Fashion Reflection

Well, I've finally developed my film and had a chance to otherwise process the four days spent in New York for VK Live. Here are my highlights:

1. The Gallery: I was scheduled to help out in the Gallery as part of my volunteer duties during the Market Preview Friday evening. I must say it was one of the highlights of my weekend. Let me give a huge shout-out to the five artists that made those two hours just fly by lickity-split: Ben Cuevas, Alyssa Ettinger, Anna Hrackovec, Ruth Marshall and Hannah Haworth. Each artist brought something unique to the gallery, but far and away the most impressive was the oversized beluga whale likeness hanging from the ceiling. Hannah knit it from roving and other thick types of fiber, and it presided over the Market like a giant knit blimp, only way cooler.

2. My fellow volunteers: What a standout group of individuals! From our introductory meeting on Thursday (when I was bleary-eyed from my overnight flight to the Big Apple), we were friendly and helpful to and with each other. Nothing more to say but thanks for a great volunteer experience.

3. The designeratti and editorial mavens: I could ask for nothing better than to see Doris Chan striding through registration, sun glasses on, hair waving behind her. Or providing an identification badge to Melanie Falick on Saturday. Or having a really fun conversation with one half of Mason Dixon Knitting. Or not letting Cirilia Rose slip through the registration area unnoticed. Or seeing Franklin Habit conducting an impromptu discussion with participants. Or watching Vickie Howell teach the knit basics at the Beginners' Bar. Each of these individuals, as well as the rest of their milieu, was genuinely kind and giving of their time and good nature during the entire event. Whoooah! And we won't even discuss the transfer of all that knowledge.

4.  The Magic of Mohair: Indeed! As a lover of what some might consider "the devil's fiber," I was thrilled to see it everywhere. It was a mohair celebration, and I was right on time, wearing my own mohair and mohair blend FOs. The South African Mohair representative and I had a nice chat about the country (I've lived there, briefly, in 2000), and she even took a photo of my shawl (my self-designed Rustic Elegance shawl, no less!). How is it? It's mohair, baby. More whooooah.

5. The attendees: There were approximately 3,000 pre-registered for the event, and another few thousand registered for Market entrance during the event. It could have been a long, nasty weekend. But no. Most were willing to help their fellow fiber enthusiasts (unless they were within eyesight of a yarn sale bin), and class participation was just, well, enjoyable.

6. Finally, New York, herself: Yes, it was cold. Yes, it did snow. But New York in the snow (before the slush kicks in) is magical. I couldn't wait to get out of my hotel room on Friday morning to take photos. I'm only sorry I didn't have enough time to quickly get to Central Park during the morning prime time snow photo-snapping window. 

Were there hotel logistical issues and snafus? Absolutely. Are there things I would have liked to see go differently? You bet. At the end of the day, however, the first VK Live event was a success. I will eagerly await the preview for the next event.

I've set up a separate page for my photo show of the event (4/5/11 update: the slide show of my photos can now be viewed on the Photography page). Please enjoy one person's view of the weekend, and I'd love to hear your thoughts, so please feel free to leave a comment either here, or on the photo page.

Still Blissed Out

I haven't updated the blog over the past several days because I was attending the first ever Vogue Knitting LIVE! event in New York City. Or, more specifically, I volunteered to work the event, and attended when I wasn’t on duty.

To say that it was a jam-packed three days would be an understatement. Since I’m still in the process of developing my film, I’m going to wait to provide my overall commentary until I have photos at the ready.

There are thoughts from two subjects I do want to share with you right now – my review of Vogue Knitting’s latest book, Vogue Knitting Knitopedia: the ultimate A to Z for knitters, and my Tunisian II class experience.

Initially, let’s talk a little book. As volunteers, each of us received an advance copy of Knitopedia.  Trisha Malcolm, editorial director of Vogue Knitting, informs in the introduction that Knitopedia is a book five years in the making. Its goal is not to be the end-all, be-all guide to knitting, but to provide a guide to knitting and knitting culture that is purely from a Vogue perspective.

So, what’s that? Well, as best I can tell, it’s a guide to knitting that is fresh, young, complete with entries for most every knitting term found on Ravelry and the Internet (can anyone say UFO? WIP?), as well as good (and in many cases) helpful photos. Additionally, this book is imminently readable. There are many entries on knitting history, as well as topic essays from notable names in the knitting world (Vicky Howell, Meg Swanson, and Kristin Nichols just to name a few). One small drawback: the editors opted for a category index, so you'll need to know that to find all the entries for, let's say, Vogue Knitting in the book, you'll need to look in the "magazine" category section of the index. A little clunky for the non-librarian set, but, c'est la vie and all that.

So, if you are looking for an all-inclusive, multi-hundred page book filled with nerdy, obtuse entries, this isn’t for you. If, however, you are looking for a solid knitting resource that is, for the most part, reader-friendly and one that you will actually want to read and consult, Knitopedia should definitely make it to your book-buying short list.

Finally, my Tunisian II class. Mary Beth Temple taught a beginner Tunisian crochet class and an advanced section – both on Sunday. As we learned in class, she wasn’t initially supposed to teach an advanced Tunisian course in the afternoon, but broomstick lace. That got shelved by the Vogue Knitting PTB. However, since the beginner Tunisian class was so well populated, organizers might have wanted to play to that seeming strength. So much for broomstick lace.

 We were seven of us, plus Mary Beth, which worked out well for everyone. Mary Beth was very good at juggling the speed of the information given to accommodate multiple levels of knowledge, as well as provide good individual instruction. As you can see from the class samples I plunked onto my scanner, we learned an entrelac technique (and she provided instruction for one additional entrelac piece), as well as some Tunisian lace. The lace was taken from a Japanese Tunisian pattern book, and it is really pretty (don’t let my sample, done in a worsted weight yarn, fool you). The lace, as well as the chart reading exercise to accomplish the sample, was totally fun and something I can’t wait to do again.

One small, niggling issue: I asked Mary Beth if she had designed anything using these techniques, and she honestly replied no. I do appreciate and respect her honesty, but wished organizers would have thought about this prior to switching up the course contents. While Mary Beth’s instruction was fine, her knowledge depth on advanced Tunisian techniques was weak. Guess that’s my own 3+ years in the classroom talking.

Needless to say, I’m excited that I have so much to chew on from the conference. Stay tuned for more about … well … everything else, complete with photos, later in the week.

Crafting from My Shelf

As many of you know, in addition to textiles, color, and art, I love books. I’ve written about several books in the last few months – here, here, and here. I have a decent book collection (given my space constraints) that reflects my love of and preoccupation with humanities, philosophy, literature, law and craft.

I made a commitment to myself at the beginning of the year (well, it was really made sometime last fall): that if I used a pattern to create anything in 2011, I would look to my own book and periodical collection first. They're in my personal collection because I liked something in them. While it doesn't mean I won't add to my collection because, hey, I love books, it does mean that I'm going to give crafty priority to what I've already identified as stuff I like.

Sooooo .... I’m pleased to post my first project from my 2011 crafting-from-my-shelf commitment – my Purple Rain Scarf. Made from a pattern found in Sharon Hernes Silverman’s Tunisian Crochet: The Look of Knitting with the Ease of Crocheting, it’s a quick, fun scarf made with a luscious silk and mohair two-yarn combo (seen in the first photo above). It’s incredibly soft, yet surprisingly warm around the neck.

 Additionally, I thought you might also like to take a gander at my completed stole from the Japanese pattern I wrote about here. I added some Japanese silver-lined number 3 seed beads to the short ends of the stole for just a little spring bling. Since I made this with Berroco Pure Pima cotton yarn, I’m looking forward to wearing this when the weather gets just a little warmer and dryer.

Finally, I’ll leave you with a sneak peak of the next project from my shelf. The color is passionately eye-popping: