It’s interesting what happens when life forces you to make new friends. Back home, many of my friendships are long-term. They are as much about the person I used to be as about who I am now. But here in Istanbul, only the present matters, at least socially. Given that, what kinds of friends have I made over the last twenty months?
Felicia, a former bank executive who teaches English, leads book club discussions, and produced beautiful decorations for a recent charity event. Linda, fluent in Turkish, who for over a decade made and sold handcrafted items in the Grand Bazaar. Waverley, a lawyer and mother of five who researches Istanbul’s historical sites and organizes weekly tours to see them. Caitlin, an ESL colleague who goes out of her way to help other teachers. I think all my new friends enjoy doing creative things for others. And like my Minnesota friends, several are avid knitters.
Last week, Linda walked me through the historic maze around Istanbul’ s Grand Bazaar to what we expatriates call “The Yarn Bazaar.” The Yarn Bazaar is located in the 15th century Kurkcu Han, which was once the workplace of furriers. (Picture an ancient, two-story open-air mall.)
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| The Kurkcu Han, now The Yarn Bazaar |
About three fourths of the han is devoted to an amazing array of yarn and knitting supplies.
Linda showed me her favorite shop, Gulum. Walking around the well-lit store were a mix of young and old women, Turks and expatriates. A number of older women were wearing headscarfs, and a few even had on black niqabs. One had thrown a lovely, pale blue, hand-crocheted shawl over her black garment.
While you might think a place like this would be a female-only bastion, many of the clerks were men. They handed out plastic bucket-like containers to hold our yarn selections, and were happy to answer questions.
While you might think a place like this would be a female-only bastion, many of the clerks were men. They handed out plastic bucket-like containers to hold our yarn selections, and were happy to answer questions.
Linda picked out some yarn for an afghan she will donate to an upcoming silent auction. She found three different skeins – a gray cotton, a fuzzy gray/blue/white acrylic, and a dusty navy with flecks. The guy at the cash register exclaimed over her lovely color selection. My interest was piqued as he rang up her purchase: 26 Turkish Lira, about $15.00.
Leaving Gulum, we saw some big “balls” of yarn in a bin outside an adjacent shop. Each was made of four or five thinner strands of yarn and string, and indeed Linda told me that Yarn Bazaar shops will wind together any kinds of yarn for customers.
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| Yarn Spinner |
The clerk, an older man, was eager to help, digging through the bin to find just the right shades for me.
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I picked out four different balls. The total price: 10 TL (about six dollars).
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| Awaiting further instructions |
Back home I decided to make a simple scarf. After nearly two years away from knitting, my fingers are clumsy, and I have had to start over twice. It kind of reminds me of the difficulty of starting a new life here. But I keep up and now my scarf—and everything else, actually—is going smoothly.
I love the yarn here, but I hate to knit! =) I’m just fascinated by all the colors and wonderful wool yarns there. Great place for photos too.
Happy knitting to making great friendships here!
I also wrote about the Kürkcü Han awhile back and have been meaning to write another post too:
http://myturkishjoys.blogspot.com/2011/10/knitting-randomness-in-istanbul.html
Hi there! I have never been to this area of the Bazaar – probably because I don’t knit. I wish I did. BTW sorry to be late in replying to yr query re Assos but I am going to do it right now!
Sue, I’m just now catching up on your blog. The yarn is very photogenic—so much so that I wish I knitted!
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