Portland: Day Two

Day two in wonderful Portland began with another class at the Knit and Crochet Show. Jenna and I were both enrolled in the class, which was all about the ways of the sock. More specifically, the ways of creating Coriolis socks, taught by the inventor of this particular method, Cat Bordhi. Needless to say the class the filled. Sock knitters are nothing if not dedicated to their craft. However, Jenna and I are more casual about knitting socks, so we absorbed all of the great tips and tricks during the morning session of the class and decided to forego the afternoon session in favor of a bit of Portland exploration.

We hopped a bus to NE Alberta street in search of some crafty wares. This turned out to be a fantabulous idea as not only did we find tons of treasures, but there happened to be a street fair going on that day as well. Icing on the cake as far as I was concerned.

First Stop, Collage! This place is filled to the rafters with paper goods, scrapbooking materials, stamps, stickers, brads and crafty tchotchkes. It's nothing short of superb. I picked up some Halloween themed items as well as some stuff to make ATCs.

Next up, Close Knit! Okay, we didn't go there to purchase anything. Jenna and I had done enough damage in the Marketplace at the Knit and Crochet Show after all. However, when in another city, it is always good to go and check out the local fuzz. Close Knit is such a great store! Lots of stock from Manos to Rowan, including some hand-painted hanks from local makers. The staff was friendly and the feel of the place was wonderfully cozy. If I lived in Portland, I'd be there all of the time!

Our final craft stop on NE Alberta Street was Bolt Fabric. Another petite brick and mortar packed with quality stuff. Find tons of quilt cottons such as Mendocino, Pop Garden and Garden Party, unusual buttons, embroidery patterns, floss and a good selection of books. Definitely worth a perusal.

Damage to our wallets sustained, we hit a local taco truck before hopping a bus and cab to the other side of town.


Jenna sits propped against our chosen lunch venue.

Across town, Jenna and I hit Knittn Kitten. This store was a find! Vintage craft materials, fabrics, yarns and books. It's quite literally a thrift store for craft junkies. Brilliant to be sure! I increased my current collection of McCall's Needlework with a few purchases from this shop.

Our afternoon spent, we girls headed back to the hotel to freshen up for dinner with a colleague from the cube farm. Jeff and his wife, Mary, picked us up from our home away from home and we drove over to the Pearl District for a evening meal at Bay 13. There we indulged in a couple of bottles of Westrey Pinot Noir from the Willamette Valley to start, combined with Grilled Flatbread topped with mushrooms, carmelized onions and fontina cheese, Sweet Potato Fries with a side of horseradish aioli, Steamer clams in Thai chili, scallions and cilantro. We followed that up with seared Ahi Tuna, Maine Diver Scallops and Beef Tenderloin for our main course. Our plates looked as if they'd been autoclaved at the end of the meal. So, yeah, the food was good!

After dinner Jenna and I parted ways with our fellow cube farm inmate and spouse and hit the pavement in search of Powell's.

Oh. My. God.

If you are a bibliophile, then this is your heaven. Below is just one floor to ceiling bookcase of many in the craft book section of the store...



Amazing. I know I speak for Jenna when I say that I would move to Portland simply to be close to Powell's. Yes, it's THAT good.

Not a bad Day Two right? But wait, there's more...

How do two crafty chicks end a craftacular day in a fantastic city?

DOUGHNUTS!

Oh yeah, Voodoo Doughnuts...


Classic Buttermilk.


The ever popular Voodoo Doughnut, pierced by a pretzel.


My fave, the Maple and Bacon Doughnut. Oh yeah, two crispy strips of pork atop a rich maple glazed fried dough log...Yum!

All I can say is, thank God we had to walk 10 blocks to get to the Max...

Portland: Day One

Portland was a blur. Jenna and I flew into this fair city to our north last Thursday evening and began a whirlwind three days of Knit and Crochet Show participation, meet-ups with friends, eating, shopping and general jaunting about town.

Friday morning began with a bit of breakfast, pretty standard hotel eats, and a short Max ride to the Oregon Convention Center for the Knit and Crochet Show where Jenna and I then parted ways. She went to go get magical with the mobius while I immersed myself in hairpin lace. Now, if you've been reading this blog for any length of time, then you are probably aware that I am a sucker for process. Yep, I love to learn new techniques! So, when perusing the class listings for the Portland Knit and Crochet Show, I was immediately attracted to Jennifer Hansen's class and she did not disappoint!

The all day hairpin lace extravaganza was divided into two distinct parts: general technique in the morning and learning how to join the lace strips in the afternoon. It took me a while to get used to holding the loom and managing my yarn with one hand and working my hook with my remaining hand. Eventually, despite the trial and error, I did get into a groove and was churning out strips of lace faster than I originally expected. I still felt like a hairpin lace tard though.





After lunch, it was all about "the joins". As Jennifer explained, once you get the general technique of making hairpin lace down, the artistry happens when the strips are connected. She taught us several techniques beginning with the cable join. All joins were very interesting to work with and I was amazed by the variety of connections available. Also, Jennifer is a great teacher! If any of you ever have a chance to take this class at one of these shows, I highly recommend it. Hairpin lace is an awesome technique.

Intrigued? Go to Jennifer's website for more info and tutorials. Oh, you can buy her wooden hairpin lace looms there too...

After classes finished for the day, Jenna and I hightailed it back to the hotel for a meet and greet with one of my favorite bloggers on the planet...Jimbo!


Jimbo standing next to his latest and greatest hook, Diplohookticus.

This master of the hook and his lovely wife, Carol, whisked us away to their son's humble abode where we were wined and dined in style with their amazing family. Our evening runneth over with wonderful food, outstanding wines from the region, homegrown micro brews to make even the seasoned aficionado weep, not to mention great conversation and lots of laughter. I hated to leave! It was a special evening of very special people. And if this experience alone wasn't enough, Jim gifted me with a lovely rubescent hook...



It's stunning!

Jimbo, you're the best, bar none.

More to come...

And Away She Goes!

It has been either crafts or travel on this blog for some time now. This post differs little in that regard. Although, this time my upcoming travel is in the pursuit of craft, combining those two subjects quite nicely.

Where am I headed off to you ask? To Portland, Oregon, that's where!



Why am I headed to the middle of the Pacific Northwest? For the Fall Knit and Crochet Show peeps! I've already been to the Summer New Hampshire venue after all. Gotta try the show to my north. It's only fair.

Best part? My good buddy, Jenna, will be accompanying me on my jaunt northward. We have each signed up for two classes apiece. I'm taking Hairpin Lace with Jennifer Hansen while Jenna gets magical with the mobius and we both finish up with Cat Bordhi's Coriolis Socks class. Having been to this show once before, I have learned that less is more when it comes to classes. In New Hampshire I took 6 classes and well, I was totally burned out by the end.

In addition to class time, we girls intend to sup with Jimbo! Love this man. Cannot wait to meet him in person! Oh, and we have also planned a run to VooDoo Doughnut (and I mean run...got to work off all of the fried dough we intend to inhale somehow). There will be lots of other activities as well. I'll be blogging from Portland so as not to deprive you all of the blow by blow, or rather, the fluff by fluff.

After the show, Jenna returns to LaLaLand while I hop a plane to Vail, Colorado, for my annual work retreat.



Have no fear, even though there will be work involved, I also have plenty of fun stuff planned as well.

See you from the road everyone!

Sizzlin' Freeform

While in New Hampshire gittin' my crochet (and knit) on, I decided to take a freeform knitting class. Actually, I decided to take the class at the time of registration, months before the actual onset of the conference.

This decision deserves a little background. Now, if you haven't figured this out about my work yet dear readers, the stuff I conjure up is not exactly freeform-friendly. Okay, yes, it's free in conceptual form, but when it comes to the actual execution of the work, my crazy junk is anything but freeform. First and foremost, I write EVERYTHING down. I mean this when I say it. Every. Single. Detail. Is documented. I also regularly use Excel to mock up virtual garments and to model my garment measurement specifications before I knit or crochet anything. Oh, and I always, ALWAYS swatch.

So yeah, freeform? Ah, no.

Also, before I go any further I must also disclose the fact that I'm generally not a big fan of the projects I've seen produced by using freeform techniques, although I do like her work quite a bit. However, much of what I see just doesn't appeal to my aesthetic. If it's your thing though, I heartily encourage you to continue scrumbling away. Passion is a very individual thing after all.

So, despite my freaky control issues and my "ordered" aesthetic, I also happen to be a big process junkie, another factoid I repeat endlessly on this here green bloggidy, blog, blog. Process junkie girl, devious to the core, decided to give my inner anal retentive designer the slip, throw caution to the wind and signed me up for Colleen Davis' Embellishments class at the Knit and Crochet Show.

Armed with loads of leftover yarn or just stuff I bought while apparently suffering from a distinct loss of good taste (yes, we all know taste is a VERY relative thing with me) and my beloved Denise needles (really, I love these...use them constantly) I was prepared to freeform away! Seriously, upon stepping foot into the classroom I was scrumbling with Ms. Davis at a pace that made my head spin.

Within an hour and some change I had completed a hairy flower...



A hairy planet-like thingamabob...



A hairy rainbow...



And a purty green leaf edged in crocheted crab stitch (love that)...



I had fun!

Okay, I wouldn't dare use any of the hairy motifs I made for anything other than fond reflections of a scrumbling experience well done, but I did come away from the class with a distinct feeling that I would eventually break free of my anal retentive fundamentals and work plan-free.

Enter, LadyLinoleum's version of freeform...


That 70's Bacon

Yep, that'd be freeform pork strip-age!

Freeform pork strip-age crocheted using a teeny tiny little hook and beautifully shiny DMC perle cotton thread.


Mmmmm...Microwave Bacon

By Joe I think she's got it!


Barbie Dream House Breakfast Strip

No pattern.


SizzleLean

No real plan.


SizzleLean: The Sequel

And no publishing deadline!

Wooo Hoo!

Just you wait and see what I'll be scrumbling next...

Manchester: The Highlights

So, I'm back...for a day anyway. I hop another plane tomorrow. This time I'm bound for Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Expect posts from "rodeo country" the rest of the week.

Yeah, my life is just so jet set right now. Jet set with a suitcase full of dirty undies. I know, how glam!

Anyhoo, back to the goings on in New Hampshire...

Yarn, Hooks and Rock n' Roll

I have to say that last week as a whole is a blur. I took so many great classes and workshops that it makes my head spin to think back on the experience. Also, an aspect of this trip that I've only just touched on thus far, and definitely deserves more attention than I've given it, is the fact that I spent the entire week sharing this creative travel extravaganza with my mom and daughter. We three took many classes together, shared our daily meals and partook in a bit of collaborative geographic discovery. It just doesn't get much better than this!

Nonetheless, throughout the trip I would check-in with my two familial traveling companions because, let's face it, I was in the yarn zone, which is about as close to heaven on earth as I'm ever going get, and some people just don't zone out the way I tend to. So, I took regular "sound checks".

Everyone having fun?

Yes!

Everyone excited about learning new stuff?

Yes!

Everyone have room in their luggage to accommodate the amount of yarn we are purchasing?

You bet, it squishes down!

Okay, good. Just making sure that we're all on the same page...

We three yarnateers took some amazing classes together. There was of course Tunisian Crochet with Darla Fanton, Embellishments with Colleen Davis and Menopause Fairies with my extraordinarily talented friend, Noreen Crone-Findlay (Lena concentrated on making a PMS teen fairy for this class, which is pretty much the same thing sans hot flashes). In addition, when I was going solo and absorbing my various design workshops, Lena and Mom took a few crochet technique courses. They both told me that they enjoyed these classes together immensely.

Also of note this trip was the fact that my daughter was, I believe, one of the youngest, if not THE youngest, participants taking classes. Let me tell you all, Little Linoleum was unstoppable, picking up techniques faster than I could shake a hook at. In Colleen Davis' Embellishments class, which was primarily knitting-centric, Lena's level of creative exploration was neither quelled by the fact that knitting was the name of the game, nor did it have any effect on her ability to complete the class exercises. (Lena is primarily a crocheter you see.) While we worked, I quickly translated the various motif knitting instructions for her into crochet and she was off, whipping out beautiful leaves and flowers faster than most of the adults in the class could turn out. Her crab stitch edgings were perfection from the first stitch and she made piles of lovely flowers edged with picot. The kid is definitely a talent to stop and take notice of. Yes, I am very proud!

Meet n' Greets

So, days filled with yarn meant nights free to soak up the local color, so to speak. We had much fun exploring the area, having a chance to meet up with a few native artsy and craftsy bloggers native to this New England region. Boston with Deb and Maryse and Rochester with Susan!

What a treat!

You know when you meet people and the conversation just seems to flow? No awkward silences or looking at your watch? Yeah well this is how it is/was with these three amazing women!

You already heard about Boston so I'll spare you the replay, but I've yet to tell you about our visit with Susan! In a word? Lovely.

We three yarnateers were fortunate enough to be in New Hampshire for the opening of Summer Splendor at Artstream Studios. The show is beautiful as is the space in which it is installed. Oh, and the owner? Just awesome!

I don't know how Susan and I found one another on the world wide web, but it was definitely kismet. That's for sure. She's a wonderful painter, a really astute gallerist and just an all around amazing individual. Oh, and her husband and children are pretty darn sweet too. I'm so happy I was able to meet this woman!

And I agree Susan. We will need more time on our next visit!

Tidbits

Last week can only be characterized as a full slate. However, in addition to all of the above, I may have also opened up a dialog between a major publisher of craft books and Monster Crochet. Since meeting the Director of New Publications for said company on Friday and Saturday, we have since exchanged emails, a good sign.

Keep yer digits crossed...

Next stop, Wyoming!

I *Heart* Lily Chin

Day 3 in Manchester. It was beautiful this morning...



Today Mom, Lena and I had two classes a piece on the schedule. In the morning Lena and Mom took a woven crochet class while I took a design workshop with my girls, Mary Beth Temple and Amie Hirtes, given by the amazing Lily Chin.

As most of you already know your Lady of the Linoleum hails from Art World Central, far, far away from Downtown Design. So as a result, I am now trying to educate myself on the fundamentals of how to construct garments. This is why conferences such as the Knit and Crochet Show, offering a variety of classes for the design professional (no matter the level of expertise), are an attraction for me.

I was fortunate to register early enough to be able to get into Lily's class, Fine Shaping in Stitch Patterning. Basically, the premise of the class was to learn to use and modify pattern repeats according to the shaping and construction of a crocheted or knitted garment. Fascinating to say the least. Life-changing really.

First the brilliant Ms. Chin had us use our own measurements to create a personalized sweater template...



After creating the template and subsequent discussion, Lily gave us lots of amazing handouts from her book (which I already own, thank you very much) to aid us in our design efforts.



Lily then asked us to take out our homework assignments, which consisted of 8" x 8" pattern swatches along with photocopies of said swatches, so that the patterning portion of the program could get underway. We used the templates in the handouts to figure out how to modify a pattern repeat to accommodate a neckline...



and an armhole...



Pretty cool, eh?



Finally she showed us how to create interior garment shaping, using shell stitch as an example, by working up a swatch in class.



You can really see the shaping when the swatch is folded in half...



I have to say though that the best aspect of the entire class for me was how Lily described the act of decreasing ("popping a zit") and increasing ("growing a tumor"). Really. How much do you love that terminology?

After class I met up with Mom and Lena for lunch at the Red Arrow...



They make Twinkies from scratch at this dining establishment! I think that this is my new favorite restaurant.

Anyway, after finishing lunch we went back to the hotel for our second and last class. Mom, Lena and I took this one together, Tunisian Crochet with Darla Fanton. OMG, I love this technique! I cannot believe I didn't get my Tunisian hook on sooner! Lookie my little swatchie...



I think that Mom and Lena enjoyed the class too. Lena looks completely enthralled, no?



If you ever get a chance to take a class from Darla, we three Linoleum's highly recommend it. Darla is a wonderfully supportive teacher.

After class we made our way to the marketplace where Lena suckered me into buying her copious hanks of Koigu, Mom bought some hand-painted merino and I indulged in a small truck load of Habu fibers.



Stay tuned! More to come!

The Road to Manchester and Beyond

I'm so excited! I'm now officially registered (as is my mom) for the CGOA conference to be held in Manchester, NH this July. I even through my um, crocheted meat products (oh yeah), into the ring for the fashion show. I am really looking forward to this!

Anyone else going to the Knit and Crochet Show? You show me your class pics and I'll show you mine...

In addition to my upcoming East Coast excursion, I will be traveling Southward to Australia and New Zealand (I freaking love NZ) in September. So far all I know is that a will deplane in Sydney and again in Auckland. Haven't scheduled anything else yet. Any ideas are welcome.

Ahhhh, I love travel!

Scratch that. I love non-work related travel!

Next year the hubs and I are planning a trip to Mongolia. Yes, Mongolia! I need to be able to say that I've actually slept in a yurt...

Happy weekend everyone!