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? 

This and That

 Photograph: Alamy in The Guardian.

I was delighted to discover that beauty columnist Anita Bhagwandas writes about the latest beauty trends for black and Asian skin every month in The Guardian.  She has written interesting and useful articles about foundations, damaged hair, among others, and most recently, how to sport a gothic look.  Not what she calls the "full-pelt" Gothic look, but modified a one in which one facet - eyes or lips - gets the Goth treatment.  In her last column of the year, she will feature her picks for best products of the year. 

Staff at Into the Gloss recently interviewed Iman in which she talks about how she started modeling, makeup, aging, and being a muse for YSL (essentially a live, naked mannequin).  She looks fabulous at 57.  Absolutely inspiring. 

Knitting!  I finally decided how to finish a sweater I designed over a year ago.  Actually, it's a redesign.  The neckline and bodice turned out well, but the bottom is messy.  I learned the hard way that cotton yarn does not rib.  I knew that actually, but was so intent on getting the top right that I ignored the bottom.  So.  I decided to cut off the ribbing and knit straight down in stockinette.  An i-cord belt will cinch the waist.  I would have preferred an obi, but I can't find one in the right color.  I'm going to Vogue Knitting Live New York in January and hope to have it finished by then.  It may not be wearable, but it will be finished.  In any case, I can't wait to go to VK Live again.  It will be three days of yarn and makeup!

How was your week?

 

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!

Cabled Cardigan, Vogue Knitting Fall 2011

It's crazy to start a new knitting project with everything else I have on my plate but I couldn't resist this beautiful cardigan!

I'm making it in gray Amherst Valley Yarns.   I would love to have made it in the color shown, but I'd like to see the yarn first.  Maybe later.  Now that I've figured out the chart, it's coming along pretty quickly.  So if it looks OK when finished, I may make the green one too.  Can't have too many cardigans.  There are problems with the chart, but I found errata on Ravelry.

One of my knitting buddies, Deb, is making it too.

Burberry Prorsum Cable-Knit Trenchcoat and Leather Tie Belt

Unexpected inspiration!  Time for fall knitting...

Photo courtesy of Bergdorf Goodman

Click on the link for alternate views.

Description from the Bergdorf website: "For the Burberry Prorsum Fall 2011 collection, head designer Christopher Bailey drew on vintage 1960s looks.  He was especially inspired by the iconic looks of model Jean Shrimpton, and paid homage ot her at the runway show.  This trenchcoat looks places cable knitting - a traditional cold-weather staple - on a trim, moddish silhouette, with a thin belt adding structure and contrasting color."

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.

Churchmouse Yarn and Teas, Seattle

I never fail to visit Churchmouse Yarn and Teas, on Bainbridge Island, whenever I'm in Seattle.  Visiting yarn shops is particularly soothing, as we knitting types, know, but it was particularly so this time.  As I said in my previous post, the professional part of the trip was not a breeze, so being met at the door of Churchmouse with a glass of champagne brought an instant smile to my face!  The occasion was the celebration of the annual Puget Sound Yarn Crawl.  Had I done my research before hand, I would have found time to visit the other shops, and there are many in the area.  Each customer received a "passport" which each store stamped, and a free pattern.  

The store is beautiful.  The white paint and installations really bring out the beauty of the yarn they sell, as you can see below.  The photos are a combination of those taken on this trip and from a few years ago.  I particularly appreciate their collection of Habu, Socks that Rock, Koigu, Malabrigo, and Marianne Isager, which I've never seen anywhere else.  I'm sure you know her books, Knitting Out of Africa, Classic Knits, and Japanese Inspired Knits.

The vestiges of  Olga's trunk show were also there, making the shop seem even more familiar.

Next time I'll take photos of their button selection, needlepoint and tea sections.

I bought Churchmouse "Classics" Mohair Bias Loop for my travel project home, which one of the staff was wearing across her shoulders as in the picture at the top of the pattern below.

The pattern requires two skeins of Rowan Kidsilk Haze, but she had made hers by knitting the Kidsilk Haze with strand of Charles "Crystal."  The sequins are subtle, making the shawl particularly beautiful.

It requires a provisional cast on. One of the staff thoughtfully started it for me since she knew I was traveling and put it into my shopping bag. Nice, nice, nice!

And I couldn't resist these purple beauties:

The champagne, ambiance, and warm, welcoming staff humored me out of my snarly mood. I had a peaceful ferry ride back to the main land.  With interesting company I might add.  As at Nordstrom (see previous post), a perfect stranger sat down next to me to chat about my knitting project, and life in general.

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Attention Knitters! Join us on MLK Day

Monday, January 17, 2011 - 9am -1pm

Washington National Cathedral, Perry Auditorium (corner of Wisconsin and Massachusetts Avenues, NW)

Bring your knitting supplies to support the Washington National Cathedral’s celebration of “KING Across the Ages,” with the Interfaith Youth Action Group to knit hats for people in need!

Feel free to knit hats in advance and drop them off on the day of the event.

If you don’t know how to knit, don’t worry, we can teach you at the event!

To sign up: Meg Clifford Poole, meg@911unitywalk.org

Please stay for the AMAZING 2pm music celebration honoring the legacy of Dr. King !

For more information on “KING across the ages,” please call (202) 537-5251 or visit www.nationalcathedral.org/celebrate

 

Shirley Paden's Design Class (or... It's All About the Numbers)

I took Shirley Paden's Knitwear Design class at  fibre space last Saturday. I had unknowingly followed her designs for years, i.e. I loved many of her designs before I knew who had designed them. So I jumped at the chance to take a design class from her. We were told before the class that we would learn how to construct two types of pullovers, a round neckline with a Classic Body silhouette, which does not have any body shaping; and a V neckline with a double tapered body silhouette, which is shaped along the natural curves of the body. To prepare for the class we were asked to select a sweater silhouette, sketch a garment, select a stitch pattern and yarn. Finally, we were to knit one or two 8”x8” swatches, which Shirley calls “meaningful swatches” that achieve a more accurate garment knitting gauge.

Shirley showed her VideoBio (Click on Press, then Video/TV) at the beginning of the class, which included photos of her work and explained what motivates her and how she designs. Then she asked us what we hoped to achieve in the class. Most of us were interested in learning how to make patterns fit. Though we had been told that we would walk through accurately measuring a swatch, taking body measurements, writing a pattern, calculating yarn amounts, and measuring a garment, I don’t think any of us expected that we would spend a day crunching numbers without knitting a stitch! But in retrospect, we should have.

We paired off to take each other’s measurements, then Shirley began teaching us the formulas, asking us to do the math to determine the number of stitches and rows for a garment, the formulas to calculate decreases and increases for body and neck shaping, and armholes, and for a long sleeve. Someone (not me!) commented that there were computer applications to determine these things, which Shirley ignored. We spent the morning with our calculators. Danielle, fibre space’s owner, brought in a tasty lunch for us from a local organic deli, cupcakes for desert, and coffee. Shirley autographed our books, then we got back to the number crunching.

My brain was fried from too many numbers and too little yarn by 3pm, at which point I stopped trying to follow the calculations and just watched the others. I reasoned that I could refer to Shirley's book, Knitwear Design Workshop, to figure out what I didn’t understand.

I have to admit I got testy – had I paid good money just to take a math class? That long forgotten math-challenged fourth grader made her presence known! Shirley sensed this – she gave us a break from the numbers and told us a bit about her custom design business and shared some war stories.  She will design and knit a garment specifically for you for a fee; she always has several projects in the works; though she knits much of her work herself, she employs several knitters to help out, otherwise she'd never make money. Shirley also showed us an intensely detailed notebook dedicated to one design. No one asked why much of it was hand written, but it makes sense: if you are sketching something by hand, it’s handy to run the numbers by hand also. Perhaps she scans them into a computer system later. She resumed instruction by showing us the calculations for designing a set-in cap sleeve.

Looking at Shirley’s notebook was inspiring. I enjoyed looking at her handwritten notes, and sketches of stitch patterns. It was just the break needed for a visually-oriented person like me. She didn’t have completed garments with her (it wasn’t a trunk show after all!), which would also have kept me going over the course of the day. I suggested that she use photos of her known designs to illustrate teaching points.

Maybe because several of us were math challenged, thus slowing the pace a bit, we never got to apply the formulas to our sketches in class. Nor did we learn how to determine the amount of yarn a project requires - maybe Shirley tactfully skipped this part because it was obvious that most of us had not measured out our remaining yarn before hand as instructed. She did attempt to show us how to factor stitch patterns into a design, but I think she got too many deer-in-the-headlights looks to pursue this line of instruction! No worries – it’s in the book.

So, you’re probably wondering if I thought the class was worth taking. The answer is a resounding “yes.” And I would like to take several others.  First of all, I had not taken my measurements for years. In fact, I don’t know that I had ever taken detailed measurements such as shoulder width, armhole depth, raglan depth, neck width and depth, back and front torso length, wrist and knuckle, and a few others. Shame on me, but there it is. In addition to executing one’s own design, knowing the formulas is handy for those who want to alter patterns designed by others. I would never have thoroughly read through them in the book on my own (shame on me again…)  It would have been nice to have them before working on one of my current designs which includes an angled armhole. It turned fine, but having the formulas would have saved some time. Despite being pretty drained after class, I went home, ate dinner, rested a while, then plugged in the numbers for my design based on my measurements and desired silhouette, and cast on, working late into the night.

Shirley gave us a hefty number of helpful handouts that I referred to in addition to the book.  The teaching charts you see in the photos were included in the handouts as well as detailed illustrations showing how to properly measure oneself.  The book is a very instructive how-to and reference tool: there are chapters dedicated to every aspect of garment design from necklines to armholes, neckbands, collars, and lapels, a range of silhouettes, choosing yarn,  finishing techniques and more. It focuses on detail more than most other knitting books I've seen, and is perfectly organized.  It was interesting to hear that Shirley eagerly collects stitch pattern books, style and knitting books, and subscribes to a number of publications dedicated to predicting fashion styles and colors of the upcoming seasons (what are those called?)

She confirmed that there is a lot that a designer must work out on her own, by trial and error. Like the character of specific types of yarn and how they might behave in a pattern, though she also covers a bit of this in the book. And of course a designer must find her own inspiration.

Shirley Paden teaches classes in her hometown New York City and has a full book promotion and traveling class schedule. You can find her class schedules, Video Bio, and portfolio on her site.  She recently completed a very successful Webinar. Those of you who can't take her class should keep an eye on her site and the  Ravelry group,  We Love Shirley Paden! for announcements of other Webinars.

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.

Socktoberfest!

I started these many months ago and finished last night.  I'm pretty sure I used the Formula Toe Up Socks for All Sizes by Lisa Kay, for the lattice pattern, but did my own Turkish cast on and heel.

Yarn: Socks that Rock, given to me my Olga
Colorway: Korppi
Needles: US3

Artfibers, San Francisco

I'm back from a week-long business trip to San Francisco.  Though I seemed to have worked more on this trip than I do when I'm in the office, i.e. meetings all day and working through State's remote system at night, I got to see more of San Francisco than I usually do.  I managed to eek out some time to visit the newly re-opened Artfibers on Sutter Street.  You may recall that under new ownership Artfibers was moved to cheaper real estate in Pinole, 22 miles from San Francisco, but its customer base didn't follow it there, so they moved back to Sutter Street, thank goodness. 

ETA:  Artfibers never changed ownership.  Roxanne only moved it to a new location.  Sorry about the error.

Here's the owner, Roxanne on the right, with a customer.

I was happy to see that they still have the Yarntasting Lounge and they will help you develop custom patterns.  They also still carry some of their old favorite yarns like Golden Chai, Tantra, Kyoto, and Ming, among many others.

Bucket of needles in the center of the table.

I bought a cone of Golden Chai though I haven't knit up the cone Golden Siam I bought last time I was there.  It's beautiful and couldn't resist!

If you like vintage, there's a beautiful store, Torso, just next door to Artfibers.  I was astonished -  they carry real vintage, not just clothing and accessories a couple of years old.  I should have taken photos, but I was too busy looking.  Check out the site, it'll give a good sense of what they carry.

Penelope

I am knitting.  Yes.  I'm knitting a wool skirt in the round, Penelope, from Perl Grey Studios.  I picked up this kit while on a business trip to Miami a few months ago.  I made it all the way there without knitting project in hand, but I had planned to visit a local yarn shop anyway.

It was a cute little shop - can't recall the name, but the staff was very friendly and helpful.  But I have to say I was amazed that they only seemed to have wool there in June.  No warm weather yarn like bamboo, cotton, or silk.  The lone yarn shop in El Paso, a city known for its hot summers, doesn't carry any warm weather yarn either.  Why is that? 

Anyway, I fell in love with the semi-solid aqua color of the yarn, it's knit in the round, so it's easy.  I'll make it shorter than it is in the photo - probably around the knee.  It's got an interesting hem scheme that requires a provisional cast on then joining it to knit in the round.  I couldn't manage joining 200 some stitches without ensuring that it wouldn't be twisted, so I cheated.  I knit in stockinette until the correct number of rows for the hem were completed.  I purled one row to create the fold, then joined it.  That was much easier.

My guess is the cheat won't be visible since it will be on the wrong side.  If not, I'll have to frog.  I've done that before.  Whole sweaters, in fact.  I don't have as much time as I'd like to devote to it - I'm limited these days to knitting in transit to work.

Did you visit the Urban Decay sale at HauteLook today?  What did you buy?  It was wild - I think the traffic for the sale almost crashed the site.  I scored one of my favorite lipglosses, Gash, and some eyeliners, which are among the best.  I missed out on the eyeshadow primer.  Everyone wanted it and they sold out in no time.  I could have used in primer in Miami...my makeup lasted 15 minutes while I stood waiting for a cab back to the hotel.  Oddly, the only cool place was the beach!  I loved Miami though:  I loved the Cuban food, I got a good Cubano, the best Cuban coffee, and scored some Cuban bread, and mojo.  I'll just have to go back at a different time of year.