Flibbertygibbet

My favourite four-letter word

is, of course,

S A L E

When I was out and about in Fulham the other day (Oh, how the other half - of London - lives) I noticed some rather good sales.  No, not clothes, because I'm not in the market at the moment, but for crafty supplies.  Things that I am allowed to buy.

Cath Kidston has a decent selection of fabrics on sale, at discounts of up to 50%, plus other gifty ideas in the clearance sale.  Though I must say that I think that since they went more mass market, I'm not sure that the quality hasn't suffered a little. 

The Designers Guild also has a sale on, though most of the fabric on the bolt, even if it's reduced by up to 50%, is seconds stock.  They have a huge table of remnants too, including, ironically enough, a lot of Cath Kidston classic prints.

When I was over on the dark side, I also went into Peter Jones (the Sloane Square outpost of John Lewis).  More bargains to be found, again in Debbie Bliss Pure Silk.  This time it was the buttery yellow and the lilac.  I know that this is somewhat extravagant but the fact is, I have the pattern book and there are lots of garments I fancy making.  And now I have the yarn to do it, at 50% off.  I also bought some Cotton Cashmere for T, but I hear she then 'popped into' John Lewis in town - so dangerous - and it sounds like she purchased her own bodyweight in yarn. Again.  Apparently she blames me for this, I've no idea why...

Who's still waiting for swap packages?  Hopefully most of you are sorted by now but please do let me know... this particular swap seems to have gone on for ever.  To answer the question that some people have asked, if there is another round it won't be until the late autumn as the chasing up is taking an eternity and I think I'll take a break from it.

So I did the draw for a little something to celebrate my long-gone blogiversary, and the winner is Sarah.  Email me your address, and you'll have a wee gift in return.  Hopefully before we reach the second anniversary.

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.

It's been a while

So just to recap a little, class....

It's been such a long time since I blogged.  All went well with Shaun the Sheep and the rest of the knitterly stuff for the Camden Green Fair.  It was really hot and Lucy baked the world's best brownies and we had a good laugh.  We may even have taught a few people to knit. 

International Knit in Public Day was on the 9th of June and we ambled along to Trafalgar Square to watch the security guards try to get all heavy with the guys from I Knit London - hilarious. 

Though we did agree that of everyone there, ironically,  Craig was definitely the person in possession of the most dangerous needles (the huge ones from Wool n Boat, he was using them to knit a curtain).  It was fun, until we decided that us three little white girls were getting burned to cinders despite the Factor 25 so we went to the National Portrait Gallery's cafe for lunch.  Or in the case of myself and Helen, for starters as we ended up having pad thai later. 

And on Sunday we went along to the Spitalfields City Farm, to the Sheep and Wool fair, where Claire was running knitting workshops.  On the way home, I stopped in to see Zoe - who made this bag - who has a stall at the Backyard Market.  She has lovely things and I think she's there for a few more Sundays - go and see.  (and if you need any other reason, I think these people are usually there too).

Now there's something else I need to tell you is, isn't there.... um.... oh yeah. Heh heh.
New York was everything I was hoping, as ever.  Now I'm sleepy and heading to bed to deal with the jet lag.  Once I clear some of the shopping off it....

More tomorrow.

Hey, if you're still waiting for swap packages, will you let me know?

The times - are they a changin'?

I may have implied in my last post that I was about to fall off the earth for a month.  Not so.  It's just that there wasn't much I wanted to blog about.

Then lots of pressies arrived in the post.

This was the surprise from the lovely Julie, which I showed you all wrapped up.... my very own Little Knitted Cupcake!  You won't be surprised to hear that the workmanship is just perfect.  Adorable.  As some of you probably know, I have a thing for cupcakes, like a lot of us do.  Knitted, sewn, and also...

in pincushion form!

From the lovely Tamy, along with lots of other goodness in my first swap package from Round 3, and Julie also donated yarn for the newbie knitters at the Picknit tomorrow (surely extremely good learner-knitting mojo must come from yarn used for Little Cotton Rabbits?)  Tamy sent beautiful bright fabrics and also something that will come in handy for tomorrow - will put pics on the Flickr group.

This is a belated birthday present from an old friend who I saw last week.  I have been thinking "I must get a milk jug" and then put it out of my mind along with notions like "I must change over to my summer wardrobe', 'My life would enriched by matching napkins", "Making a souffle sounds like fun" and so on.

But it's perfect. 

I was lucky enough to win a giveaway on Helene's blog: a copy of Marie Claire Idees.  Yes, I know you can allegedly buy it here, but I've never actually had my hands on a copy before.  Dangerous stuff. I could convince myself that I'm buying it just to improve my French.  Pas une mauvais idee... (zut, je dois plus practiquer - ou bien apprendre encore?) and Helene sent the most marvellous package of goodies along with it - thank you so much!

I went down to Cockpit Arts today to see Ruth - lots of lovely things on show from her.  I spent a while talking to Lissie Baldwin, who is just moving out of one of the studios there, and I completely fell in love with one of her Dolly's Dollar Pin-Up works.   Lisa Marklew's ceramics are utterly whimsical and covetable.  They can both go on the 'When I Become A Patron Of The Arts' list.

I've been thinking far too much recently - mainly because tomorrow would have been my second wedding anniversary, had we lasted that long.  I got copies of the decree nisi from the solicitor on Friday and being reminded of it again, in black and white, 'adultery with unnamed woman', 'irretrievably broken down', still hurts.  Horribly.  Actually it never goes away.  The corresponding drain on confidence which ensues - which is a lasting legacy for many women, I believe - that comes back to hit you in the teeth over and over. I actually got to the point recently where I started to think that maybe it's time to hang up the towel and move home.  Like, HOME home.  Ireland. Jesus Christ almighty.

Live in the country, like this lovely pillow from MCI. 

My mother,  bless her heart said something along the lines of 'sure, come home if you want, I just think you'd be mental to do it.'  She is almost certainly right.   I am getting the fear about buying 'my' lovely little flat but Mum tells me that it will all work out ok, so I choose to believe her.

So tomorrow I'll be in Regent's Park with a six foot knitted sheep, rather than a six foot husband.  I won't be swapping cotton gifts, I'll be knitting with it.   Swapping wedding cake for cupcakes.  Better get baking.

Confession time

There were a lot of rubbery arms in Liberty.  Knitterooney's arm got twisted into snaking forwards and grabbing some beautiful deep red Kidsilk Haze, amongst other bits and pieces, though it did take us a while - she was sticking to her "I have given up yarn for Lent" vow most devoutly until Dollie Daydream 'explained' that Lent wasn't about giving things up, rather it's about doing good deeds.  Being kind of karmic, you know.  Knitterooney will be out feeding stray little old ladies, watering kittens, and helping plants to cross the road for the next week (or something like that) in penance - I'm just hoping she got home in time to stash the stash before it was spotted.  I did offer to shelter it at my place for a while, till the heat dies down...

Dollie was actually very restrained in her purchases, and came back bearing a medium-to-large sized bag, I was impressed. 
Then she caved and snared the fabulous birdie fabric, hah!

I was probably the worst of the lot.  Though this morning I rationalised that I did actually stick to my budget because the biggest piece of material is actually a gift for someone else - for G's baby's dress.

I bought the piece in the middle - a Kaffe Fassett print to tie in both my Swap Strips from the January Strip (arranged around the top right/right) and the Purl Soho fabrics that Helen brought back from New York.  There's more to be liberated from the stash for this but I'm very excited about my quilt now!

Because I am obsessed by cupcakes at the moment, but resisting making two dozen for myself (though it was suggested at knitting that I shouldn't hold back, I could just go for it and then bring them into Foyle's on the Tuesday morning - which I am considering, if I can figure out a way to transport them safely) I went for this low-fat option instead:

It's going to be an apron.  I'm pretty sure of that.

Hey, question:  I'm trying to find jumbo ric rac, for the new Tie One On apron theme. I have seen the skinny stuff, in Liberty funnily enough, but I'd like to get some of the chunky one.  Does anyone know anywhere in London or any UK online sellers that stock the thicker versions?  I have seen it on US websites and that's probably where I'll end up, but if anyone knows anywhere local, please shout.  I wonder if VV Rouleaux does it...

And I'm slowly getting this crochet business on the go: I've got the yarn (see below - plus there's some cotton in the stash that might work too.)  I've got the venue (round our kitchen table).  I've got the tutor and the participants.  Now I just need to put them all together.

A trip to the post office is almost overdue, there's about eight separate things to go out - just a few more bits to put  together for the fabric swap.  Here's the sneakiest of sneak previews...

Welcome to my world

Firstly, hello to the so very many people who've found their way over here from Rebecca's lovely blog, come on in.  Don't be scared now (or at the end of this lengthy post).

Having slightly underestimated the time I'd need to do The Freelancing Job From Hell this week, there hasn't been much extra time for blogging - or knitting.  I mean, WTF...

I'm trying very hard to justify two things today:   (1) going to Knitflicks at the Ritzy.  I've never managed to make it and it's starting to have a Brigadoon feeling to it.  Does it really exist?  (2)  heading out here for a couple of these tonight.

So what's stopping me?  Put simply, time and money.  Firstly, the FJFH is still ongoing.  The joy of it is, of course, that doing the freelancing is what pays for the fun stuff, but payday is a long way off and the scarlet numbers of my bank account are weighing ever heavier on my conscience.  Plus you don't get paid until you're finished (and you've invoiced.  And waited a month.  And mentally and in reality spent the money thrice over).

I'm also feeling the need to declutter a little (also known as "making room for more, newer stuff" ). Yesterday I spent more money found some storage solutions at our favourite Scandi retailer.    Small storage, medium storage.  Let me introduce you to a corner of my house. 

The top of the sideboard.   A couple of gifts to be delivered,  but mostly everything is in its place.

But wait - what's that?
Yeah, look, down there, what's that in the corner?

Is it...could it be... yes, it's a basket regurgitating some of the fabric staaaaaash!  Dammit, it's time to get that sort of stuff cleared up.  Particularly as every once in a while, one of the mogs thinks "ooh, I'll just feck some of this stuff out and have a little snooze in here.  Ahhhhh, comfeeeeeeeeeeee"...

Now you might think that I'm overreacting a little.  (Moi? as my heroine would say)  But when you turn around you get the fuller picture (cue 'Reeh-Reeh-Reeh' horror flick music)

Two sewing machines, a laptop, 'real' work, accumulated clutter... it's kind of got to stop.  Once the FJFH is done, all of this has to go away.  Hey, I have the Ikea boxes to do it!  Well, once I've assembled them.  Damn, hope XH didn't take his toolbox when he moved out.  (Unlikely.)

Then I can be getting along with the WIPs*!  Here's a couple of blurry previews to intrigue you.

Plus there's the haul from my brother's escapades in Boulder!


He chose a lot of fabrics with a black background because "babies see contrast".  He's too bloody clever.  His best friend is about to become a dad soon so that's where a lot of these fabrics will be going, into a quilt for Eric's baby. 

Ok, time to knuckle down to the work for the day.  I'm going to try to shuffle enough stuff around to go out tonight, as the architect of tonight's amusement is off to forrin' parts for the foreseeable future - this can be a bon voyage drink...

* oh, and finding a real job too