Engagement Celebrated With Yarn

About a week after we announced our engagement to our family, I decided to celebrate the occassion with my Saturday knitting friends at The Point. Over the past year or so, the women I knit with have asked me in varying ways whether Larry and I planned to get married. To this I had replied, “If my mother doesn’t ask, then neither can you!”

To go public with the news, I persuaded Larry to meet me at The Point near closing time so that we wouldn’t take away from anyone’s precise knitting time. Larry appeared about 5 minutes before closing with a bottle of champagne hidden in a cloth bag.

Due to the last minute shopping frenzy which tends to happen every Saturday, it took a bit for Larry to get the floor. He finally announced the news. That got people’s attention and I was able to show off my unconventional engagement ring.

Larry (in a Heidi orignal) and Heidi at The Point

Once the gates were down, we opened the champagne and everyone toasted us. It was a very warm and welcoming feeling. I want to thank my knitting friends for their good wishes.

Heidi raises her champagne at The Point

 

Heidi and the Carols at The Point

Everyone’s celebrating Heidi & Larry’s engagement at The Point

BTW, Patty, the new manager at The Point (bottom row right) has already blogged about the event.

P.S. I’ve kept this post in draft for a while so that the rest of our friends and family could hear the news in a more personal way!

Laced-Front Sweater Knitted Up

Back from my two day San Francisco trek, I indulged in an afternoon at The Point with my knitting friends. It seemed like I hadn’t been around for ages!

I took the day off from working (which is easy to do when you take a red eye from the west coast) and need to get a few extra hours of sleep that you’ve missed. Waiting in the San Francisco Airport for my New York bound flight, I used my time productively to knit the Dad Vest and talk to my sister in Los Angeles.

With my “free” time, I finished knitting the sleeves of the Lace-Front Sweater. Here’s a photo of the sweater with the fronts and back attached. Of course, I still have to knit the i-cord, sew the pieces and crochet around the edge to allow for the closure.

Speaking With a Side of Knitting in San Francisco

My colleague, Amanda Watlington, owner of Searching For Profit, and I met at last year’s DMA Annual in San Francisco. Over lunch, we discovered that we shared a love of knitting in addition to our work in interactive marketing.

My Noro vest  peaking through my New York black business blazer was a strong leading indicator of my passion. It led us to compare notes regarding the stores in San Francisco. Top on both of our lists was ArtFibers on Sutter Street.

For those of you who haven’t had the pleasure of visiting ArtFibers, it’s an unusual knitting haven. There’s a salmon colored sign on the sidewalk that points your way to the second floor space. The store is an open space with metal racks filled with ArtFibers own brand of yarns. The yarns are composed of luxurious fibers in wonderful combinations. My favorites incorporate silk that softens the wools. To add to the sensual experience, the fibers are dyed in rich, jeweled colors.

What sets ArtFibers apart is that it only carries its own yarns and that the staff will help you to create a pattern tailored to your selection of fiber and project (scarf, sweater, etc.). There’s a circle of chairs and baskets of needles near the windows in front where customers can sit and swatch their selection to ensure that they get the appropriate amount of materials. There’s no charge for testing the yarns which are organized by type in a set of file bins. The staff may unravel your swatch to determine your gauge with their computer program.

Last year, I indulged in natural colored Ming, a 50% silk/50% merino combination to  make a sweater. My only regret was that their computer program tends to underestimate the quantity of wool so that I had to forgo the bamboo stitch I wanted to use for a plain stocking knit stitch. (Knowing roughly how much wool I use for a sweater, I should have bought extra but ArtFibers product is dear (aka expensive!) That said, the sweater is soft enough to be worn next to my body without itching!

Fast forward, when Amanda and I agreed to speak at the WITI Conference in Santa Clara, I didn’t realize that Amanda’s motivation was to have a partner in knitting to visit ArtFibers. We booked our flights so that we could have the afternoon to pop into San Francisco and do some knitting therapy.

After drooling over the new additions to ArtFibers’ collection, I nestled into one of the chairs to test my prospective purchases. Several swatches later, I abandoned my choices and took another tour of the store. The jeweled purple Kyoto which is 69% silk/25% super kid mohair/6% extrafine wool called out to me since purple and black had been highlighted in fall windows of some of the Fifth Avenue stores in our neighborhood. Although ArtFibers didn’t have the new Knitted Lingerie book, I bought what I hoped would be enough Kyoto for one of the lace tops.

Amanda made some stash enhancing purchases and we left (or more accurately were gently nudged out past closing). Given ArtFibers’ location in the financial district, parking for this venture ran us $30.00!

In our exuberance to get to ArtFibers, I left my camera in the car so that all I have is an outside photo of the store. 

Dad’s Vest-The Saga Begins…

Since there’s no persuading dad that he could use a new sweater, especially one knit by me, my boyfriend suggested I make my dad a vest. (Even though, every time we see him during the cooler monthes, he seems to be wearing a sweater that has made a few moths a VERY good meal!) During our summer pilgrimage to Webs, I bought four skeins of Noro’s Silver Thaw. My boyfriend helped with the colors to ensure that they were “dad-friendly”.

My father has lost weight recently so that many of his clothes hang. Therefore, the idea of “borrowing” a sweater as a guide didn’t strike me as a particularly good idea.  To my surprise, like my brother, my dad didn’t let me measure him. Instead he lent me a vest that he claimed fit just right. (I will never trust those words again!)

After testing a number of intricate stitch patterns and cables, I decided that the beauty of Noro Silver Thaw is the nature of the fiber and its colors. So I just made a plain v-neck vest based using the existing vest as a pattern. The wool has created some wonderful stripes on its own.

With this vest, I used a swatch and the measurements from the existing vest as a guide rather than a precise pattern. Lest you think that this vest just evolved on its own, I had the Interweave Handy Book of Patterns as a guide.

The Point of This Sale Is to Help Others!

This weekend, my favorite knitting spot in New York City, The Point, is having its “End of Summer” Sale. (Of course, they didn’t consult me with regard to the sale’s name which they’re calling September Sale.)

Not only is this a great opportunity for knitters to add to their stash (and what knitter can’t rationalize stash enhancement at great savings???), but also it’s a chance to help others by donating your poor, your tired, your unwanted yarn to a great cause, an organization that makes knitted goods for women in domestic abuse shelters.

As a knitter and a marketer (a fact that I may not have mentioned so far on this blog), I commend this secondary sale. It gives knitters an opportunity to destash for a cause. Who can’t pass that up since it allows room for stash enhancement, a favorite knitting activity. This is particularly important in New York City where stash storage is at a premium given the microscopic size of most apartments. Face it–no knitter wants to be confronted with the choice of stash or shoes!

From a marketing perspective (and much of my knitting doesn’t allow me to pontificate on this subject that’s also near and dear to my heart), this destashing is great marketing. It associates The Point with a cause that can use more visibility and it encourages shopping at a later point in time so that it doesn’t compete with the current sale. Further, as many marketers know (and knitters should take heed), coupons are great since they build brand awareness and drive folks to your store but many coupons are never redeemed since customers forget about them or misplace them. 

The sale offering was broad as was the number of fellow knitters on hand to take advantage of it. By the time I arrived, the selection was somewhat depleted. As a result, I contented myself with a donation and a coupon which I hope to remember that I have so I can buy some winter weight wool.

Happy New Vest Dad

L’shannah tovah to those celebrating Rosh Hashannah.

We visited my parents where my mother’s cooking combined old and new traditions. There was her homemade matzo ball soup and pasta pudding (which is my nephew’s name for old fashion noodle kugel). In addition, we had cornish hens and cold poached salmon with a cucumber dill sauce.

Mom and I had time to comparing knitting notes. Mom was very proud of her checkerboard baby blanket which she’s making with a blue-grey machine washable wool that she bought in Great Barrington this summer. It’s for a friend’s next grandchild. (Sorry I don’t have any photos due to the holiday.) The great thing is that visiting with family and friends gives me knitting time which I used for my Lace-Front Sweater.

I brought my father a nicely wound ball of Silver Thaw Noro in a white, black, green combination that I bought at Webs this summer. This ball of wool is part of a birthday vest since my father claims to have more sweaters than he needs. (My boyfriend says the same thing but keeps using the ones I knit him.) While dad’s birthday isn’t until November, it was difficult to gauge his size. Therefore, I decided that it was easier to just ask for an existing sweater or to measure him directly. Further, he could give his input regarding style.

Beach Knitting Again…Back to Fire Island

We’ve been able to squeeze in another couple of days on Fire Island  as the summer flickers away. While my boyfriend was windsurfing on the bay experiencing some of the best wind he’s had all summer, I’ve been seated by the ocean’s edge knitting in summer’s fleeting warmth.

The ocean on Fire Island reflects the winds that my boyfriend is experiencing on the bay. It’s no more Mr. Nice Guy of Summer. Lucky for me, I only want to knit in peace (i.e.-without many others around!)

No lifeguards translates to warning signs-It’s a good thing I only want to knit!

 

Even on the Fair Harbor beach on Fire Island, you know that it’s back to school. My knitting was interrupted by the local school bus on its return journey. The upside of this bus ride is that one can get a lot of knitting accomplished on the way to school!

 

Here’s a picture of my bamboo Souvenir Socks. This photo design is dedicated to the Yarn Harlot who frames her photos with her knitting. I’m making progress on these suckers. Thanks to the suggestion from a fellow knitter at my favorite knitting locale, The Point, I’m knitting the two socks at the same time. I was able to finish the heel on the ferry out to Fire Island.

In addition to my Souvenir Socks, I’m making progress on the first sleeve of my Laced-Front Sweater in Brooks Farm Harmony. I really enjoy how the sunlight plays on the hand dyed fall colors. I can’t wait until it’s finished so I can wear it in the fall sunlight!

 

Getting the last rays of sun over the Fair Harbor Beach in Fire Island. It’s peaceful though the dim light and air heavy with moisture makes knitting challenging! 

Sunset at Fair Harbor, Fire Island with sailboats in the foreground colored with reds and purples.

Changes…Knitting Lingerie Style’s Lace-Front Sweater Begins

In addition to swatching for my Laced-Front Sweater from Knitting Lingerie Style (since my stitches always differ from the suggestions on labels and/or yarn websites), I’m  modifying the pattern slightly.

The Laced-Front Sweater uses negative ease to accentuate the female form. Further, it’s knit straight to the bust to highlight the corset-like form. Since I plan to wear this sweater more conservatively over shirts, I’ve added 3 sets of K2P2 ribs to the bottom. I will knit this larger number of stitches for 2 inches after which I will decrease for the waist. My aim is to diminish the gap at the bottom. I plan to do this for the back and front of the garment.

I was surprised that, between the selvage stitches, the pattern doesn’t start and end with either K2 or P2 so that the pattern is balanced on both sides. I modified my pattern notes to accommodate an additional 2 stitches. I’m using purls on the back to meet knits on the front.  (Note: I always make a copy of the pattern that I’m working on so that I can make notes as to the number of rows and where to make decreases so that sleeves match, etc. This allows me to keep my books in good condition while tracking what I’ve done.)

With this preliminary work done, I’ve eagerly plunged into my Laced-Front Sweater from Knitting Lingerie Style. The lush feel of the Brooks Farm Harmony is wonderful to work with, although I find that care is needed or the twist of the different fiber can create unwanted loops or bumps in the work.

Montauk-Knitting at the End of New York

To get in some more beach time, my boyfriend and I decided to make a one day trip to Montauk this Labor Day weekend. Despite the fact that there are beaches at the end of several subway lines that are a mere $2.00 subway ride away (although from Manhattan, they can be over an hour ride), we have this very un-New Yorker perspective that we prefer to escape the masses. Being at the end of the Long Island Railroad train line like a finger pointing into the Atlantic, our logic was that Montauk’s beaches would be relatively uncrowded.

Mind you the price for this relative solitude was a 3-plus hour train ride each way! As a seasoned train knitter, I just viewed this as bonus knitting time.

The weather was perfect, especially compared to our recent experience on the beaches of Fire Island. It was warm with a mild breeze that allowed our beach umbrella to maintain its position all day.

Between my train and beach knitting, I finished knitting the second arm of my Cross Your Heart sweater. In addition, I picked up my Souvenir Socks which have been languishing in my knitting bag untouched. I managed to get both socks through the heels.

Fortunately, I had consulted some websites containing information on Montauk before we left where, to my delight, I found there was a new addition to the local merchants. Yes you guessed it–a yarn store! It was luckythat we knew that it existed or we would never have found it nestled in its peaceful downstairs corner out of public view. My boyfriend had to inquire at the local police station to get instructions (Mind you, this was a very pleasant surprise since we’ve been in other locations where he’s had a more I-Can-Find-Where-We’re-Going approach.) At the police station, a friendly woman got up and walked outside to point out where the yarn store was since it was hidden behind a real estate office.

Labor Day Sale!

Purl by the Sea entrance is below street level

Called Purl by the Sea, the store’s well worth the visit. Since they were having their Labor Day Sale where all of their yarn was 20% off, the trip was even better! The place has a friendly vibe that you feel when you walk in. While it’s best described as cozy (read small even for a Manhattanite), there’s a kntters’ table in the center of the store where a chatty group of women were working on a variety of projects. I was struck by the diversity in types of yarns in terms of fiber content and price. In addition to major brands, they carry some unusual small producer yarns as well (which I would have tried had my stash been slimmer!) There’s something for everyone’s pocketbook from inexpensive Lions Brand to luxury Artyarns. Additionally, there’s a wide range of supplies such as needles and books.

View from inside of Purl by the Sea – Colors Galore!

Owner Nora Franzetti winding yarn for a customer 

For the non-knitting-engaged-companion, they have a comfy husband’s rocker where my boyfriend made himself at home reading his sci-fi novel out of the sun while I scoped out the store and debated what to buy.

Non-knitter’s delight

Wonderful man that he is, my boyfriend treated me to some Brown Sheep cotton and merino for a Knitted Lingerie project. The hardest part was deciding what color to buy because the store must have stocked every shade! My boyfriend who like most men only understands 16 colors wasn’t much help in terms of input. After much debate and some help from the saleswoman, I selected a dusty rose pink.

Yarn Treats from Mom’s Berkshire Adventure

While my parents’ main objective for visiting Lenox, MA was to hear the Boston Pops at Tanglewood, my mother, a knitter herself, used the visit as an excuse to check out the local yarn emporiums, Colorful Stitches in Lenox, MA and Wonderful Things in Great Barrington, MA.

My boyfriend and I were in Lenox earlier this summer where he treated me to some bamboo sock yarn. To my surprise, I’ve been making slow but steady progress on these “Souvenir Socks” as I call them.

Gifts from mom. My boyfriend’s hoping for socks from the middle ball!

Knowing that I like Colorful Stitches, my mom asked if I needed anything. (Note: The operative word was need.) What knitter doesn’t NEED more wool for her stash? Or rather, what knitter doesn’t have enough wool in her stash to keep her busy for at least a year?

I mentioned that I could use two sets of size 1 double pointed needles since I was considering trying to make some more socks. Well that empowered my mother to purchase some sock yarn as well. (It helps that a pair of socks is a reasonably priced purchase no matter how fancy the yarn!) Like many knitters, my mother was enticed by more than one colorway!

While we were up at my folks for a Labor Day Weekend bar-b-que, my mother gave me these goodies!