I just happened to find a review of the Artfibers in Knitter's Review last night that I concur with and it includes pix. I would only add that one of the shop's designers, Kira, was there and she was very helpful and knowledgeable. She showed me around the shop including the "tasting bar," where I could sit and knit swatches. They supply straight and circular needles and crochet hooks for customers to use. Kira left me alone to knit, checking up on me periodically to see if I had questions or to make suggestions. I bought Golden Siam, 100 percent Golden Tussah silk, to make a sweater,
and Rosetta, 100 percent cotton tape, to make a skirt in linen stitch.
For $2 Kira plugged my measurements and yarn gauge into a computer knitting application and created a skirt pattern for me. I hope it doesn't become "buttsprung," as my mother would say. Kira has some pretty cool designs on Artfiber's site, and on her own site, Kira K Designs.
If you make it to San Francisco, I highly recommend that you visit this unusual yarn shop. I hope I'll have a chance to visit it again along with the other shops in the city.
San Francisco, China Town
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Sounds like a really great trip! I hope I'm able to ttravel there someday.
ReplyDeleteCareful with the Tussah silk; make something really fabulous, that you will not wear often. Tussah is hairy and can look beat up after only a few wearings, especially at the underarms and elbows.
ReplyDeleteHow large was the cotton swatch? I don't want to sound like a bugaboo, but you may want to make a large
(8 x 8) swatch and treat it the way you'll treat the skirt. You can take the swatch to the dry cleaners; they may look at you funny, but they'll clean it. It's important, as cotton will shrink, which isn't a bad thing. I machine wash my cotton lace dresses in hot water, and throw them in the dryer; they shrink back to the right size.
Your skirt doesn't have to "butt out." Across the hip and but area, sew elastic thread through the purl sts. Or, depending on how much yarn you bought, knit an A line, slightly flared skirt, which will have less pull, than a pencil skirt.
The Rosetta is lovely, but that Golden Siam is just gorgeous!!!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful! I have only been to artfibers once, went as a new knitter and only walked out with a pair of needles!! :) Had no idea how unusual the store & its offerings til much later.
ReplyDeleteOMG! That place sounds divine!
ReplyDeleteI can't believe that you can sit there and swatch for FREE! And get a custom design pattern for yourself!
I must visit them when I go to San Fran!
I can't wait to see you use thw linen yarn
I've been following your trip to SF with interest (on Flickr). The swatches intrigued me and the yarn you chose is beautiful. I love the dark coloured silk. I've added nearly all your photos to my faves.
ReplyDeleteglad you made it to artfibers! i had such a good experience there. your golden siam is beautiful! i loved rosetta as well...kinda which i'd bought some!
ReplyDeleteWow, that shop sounds great. And the yarn you picked up is gorgeous!
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