Vogue Live, Chicago -- First Entry

I promised photographs from our recent trek to Chicago for the Vogue Live, Chicago expo, held at the fabulous, old Palmer House Hilton in the loop........I've collected images in three separate entries, so have a wonderful time looking.  And have a look at the Vogue Live website.  These things happen periodically in places like Manhattan and Chicago. 

The vendor areas occupied the 3rd and 4th floors in the hotel and looked more or less like this:

I have dubbed this guy the show's mascot (see the full-length view in a later entry):

I saw some of the most drop-dead beautiful stuff I've seen in years -- as with this collection of crocheted scarves and shawls made by a French company using Madgascar artisans (a fair-trade company, I hasten to add).  Enlarge the photos to get a close look at the workmanship -- all of which was basically unaffordable for ME, but probably not for people with a bit more money, and I really do applaud the determination to give women what their labor is worth:

.....and finally, just LOOK at this amazing full-length coat:

Now go on to the next two entries!        svb

Vogue Live, Chicago -- Part 2

We found all kinds of friends, and more than a few interesting CRITTERS:

Here's the handsome Damien of Blue Heron Yarns and his partner Miguel (also handsome):

...Here is the glamorous (you owe me ten bucks, Leslye) Leslye Solomon of New York, who owns Woolstock -- a great yarn operation -- and who designs great sweaters (and teaches a fabulous Continental knitting class, not to mention creating a fab video on the subject):

Also get a look at this guy -- a yarn bowl -- we bought maybe a dozen in different styles, made by a nice couple from Russellville, Kentucky:

........but my all-time fave critter is this guy.  You figure out how they did it.  I gave up.  For a close-up of his face, see the first Vogue Chicago entry.

Now go on to Entry Three!     svb

Vogue Live, Chicago -- No. 3

From the great Vogue Live, Chicago expo at Palmer House, Chicago this past weekend.  Here are some of the more outrageous moments.   

First, one of several small crocheted baskets made from old video tape -- priced at 500 dollars and up (the one shown here is only 5 inches in diameter and carries a price of $ 550 !!!!!).  I vividly remember Kathleen, who once worked for us, making things out of video tape maybe five years ago -- if only she'd known to put huge price tags on it.  I call this outrageous.

   ...and then there was this felted art-knit, which is at least unusual and diverting, entitled "Together":

....and some pretty cool art-knitting in mobile form (click on this one to enlarge it):

...not to mention these water-color drawings of knit stitches (I'd like to own one of these):

.......and then there was the collection of KNITTED PRESIDENTS -- one of which was the 44th President of the United States.  Recognize him???

So you see, it wasn't just about yarn and garments and inspirational classes!    svb

Vogue Live, Chicago...

On Friday, Larry and I drove (fast -- I was behind the wheel!) to the Palmer House Hilton in Chicago'sdowntown loop to attend Vogue Live, which began with an event in Manhattan some years ago and has now spawned a number of regional Vogue Live expos.  I didn't take the time to register for a class, even though the offerings were appealing.  (In any case, the two I might have taken were closed when I finally found time to look carefully).   Instead, we went to the market, maybe 75 vendors, which occupied the 3rd and 4th floors of the hotel.  I'll say more when I have pictures to post, which should be tonight or tomorrow.  But, for now, let's just say that there were high-quality vendors, but perhaps too many SHOPS.  When I go to an expo, I want to see the makers themselves rather than a collection of yarn shops.  That's not to say we didn't find anything interesting.  We did.  But it was mostly from the makers who DID attend.  And of course it was a joy to talk again with the members of the Windy City Knitting Guild, who created Polly Esther Cotton (the big sister of our own Rita Merino).  So -- more when I next sit down to write.  You might want to check up on the Vogue LIve events, though.  The class offerings are interesting -- a lot more instructors from Europe than at, say, Stitches' various expos.

In the meantime;  Here is a great shot out the hotel window!!!!  svb 

Third Coast Dates and More.....

It looks like the Second Annual Third Coast Fiber Arts Festival will occur on Friday and Saturday, October 25-26, 2013, in the same wonderful location, with a fresh list of fabulous fiber-arts workshops and vendors galore -- this time all on street level (better light for those previously housed on garden level).  Stay tuned for details.  And mark calendars.

In the meantime:  Let's knit and crochet!  I'm going to create a 3/4 length nubby cotton coat from Prism Calypso in three reddish/burgundy/teal colorways.  I'll keep you posted. 

I also have in mind getting the Detroit City Council to declare the Saturday of the festival Knit and Crochet Day Detroit.  This past year, I did up a resolution patterned after the one that the Atlanta Knitting Guild crafted -- adopted by the governor of Georgia (Knit and Crochet Day Atlanta) to mark the Saturday of the then-new Stitches Expo South.  So why not in Detroit?   If anyone has a good idea as to how to get the resolution before the city council, PLEASE drop me a note at artisanknitworks@comcast.net, or leave a comment here.  Jocelyn Brown of the News suggested last year that I simply call Charles Pugh.  But we ran out of time, and the City was dealing with a major  budget crisis at the time.  I still have the resolution -- need only to change dates.  Ideas?  If we could get this simple resolution adopted, we could send it off to Pure Michigan, etc., and increase the event's reach and exposure.

More soon.

svb

Hold onto your horses.....!

Hold on....we have to reschedule the second annual Third Coast -- two people made a mistake with their calendars.  Stay tuned!!!!!!!!!!!!!!    svb

Tantalizing Tidbits....! (with revision!)

No time for a serious entry about Third Coast.  BUT.   New dates are September 27-28, 2013.   And I have commitments from (BLARE OF TRUMPETS) Laura Bryant, Barry Klein, and Candace Eisner-Strick.  How's that for openers?

ALERT:   I just added Chris Bylsma!!!!!  and Edie Eckman!   (Tuesday, Oct. 16)

I'm now contemplating a great big, wide, simple  3/4 coat of very nubby, chunky weight cotton, hand-dyed by Prism -- seams on the outside, stubby sleeve pieces maybe folded back -- really really really simple, elegant, the kind of thing you can just throw on.

More later.

svb

New Dates

Before I go off for my delightful birthday dinner at Shin Shin in Windsor, across the river from Detroit -- a wondrous cafe that has been my fave since they first opened god knows how long ago -- let me tell everyone that the date for the Second Annual Third Coast Fiber Arts Festival likely will NOT be the 13-14th of September, 2013.  That's Yom Kippur.  So -- we are looking at the 28th.  I'll keep yhou posted, though.   Now off to celebrate being HORRENDOUSLY OLD.   svb