I was in Basel for a conference once! I didn't get a chance to go to any yarn shops though, they were always closed when I had time to look. :(

You must try Rosti. They are a sort of buttery fried potato pancake, often with cheese. Desperately bad for you I'm sure, but delicious. And spend some time wandering around the old town, there's lots of interesting parts.

My flickr account has some photos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/saburke/tags/basel/

Enjoy! and let us know about any great Basel yarn stores!

(ps- and i guess i'm delurking, love your blog!)

I dont know about the yarn shops, sorry. I have been to Basel on business and passing through on holiday. Nice town and the Tingulay museum is worth a visit.

Oooh, I haven't been there, but I hope to soon as a friend of mine is moving there next week!

Basel is really lovely! Unfortunately it has been almost 20 years since I was there and don't remember any yarn stores. Hope you find one and enjoy Basel!

You know, I keep getting passed this website called "Find any yarn shop in the world" I will find it for you & pm you on ravelry.

I was in Basel in 1997 and '98 I think - for the Art Fair in July. I was working from 8 am to 12 am every day, so I had no time for yarn shop excursions (and who is to say it would still be there?). But the city was lovely, with a beautiful medieval cathedral, and a crazy industrial complex on the river.

enjoy your dairy there!

Yes, I was there many years ago on a tourist visit. Don't remember anything at all, it was so long ago. Try to fit in some fun.

I was there a few weeks back and stumbled upon two extremely "meh" yarn stores. Disappointing yarn stores, but the city is wonderful. Do visit the Kunstmuseum. There's a beautiful still-life show on now, and the permanent collection is incredible. Love your blog! Also not to be missed is the Fondation Beyler. It's easily reached by tram from the city center. Beatuiful building surrounded by mountains.

Love your blog! Sorry to be the bearer of bad news on the knitting front, but hope the other recommendations are useful. Have a great time.

I think I've been to the airport on the way to Germany! Hope it's a good work trip

Sure I've been lots of times in Basel, So my hand is very very high raised
lots to do there- check the Swiss Group in Ravelry for shops, sure they will be really help full. I know they meet once a week too :D
Try Basler-Leckerli, they are the regional specialty. What I miss most foodwise of switzerland is the great pateseries, good coffee and amazing cakes- try vermicelle (Mont Blac) one of my favorites, and since autumn is in fondue and raclette smell lots but taste great
the kunstmuseum is really great there too

Don't know anything about Swiss yarn shops... but I hope you take a ton of photos! (and share them!)

I went to Basel every year for 9 years while my best friend lived there. Hmm, years 1981 to 1990. Never did find a yarn shop there back then. I'm sure there are plenty now. the old town was and probably still is beautiful. Lots of little expensive boutiques. Apart from chocolate and rosti, one doesn't go to Basel to eat. heh. I used to survive on fresh produce from the Saturday market and on ethnic food. Enjoy!

My hometown is about 2 hours from Bale! (The French name is Bale, and the German name is Basel). I also went to the Fondation Beyeler, which is a gorgeous modern art museum with a lovely garden. Honestly, I never paid attention to yarn stores when I was there so I can't give you the scoop :( Bale is a quiet and peaceful city, quite a change from NYC, but I'm sure you'll be charmed. And if for some strange reason you're not, you can always hop on a train to Strasbourg (my hometown), there's yarn stores there, including Phildar :)
Have fun!!

I don't know about yarn shops, but there is an amazing paper museum there. I would love to get back there just to go there again.
http://www.papiermuseum.ch/

I've been to Basel. About a million years ago. I didn't do any yarn shopping there but did buy two pair of Bally shoes. :-)

I've been there! It's a cute little city! I went to Basel when I was living in France, right across the swiss border. There's an airport there where you can get cheap flights around europe. Also, if you have any free weekends, there's an endless supply of daytrips available via rail. You could head into france - Alsace, Besancon -- or around switzerland!

Hello Jess,
Je n'ai pas fait les magasins de laine à Bâle mais comme le conseille Veronique, il faut absolument aller à la Fondation Beyeler et si tu as le temps au Vitra design museum.
Sinon, oui, prendre le train pour Strasbourg et là tu as La Droguerie...
Bises et bon voyage en Europe,

Anne (de Lille), toujours contente de te lire !

I worked in Switzerland for 6 months a few years back. There is a nice view of Basel from the top of the Munster tower - definately try the local rosti - each canton has their own specialty. And try Rivella - it's really refreshing especially after a bit of a walk - don't forget your high german phrasebook - even though they speak Swiss German - it's not a written language. Enjoy the trip!

We went to Basel last year (we live about 90 minutes away in Heidelberg, Germany). There is an Anny Blatt store on an alley right across from the Rathaus. It's near one of the chocolate stores, so just go inside the chocolate store and ask for the Anny Blatt shop--"Wo kann mann wolle kaufen?" should work. And hey, you get to go into the chocolate shop, which is heaven.

If you ever want to come to Germany, you are always welcome, we have three great shops in our town alone, and a really cool one within driving distance which I'd be happy to drive you to (I've driven many a Raveler there!).

Funny that I would read your post today. Just this morning I was thinking of some yummy cookies my Swiss grandmother used to make. She called them wine cookies. I have no idea what they are, but if you run across such a thing they're yummy. They were crisp and not too sweet. But she was born in the 1800s so maybe they don't make those anymore there?

Hi jess, I've been but I didn't go to any yarn stores (or anything else...) I was rushing with one of my friends on a hitch hiking tour from Barcelona to Vienna to get her get to slovakia in time for smthg I don't remember. Super fantastic trip but sorry I can't help except that don't fret if not even your high German translation book won't help, nor your english, french (or danish) vocabulary they are very nice and helpful people. And if you find yourself in Wintertur with time to spare there is a tree museum I would like to get a review from...
Enjoy your trip and welcome to Europe (again ;))

I work in Basel reporting, but have not had the chance to visit the lovely namesake of the banking legislation. Having moved from Brooklyn to Amsterdam 2 years ago, I've found that the yarn selection is much more extensive in New York than Holland. Maybe Switzerland is different. Regardless, it's nice to buy a few skeins as a memento of the trip. By the way, it's turned chilly here, make sure to pack a warm scarf and gloves!

Fondation Beyeler is very beautiful, and if you can get a private tour through Vitra Design it's well worth it. I'd also strongly suggest trying to get up to Strasbourg because it is such a beautiful friendly city. And then there's Notre Dame de Haut - one of the most beautiful spiritual chapels ever, by Le Corbusier outside Belfort across the border in France. Oh, and Neuchatel further south in Switzerland is also very pretty.

No wool shop advice though....sorry! have a great time!

I have good friends who have been living in Basel for about a year and a half. Do you work for a pharmaceutical company by chance? Anyway, I haven't ever been there and my friend Linda doesn't knit, so that's no help. Have a nice trip!

Try these department stores:
Pfauen: lovely yarn, lots of it, sock yarn, lang yarns... Prices are reasonable.
Near it is a Coop store. The yarn section is not as impressive, but the sock yarn is a little cheaper there.
Manor (across the river) has also a nice yarn and haberdashery section, with very nice unexpensive buttons.

And I know one yarn store that stocks Anny Blatt and other very nice yarns, but I can't remember the name! It is near the Coop store, if i remember correctly.
Maybe you should ask in ravelry, there's bound to be some Basel knitter there, as I know they meet up regularly to knit and have tea...
Otherwise, there are several yarn stores in Lörrach (Germany) that is touching Basel....

Have a nice trip there!
(oh! I don't know when you will be in Basel. But I could go there and show you the stores October 31st...or Monday November 3rd)

You've probably come and gone by now, but I'd say that the department store Manor always has an interesting collection of very reasonably-priced yarn. And nice ribbon.

Hope all is well with you - hoping they've let you come back by now, miss you!

hey i am enjoying all your photos on flickr...
hope you enjoying your time in heidiland.
when you going back to the US? and more importantly- pleeeas please start blogging again! miss your funny and interesting posts :)
xx

I have been to Basel! Went in 2003 with a Marching Band, we had a competition in Italy (in Monza) and we went to Switzerland for 1 day! It took forever to get there and then when we arrived it was dark and all the stores were closed :( Sorry I don't have any reccomendations for you, but my hand is raised for being there!

I was married in Basel 39 years ago. It is a beautiful city. There is a dollhouse museum there, and they also host an international watch show every year in the fall and the zoo is wonderful. We did return a few years ago and it was exactly the same as I remembered it to be. Sorry I can't help you with yarn shops but you must have Rosti's they really are the best! I hope that you have a wonderful trip, it really is a beautiful place especially the old city.

http://yellow.local.ch/en/q/basel/Wool.html

I have been to the sphinx on friestrasse the main shopping street in basel. the phaufen is on the same street.

*now* i read this. i highly recommend checking groups on ravelry. the basel ladies in the switzerland group would have given you the absolute 'must go to' and 'must know about'. there's also a regular s'n'b.
definitely check the local groups on ravelry. i always do that when i go visit someplace.

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