Entries tagged as ‘NYC’
The Point NYC's Last Day
It’s amazing how fast The Point NYC went from bustling knitting cafe bursting with color to a shell of a store with white painted bricks. Less than a week earlier, The Point NYC was filled with new fibers such as corn and sugar cane and knitting supplies that arrived daily. Knitters and other fiber enthusiasts occupied every chair in the cafe and worked fueled by caffeine and fiber fumes.
On Wednesday evening, April 29th, the store was the location of celebration among those who considered it a quiet haven from the daily routine of their lives. It was a place where people came together and developed friendships bound together by their love of fiber.
Despite the bittersweet feelings associated with The Point’s closing, Helane, the owner, made it a celebration with wine and fresh baked cookies. The feeling of love for this unusual institution that had been nestled in New York City’s West Village filled the white space that once held wire baskets of yarn bursting with color.
The Going Out of Business Sale announced on Sunday evening was incredibly effective (based on my knitter’s perspective). Much of the inventory was picked over on Monday.
Eat, Knit and Be Happy: The Point NYC
The Carols & friend celebrating at The Point NYC
Megan K serves wine, not wool at The Point NYC
Knitted Yarns Editor Heidi in Swallowtail Shawl and Alyssa, The Point NYC manager
Knitters celebrating at The Point NYC
Doug showing off his latest WIP at The Point
Knitwear Designer & regular at The Point - Connie Chang Chinchio
Knitted Yarns Editor and The Point Staff
Yarnless Walls at The Point NYC
Lone Knitted Sweater hangs on The Point NYC's empty racks
Former Point Manager Rebecca
Wherever we wind up knitting, The Point NYC will always hold a special place in our hearts for my knitting friends and me. Thank you so much for providing this fiber haven for us.
Farewell to The Point NYC for the last time
While The Point NYC may be gone, our memories, friendships and knitting items are still tangible reminders of the good times we had.
Categories: Knitting · Yarn Events · Yarn Stores
Tagged: Closing, Connie Chang Chincchio, NYC, The Point, West Village, WIP, Yarn, Yarn Store
The Point NYC Yarn Store
It is with great sadness that I write this post. The Point NYC on Bedford Street in New York City’s West Village is closing. The news was announced by Helene the owner on Sunday evening at their sale. It was followed by an email outlining their “Going Out of Business” sale Sunday evening. Everything in the store is 30% off.
The Point NYC was a bright spot among the New York City yarn stores. It was a small shop with baskets of yarn hanging off of the walls with a cafe and free wifi. It was a mecca for knitters as well as locals to stop have a snack in a colorful, creative environment.
Knitted Yarns Editor at The Point
Knitted Hats at The Point NYC
From a yarn perspective, The Point NYC tended to have a more upscale selection of brands with a fondness for smaller producers such as Brooklyn Handspun. As a knitter, its strength was its warm, inviting environment. It was filled with tables where groups of knitters could gather on a regular basis or just drop in to look and meet new fellow knitters. This open knitting environment will be missed.
While I have always had a project with an interesting yarn from The Point NYC on at least one set of needles, looking back, it’s not the knitting that I remember but rather the friends that I spent hours knitting with. Over the years, I’ve met a group of fellow knitters at The Point NYC who I might never have met otherwise. We have become friends and I looked forward to seeing them each week. I am filled with tears as I write this.
Most special for me was the fact that I announced my engagement at The Point NYC with a bottle of champagne after the store closed in September 2007.
Engagement announcement at The Point NYC
Heidi and the Two Carols at The Point NYC
The Point Engagement Celebration September 2007
The Point NYC will always have a place in my heart. It was a very special environment where there was always a smiling face. I will truly miss my regular visits and the welcoming staff. Goodbye!
Categories: Knitting · Yarn Stores
Tagged: Closing, LYS, NYC, The Point, West Village, Yarn Sale, Yarn Store
Happy Birthday Martini Glass
To celebrate its 4th birthday, The Point NYC had a sale. In addition to baskets of specially marked yarns in wonderfully lush colors, everything else was 20% off. I used this sale to treat myself to some wonderful Malabrigo 100% Merino Sock Yarn which I had been craving since it first hit The Point’s shelves. At the time, I had just started knitting (and reknitting) my Swallowtail Shawl so that I couldn’t indulge myself in yet more shawl related stash.
Unfortunately, the lush sock yarn has been flying out of the store so that there were only 7 skeins left by the time that I arrived at the sale. Despite the fact that I vowed to myself that I wouldn’t make another black shawl after finishing the Shetland Lace Scarf for my mom, I found myself magically drawn to the black Malabrigo Sock Yarn. The problem was that there were 3 skeins of black, 2 white and 1 brown skein. So black it was.
It has 440 yards and Alyssa the manager commented that she was able to make the fountain pen shawl from the Spring 2009 Interweave with about 750 yards (and she used the Malabrigo!)
Since I am in the midst of making the Estonian Lace Inspired shawl from Brooklyn Handspun and the Ribbon Lace Shawl in grey angora and silk lace weight, I will have to wait to start this project. Fortunately, a black shawl is useful 12 months of the year.
Malabrigo Superwash Merino Sock Yarn in Black
Categories: Stash Enhancement · Yarn Stores
Tagged: Malabrigo, Merino, NYC, Sock Yarn, The Point, Yarn Sale
One way to put the love back into Valentine’s Day is to make something special for your sweetie.
The first Valentine’s Day that I spent with my husband we had agreed not to exchange gifts. We had planned a quiet dinner at home since I was teaching that night.
Packing to leave for class, I got nervous. What if he had gotten me a gift despite our agreement? By this point, the lines at Godiva were out the door and the green grocer’s roses were twice the price that they had been the day before. What was I going to do?
Looking around my apartment, a cone of periwinkle blue silk and wool yarn caught my eye. As I wrapped it, I decided that I would make my boyfriend a sweater. (He already had a sweater that I had made him so I didn’t have to worry about the boyfriend curse.) To complement my unmade gift, I picked up some orchids which were less expensive than roses.
As it turned, my boyfriend had a surprise for me and I had a surprise for him…a promise of a new handmade sweater.
BTW, to help you those of you who live in New York to spread the love this year, Annie’s is having a 14% off sale from February 8th through 14th on any yarn that is red or pink in honor of Valentine’s Day.
Photo source: Old fashioned valentine by Amber E on Flickr (2198146164_30138f57ea.jpg)
Submitted by Editor-in-Chief Knitted Yarns
Categories: Knitting · Yarn Events
Tagged: Annie's, Boyfriend sweater, NYC, pink yarn, Red yarn, Valentine's Day, Yarn Sale
NYC Subway Turnstile Entrance
For those of you who KIP (aka as Knit in Public) on subways and other forms of public transportation, here are some suggestions to help ensure that you make progress on your knitting.
1] Always carry your work in a project bag, even if it’s only a recycled plastic bag from the grocery store.
2] Keep the bag hooked on your arm so that you’re ready to exit fast and don’t leave your precious knitting on the train. I have had fellow passengers hand me a run away ball of yarn.
3] Use circular needles since it’s easier to keep your work on them without loosing stitches. Also, they ‘re less intrusive and don’t knock into the people who may be squished into the seat next to you.
4] Keep pattern work to a minimum. Scarves and other relatively mindless knitting are prime choices. That said, I have learned to do less complicated lace patterns once I learn the rhythm of the pattern.
5] Leave your work at a good stopping place (this requires paying attention to the conductor so that you know when your stop is called.)
Lace Ribbon Scarf Knitting in 86th Street IRT Subway
Do you have any other ideas that might help other KIP knitters that you would like to share? If so, please add your comments .
If you like this article, you may also like my posting 7 Reasons I Like Subway Knitting.
Submitted by Heidi Cohen, Knitted Yarns Editor-in-Chief
Categories: Knitting
Tagged: KIP, Knit in Public, NYC, Subway, West 86th St
Empire State Building Dressed in Red & Yellow
We celebrated the Chinese New Year by having dinner at our favorite Chinese restaurant on Ninth Avenue. It’s the year of the ox. Even the Empire State Building was dressed in red and yellow for the occasion.
Categories: Other Non-Knitting
Tagged: Empire State Building, NYC
The UWS Knitters group (translation Upper West Side Knitters for those of you from outside of Manhattan) celebrated their 7th Birthday at their regular meeting this week. For our birthday, our list mom, Judi brings a birthday cake.
Upper West Side Knitters 7th Birthday Cake
Upper West Side Knitters List Mom Judi
We meet in the Starbucks on West 86th Street and Columbus Avenue from 6.00 pm to 8.00 pm every Wednesday. The staff at this Starbucks is very friendly to our group. The manager even arranged for us to meet at another local Starbucks when this location was closed for renovation! We’re a very open group and welcome new knitters and visitors. Our oldest member is 91 years old (although she wasn’t with us for this party.)
Mary in Shetland Triangle Scarf
For those of you who may not have met her, Mary is the author of the Snit n’ Knit blog. She’s always knitting a shawl of pair of socks. She’s also on Ravelry as Mc Mary so check out her work!
Elizabeth's lace scarf making progress!
UWS Knitters Group Photo
UWS Knitters showing off their knitting
The Upper West Side Knitters are even crocheter-friendly. (Of course, we live in hope that we will be able to convert our hooking friends to a pair of straight needles.)
Jessica shows off her crocheted pants patches!
We’ve been joined by out-of-towners from Holland, Germany and England! If you’re going to be in New York City on a Wednesday evening, bring your knitting and join us! You can join us online by registering with our Upper West Side Knitters Yahoo Group.
I hope that some of the UWS Knitters will add their comments and words of cheer!
Categories: Knitting · Shetland Triangle · Yarn Events
Tagged: UWS Knitters, Lace, NYC, Starbucks, Yahoo Groups, Columbus Avenue, Upper Westside, 10024, Knitting groups
US Airways Flight 1549
While this blog is focused on yarn related activities, it’s worth taking a moment to give a special note of thanks to those involved in saving of the crew and passengers of US Airways Flight 1549 without serious injuries. From the emergency landing in the middle of the Hudson River to the ferries and others that helped transport those from the plane to the warmer shores of the Hudson River, you have our heartfelt gratitude.
Many people who live outside of New York City, think of it as an impersonal place where no one knows your name or cares about you. What they miss is the fact that New Yorkers live in close proximity to each other and try not to infringe on each other’s space. Yet, when someone needs help, we’re there, ready to give 100%. I am proud to live in this great city and am grateful that everyone on US Airways Flight 1549 survived and caused no damage to any bystanders or structures.
Photo credit: J. Krum TwitPic
Categories: Other Non-Knitting
Tagged: Airplane in Hudson River, Flight 1549, NYC, US Airways
