Vogue Knitting Live 2013 - Manhattan

Guess where I've been?  Well, the image above is a bit of a give away isn't it?!

VOGUE KNITTING LIVE 2013

This morning I headed off nice and early to the Marriott Marquis Hotel in Times Square with Ivete from Rose Smoke and Chiagu.  We hadn't signed up for any classes, we just had Marketplace tickets - a half-price bargain at $7.50 each.

Ivete had to drop off some of her new yarn kits at the Knitty City stand so that's where we started and look what I spotted straight away ... that's someone checking out Ivete's Chamomile Infinity Scarf pattern with me on the cover (remember my unexpected modelling assignment for Ivete a few months ago?).  I know they stock the pattern at the Knitty City store on Upper West Side but I haven't been up there yet to check it out so it felt a bit weird seeing myself there on their stand at the show! 

There's a close-up below just in case you can't see me properly.  It's not my favourite photo from the shoot - I think it shows off my chins a bit too well but Ivete says it's all about the scarf and that image is the best one to promote it.  So that's pretty fair and Ivete did give me the most fantastic handknitted vest/tanktop that she's designed/made as a thank-you so I'm not complaining ;)

Next stop the Simplicity Boye stand and who did we see but our friend Victoria, who also happens to be our NYC Mod Quilt Guild President.  Here she is demonstrating the Simplicity Deluxe Felting Machine.  You've probably come across Victoria before through her blogs Victoria Findlay Wolfe Quilts and 15 Minutes Play, but if you haven't then do take a look.  She's just had her book published 15 Minutes of Play which is also well worth checking out.

There were so many stands all selling yarn, needles, hooks, buttons, beads and patterns and hourly catwalk shows but my favourite pieces were in the Knit Art Gallery:

Crocheted portraits by Jo Hamilton of Jo Hamilton Art

Nature Drag Sculputres With Armatures by Kelly Fleek - these were amazing like something straight out of a Tim Burton movie, I'm sure Helena Bonham Carter would wear one in a flash.  Or how about using them in a Tim Walker photo shoot for Vogue UK?

and finally, I was so good today and didn't buy toooo much - just some Spice Berry wool in Wintermint and also Cardamom from Blacksheep And Ewe to make this gorgeous Cowl Shawl (shown here in Cardamom).


And you didn't think I was going to let a post go by without mentioning quilting did you?  Well we did end the day down at my LQS, debating whether or not to each start a Dear Jane Quilt and cuddling one of our friend Karen's baby twins - she only had one with her today or we'd have been cuddling both!!!

Have you ever made, or thought about making, a Dear Jane Quilt?  Two hundred and twenty-five 4.5" x 4.5" blocks - Ivete suggested we make 2 blocks a month, no pressure there then, so by my reckoning it'll only take 10 years - I must be crazy to even entertain the idea, what do you think?

For details of other fabric, yarn, trim and notion stores that I've visited around the world along with the NYC stores I love, exhibitions and events I've attended and wonderful people I've been lucky to meet click the links below or in my side bar :D

Disclaimer: This post is for informational purposes only, no payment or commission is received on click-throughs and opinions are my own.

Posting A Very Special Package

Yesterday I ventured to the Post Office in Hoboken - it was my first visit since I've lived here and I was posting a very special package to my Mum - my Dad's Memory Quilt.

I spent ages wrapping the quilt

and then wrapping the postage box in beautiful Martha Stewart Xmas postal paper

but the guy in the Post Office didn't like the way I'd wrapped it - he cut off my string, told me my tape (which I had carefully placed over every seam on the parcel) wasn't good enough and then he covered pretty much the whole box in white, red and blue United States Postal Service tape.  Next he added a smattering of stickers and stamps and then an enormous customs form - pretty much the size of half the box.

I'm so glad I took these photos so my Mum can see just how I'd intended her pressie to look when she received it because I can assure you it no longer resembles this in any way - but I guess if it's going to arrive safely and in one piece I shouldn't complain!

I understand it'll take around 10 business days to get to her so I'm holding my breath until she's got it and it's under her tree waiting for Christmas Day.

Today is Thanksgiving and, although we're not American, we are, of course, celebrating.  Flicky has gone over to Macy's to watch the Thanksgiving Parade with our house guest, Claire, and I've been cooking Cauliflower Cheese and Banoffee Pie to take over to Thanksgiving Dinner at Ivete's (Rose Smoke) later this afternoon.

and

Tatty, being an all American puppy has asked me to pass on a very special message to you all :)

Rhinebeck And All Things Woolly

What  to do on a perfect Autumn Sunday?  

Go to Rhinebeck, of course. 

Each year on the 3rd weekend in October Rhinebeck hosts the New York State Sheep and Wool Festival. 

So last Sunday I headed off bright and early with my friends Ivete from Chiagu/Rose Smoke and Nancy from The City Quilter.

Here're a few photos from a fab day

Rhinebeck Livestock

When we lived in the English Wiltshire countryside my daughter, Flicky, was very keen to add an Alpaca to our pet menagerie but I always said 'No'.  Note to Flicky, much as I love you and want you to be happy, now we live in an apartment in the States the answer's still 'No'!!!

The Colours of Rhinebeck

 Check out all that yummy wool; an early 1900's HST quilt; Autumn leaves; apple pie; and brownies.  

 Oh and there I am (centre top) tucking into a bit of that apple pie and wearing my Kim Hargreaves 'Down' jumper made in Rowan Kid Silk Haze 'Ghost'.  I made it for Flicky a couple of years ago and she's never worn it so I decided to give it an outing - well, it's mine now and I'm not giving it back ;)

Rhinebeck Goodies

Got myself a souvenir 'Warhol' style bag; lots of roving from Loop; 10 balls of a variegated Merino for $30 - feel another throw for the sofa coming on (like my sofa needs another throw/quilt!); brown leather bag handles to replace the handles on my felted bag that my dog, Tatty thought were so delicious she just had to eat them, a couple of leather wrist strap handles and The Sweater Chop Shop book by Chrispina ffrench.

Oh almost forgot - I also got myself a great little badge for my bag 'Will trade husband for wool' :)

How about coming along next year?  Hope to see you all there :O)

For details of other fabric, yarn, trim and notion stores that I've visited around the world along with the NYC stores I love, exhibitions and events I've attended and wonderful people I've been lucky to meet click the links below or in my sidebar :D

Disclaimer: This post is for informational purposes only, no payment or commission is received on click-throughs and opinions are my own.

An Unexpected Trip to Mood

All fired up after the Tula Pink event at The City Quilter (detailed post with lots of piccies to follow), I headed off to Mood, Manhattan with Ivete from Rose Smoke.  Ivete was keen to pick up some fabric for a jacket she's making and I just tagged along because I'll go anywhere if there's fabric involved and sometimes even if there isn't!

So, long before Ivete found even the first item on her list, I'd fallen in love with a woollen plaid.  During the summer on a trip to Purl Soho daughter, F, had spotted Aqua La Femme Deco Vines Essex Linen by Melissa Crowley for Robert Kaufman.  There and then she decided that what a girl really needs to go off to university in England next Autumn is a new quilt - not just any quilt but a quilt made in this fabric and this quilt has to be lofty.  Deep joy!!!  I've never worked with lofty batting before but I picked up some tips from Kati at Kati's Quilting and Sewing as I know she used 2 layers of lofty batting in her log cabin quilt, and my nervousness is now confirmed - watch out shoulders you're in for a rough ride.  I didn't buy the fabric there and then - they didn't have anything that appealed to me for the backing and I wanted to mull it over, but it's been nagging me ever since because I knew she wanted it so much.  I went back to Purl Soho last weekend to buy the fabric regardless and they'd sold out - feel an internet search coming on!

Well when I walked into the wool section in Mood I spotted just the thing - I knew instantly that it was exactly the backing fabric that I needed, a fab pink plaid.  Off to have it cut, there was no price tag attached so I was sure to ask the price up front as, quite rightly, Mood say you have to buy fabric once cut.  As there was no tag the guy asked a colleague who confirmed $18/yard.  I'm busy contemplating how much I need for a whole quilt or whether a bed runner will do the trick ... I'll make a bed runner or throw and maybe a few cushions with the left overs, so I'll go with 3 yards ... "what exactly do you think this fabric is?" I ask, "wool" he replies, well I knew that but it feels pretty amazing for a wool plaid ... he cuts the piece and then he finds the price tag deep down inside the inner tube.  "F**k" he says, which really caught my attention, "this fabric's Betsey Johnson cashmere and it's $25/yard".  I stayed still and calm, pondering over the fact that Betsey Johnson makes fabric and knowing there was 3 yards of the stuff cut on the desk and Mood says once cut you have to buy.  He obviously wasn't best pleased at the dilemma on his hands and then he reluctantly said "I'll have to let you have it at the price I said".  I breathed a sigh of relief and did a quick mental calculation to confirm that I'd just saved $21 on what I thought was a bargain purchase anyway!

I've researched how to pre-shrink the wool before I make the quilt and found this easy method using just wet towels and the tumble dryer by Off The Cuff - (click the link and scroll down to 7 September for instructions).  I'll give it a go and let you know how I go on.

Guess I'd better get myself cracking with my internet search for Aqua La Femme before I end up with just the backing and no quilt top!

Christopher's Dress at Lord & Taylor

 

Daughter, F, loves the new wool plaid but is so much more impressed with my 'Mood' story of my face to face encounter with Fabio from Project Runway - well more of a face to neck tattoo encounter as he's a bit taller than me - it was one of those 'if I step to the left will you step to the right or step to the left as well?' moments.  Love his work but have to admit to rooting for Christopher Palu especially having seen his fab evening dress on display in Lord and Taylor's window on 5th Avenue. 

 And for anyone who might be wondering, given how this post started, Ivete got everything she needed for her jacket too - what a good day :)

PS: I've just watched this week's episode of Project Runway (the mums and babies episode) and daughter, F and I couldn't believe our eyes.  Fabio made the mum's dress from a fabric that I'm using to make a dress for F (should have made it this last summer but got carried away with my quilting!).  Just to prove that we chose it first I've taken a photo and included my Mood receipt - 30 March 2012 still it's good to know that we're 'on trend' but by the time I make the dress it'll be more like 'so last season'!!!

For details of other fabric, yarn, trim and notion stores that I've visited around the world along with the NYC stores I love, exhibitions and events I've attended and wonderful people I've been lucky to meet click the links below or in my sidebar :D

Disclaimer: This post is for informational purposes only, no payment or commission is received on click-throughs and opinions are my own.

Another Busy Week

Trees & Bears Baby Quilt

I've spent the last week making a handful of baby quilts (four so far) and I've also started quilting my Dad's Memory Quilt, but I haven't been able to make progress with the Double Irish Chain quilt as the white batting I've ordered hasn't arrived yet.

 and here's a peep at one of the baby quilts.

Dad's Memory Quilt progress 
- usual story that all regular followers know by now:

"I can't post any photos of my Dad's Memory Quilt on my blog as it's a present for my Mum and she wants it to be a surprise so again I've posted some photos to my facebook page as my Mum doesn't have facebook and can't see it there."  

If you want to see how it's looking, just click this link :D

I can now give you an update on the July NYC Mod Bee Blocks for Queen Bee Lisa - Triangles Galore.  Lisa has now pieced the 12 blocks together and you can see her progress at The Red Haired Mermaid.  As always I love spotting the block I've made which in the photo on Lisa's blog is top right!


On Tuesday afternoon, my friend A invited me to attend a musical event held by the UN Women's Guild Manhattan Group at the UN Church Center, Manhattan.  It was a 9/11 Memorial Gala Performance to raise funds for needy children's projects around the world.  Concert pianist, Michael Fennelly and his wife, soprano Megan Weston entertained us fabulously for the afternoon and the programme was so wonderful that I've put links to the pieces here (although the links aren't by performed by Michael and Megan).

Exsultate jubilate "Alleluia" - Mozart

Sonata in C Minor, D. 958, I. Allegro - Schubert

Vier letzte Lieder "Beim Schlafengehen" - Strauss (Richard)

Etudes, Op 10: No 1 in C Major; No 3 in E-Flat Major; and No 4 in C-Sharp - Chopin

La traviata "Addio del passato" - Verdi

La sonnambula "Come per me sereno ... Sovra il sen la man mi posa" - Bellini

Reminiscences de Robert le Diable - Meyerbeer/Liszt

The Pirates of Penzance "Poor Wand'ring One" - Gilbert & Sullivan

On Saturday I'm off to Quilters Take Manhattan at FIT, Manhattan, it's going to be really great and today I had my first peek at the house shaped quilts for the 'Home Is Where the Quilt Is' exhibition on display at The City Quilter - they're looking absolutely amazing and so inspiring.  Then straight after QTM we're heading out to Sea Cliff, Long Island to stay with good friends P&L - a much needed break and a way overdue visit, can't wait :)




And finally, for my round-up of the week here's the latest posts and tutorials for you to check out as part of Plum and June's Let's Get Acquainted! Blog Hop:

Travel Makeup Case tutorial from Bethany at Make Me A Quilt
and congratulations Bethany on your wedding this weekend :)

Log Cabin Hexagon Block tutorial from Tessa at The Sewing Chick

Fat Quarter Table Runner tutorial from Anne at SpringLeaf Studios

Chelsea from Pins & Bobbins

Related Posts:
Double Irish Chain Quilt - Strips All Sliced
Will Blogging Help Me Sleep?
Two Quilts and Making Progress
Project Update And Shout Out for The Agitprop Quilter
Triangles Galore Saturday

Linking To: