Flibbertygibbet

Make it

A list of things to do yesterday morning en route to Islington meant an early start, before heading to the Make Lounge for their Leather Cinch Belt course.  But it was worth it...

Wow - it was such fun! Merle O'Grady, the tutor is a total sweetie, and so calm while six women wielded rubber mallets and splashed it-will-never-ever-come-off dye with abandon all around her. We all put a slightly personal twist on the belts - some of us used contrasting colours for the main part and the strap, others used rivets instead of buckles, and some of us just made the damn thing a little wonky.  'Don't worry,'  Merle told me comfortingly, 'nobody will see that bit because it's underneath'.  Therapy too!

There was a really nice group of people on the course (with another dozen upstairs making tea cup candles) and a lot of chat revolved around other crafts that people dabble in - jewellery making, stone sculpture, decoupage, japanese silk painting, cross stitch, etc. and Merle promised to send on a list of leather suppliers.  We were comparing notes on where to shop and most people were surprised at just how many names were bandied about - it makes me more surprised to think that anyone might not know some of these shops because hey, craft shopping takes up a considerable portion of my time, energy and salary, and I do know that the list I know is just scratching the surface. Most of my friends are crafty.  We are also complete enablers. So here's a start at putting together a London Craft Map - I've been to most of these places myself but would love to hear your suggestions for more, just email them to me.  I'll investigate and add!

Loving London

Abi and I went to the Thames Festival yesterday, to watch swing dancers and burlesque artists, and admire shimmying sailors and homemade period frocks.  Squinting in the sunshine, drinking complimentary hot chocolate (though we queried the environmental impact of giving each person a one-use only plastic card to redeem their free drink).  Loving all that London has to offer.  The music made me want to take dance classes - but I do know my limitations. 

Honey, I spent the housekeeping

It's lucky that the cats don't cost too much to feed as I completely smashed, decimated, obliterated the budget at I Knit Day 2008.  It's ok, they like yarn (I know this because each day when I come home they have dragged something else out of the WIP basket to play with) so they'll forgive me - besides, I buy the cat food (ten minutes before Tesco closes, practically wearing my pyjamas, because I got so stuck into socks this morning) and so therefore I retain some measure of authority around here.  In that vein, I think I shocked a fellow Raveller yesterday when I said something along the lines of it was worth getting divorced to get a craft room.  Anywaaaaaaaaaaaay...

The queue.  At 10:45.  Apparently within an hour it was around the block, and around the block again.

A soft murmur filled the air - the sound of silk being revered, lace being admired, sock yarn being pawed, and Claire spontaneously shrieking 'There he is!' when we saw Jon EasyKnitter.  I bought three skeins from him:  lushness (stored on Ravelry)

We took time out to make pom poms for peace.  And for a seat, I admit it.  Tiring, this spending a fortune and yarn-pimping lark. 

As this particular adventure was a last-minute decision, my only option had been an 'exhibition only' ticket.  I had a good feeling though - so I asked at the front desk whether there had been any cancellations. And what do you know... I also scored a Ravelry badge as one of the girls at dinner the night before said that Alice Socktopus had ordered a huge bag and she was giving them away with purchases - so one set of Pattern Tamers later...

Cassandra knits furiously to get the dishcloth finished.  While everyone else sits in anticipation.  Whilst knitting, naturally.

She was priceless.  Really, really funny and with some serious points to make.  Partly about not committing felonies by assaulting people who don't 'get' knitting (I'm paraphrasing and condensing here - paradensing) but also about how in fact we're actually doing something that benefits our brains, enhances creativity, engenders patience, and provides us with a supply of superb gifts when we get the gauge wrong. She had a strong message about how the muggles just don't get it, and that's ok.  Because as we could see and feel, as we sat as a group listening, laughing, knitting and empathising, we know that we're right and they're off fishing and that's just standing in water.  Sod the people who don't understand it. Despite what a Cambridge study may say, we know that there is such a thing as emergency knitting, and yes it does fit in your bag.

  

ETA: was listening to Craft Sanity and in her interview, Cat Bordhi alludes to the more scientific side of Stephanie's talk and it may be the subject of a future podcast.  I think it's something she normally talks about when she does one of these big events, but for anyone who's not going to make it to one soon, look out for it.

The reason for the season[al shopping]

The next stop was Imaginknit.
 

This picture gives you some idea of the scope of the place - there's a second room that's just as filled with yarny goodness.  The search was on for Malabrigo Worsted in Azul Profundo, and that's what I came away with, along with some laceweight Malabrigo in Marron Profundo for me.  Don't those names just sound magical in Spanish. So much selection here that it was also sort of bewildering.  I was sorry on Monday that I didn't make it to Noe Knits - don't think there would have been anything very interesting there but the neighbourhood looked like fun.

After that I decided to get myself in gear and get up to Fort Mason, and the reason for scheduling my work trip for last weekend - Renegade Craft! It took me quite a while to find Fort Mason and there wasn't any signage inside the compound which was annoying.  It was much bigger than last year's foray in New York but there wasn't as much that grabbed me - or that I grabbed.

Well Typepad is playing up again (h-a-t-i-n-g it at the moment, and it's slower than hell - wondering why I'm bothering to pay the $ for it) so just losta very long post about it all but I did find some complete treasures. 

Beautiful bears from Annie Galvin, aka Wexford Girl of 3 Fish Studios (with her husband who does wicked robots), a fellow Irishwoman and really friendly.  I bought two of her handpainted postcards. But I think the bears will be on my Christmas list.

Lots of fabulous earrings from Hannah Chile at Hannahmade, I have worn these about three times already.

Ok, have lost the rest of this post for the fourth time and it's getting very frustrating.  Will leave it here, more to come.

I'm baaaaaaaack!

The logistical and technological hiccups of the first twenty-four hours got sorted out. I wish I'd been able to explore Mountain View and the surrounding area a bit more (there are some good quilting shops around apparently, though none in San Francisco) but as I won't drive... Next time I travel I will tell the bank in advance so they don't cancel all my cards again.  I will also make sure my phone service provider has set up my account correctly.  Being stranded - no money or means of communication - was not fun.  Let's just say I am not an off-grid girl.

After a couple of days of working rather too hard  (up early to work in UK time, staying late in the office to meet up with people in the US, I got to go and play!  Yes, it was fabulous.  Add San Francisco to the list of Cities I'd Most Love to Live in Following a Huge Lottery Win.  I have even chosen the house I'd like:

It's on California and Franklin.  Lots of pretty houses around there. 

On Friday we went to the Latin American Club.  These reviews are pinpoint accurate and as funny as the place itself.  We also went to Esperpento for tapas ($12 each including tip!) and I got back to my hotel pleasantly hazy.  My tip for the Lat Am club is don't drink the cocktails - they are strong as hell.

My hotel room had that essential ingredient: a knitting couch.

Yarn tourism is a great way to see a city, seeking out those specialist shops.    Art Fibers was pretty close to my hotel though I did need to use Googlemaps to find it.  Lately I am incredibly directionally challenged. 

Roxanne, the owner of this store is super friendly and though ostensibly shopping for the lovely Lucy, I did find a few things for me.  Roxanne helped me to find some treasures and also the best match for Lucy's shopping list. En route to the next yarn store I stopped at Rare Device. Ooh, I fell in love with lots of prettiness there.  Lisa Congdon, the co-owner was there, really friendly.  I wanted to tell her how much I admire her work but the old 'she'll think I'm a stalker' instinct kicked in.  I bought cards and some of Lisa's magnets:

More on the trip later...and the shopping...and RC...

The Doll House

(Photo from Times Online)
I went to the Viktor & Rolf exhibition on Thursday with the lovely Abi and it was quite the eye-opener.  See something of it here.  I didn't know anything of their clothes beforehand and during the exhibition itself the jury was out (I started off feeling rather like this journalist) - but by the end, having paid close attention to the captions around the exhibits, I was both intrigued and inspired.  Particularly by the third coat in the Russian Doll series above.  This questionnaire is interesting - partly the first question about the women they design for, because I felt a strong sense of depersonalisation of women and of the models (literally reducing them to mannequins just to show the clothes); the doll heads are supposed to echo the porcelain miniature figurines that the fashion houses of the 30s and 40s used to showcase their collections but the childlike expressions were sinister. it seemed just too ironic that one exhibit was framed by the names of all the supermodels that were 'in' that year.  But it's definitely worth seeing, and as Helen told me, it benefits from repeated viewings.  I don't doubt it.  My recommendation is to view all the collections and the films and then go to see the Doll's House.

There are lots of workshops being held as part of the education programme, and I may even find myself sneaking back.  Sadly I will miss Ruth's workshop as that day I'll be off indulging my textile tendencies in San Francisco.  Ok, sorry to miss it but won't be sad... she said gleefully as she tripped off across the Atlantic to Renegade Craft!  I think there may be a few tickets left for Ruth's session - good luck in snaring one!

9:01 to Bristol

An ungodly early start, but it was worth it.

A couple of months ago, a Foyles' away day to Get Knitted in Bristol was mooted and approved, and today it finally arrived. Masterfully organised by Ronke, there were six of us who rolled out of bed in time for the 9am departure.  Ronke, Pauline, Claire, Angela, Adrienne and me.

The first of the bargain bins.

Ok, so there weren't so many bargains, but there was a huge selection.  Yarn, fabric, notions and haberdashery.  Free tea, coffee and sweeties, and a loo, which of course is all just in the name of making you spend longer there and part with more cash.  Not that we had a problem with that.  This is just a corner of the shop.  Double sided island of sock yarn.

I couldn't resist these, which seem to be limited editions, artist inspired.

I mostly bought tools and accessories, like Addi Lace needles and Clover Pom Pom makers.   And  a couple more skeins of sock yarn.

We'd found a taxi driver at the station who could take six in his cab, so we kept phoning Roger as our personal driver for the day.  We headed for lunch (fabulous seafood) at the same restaurant that Angela and Ronke visited on their last trip to Bristol and I think we'll probably head there next time, if only so that Angela can ogle the photo of Clive Owen again.  After a quick visit to the sweet shop in the arcade to stock up on Flying Saucers, gobstoppers, and coconut ice, it was jumping back in with Roger again to go to John Lewis - because their sale started today and we were missing it in London.  So we thought we'd just pop up there briefly, because luckily we were going back from the other Bristol station, so we knew we'd be on the right side of town... Eh, right.

It was certainly worth the trip.  There was a lot of stuff on sale, mainly Debbie Bliss, including something I've been hanging out to buy for ages, the Pure Silk, all at 50% off.  So I grabbed a pile, and now of course I'm slapping my forehead because I should have bought the black too, d'oh.  It just never occurred to me.  Not that I can justify it, but that has literally, as you well know, never stopped me before.  And wool doesn't go off.  Any Bristol knitters out there?  Get into JL.  It's worth it.  Plus they had more of the sale yarns still on the shelves too, so quite a lot of stock. 

So we all swooped out of JL, laden down with bulky bags after about fifteen minutes of military precision purchasing, with plenty of time to jump in a taxi (Roger had abandoned us, sadly).  At this point I was glad I didn't go mad at the Liberty sale this week - on things I didn't really want, but would consider simply because there were on sale. Only three balls of Kid Silk Night in red made the cut, as I really want to master knitting with this fluffy dental floss. 

The throngs of shoppers were conspicuously missing from the car park in the rain, as were moving vehicles: no taxis, no buses, no hope of making it to the train on time.  Maddeningly, there was a six seater taxi sitting there, empty, and another cab pulled in briefly and informed us that the driver was inside the shopping mall, because he couldn't get a fare earlier?!  I have to admit that the shine faded from the JL sidetrip at that point as the prospect of paying another £48 for a train fare home loomed.  Sense of humour failures were imminent.  Particularly as the savings in the sale were about to be obliterated.

But the god of train inspectors was shining on us.  Our tickets were fine for the way back.  We were so close to getting Pauline's Bright Dyes laceweight yarn wound up, with me holding the skein and Pauline making her centre pull ball, but even a 90 minute train journey couldn't do it.  I think we got about a kilometre done  - it's 1200 metres.  Back at Paddington, it was worth running to catch the Hammersmith & City line train, because they're so sporadic in the evenings, but we did make it and that was a final triumph for the day. 

A very fun day with a bunch of funny, wise, witty, knitty ladies.  Ideally, here is where we'd like to go next. 

Home in the rain to the mogs.  We're all settled on the sofa.

And Shrimp is eyeing the new yarn...

Capital

Still in NY, I loved the Radical Lace and Subversive Knitting show at the Museum of Art and Design.  My only gripe?  No photos allowed (fair enough, though I was secretly hoping it would be the same policy as at Moma where you can take photos freely) but no postcards or catalogue to support the exhibition, which surprised me.  What a missed opportunity on the part of the marketing department, I would have sprung for it.  Denise and I contributed a few rows (and on her part, a very fine cable) to a collaborative knitting project which allowed us more time for chatting and a break from walking.  Perfect combination!

These are the socks we knitted on the way to Baltimore, I stayed with Denise and her lovely husband and son for two nights. 

We did the bus tour of Washington and Arlington Cemetery on the Friday, which was really interesting.

Denise had bought Rory a present at Moma.  It's hard to know whether it was more popular with him or with me.

It was great to see Denise (you wonderful woman, you!) and spend a little time chilling, and sitting on a bus for a couple of hours was a wonderful antidote to the tearing around Manhattan the previous day - in the name of stash enlargement and cupcake capture - and of course to see her hubbie again and to meet her wee man Rory.  Such a cutie.

Here's some of Denise's knitted and crocheted socks - how cool are they?

Saturday morning - Denise was off to Australia for a business trip and I jumped on the Vermonter back to New York.  Dumped my bags at the bar on 8th, called Pauline and it was off to...

It was just fabulous.  We had a rule that we'd walk around all the stalls first and then buy on the second pass around - oh my god that was hard!  But it resulted in some choice pieces from this fair, which was actually a juried show.

The smiley bag contains goodies from Sarah of The Small Object, and that's a detail of her alternative alphabet.  I got number 28, for my birthday.

From The Weekend Store.  Now I wish I'd bought the typewriter pendant too.  This is to hang in my new flat, assuming that's all still on track.  It's in the 'waiting for paperwork' stage.

I think this tote was from the Make Workshop.

Cards to be framed, also for the new flat, from Katie Muth.

Necklace from Danielle Maveal.  I think I tried on everything she had on her stall before settling on this one.

Coasters from Sesame Letterpress, which will be strung on ribbon - again for the flat.

I also came away with things from Fish Cakes,  this bag from Fred Flare, something else for the flat from Stencil1 and Lotta Jansdotter (nice lady) and others too.  Laden down, in fact.

Back to Manhattan.  A couple of destinations including another stop at the City Quilter.  I really went mad this time, even I admit that.  I haven't even photographed most of it because then I'd have to admit it's now in my house without anywhere to live - the craft storage needs an overhaul.

A stop at Flight 001, a very endearing encounter with a Village native and his two little chihuahuas ('Schweethearts')  who escorted us to Mxyplyzyk which was great - and then directed us up the street to Benny's Burritos.  A bucket of frozen Margarita later, and we were completely refreshed.

We also managed to get to Sephora and Dean & Deluca and I picked up a couple of their signature spice tins. And one of Jelly Beans, which didn't even survive long enough to get packed to bring home.  Ideal for button tins, you know.

I really think that might be about it for NY.  I made my way back to the bar that night and M's hubbie came and picked up both up at 11pm.  Off to Queens for a couple of days, further relaxing.  Home on the Tuesday morning and back into the job hunt.  That's what is looming in on me, darkening the horizons but the trip was fantastically rejuvenating.  Inspirational, in fact.  I would have stayed, I really would.

And even better

On Wednesday I also managed to get to the City Quilter (round 1).  Most of these are for quilting (a pile of orders are due soon) and specifically for quilt backing, for quilts for little boys.

I also went to Tinsel Trading, and unfortunately didn't make a couple of purchases I wanted as I thought I'd be back the next day but didn't make it, and also visited their wonderful ribbon shop,

'The Store Across The Street'.  It's seriously beautiful and worth checking out.  However I would have to say that I thought it was rather overpriced, given that I found many of their ribbons (obviously not the antique ones which are worth going for) in Daytona, for literally half the price.  I know, I checked.  Though the silk flowers were magnificent.  Of course I found a couple I couldn't pass up, and they were so prettily wrapped too:

One of the best things about this trip was that there was a constant stream of fun people around - some natives and some transplants.  Pauline was working in NY that week so of course we had to hook up which was brilliant....we decided at one point that telepathy works better in NY as one of us would say something and the other would literally stop in her tracks, exclaiming "I was just thinking that!".  My favourite example being - and this will show you what a cosmopolitanish melting pot London is - when I confessed that I had been musing to myself earlier about how there were loads of Americans about and Pauline said me-too-me-too...

This is where we went for drinks and dinner that evening - Pauline will have loads of photographic evidence to show later on. (She's great, she was the official photographer for the trip).  It was hysterical - she told me that there was something unusual about the entrance to PDT, so when we arrived in what looked like a normal fast food place, I thought 'Ok...' then I was kind of mystified when she ducked off into a phone box on the left  - and lo and behold we emerged in here!  God, it was such fun.  Apparently the entry criteria is that there's space inside (that will explain how I got in) not who you are/what you're wearing - and to reiterate that, from our perch on the bar we could see the little CCTV monitor that shows the poor unfortunates who are in the fake phone box entrance hammering on the false wall trying to get in.

We drank cocktails - slightly pretentious ones, pretty much each one has some mysterious ingredient that nobody's ever heard of , like Lustau manzanilla, anyone? - and ate hot dogs.  Yum. 

Then we popped across the road for chocolate, caramel and banana crepes for dessert.  Yes, we know how to have a good time.  With extra sugar, where possible.   Thanks to the poster in the creperie, we are also fully aware of how to do the Heimlich Manoeuvre, should it be necessary. It was funny to be waving goodbye to each other in Grand Central later, as if we were at the tube at home, with cries of "See you on Saturday" - more on that later!

[Can I just say that I never thought I'd be defending the London underground but yet again I have new-found admiration for an underground network that goes around the compass points, not just horizontally and vertically; and for stations that also let you go in both directions??  Mind you, the subway is cheap, cheap, cheap.  Particularly with magical British pounds.]

It was lateish to bed and really early to rise the next day, as I went off to meet the lovely Denise (who doesn't blog - yet) from her 8am train, having first checked out of my hotel and left my luggage at Penn Station,  and we set off to really kill the credit cards.  On the way, I spotted one of the Star Wars mail boxes that Susan blogged about ages ago (Anna, check out Susan's blog too as she has a link to the Threads list of where to go in NY for sewers!)

After breakfast, it was off to School Products (I'll tell you why it's called that a bit later).  Here's Denise browsing in this huge place.  Can you spot her?  She was choosing her Koigu.

I bought this lilac merino and the variegated cashmere.  Yum.

I think we got to Purl next.  Purl, the mecca for us UK knitters.  I have to admit, it's a rather lovely experience.  Particularly for someone like me, who's a total yarn flibbertygibbet and doesn't really know what she's buying - apart from some custom colour Lorna's Laces. 

And some Blue Sky Alpaca Silk (left) for the infamous Clap. I am following Helen's lead and not using a variegated yarn, rather something soft and luxurious.  Denise bought some more sock yarn (what was it?) and I picked up some amazing stuff for Lucy from my knitting group but unfortunately forgot to take a picture. 

Some tips: 

• Purl Soho doesn't hold exactly the same stock as the internet - that stuff is in California.  They can get  any of it in but it takes a couple of days.
• The Lorna's Laces custom colours don't have the names like 'Berry Stripe' on the actual labels, just on the net (no, I couldn't figure that out) so make sure you are buying the same ones if they are for someone else (don't worry, the staff there are super-helpful)
• They don't take American Express.  I had brought an Amex debit card - like traveller's cheques but in card format - and went to the local corner store to get cash instead.

And then we had some lunch to fortify ourselves at the little cafe next door.  "Once Upon a Tart".

Before making for the No I destination: 

Oh, I really loved Purl Patchworks.  It kind of reaffirmed that while knitting is my favourite social craft, I adore sewing.  I got overexcited, natch, while Denise patiently sat down and started on her sock. 

The very first thing I requested from Joelle (yes, the famous owner of the store was there herself)  was the Denyse Schmidt 'Katie Jump Rope' bundle and you know it was worth schlepping it all around town.

There's a part of the selection, it was such fun. Joelle is very patient and so friendly.   I'm sure a lot of you will have seen the article about the shop and her beautiful apartment in Blueprint, with the quilt pattern but I didn't want to appear stalkerish and mention it.

As I was repacking the bags post-fabric purchasing so that it would all fit a little better, she spotted the lilac merino and said 'Oh, that's nice - that's not from Purl!' and I explained that it was from School Products.  Then the conversation went like this:

Joelle: I wonder why it's called that.
Woman: Oh, I just designed her book,  it's because it used to be a school supplies store.
Us:  Really?
Me: Oh, when is your new book coming out?
Joelle:  Not until September, it's called Last Minute Patchwork Gifts (I think that's what she said)
Me:  I can't wait - I was gutted that Amy Karol's book wasn't coming out until Tuesday and I go back on Monday.
Woman: I designed that one too!

It's a teensy-weensy tiny world.  Or maybe the telepathy/synchronicity thing works with total strangers too.

I must say that I am a big fan of the City Quilter and it worked well for me to go to both stores first and then back to the City Quilter as it has such a big selection.  But if I only had time to go to one location, or wanted to go somewhere to hang out, it would definitely be Purl Soho/Patchwork because they have plenty of lovely things, and the atmosphere is fab.

After all that fabric shopping we needed some sustenance (yes, that's right, all we did was shop for craft materials and eat sugar - and lo, 'twas good) and we went to Magnolia bakery, the home of my favourite cupcakes.  (recipe here) Damn, they were delicious.

We stood outside and devoured them, and then realised that through the window you could see them, making the magic and just look at those jars of sprinkles.

Ok, unbelievably there's still yet more to tell you, (and more fabric to show you) but I'm done for the day again.  Laters, ladies.

 

So good. (They named it twice.)

Oh yes, plenty of new places for my little red book this time around.

So I got to NYC on Tuesday afternoon.  In the end I was glad I didn't do the stopover option via Washington as it meant I got to fly Virgin, direct, which was very civilised.  Just so you know, when you bring your dpns on board in your purse, and the yarn elsewhere in your check-in bag, this is how much sock you can knit on a transatlantic flight. 

I checked into my (free! woo-hoo) hotel which was pretty good by Manhattan standards - check out the knitting couch in the corner:

and headed straight out to do a little light shopping before meeting my friend.

First stop Kinokuniya.  It would take a long time to browse there even if I did speak Japanese.  Instead it was a matter of pulling out dozens of spine-out books to find the right ones.  Somehow I knew when I went in there that I'd only buy two books - being modest and still thinking of the luggage allowance at the start of the trip - and some stationery which doesn't count.  You know the way.

This is the embroidery book which is just too cute, suitable for all the imminent baby presents. 

Here's a detail from the bag book (ISBN 4834724840):  I never thought I liked yoyos (or Suffolk puffs as they are also known) that much but I'm very taken with this.

And the stationery has the usual charmingly translated English.

After that I went to see a friend, M,  who manages a bar on 8th Avenue.   I haven't seen her for six years and she's now married and is expecting a baby so it was great to catch up.   Mind you, it did mean that it was 4am my time by the time I got back to the hotel to bed.  This was the view from my hotel window when I got back:

Fortified by a humongous breakfast from my favourite bagel place on 3rd Avenue,

which obliterated the need for lunch,  Wednesday was the Garment District Day.   

Mainly W38th and W39th St, and most of them. (BTW Liesl's post here gives lots of addresses - I'm cheating now and not putting them in myself).

A selection of the mountains of ribbon from Daytona Trimmings.   I loved this place.  Seriously - look at the rick rack selection...

The sales assistant was laughing at me because she could see my eyes boggling when she told me the prices, as she grabbed each of my choices and unwound it by the armful ("The thin one?  That's 5 yards for a dollar," as I of course calculated it all back to my wonderful British pounds and giggled like a loon) and I thought that the prices were amazing.  Although there was one ribbon that was slightly off register in the printing but I think that was just one.

From Lin's Trimming at 256 West 38th.

From M&J trimmings:

I didn't buy as much as normal here because I'd already made so many stops on W39th.

More bits from various places.

Ok, that gets me to about 3.30 that afternoon.  But I need my bed.  So will continue tomorrow.  Well done for getting this far.