Vouge Knitting Live NYC

Good Morning Everyone,

Vogue Knitting Live in NYC this past weekend, was quite an experience.  The crowds of people in the market, and the amazing booths were overwhelming at times, but so much fun.

Most fun for me was catching up with some old friends and making lots of new ones.  

I left Pawling at 8 am Saturday morning on a cloudy, gray day, with some flurries falling, and arrived home to a winter wonderland of trees that looked like they were covered in cotton balls, and streets covered with snow.  My friend, Carol, was with me and she had the job of getting us home from the train station. All was well.

Some of the sights from VKL, enjoy

One of the first people that I ran into was Nicky Epstein.  Nicky's booth with all the wonderful doll cloths from her books, KNITS FOR DOLLS AND CROCHET FOR DOLLS was a big hit with all, especially the young set.

Gabriela Serigatto and me

I had the pleasure of meeting Gabriela Serigatto www.gabrielaserigatto.com, a young, talented, fashion designer from Brazil. Her work blew me away.

 I had to stop by and see Steven Be, Steven always surprises.  The sweater he was wearing actually had some kind of film rolls knitted into it and some other unusual things. When Steven invites you to dance, even if its on the floor of VKL, who could resist?

Always a pleasure to see Kristin Omdahl, designer and author of several books. Kristin told me that this was the first time that she had her very own booth.


The fantastic display of red crocheted doilies by Ashley V. Blalock www.AshleyVBlalock
was so magnificent, truly beautiful.  Unfortunately, Ashley was not present when I was there, so I did not get to meet her.

Another Artist that I got to meet was Carol Milne, www.knittedglass.com. Carol's sculptures were so unbelievable, my photos do not do them justice. I could not capture the detail with my phone camera and the lighting just did not work.

Some other fun stuff, The Yarn Company's booth was represented by several companies.

Me and Richard 

The Verdant Gryphon, with Gryphon(owner) and Hitomi (dancer).



Artist Kelly Fleek, with her amazing creations wwwkellyfleek.com

I hope that you enjoyed visiting Vogue Knitting Live with me.

Stay warm and safe, yet another storm heading our way right now.

Margaret

Fun Gifts for the Needleworker

Good Morning Everyone,

We had a rainy, windy day yesterday and it washed away all the snow.  It was a warm day for New York in January, so no ice to deal with (hooray!).

I was packing away all the Christmas things, and contemplating all my lovely gifts and I thought that you might like to see one of them. My daughter in law, Marianne, always manages to find something special for me. This year her surprise was a new iPad cover. My iPad is the original one, and my cover was getting kind of shabby, but I could not find a new cover. I was toying with the idea of knitting or crocheting one for myself, but this is what I received as a gift.  I don't know how she does it, but always a nice surprise.

Marianne gave me a knitted calendar, that looked like a long bell pull.  The dates were printed on the fabric, and each day you unraveled that day. When I got to July, I had quite a large ball of yarn. So I cut the yarn, and started a new ball. At the end of the year, I had two balls of yarn, my year "unraveled".  The recycler in me thought "what can I do with these 2 balls of yarn?". 

Well this is what I did with them, I turned them into a scarf, and put it in Marianne's Christmas stocking :-).

Have a great day,

Margaret

Goodbye 2013

Happy New Year Everyone,

Last year, when I did a post called "GOODBYE 2012) it was my most read blog post to date. Since then I had another blog post (The Clog Blog) Which was my all time most read blog post. Literally thousands of readers checked that one out.

Here it is, another year gone by, and as I look back, it was another eventful year.  A year filled with highs and lows. Some great happenings, and some not so great.  I read somewhere once "that you do not know when you are on a mountain top, unless you have been in the valley".

My year began with trying to finish up loose ends on my book RUNWAY CROCHET.  It was a fun book to do, and I had lots of help from fellow designers.  I had just come off a rough year and I was so grateful for such talented friends - Shelby Allaho, Ellen Gormley, Tatyana Mirer, Shannon Mullett-Bowlsby and Sharon Hubert Valencia, all contributed designs.  Gwen Blakely-Kinsler, founder of CGOA, recently reviewed the book and you can see her review here.

http://crochetqueen-royalramblings.blogspot.com/2013/11/book-review-runway-crochet-by-margaret.html

At the same time that I was finishing up RUNWAY, I was starting on GRANNY SQUARE FLOWERS. Unbelievable, one book not quite finished, next one in the works already. GRANNY SQUARE FLOWERS was my second book on beloved grannies.  Isn't it wonderful, from Runway fashions to Granny Squares in the same year! Lots of room for both in my world.

My first book on granny Squares "THE GRANNY SQUARE BOOK, was doing so well, I was asked to do another.


                                            

                                                       
                 

First Granny book was so popular that it has been translated into Italian.  Some of my other books have been translated into other languages, but this one is the first in Italian, so it is a little special to me.  Besides, I have a bunch of new friends from Italy on Facebook, such fun!

I'm afraid I got a little over the top with the Granny motif. While at the conferences, I was wearing my granny square sweater, my granny clogs and made granny square cookies. Never enough of granny, she's been good to me :-)

Early in the year, I had finished with the loose ends on RUNWAY, started second Granny book, finished that one and no sooner was that one finished, started on another (title still under wraps, but due out soon).  If that wasn't enough I am now working on another new book (also still under wraps). Should keep me busy for awhile.

In addition to all the books, I did several workshops throughout the year.  I attended and taught at CGOA events in Indiana and North Carolina. Did book signings at several events, like the New York Sheep and Wool Festival and Stitches East in Hartford, Ct.

Visited and taught workshops in two really lovely shops, one in Middletown, NY,  one in Wallingford, Ct. Met so many wonderful people had such a great time.  

Here are some photos from my workshops and visits, too numerous to post them all;

Yarn Tasting at the Yarn Box in Pawling, New York, such fun, about 84 people attended the festivities in the newly renovated shop. Marie, owner of the shop, and Erlinda, from Cascade yarns provided yarn, food and fun for all.

                    American Needleworks in Middletown, New York

American Needleworks in Middletown, NY

Country Yarns in Wallingford, Ct

                     Lauren at Country Yarns in Wallingford, CT.

                      Hooked on Dutchess, Poughkeepsie, New York

Even had time to make myself one new sweater, featuring one of my favorite things, the 
butterfly.

Have a wonderful, happy and healthy New Year,

Margaret

Blog for a Snowy Day

Hi Everyone,

I have been a little busy and procrastinating about blogging for weeks now, but being snowed in yet again, has given me a some motivation. I started out the day doing a little (very little) housework, wrapped a few gifts, finally put away the Halloween/Thanksgiving decorations, did a little work on phase three of current book, baked two batches of biscotti, knit on current project for 1 hour, now on to blog.

My fall was filled with workshops and conferences, and I had such fun. Students have been sending me photos of their work and I love seeing them.  It makes me feel wonderful - so - in no special order, I would like to share some of the photos with you.

This is precious little Scarlett, wearing the jumper from my newest book, GRANNY SQUARE FLOWERS, The yarn is Red Heart Luster Sheen, and Scarlett's Grandma presented her with the jumper.

I was invited to do a Free Form workshop at Country Yarns, in Wallingford, CT.  Lovely, charming shop, and most enthusiastic students. We had a wonderful time and we were fed a fabulous lunch.

 Lauren, owner of Country Yarns, trying to relax after a busy day, believe it or not, she is winding a ball of yarn, see the swift mounted on the side of the shelves. The sweater on the Right is my new design in Lucci Yarn.
.

The bags that the attendees were working on were turning out to be works of art. It was an all day workshop and we were running late. Everyone was having such a good time, but they had to get moving. Most were all packed up and gone, before I remembered that I wanted to take some pics, so I only got a few. The lovely lady, with the beautiful bag in the back (whose head I cut off) is Linda Ruth Tosetti. She is granddaughter of the late, great, Babe Ruth.  Meeting her was one of the high lights of my day. She gave me photos of Babe, for all my grandchildren.  For my NY group he was pictured in Yankee Pinstripes and for my MA group he was in Boston Uniform. Such fun, the kids loved the photos and all were autographed by Linda. Others in this photo, Brenda, left front, and Chris.

Linda sent me a photo of her finished bag, isn't it just gorgeous?

                                          Karen and Joy, sharing their beautiful work

In this photo Rachel (far right) was my helper for the day, thats Janey (center)

                             Below are some photos from Stitches East in Hartford, Ct.

Marly Bird, me and Drew Emborsky (the Crochet Dude).

Me, book signing at The Elegant Ewe Booth. I am totally Grannied out, Granny sweater, Granny cookies, Granny Shoes, what fun!

                                                            Drew Emborsky and Me

Did a quick change, left Granny behind, I'm at Country Yarns booth, showing off my 2 patterns in Lucci Yarns, the blue one is Knitted, the Toast color one is crocheted.

That's all for today, hope you enjoyed the pics, I'll have to leave some of the others for another day.

Happy Holidays to all and a very Happy, healthy New year.

Margaret

October is over

Hi Everyone,

Well October is gone, (I cannot believe it) and I promised several blog posts on the conferences etc and just never got to it. I was determined today to finish up some stuff, and I am taking a little break to post some photos from the events of October.

Here I am with Twin1 and Twin 2, we had a lot of fun with the twins!

At the banquet and Fashion Show with 2 of my students, Jessie Anest Rayot and Lorene Haythorn Eppolite.

Doris Chan modeling and clowning Joan Davis' loungewear

Brandyce, from Lion Brand Yarns, modeling the Grand Prize winner. This dress was so stunning, photo does not do it justice, Brandyce looked gorgeous in it.

Jody and Me enjoying the festivities

Two more of my students at the banquet

Susan Lowman, Amy Shelton, from Crochetville, Marcy Smith, from Interweave and Doris Chan at Fun Night, all wearing versions of Doris' Star Wars Dress.

Rita Weiss and Me, Rita was just inducted into the Jean Leinhauser Crochet Hall of Fame.

Janet and Me. Janet was the student that I did not recognize as being a student of mine several years ago.  I was describing an incident when I tried to change a student's mind as to her color choice and how wrong I was to try to do that. Suddenly, Janet raises her hand and tells everyone that she was that student.  Was my face red, good thing that I was only saying nice things about Janet's bag. I will not forget Janet again :-).

Juanita was another student in my Free Form Class and Juanita's work was beautiful. 

Juanita's shawl that was made using many different motifs from a very old book.  It was just beautiful.  Juanita was part of group that translated all the old patterns, and the shawl was her project with them all.

Hope every one made good use of their extra hour today, I just did :-)

Margaret

October Madness

October started off with a long drive to Concord, North Carolina to attend the Knit/Crochet Conference. We (Nancy and I) decided to drive because we had so much stuff to carry. Well, I had so much to carry, Nancy traveled a little lighter than me, and did most of the driving.

I was teaching four classes and doing some book signings, so I had a really busy week ahead.
The conference was a huge success, and we had lots of fun.

 One of the highlights of the Conference was Rita Weiss' induction into the Jean Leinhauser Crochet Hall of Fame.  I was last years inductee, and loved that Rita was chosen. We are two of the remaining members of "The Old Broads Club". Jean being the first inductee and founder of the "club".

 I had a few funny things happen during the week, but my favorite moment happened in my Free Form class. We got on the discussion of color, and I was telling the story of a student, that I had years ago, who came into class with all black yarn. I tried to discourage her from using black. But she was determined. Her finished bag was absolutely gorgeous and won all kinds of accolades, ending up in The Lacis Museum of Textiles Fibre Exhibit.  I saw a hand go up, and one of the students said "that was me, Margaret".  You could have blown me over with a feather! Good thing that I was saying all  nice things. I had seen Janet the night before and we said hello, but I honestly did not remember that she was  the student who I had tried to discourage. You can be sure that I will not forget Janet again :-)

Me and one of my favorite people, Barbara Hillery Van Elsen. Not many people know that Barbara is the reason that I am even teaching at conferences. Barbara "met" me on line quite a few years ago. Barbara was then president of the New York City Crochet Guild, and she invited me to teach at their retreat weekend. I was fairly new to the Internet, and even though I had written a few books and designed for magazines, I had only taught locally. I did not even know about guilds, retreats and conferences. Barbara opened doors that I did not even know were there, so a great big "Thank You" to Barbara.

Me in the middle, Randy Berne Cavaliere and husband Tony, having more fun at the conference.  Tony was such a good sport, almost always being surrounded by tons of women with hooks and needles in hand.

Much more to come on conference and other October events, but out of time now.

Have a great day.

Margaret