Vogue Knitting Live 2013 and Some Makeup

 

 

 

View from the 26^th floor Marriot Marquis in Times Square.  I could barely approach the window!

Thank goodness the snow arrived this week instead of last when I was in New York.   I went there primarily to attend Vogue Knitting  Live (VKL) at the Marriot Marquis, and while I would never have had to have left the hotel for VKL events, I wouldn’t have visited the Fashion District or shopped for makeup.  To get right to the point, VKL New York was a bit of a disappointment this year.  I arrived at my hotel about noon on Friday and went straight to the yarn market only ot find that it was a zoo already.  The usual complement of vendors were there, crammed into small spaces on two floors.  I had to fight my way into the Habu booth.  I was interested in finding some mercerized cotton yarn and any kind of Habu, but everything looked a big blur of sock and novelty yarn.  For the first time ever, I was faced with yarn and bought nothing. I was tempted this Habu Cotton Gima:

 

 

But I decided to just take a photo and order later if I decide what to make out of it.

I took one class on knitting peblums.  Granted, I learned something new, but I could  have done the same by reading instructions in a book or finding them on the Internet.  A class should have value added not readily translated into written instructions, in my opinion.  The instructor did have an interesting story about her work with Ralph Lauren, but it would have been even more itneresting if she had had a garment or two of her own design to show us and if she had shared more of her experiences as a knitwear designer.  The Vogue fashion show, so inspiring last year, was full of pedestrian designs and didn’t live up the Vogue name.  While the Marriott Marquis was comfortable hotel, the Hyatt, where it was held last year, was a better venue for Vogue Knitting Live.

This is not to discourage attendance to VKL generally.  I realize that these events are dependent upon hotel availability and the instructors the organizers are able to recruit; the Chicago class roster looked much more interesting for instance.  Also, there were a couple of three-day long design classes that looked interesting, but that I couldn't take because I could only stay in New York for two days. 

That said, it was good to be around knitters and my roomie, Diane.  We talked about knitting, design, bounced ideas off of each other, and tooled around the Fashion District looking for beads for her class, notions at M & J Trimming, and got a makeover for her at the Meatpacking District Sephora.  It was also great to see Shirley Paden, master knitter and designer.  Shirley, by the way, will be back in DC in February to teach her day-long design class and finishing class at Looped Yarn Works near Dupont Circle in DC, February 15-17.  I highly recommend it.  You can read my review here.

I also got to visit with my buddy Dustin Lujan at Saks.  Dustin works for Dolce and Gabbana Beauty now and gave me a beautiful makeover.  Here are some of the things I got:

 

I’ll write a full review in other posts, after I’ve had a chance to take decent photos, but will say that the taupes in the quad are a good match for my skin tone, which is unusual.  Most taupes just look like a blot of gray on my eyelids, but these look like a natural enhancement – i.e. actual shadows.  The green eyeliner works surprising well with the taupes, giving them a different look.  The concealer is the best I've used, and as others have said, the Passion Duo lipstick is luscious. 

Naomi Yasuda, celebrity manicurist and creator of Barneys Lady Gaga Nail Collection, was giving free D&G manicures that day.  Many of her nail designs are over the top for me, but she gave me a pretty lace and crystal manicure, which I will remove with great reluctance.

 

the crystals are not as milky as they appear in the photo.

 

I visited several Sephoras (they all seem to have different stuff).  The Times Square store had nail stations stocked with a variety of polishes and removers where customers can try on different looks.  I wish the Sephoras here had those. The stations were a mess thus no photos.  The stores in Time Square were just as crowded as the Square itself; Sephora did not seem to be sufficiently staffed to keep things in order.  The Soho store was just as crowded, but clean; had no nail bars, but they did have Edward Bess.  I wanted to look at his new eye shadow quads in person after seeing them all over the Net.  Given that eyeshadows look different on the eyelid than on the back of one’s hand, I should have tried them on, but they looked dupable out of my own stash, so I passed on them. 

 

The Meatpacking District Sephora was very elegant, which is not a characteristic that comes to my mind when I think of Sephora.  I should have taken photos, but I got totally caught up Diane’s makeover, then by actually looking around.  The store was bright enough to properly show the products, but not starkly bright like other Sephoras.  The walls were dark and potted orchids were scattered about.  Applicators and cleansers discretely placed around displays - so discrete they were almost invisible.  There were no cashiers; each sales assistant had an iPhone equipped with a price scanner and a credit card swiper.  Like the other stores, they carried Dolce and Gabbana and Giorgio Armani (surprise! I didn’t know Sephora carried Armani cosmetics).  Diane, who is not a makeup junkie, needed some basic products that she can apply easily and quickly with little fuss.   A sales assistant listened carefully to our requests and explanations, then sat her down at one of several clean and neat, mirrored stations and brought out some products out for us to consider. Here's what she got:

 

 

 

From top left:  Marula Facial Oil; Hourglass Illume Creme-to-Powder Bronzer Duo; Bite Lipstick; Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment; Makeup Forever eye pencil; Anastacia tinted brow gel; Dr. Jart+ Waterfuse Smart Gel (BB Cream)

 

The sales assistant was very good.  As Diane commented, she really heard what we said, and nailed suitable colors for Diane at the first go.  We were really impressed.  I enjoyed helping Diane navigate products, decide what she really wanted and would use, and make recommendations.  Now I want to shop for my other friends! 

I bought a couple of things there for myself too, and at Inglot, which I will review later. 

I did not see my DC knitting pals; I know that some stayed in Washington for Inauguration events.  Did you go to Vogue Knitting Live?  What did you think? 

Vogue Knitting Live New York (and a little makeup!)

Rockefeller Center

Warning:  this is a long and picture-heavy post!

Click on photos to enlarge.

 

I attended Vogue Knitting Live New York on MLK weekend.  Vogue Knitting Live (VKL) is a knitters' event with a little something for everyone:  classes at every level; fashion shows; a yarn market where major vendors and yarn shops sold yarn, needles and other related items; a Gala dinner; and a cocktail reception.

I went the yarn market as soon as it opened Friday evening and went directly to the Habu booth, of course! I knew I had to pace myself and not buy everything that evening, but I did buy a kit for a four-arm sweater.  The two additional arms are attached to the lower back and front, then tied on the side.  The mauve-colored yarn I wanted was already sold out in the first few hours, so it was mailed to me later.   I also bought two skeins of Shosenshi paper linen in a beautiful, new indigo color and one cone of red silk stainless steel yarn to play with on the train home.   I also succumbed to two skeins of yarn with feathers attached, which I will use to border the black cardi I'm making, and a leopard-print knitting bag.  I think that was a fair amount of restraint for me! 



Habu Four-Arm Sweater Kit, Habu Silk Stainless Steel Yarn in Red, Habu Shosenshi Paper Linen Yarn in Indigo, U-Knitted Nations Plumes in Black

Kinokuniya Bookstore had several tables of Japanese pattern books and I was surprised to see that they had Setsuko Torii's Hand-Knit Works (pictured below right), which many of us went crazy over a few years ago. It was so hard to get copies of this book, so I was amazed to see a stack of them there. I still love the amazing patterns in this book.

Habu Booth, Setsuko Torii's Hand-Knit Works

My friend Diane Bloomer introduced me to jeweler Cara Romano who had a booth next to Habu.  She makes the most sophisticated felted jewelery I've ever seen: pins, bracelets, necklaces, and earrings among other things. My photos don't do her jewelry justice. Check out her site for better photos and lists of places where she sells and exhibits her beautiful objects.

Check out the photo of the bib necklace in the background behind Cara!

The fashion shows were fun too.  The professional runway models and elegant styling were inspiring.

 

Vogue Knitting Live Fashion Show

There were many panels, some free, others not, on a variety of topics including lace, knitting trends, design, color, and the business of knitting.  I attended "When Knitting Becomes a Career," moderated by Melanie Falick. 

Panelists were, from left to right, Debbie Stoller of Stitch-n-Bitch, now Editor in Chief of Bust Magazine; Norah Gaughan, Creative Director, Berroco; Kristy McGowan, Designer and Author; Erin Slonaker, Editor in Chief, Yarn Market News and "Mintyfresh" to us Ravelers!); Betsy Perry, President, Classic Elite Yarns; Trisha Malcolm, Editor in Chief, Vogue Knitting; Kirsten Kapur, Designer; and Laura Zander, Owner, Jimmy Beans Wool.

Melanie asked the panelists a number of questions, most which I've forgotten, unfortunately.  I do remember that most of them came to knitting as a hobby - Mintyfresh was studying nuclear physics - and made a conscious decision to go into the knitting business.  They just, in the spirit of Tim Gunn, made it work.

I took two classes, one on short rows, and another on knitting sideways. I know how to do short rows - I use them to turn sock heels, but I wanted to learn how to use them to shape garments.  Math and formulas were involved, as in Shirley Paden's design class, but using them is not nearly as complicated as I had thought! The teacher, Laura Bryant of Prism Yarns, was very good and brought lots of knitted garments to show how short rows can be used.  The ruffled peblum on the cardi she's holding below is made with short rows.  I'm sorry I didn't get a better photo - it's gorgeous cardi.  The pattern is available on Patternfish.

Laura Bryant, Short-Row Savvy

The knitting sideways class was good too, mostly for what I learned in the first few minutes of class.   Teacher Leslye Solomon took a few minutes to talk about yarn choice for side-to-side constructed knits.  It's critical to use yarn that does not stretch too much.   She used my current project to show how a garment knit from bottom-to-top stretches when hanging: she asked me to measure the left front, which I did by laying it on the table and applying the tape measure - 29." Then she held it up from the top allowing it to hang free, and asked me to re-measure - 32." This 3" difference isn't that big a deal my bottom-to-top wool project, but could be disasterous in a garment constructed sideways. She showed us how to manipulate a swatch on short blocking wires to determine how a yarn might behave. 

Leslye Solomon, Knitting Sideways Class

I can't recount exactly how she did it - fortunately, she owns a yarn shop in nearby Baltimore, where hopefully she can show me again. 

It dawned on me that the cardigan I designed using the formulas I learned in Shirley Paden's class may have turned out too large not because I miscalculated, but possibly because I used bamboo yarn. Apparently bamboo is notoriously stretchy. This could be useful for some patterns, just not for the cardigan I designed.

I had a wonderful brunch at Norma's at Le Parker Meridien Hotel on Saturday morning with Brooklyn friends Sauniell and Tammi, knitters both.   We talked so much that I didn't think to take photos of the three of us!  Thanks Sauniell and Tammi for joining me.  I'm looking forward to that Brooklyn foray you promised! 

Thanks Diane, for inviting me to share a room!  I enjoyed our late night discussions about knitting, your knitting commune (hi, Nancy!), and other stuff.  It was good to catch up.

VKL was held at the Hilton on the Avenue of the Americas within walking distance Bergdorfs and Barneys where I did a bit of cosmetic shopping. 

I picked up a Tom Ford brow sculptor, Shape and Illuminate contour cream, and couple nail polishes, Kanebo Sensei and Edward Bess lipsticks at Bergdorfs; some Sunday Riley and Beauty is Life products at Barneys; and Dolce and Gabbana powder foundation and nail polishes at Saks.  Reviews to come!

Habu Spring Shawl

A couple of you remember my obsession with this Habu Spring shawl.  I looked at it online literally for years, inhibited by the $180 price tag.  Somehow I separately acquired the Shosenshi paper linen yarn and the cashmere required for the shawl, and the pattern itself.  When I started knitting it, I discovered that I didn't have enough cashmere and that the color I was using was discontinued.  I couldn't find it anywhere, or any substitutes that even remotely matched it.  I also discovered that I couldn't achieve gauge. 

Jump ahead to Winter 2011 - I found the shawl on eBay for half the price!  But by now, I had already bought enough yarn equal to the cost of the kit.  I should have just bought it in the first place.

Anyway, I'm happy to have it.  But I'm still not getting gauge in width or length, no matter what I do.  Given that it is a rectangular shaped garment, the width isn't as important as length.  You see, the leafy panels and stockinette panels are knit separately, then attached by picking up stitches on the edges lengthwise, then joined by a three needle bind off.  The knitter should begin first by stringing 121 beads on the yarn used for the bind off, then holding the right side  of the pieces on the outside and the wrong side in the middle, bind off, which hides the "wrong side" seam. The beads should be slipped between the stitches.

Still with me?

I barely have the patience to write about it, let alone do it.  And besides, as I've said, I can't knit the correct gauge for one piece, let alone matching gauge so that the joined pieces aren't skewed.  Frankly, cutting and rejoining The Coat was easier.  So.  The plan is to join the panels with hand-sewn chain stitch, picking up the beads as I go along.  Fingers crossed.

I still expect the unexpected with this shawl.  Stay tuned.

Habu Hempathy Skirt Pattern

I finally finished writing the pattern for my Ralph Rucci-inspired Habu Hempathy Skirt.  It is available on my Knitwear Design Page.  There's only one pattern there now, but there are more to come.   It is also available as a .pdf download on Ravelry, but I can't link it to the blog at the moment.  Many, many, many thanks to Deb and Olga for their much needed advice, editing, and modeling.   The original post can be found here.

Rock and Republic "Tempting" Eyeshadow

It's so frustrating when makeup lines are discontinued.  Prescriptives?  Gone.  Tony and Tina?  Gone.  Tony and Tina made the best brushes.  This Rock and Republic eyeshadow in "Tempting," has become one of my favorites.  It's hard to tell from the photos, but this rich taupe has a hint of mauve in it, and anything that is even remotely in the purple family always captures my attention.  Well, not everything, but this is well done. 

The shadow is richly saturated with a bit of shimmer, but not frosty. I imagine it will look great with a plum eyeliner and plum or purple mascara. I bought it during a two-day sale on one of those online sample sites. It's sold out on the Rock and Republic site, so I'll be keeping eye on eBay.

For those of you who are interested, Stila goes on sale Monday, Aug. 23 on Hautelook and Urban Decay on Wednesday.  (Full disclosure: the Hautelook link is a referral link.)

I have been buying more makeup than yarn lately, thanks to a natural inclination and Oprah's discounts last month.  I bought deeply discounted products that I've dying to try.  I'll post those later as well as the Colourmart cashmere blend that arrived last week.  I'm not sure it matches the Habu but it's beautiful!

Blog Change

I inadvertently changed my blog last weekend.  I wanted to install a label cloud and while tinkering I clicked on "upgrade," not realizing that I would lose data.   Further tinkering recovered many of my links, but my buttons are gone.  I suppose in this Ravelry age, not many of us are collecting buttons and badges anymore (are we?), but I wish I had mine back just for sentimental reasons.  They reminded me of the knitting contests I entered, the knit-a-longs I joined, the first knitters I met online.  Even the bars that showed the projects I never finished!  I know that as I read your blogs I'll find some of those old buttons and I will attempt to recover them.   I won't revert to the Classic Blogger - I've discovered that the newer version has many features I like that aren't available for Classic.  But I wish I had saved my old blog's HTML code before I started playing around.  Be warned.

Tinkering is easier and faster - and more dangerous - now that I have a new laptop.  I'll continue to refine this blog, and hopefully be as pleased with it as I was the last.

I am still knitting.  The shawl is stalled again.  The yarn that I thought was right, wasn't when I took it out into the sunlight.  I need the knit police here to advise me.  I have one more source to try:  Colourmart.  they make an interesting looking silk blend in a colorway called "Lemonade."  They've been out of it forever. 

Decided to check - they had one cone left!  I hope it will be a better match than what I'm using now.  If not, I know I'll use it for something else.  Priscilla made a pair of socks out of it and it was beautiful.  In the meantime, I'm working on a skirt from a kit I bought in Miami a couple of months ago.  Photos will follow later. 

I got some useful make up tips this week.  The first came from Afrobella in a blogpost entitled "Stop the Shining."  I didn't follow every step because I don't have all of the products, but I used the Smashbox primer that's been sitting in my train case for years, which made a big difference in this humid weather we're enduring right now.  So, step by step, I applied  in the following order:  primer, tinted moisturizer, my new tarte bronzer,

then finally loose translucent powder.  The primer improved the look of my makeup and it faded less than usual.  I also have some of those Tatcha Aburatorigam Blotting Papers Afrobella raves about.  I swear by them. 


Rather than apply powder directly onto my oily face, I blot first.  I've experimented with several brands of blotting papers including Shiseido; Papier Poudres, which are so small that I have to use two sheets every time I blot my face in the summer; some drugstore brands and others. The Tatchas are faves these days.  They're bigger than most and don't leave powder behind.  I haven't seen them here in the DC metro area - I bought some in San Francisco a few months ago, and they're available online at Tatcha.com, with free shipping.

By the way, we're entering the last week of Oprah's deals.  Beauty Habit  is offering 25% off its products, code word OPRAH at check out.  They sell Tatcha blotting papers too. 

The second tip came from a woman I met in passing.  Her makeup was lovely and I had to ask what products she used.  Turns out she studied at Barbizon way back when, where she was taught to use flesh-colored (whatever ever matches your skin color) eyeshadow as a concealer.  I thought that was a brilliant idea especially for women of color.  I have dark circles under my eyes these days that I struggle to hide. I've  used several products, most of which only do a so-so job.  I use Giorgio Armani Master Corrector in shade #2, which really does work, but in this humid/oily season, powder eyeshadow might be even better.  I bought Urban Decay's Naked Palette which has a matte color that's perfect for me.  Wonder how eyeshadow might even out skin tone on other parts of my face.

I've also read on a few blogs that if you're having trouble finding tinted moisturizer, you can make your own by adding a few drops of your foundation to whatever moisturizer you use. 

Back to purging makeup and stuff.  I'm having a hard parting with makeup - it's kind of like my attachment to Habu.

Habu Paper and Cashmere Spring Shawl

I started working on this shawl and its burgundy twin two years ago, but was stymied by instructions that appear to be full of mistakes and miscalculations, and ran out of cashmere required for the six cashmere-only "Ears of Grass" panels, and to strand with Shosenshi paper on the stockinette panels. 

The cashmere is A-34 in colorway 1305, discontinued by Habu because of inconsistent production. It has a more greenish cast than pictured here.  I hoped to find some somewhere else on the internet, whether a retailer or owner with extra, but no luck.  Habu owners tend to hold on their yarn even if they don't know what they want to do with it.  No criticism here - everyone knows that I hoard Habu too.  Finding a substitute yarn has proven difficult too.  Even the other yellow-greenish Habu cashmere isn't quite right.

So since I can't calculate exactly how much I'll need because the gauge estimates in the pattern appear to be wrong, I've decided to knit a panel with two plies of cashmere instead of three to see how it looks. If I like it, I'll knit all the panels until I run out.  Hopefully I'll have enough to to complete all six.  Then I'll strand one of the substitute yarns with the Shosenshi for the stockinette panels.

I'm using a US4 and 4.25 needles instead of the US2s called for to get six 4 inch cashmere-only panels, and US6 instead of the US3 for the seven 7.24" stockinette panels.  That should create a 20x74" shawl. 

Let's see how this goes...

Habu Hempathy Skirt

I always start things a bit late.  I didn't know there was a Ravelympics 2010 until two days into the Olympics.  Without a second thought, I jumped up and grabbed some yarn out of my stash and began knitting this skirt.  To be fair, the concept for this skirt had been stewing in my mind for a while.  It was inspired by a Ralph Rucci collection and Habu stainless steel.  And I needed a black skirt.  I quickly knit a swatch, determined the gauge, then cast on, using US4 Addi Lace Weights. 

The body of the skirt is knit with black Elsebeth Lavold Hempathy.  (I don't know why it looks blue in the photos.)  I will probably use Habu Tsumugi Silk next time.  The transparent bands are Habu Silk Stainless Steel.  They are placed to create the effect of a short skirt, offset by the below-the-knee total length.  I wanted somethiing conservative for work but not matronly.  It also had to be modest when sitting.  The skirt is knit in the round, has a provisional cast on hem, and an elastic waist band.  A simple and quick knit, completed within the two weeks of the Olympics.

I am pleased with the outcome.  My model/knit-sibling Deb makes it look even better.  I'm grateful that she agreed to model it for me, and had the patience to endure the twenty or so shots I made.  Thanks, Deb!

YPF: MSWF Loot

I was intrigued by this roving. it's 100% wool. Most people told me that it needs to be combed, but I ran into a woman who told me that she spins it as is. As usual, the colors drew me to it.

Before Deb, Debbie, and I left for the Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival Sunday morning, I told Deb that I absolutely did not need any more sock yarn since I have plenty, and my sock knitting mojo seems to have left. What did I buy? Sock Yarn! What was I thinking? It was predictable, I guess.

I couldn't resist these lovelies. From left to right:
Pagewood Farm Hand Dyed Sock Yarn (purple and red, how could resist?); STR Lightweight "Scum Bubbles;" more Pagewood Farm Hand Dyed Sock Yarn; STR Lightweight "Pond Scum;" Creatively Dyed Yarn "Ocean;" Sock Hop by Dancing Leaf Farm, no colorway specified.

Here's Dianne, owner of Creatively Dyed Yarn, doing a brisk business. We had to wade through lots of mud to get to her tent. I guess I haven't mentioned that it never stopped raining the whole time we were there.

Not for one freakin' moment.

Entering the Main Building.

The Fold. I can't believe I actually got into the booth!

Sock Hop by Dancing Leaf Farm

I bought more roving too.

Corriedale, by Grafton Fibers

Blue Moon Fiber Arts Handpainted Roving

100% Merino Wool

Though I love what I bought, I thought the roving selection was small, and few of the colors appealed to me (maybe it was all sold Saturday?) So I bought this too:

Non-toxic yarn dye. Doubly, what was I thinking??? Well, actually, I was thinking about that beautiful over-dyed Sundara yarn that I was hardly ever able to acquire. It sold out in seconds. Anyway, I already dread the mess. And I have to learn how to get the colors I want.

Finally, a new spindle was at the top of wish list. Here's my new Bosworth drop spindle.

I almost bought a Golding too, but decided that I'd get one later. Maybe at Rhinebeck, if I go, or next year. Look at this big Golding wheel. It was beautiful.

Chakra Cotton Spinning Contraption, seen at the Bosworth booth.

The most amazing thing about the day is that I passed this up

Habu!

I've never passed Habu without buying some.

The Coat

I finally finished The Coat. I was determined to take it to Moscow because I didn't have much else to wear. So I did the minimum finishing possible, i.e. just enough to hold it together and not have strands of yarn showing (shame, shame!). I have not woven in the yarn on the interior pockets. It still has no buttons and I didn't do the slip-stitch edging as instructed.

I love it, even though I suspect that all the alterations I had to do to it caused my summer-long knitting hiatus. I love it, though I wish the collar would stand up more like this all the time. A little starch maybe?

I love wearing it with slacks, and full skirts, and pencil skirts. It dresses up with a crystal brooch as a closure for the ballet or dresses down swinging open with a pair of jeans. I love it with turtlenecks and v-necks. I love it with pearls and I love it with tiny Russian icon pendants. It travels well and dries nearly overnight.

ETA: It's been so long since I've posted a finished object that I forgot to add some important details:

Pattern: Washi and Tsumugi Coat, Hand-Knit Works, by Setsuko Torii
Yarn: Habu Shosenshi Paper and Habu Tsumugi Silk, knit together.
Needles: US 6 Addi Lace Weights (perfect for the paper and silk)
Mods: I will make it again, but I've learned a few things. I knit the top as one piece, which meant no shoulder seams and makes it more comfortable to wear I think. I knit straight across the back, which would have eliminated grafting had I been more mindful of the size. I will make the sleeves longer next time. It has always been necessary to extend the length of the sleeves on most of my garments and I simply forgot this. As is the sleeves are 3/4 length, which actually works out just fine, but I wish I had been more aware. The pattern was an X-Large, I think, rather than a Large as the pattern was labeled. I will be more mindful of size and fit as I knit next time.

Nicole: I would be happy to help if you have resumed working on your Coat. You can post here or e-mail me at Ava.R.Smith AT Gmail.com. I would be happy to help anyone else too.