Chez Ange

(Above, Angela's appartment in black and white)

I only brought one pair of shoes with me to NY, thinking that it would be ok. I was SO WRONG! I wore a pair of Arche slip on flats that are relatively comfy in the office or on a short walk. Oh how I really missed my Birkenstocks and Dr Scholls!

I stayed at my friend, Angela's apartment. She recently got a job at a construction management company, so her place is still bare. But I like it.

DAY ONE
First thing I did was go to Sephora, the Mecca of cosmetics. I really love their Lip Markers. It stains really well, and I don't worry so much about it rubbing off. I window shopped most of Fifth Avenue. I used to care more about looking at clothes because I was in that business, but now that I specialise in sweaters, it narrows down my interests.

I planned to visit five stores that day, and I did all of them, exhausted as I was. Generally a good reaction from most store owners, and some said that they would consider buying from me soon after the shop empties what they have since their shop is already filled up for Fall.



(Above, Sephora, Lion and the Lamb, Knitting 321)

One thing NY has a lot of, other than shopping, is great sushi. We had sushi for dinner. They tend to have a lot of interesting cobinations that are very tastey! Toronto is not so much like that in terms of sushi combos.



DAY TWO
It was a pretty exhausting day again. One of the maps was totally off by 4 blocks. The shops were quite spread out and far apart from each other. I also visited Purl. What a happening spot! It was so crowded when I got there! It was quite unbelievable. I met Joelle , who very nice, even though she was obviously so busy! Took time to look at the sample, and wish me a nice time in NY and good luck.



(Above, Knit New York, Downtown Yarns, Purl)

After all the visits were done, I hung out for a bit on Spring/ Broadway. I also visited the Marc Jacobs shop on Mercer. I am a HUGE fan of Marc, border line stalker (I found his studio once when I was in NY in high school). But I refrain from being that pathetic.



(Marc Jacobs Shop on Mercer)

DAY THREE
Ce'est la weekend! So we shopped. I think Soho is really the best place to shop, for low boasters like me. I bought a silk dress and later on went back to get their $9 t-shirts from Club Monaca. I also got a pair of Lacoste shoes (may be appropriate for tennis?).



(Above, Mercer Street, Broadway, Dean and Deluca)


DAY FOUR
We woke up really late. Went shopping again. I didn't really get anything. Stayed in for dinner, and caught a movie. We saw Broken Flowers. We didn't know what was playing and picked this one based on how reputable the actors were (Bill Murray, Sharon Stone). Movie turned out to be pretty cool. Unusual, had an interesting concept. Also saw the trailer for Everything Illuminated, which I really want to see when it's out.

DAY FIVE
Last full day in NY. I had a couple more to go to. Yarn Co turned out to be closed for Monday. But I found a home decor place that had really cute laptop bags for 20 bucks. They came in really cute colors, simple cut and shape, nice material. I almost didn't believe the price tag! I bought the fuschia one for myself and a red one for Angela, who was such a delightful host. I don't actually have a laptop. I am using the bag to carry papers for work.

DAY SIX
I had to go back to Yarn Co for my last stop. Meanwhile I visited Zabar's across the street. I bought Lindt chocolate for my brother, whom I promised I would buy. I am a fan of dark chocolate. But one of the Lindt bars I bought was way bitter. I think I will melt it and make hot chocolate with it.



(The Yarn Company)

I actually couldn't wait to go home. The city is just so hot, comparable to being in a hot weathered country. The subways are extremely stuffy. So I caught a shuttle bus to the airport and waited two hours.

New York is a nice place to visit. But to live there? I think I would be broke all the time (there is nothing better to do than shop there). But I think I am really a suburban person. I like peace and quiet. It's nice to get out once in a while to change things up. It makes coming home all the more sweeter.

Home Sweet Home

I am glad to be back, as much fun as NY is, home is better. NY was very hot out. I was constantly dripping of sweat, and looking for air conditioned shops to take cover (supermarkets are the best bet). I suppose in my case, I felt the weather so much because I am constantly on the move.

Will talk more in detail with pictures soon (including my pilgrimage to all the yarn shops). Right now I'm just glad to be back.

Ready to go...

I'm leaving for NY in a few hours. Eeeeeee! I made some last minute changes to my sales kit this morning and last night. So now I am fully prepared. I just hope the store owners are in when I get there and that they are friendly and willing to listen! Check back next week to see how my yarn store marathon goes!

While I am there, I hope the sales are still good or better. I do need some new clothes to replace ratty old t-shirts and jeans. One thing I'll have more than enough of is sweaters for winter when the yarn gets here.

Be Right Back...

Past week has been preparation for NY. It's a lot of work to do. Making sales kits (company bio, price lists, order ferms, etc.), which also includes all the design and graphic work. Some things I dread doing at first, but once I get into it, I really can't stop working on it. I read somewhere about a study that says entrepreneurs have a manic obsession for their work. I must be one of them...

Please note if I don't post this week, I'll be back next Tuesday or Wednesday.

Friday, day off

One of the perks of working for oneself is picking your own hours. Flip side is making every minute a productive one. Working in an industrial plaza, I don't get to go downtown a lot. I took the day off yesterday to buy some trims for a dress I am making for my cousin's wedding. Mokuba (pictured below) in Toronto is always a great place to find just the right trim.

I also met up with a good friend and classmate of mine for dinner. We also hit all the major stores to see what was in for Fall. I spotted a lot of open-knit sweaters, shawls, shurgs. Very cute, but one thing- all with acrylic blend and low percentage of natural fiber. It's getting rare that you will find a sweater using good quality materials in a major shopping mall, unless you're talking high end. Check out the cute knitted bags below, very cool, but ouch, $1050!!! Yeah, it's Valentino, for that, it must be handknit. Another reason I love knitting. Knitting your own is cooler than buying.

A bit of country...

Though I am mainly a suburban girl, I do enjoy getting out to the country every so often. This weekend, we went blueberry picking in New Castle. A plentiful berry fram with row upon row or blueberry bushes. We stopped by a , I guess what you might call the country shop for some fresh corn, and noticed some very large onions!

New York, here I come

I decided over the weekend that I would go to New York City next week to try to get some pre-orders in until the actual arrival of the yarns which will be late September. As it turns out I don't have much time! Especially since I will be away for nearly a month in October. I have assistants that will get the orders out while I'm away, but it means I have to prepare everything in advance. Wish me luck! Pictures below are from my last NY trip two years ago.

Big Lovely Cardies

Oh I just can't wait until the yarns arrive so I can knit a big cardigan sweater like the ones in the picture. Lucky for us knitters, a cardigan like the ones in the photos below (Dolce &Gabana, Y & Kei) would cost upwards of a thousand dollars to buy one at a high fashion department store! The funny situation that having studied fashion has put me in, is that I insist on high quality clothing now, which makes it more and more difficult for me to shop! Most well priced retailers don't pay very much attention to detail and that the materials they used id going to last over one season. We live in a very disposable world right now. I still find designer steals ocassisonally, but I shop with a conscience. I think most knitters would agree that a lovingly made sweater lasts a lifetime!

This time of the year is always slow...

Not much knitting going on here at the moment, but a lot of cutting and pasting as I await the shipment to arrive (a long wait). I've been preparing these color cards.

Everyday Knits

You might have read about this group in Vogue Knitting (holiday 2004). They are called Cast Off: the Knitting club for Boys and Girls. They're a group based out of London that gets together to knit, but not in the conventional sense, like say, a coffee house. They meet up at places like the V&A, or the London Underground, riding the tube's Circle Line (which goes in circles). And they do exciting things like take trips together.

Recently, they opened a show at The City Gallery, called Knit 2 Together: Concepts in Knitting. The show features artworks that are knitted. See photo below.

If you get a chance, catch it before it closes September 10th, 2005. Be sure to check out their website to find out more about the group, and don't miss the wacky photo gallery!

Speaking of knitted not to be worn objects, check out the second photo, why yes, it's a knitted eggplant! What a cute little market they created! This took place at a trade show in Italy. Hopefully I will be lucky enough to attend next year.

Haute Knitting

What a dream job it would be to be an haute knitter, that is, a knitter who does the knitting for the couture houses. Yes, it's a real job! (However, very seasonal, and dependent on current trends, means whether of not you work)

Pictured below, a huge bulky sweater by Alexander McQueen, featured in American Vogue around 1999. This photo has been not only an inspiration to me, but also a former boss of mine! One day while organizing storyboards, I noticed this pic on one of them, five years after that issue was published. Still very current. Also pictured is a runway shot of couture show for Dior. Galliano is always so fun and perhaps un peu fou! I can see Gwen Stefani wearing this for a cover shoot.

I'm already thinking about Christmas...

Time has been passing quickly, and I'm not sure if I can get everything done in time for the Christmas selling season. I had initially hoped to have the yarn shipped to my office by early September, but no such luck. The mill estimated that it won't be shipped until September/October! That really cuts my selling time short, and I hope stores will still be able to carry my line before Christmas.

On the lighter side of things, I do have my label finished. I decided to go with a smooth fine business paper in cream. Picture d below, a stash of Fable labels.

And it's August already! Not much time before I leave for the Asia trip. Means I better prepare, book tickets, collect addresses, etc. I'm planning to knit a passport holder to wear around my neck or across my shoulders. Let you know what I come up with.

Pretty Eyelets

I've been obsessed with knitting eyelet holes lately. I'm planning to design a sweater using this pattern. Pictured below is a picture of Gisele in a Versace knit dress (where I got the idea from), and a swatch of a pattern I knitted this weekend.