerger gave each of us a mini-skein of Opal with our purchases.  I think I'll use them to knit tiny sock ornaments for Michelle's and my Christmas trees.



Communion

If you should come and lie with me
and kiss my eyes and stroke my hair
and rest your hand against my cheek
and let me feel its warmth and strength
and hold it still as I then turn my face and kiss your palm,
If you should do these things and look into my eyes
and whisper words so sweet into my listening ear
and promise me the moon and sun and stars and all the oceans' bounty,
and feed me apples, sliced and moist and honeyed drinks to slake my thirst,
If you should bring to me a crown or precious stones or heavy gold
or keys to vast and hallowed halls or lands uncounted,
fields of grain or music written by your hand,
I could not care for you more then than I do at this moment,
for all you are to me is more than words
or sights or kisses soft and sweet
or sun or moon or sandy shore
and more of life than food or drink or promises of wealth or jewelled treasures rare.

So, bring me curious shells and pebbles smooth
and robins' eggs and yellow flowers
hold me close and lie with me
and kiss my eyes and stroke my hair and rest your hand against my cheek
and dance a little dance,
For after all, that's all I'll ever need.  
R.J.Y. 3-2-2012

Michelle

 

Let me tell you about an amazing friend that I have.

Michelle came into my life ten years ago through her relationship with a childhood friend of mine, and stayed in my life when that relationship ended.  She has been a single mom since her two daughters, at that point about twelve and fourteen years old, were one and three.  She served in the Navy on active duty for one enlistment, then upon her discharge joined the Navy Reserves.

She has served our country for twenty-six years.  She was mobilized and has been on active duty for the past three years, serving in Germany, but she will be retiring as a Chief this coming spring.

Michelle is a strong, beautiful, and self-reliant woman.  She loves power tools and owns and knows how to operate at least fifteen different types of power saws!

She has taught her daughters how to use them, too.

Michelle builds, sews, embroiders, crochets, gardens.  She is a computer whiz and has worked quite a few years as a senior project manager, setting up computer networks for corporations all over the world from her home office.

She has raised two wonderful, strong, and capable daughters.

She is an inspiration.

Michelle is as formidable as she is loving, and she takes no hostages when she sees a need to be filled.

She called me a little less than a year ago.

"You need a break.  I have already talked to your husband and gotten his permission.  I have frequent flier miles and I am bringing you to Germany, and I will not take no for an answer."

Well. I wept.

I asked her to wait until this winter, as my work in a tourist town makes it difficult for me to be away for more than a few days.

In the next blog entries below this one, you'll see my magical trip to Germany.  I returned home last evening, and I still can barely believe it really, truly happened.

I went to Germany on February 8, and stayed with Michelle through February 22.

I flew on four different airplanes, rode two different train lines, traveled by taxi and subway in Paris and in Michelle's car on the autobahn to Bavaria and other parts of Germany.  I walked, and walked, and walked.

We visited Paris, drove through Austria, and spent time in Triers, Schwangau, and Munich, Germany.  We visited Dachau and toured two castles, saw the Ponte Nigra, walked through the Louvre, viewed Paris from the top of the Eiffel Tower, cruised the River Seine at night, hiked an icy mountain gorge, visited a yarn factory, saw the 1936 Olympic Winter Games skiing venue, took part in Fasching and walked in very old towns and cities, marveling and enjoying old and beautiful buildings.

We spent time in the Bavarian Alps. 

I tasted German beers and French and German wines, ate croissants and drank cappuchino in sidewalk cafes in Paris, had schnitzel and strudel and marvelous tomato soup, ate fresh rolls smeared with seasoned lard, visited Globus, drank Gluwein and Riesling and pear Schnapps (I still think that was really Sterno!). 

Michelle was patient and kind and generous throughout my visit.

She put up with my bad knees and swollen ankles (it always happens when I travel), occasional grumpiness, and generally poor physical condition, strolled when she could have strode, waited for me to catch up, and didn't complain about my slowness.

She may tell you that she heard me use some rather spectactularly bad language when confronted with the intimidating flights of stairs at the Schwangau castles (she would be correct), and would not take any refusal from me about hiking Partnachklamm.

She told me that I could do it, and indeed I did.

This trip would have been impossible, unthinkable, without Michelle.

I have no words to convey what is in my heart.

I only hope she knows how grateful I am.

Thank you, Shelly.



Neuschwanstein Castle


Hohenschwangau and Neuschwanstein Castles in Schwangau.

We ate breakfast at our little gasthof on Monday morning and drove toward the castles. 

The houses, restaurants, and hotels in this Bavarian town are so lovely, it is hard to know where to look first.



Jagerhaus

 

Schwangau, seen from the Hohenschwangau walls





Parking lot viewed from Hohenschwangau. The red X marks the place from which we started our walk up to visit the castle.



Hohenschwangau tower




Hohenschwangau viewed from the town streets below




An I Love You for Robby, as promised!



Michelle at Hohenschwangau



The walk back into town





Another view of the town from the castle



 We walked down a snowy lane from Hohenschwangau into the town, where we caught a horsedrawn wagon-ride up to Neuschwanstein Castle,

the home of "Mad King Ludwig"

Photography was prohibited within the castle, but there are many, many images available in books and on the Internet.

This castle is purported to be the one on which Walt Disney based the

Cinderella's Castles

for which his Magic Kingdoms are so famous. 



Becky and Michelle, with Neuschwanstein Castle in the background

From Neuschwanstein, it was a four-hour drive 'home' to Michelle's apartment in Landstuhl.  Tuesday will be laundry and packing-up day,

and Wednesday I will fly back to Michigan.

What a wonderful time I have had!

What a wonderful friend I am lucky to have!

More images of the castles and Schwangau can be seen here.

1936 Munich Winter Olympic Games Stadium

and

Partnachklamm

(Partnach Gorge)



Getting ready to walk

  After our visit to Dachau on Sunday morning, Michelle drove us to the 1936 Winter Olympic Games Stadium, not far from Munich.  We bundled up, grabbed her walking sticks, and headed off to do some gorge-walking.


1936 Munich Winter Olympic Games Stadium Gatehouse




Ski Jump and Downhill/Slalom Course

 It is astounding to stand at the bottom of the ski jump hill and see how very high the skiers must climb to compete in this event. 


Olympic Stadium Restaurant

After exploring the stadium for a bit, we stopped in the restaurant on the grounds for a gluwein (a hot mixture of red wine and spices) to fortify us for our adventure, and then set off into Partnach Gorge.  Michelle had walked it in the summer, and was eager to see how it was changed by winter.

Entering the Gorge



 There is no way to describe the beauty that is Partnach Gorge. It was developed for tourism beginning in 1912 and is a popular walking and photography spot year-round.
Pictures cannot begin to show the beauty of this region of Bavaria, but here are a few we took during our walk.  You can click on any of the pictures to see them larger and in greater detail.

There is a little cafe part way up the gorge, where we stopped for another Gluwein on the way up and for wonderful soups on the way back down.  There are all sorts of taxidermied animals decorating the restaurant, including this badger, wearing a lovely hand-knit sweater.

Dogs are welcomed anywhere in Germany, and the owners' German Shepherd visited our table for a nice scratch behind the ears.



At the end of our exploration, ready to turn around and retrace our steps back to the car

To see more pictures of our walk, go here.







From the gorge, we drove to Schwangau to spend the night.  We noticed as we entered the town that everyone seemed to be in costume! We had happened upon "Fasching" a German tradition similar to our American Mardi Gras.

Next: our visit to Hohenschwangau and Neuschwanstein Castles, and our return to Landstuhl.  





Dachau and Munich

It is hard to find words to describe my impressions of Dachau.  I learned that it was not 'intended' to be an extermination camp. However, of 200,000 or more people imprisoned there, more than 40,000 died. 

Our German-born but English-speaking guide was eloquent and thorough.  He conveyed deep remorse over the fates of those imprisoned and murdered by the Nazis during World War II.

He told us that EVERY German student is required to visit Dachau, so that they will

NEVER FORGET.



Marker to show where ashes were buried




A crematorium



"Arbeit Macht Frei"
These words greeted prisoners as they entered the camp.
The translation is roughly, "Work Will Make You Free"



Sculpture commemorating those who committed suicide by throwing their bodies upon the electric fence that encircled the camp




The fence

And from this great sadness, we made our way to Munich.



Klezmer band in Marionplatz



Michelle and a guardian lion at the Residence



Beautiful old German buildings




Three distinct periods and architectural styles in close proximity



The grand Glockenspiel in Marionplatz

A very old church



A lovely domed building in the gardens




...and a beer at the Hofbrau House to finish the day!

Guten nacht, meine Friende...tomorrow I will take you for a walk in an ice palace and to the lovely Bavarian village of Schwangau.