Leather Impact

This week I went to Leather Impact (256 W 38th St, New York, NY 10018, Cross Streets: Between 8th Ave and 7th Ave leatherimpact.com, (212) 302-2332 ), a very high-end leather store right in the middle of the fashion district. Why leather? Because Leather Impact has the most beautiful leather bands...

I use leather bands to tie knitted coats together, like this one:

I made this coat a few years ago, and my search for the perfect leather band brought me to this store. In order to close the coat, the leather had to be tied every time it was worn, so I was very particular about quality. Leather impact has an entire wall of spools filled with the most gorgeous colored leather straps imaginable. The quality is great, and the leather lasts for years without wearing out.

Aside from hides of various kinds and straps of all lengths, Leather Impact used to sell collars. I bought a vintage Eskimo jacket a few years back--our pugs (which have since happily moved upstate to a large garden) chewed the beautiful, luscious collar off after I left my coat unattended for a day. My husband was shocked. "That brand new coat, what are you going to do with it now?" It did look pathetic. "No problem," I said. I jumped in the train and rode up to Leather Impact, where I found rows of the same kinds of collars. Triumphant, I returned in the afternoon. I brought my coat to a tailor and had him sew it in for 10 bucks. A 20 dollar investment made my coat look better than it had when I first bought it. Although I did not see any collars when I went in this time, I did find this:

My mind immediately started thinking about what kind of knitted piece might be able to carry of the gold fringe...

One thing that I feel compelled to say here, although I don't want to get into an extended argument, is that I don't believe in animal cruelty. I know leather is a complicated subject, and I know there are some terrible things being done to animals, BUT, I do eat meat, and since I support that industry, even if I try to buy only "happy meat," I feel it would be hypocritical to criticize leather. I'd much rather see the skin that is left over from cows used for clothes than thrown out to rot in a landfill.

I have recently read that a lot of wool sheep are treated abominably as well. It will not stop me from knitting, but I will try to buy wool from animals that have been treated well. I believe in supporting small farms that try to make a difference (i.e., small mills and dyers), just like I try to support fair trade coffee plantations and organic farms.

To read about cruelty to wool sheep, you can go here: www.savethesheep.com.

Leather Impact was founded in 1999 by a man named Francois. His mission was to find very high quality leather of many kinds. Francois died in 2002, leaving the business in the hands of his son, Dimitri, who now runs it together with his partner, Marina. The store works with about 10 tanneries, seeking out the best items in each location. Custom dyes are available upon request. Some of the leather is printed or painted. For knitters especially, the lamb skin begs to be cut into strips and used as luscious collars:

The nice thing about this store is that they sell to large companies, but also take the small folk seriously. You can by one leather band, or one yard of leather, or you can by 12 hides, or 120. The staff is very friendly and patient. Personally, the smell of leather makes me a little intoxicated, kind of like the smell of really good coffee... I left in a bit of a haze and wobbled along on my bicycle for a couple of blocks before I found my bearings.

Happy 3,000 Visitors!

3,000 visitors. How exciting!

Thank you all so much for staying with my blog, helping me out when I need it, and reading every week!

(picture by bakerella)

I really appreciate it!

Daytona Trimming

I had so much fun exploring my new playground between 35th and 39th Streets and 7th and 8th Aves. ! Greg, from Stitch and Bitch, was nice enough to give me the names of a few stores, so I looked them up. The first one I visited was Daytona Trimming (251 west 39th St. NY, NY 10018, Telephone(212)354-1716, Fax(212)391-0716 e-mail daytrim@worldnet.att.net, http://www.daytonatrim.com/).

I had never seen so many ribbons in my life!

Yet more ribbons!

and yet even more ribbons!

What can I say, I got intoxicated (or perhaps beribboned)!

Just in case you were wondering: here's what ribbons are used for (from Wikipedia): A ribbon or riband is a thin band of flexible material, typically cloth but also plastic or sometimes metal, used primarily for binding and tying. Cloth ribbons, which most commonly include silk, are often used in connection with dress, but also applied for innumerable useful ornamental and symbolic purposes; cultures around the world use this device in their hair, around the body, or even as ornamentation on animals, buildings, and other areas. Ribbon is also sometimes used as a package sealer, on par with twine. A typewriter uses a cloth or plastic ribbon to hold the ink.

They also sell lots of buttons...

Daytona has been in business since 1946. Now that is longevity, especially in New York! It is one of the oldest and most established fashion buisnesses in the fashion district, and carries ribbons, jacquards, fringe, bead trims, sequin trims, lace cords, rhinestone trims, feather boas, sewing needles, sewing thread, knitting needles of many kinds, wool & sew on... I was so blinded by all the ribbons that I somehow completely overlooked the yarn (silly me), but there are some very nice pictures of it on the daytona website...

There is also a whole section of sewing patterns, which I always find practical for knitting as well.

When I was there, the store was very busy with lots of different kinds of people, some fashion students, some very focused pattern searchers, a few giddy kids in a "candy store"-- I felt right at home. On the way down I had thought for a second how crazy it is that I use my time away from my kids riding my bike to fashion land, but walking around and seeing all the exciting things around me (trimming stores, button stores, zipper stores...), I thought that if I were away from them at all, this is where I would want to be!

Thanks Greg, for the tip.

Vardhman Inc. (formerly known as Unique Knitcraft)

I had gone to Vardhman (269 West 39th Street, between 7th and 8th Ave, New York, NY 10018, 212-840-6950, http://www.vardhman.us/) a few weeks back, but initially decided not to write about it. I was still reviewing pure yarn stores, and I had expected to find a "unique knitting store", because I was looking for a store called "Unique Knitcraft" (the previous name of the store before it moved--it changed its name when it stopped being a retailer for knitted sweaters and became a supply store, but it is still listed that way on a few Ravelry lists).

When I walked in, I found the yarn to be a marginal part of the store, upstairs--away from the main space. I have to admit I was a little dissapointed. I dropped the review, and mentioned it in a Ravelry thread. One woman took offense. She said the store had a rather wide selection of yarns, and she thought it deserved its space.

I let that sink in. Maybe I was being a bit dismissive to ignore the store purely because it carried other things besides yarn. Knitters get their yarns in all kinds of places, and Vardhman is a place where you can get a many different kinds of yarn for very little.

When I looked for the pictures I had taken, I realized that my camera had jammed. I hadn't downloaded them, and fixing the camera would cost more than the darn thing was worth, so I went back this week (new camera in hand) and took new pictures. Being in the store for a second time made me realize how wrong I had been to discard it in the first place.

There is one wall of neon acrylics, but the store also carries alpaca and silk by various discount and non-discount brands. The obligatory Red Heart and Lion Brand are mixed in with Universal, Rosetti, Patons, Lily, Skaacel, Ironstone, and yarn from a German company called Schoeller+Stahl, which makes a very nice cotton. I found Fibra Natura baby merino, Eden Silk, Alpine, and a very nice cotton yarn with sequins, which I grabbed to take home. A couple of baskets of machine knitting spools showed that the store caters to more than hand crafters. The "needle wall" was also quite impressive. Plastic, metal, and bamboo needles of all kinds mingled together. One staff member pointed out that they carry every single color of DMC needlepoint ribbons.

Downstairs, Vardhmans carries all the "accessories" one can imagine: walls of buttons, trimmings, zippers, scissors, rulers, boas, sequined ribbons...

If all of this sounds familiar, it is. Vardhman is a smaller version of P+S Fabrics (without the fabrics). It is a treasure trove for people on a budget, as well as for people who are shopping for finishing touches for their knitted, crocheted, or sewn creations. It's right in the middle of the fashion district, so it can be integrated into a long afternoon of treasure hunting for "fashion stuff", which is what I did. I thanked the staff for letting me take pictures (again), stepped out onto the street, and went treasure hunting in the surrounding area... (more on that next week :-)

P+S Fabrics

When I first moved to New York, Broadway was full of old fabric stores--one after the other. You could get lost in them for hours, or even days. One by one they gave way to boutiques: Guess, Mango, Scoop, shoe stores that sell Timberlands and Uggs... Even Canal Jeans Company closed its doors in 2002 (it has since opened back up in Brooklyn). Since I don't go to lower Broadway often, I still expect to see stores in their old locations--Pearl River, or the American Indian store that has moved at least twice. I get very confused when I suddenly see something on the other side of the street, momentarily questioning if I am going North or South. That's why I really enjoyed walking into P+S Fabrics (360 Broadway, New York, NY 10013, USA
Phone: (212) 226-1534) today, finding a little piece of the old Broadway that I used to love.

(the cash register)
Away from the hustle and bustle of tourists outside, I found some true New York characters at P+S, starting with its manager, Mark. I asked Mark if I could take pictures of the store, and he said, "Sure, no problem." (He himself was rather camera shy.) P+S has an elaborate yarn corner that stretches out on three walls.
.
The yarns are mostly discount, Lionbrand (basic Lionbrand, not LB collection) and Bernat, but the store is looking to expand it's selection and will be adding a few more companies from Italy and Austria. P+S is a great place for beginners who want to try their way without breaking the bank.

Aside from yarns--and fabrics, as the name suggests--you can find all kinds of useful things here: boas (synthetic and feather), a huge selection of buttons, needles of any kind (crochet, knitting, sewing, needlepoint...), pattern books, pins, memory wire (to make jewelry), beads, bag handles, fabric dye, shoulder pads, velcro in any width, zippers, pipe cleaners, felt, self-sticking felt letters, and ribbons...

...fabric paint, elastic sewing thread, needlepoint hoops, scissors, tassles, lace hems, and a huge selection of sewing threads...

Downstairs I found more fabric, upholstry, pillows, and foam. P+S is also affiliated with a store in Brooklyn that sells sewing machines.

When I finished browsing, I spent some time at the cash register, waiting to ask Mark a couple of questions. The store was pretty busy. Most of the customers were trying to bargain down the already reasonable prices. Not a problem. Although Mark was very clear on what he was willing to do (or rather not willing to do), he gave each offer consideration. At some point, one staff member approached him while he was on the phone and asked what fabric she was holding. Mark ended his call gently, saying "Wir sprechen spaeter" (Yiddish for "We'll talk later," which I understood because it is the same in German). He grabbed the cloth, lit a lighter, burnt a corner of the fabric, sniffed it, said "silk," and then handed it back to the woman. When I asked to pay for a spool of thread with my card (I had foolishly handed all my cash to my husband earlier), he waved me off and said, "Pay next time."

This is how I remember New York, and this is what I have always loved about the city. You can still find these little enclaves, almost like little kingdoms with their own rules. I asked Mark how long the store had been there, and he told me, "About 25 years." The P+S stands for Palatchik and Spiegel, two partners who originally started the store together. It has always carried fabrics and looks like it will continue to do so for another 25 years or more... As I left I wondered if I might walk out and suddenly find myself 15 years younger, on the old Broadway, in some movie where time is turned back inside of a fabric store. But the banner hanging above the exit jerked me out of my fantasy:

So I stepped back out to the stream of people, and made my way back home for dinner...

I'm featured on the Lionbrand Blog!

Hi Everyone,

I have two announcements:

Very exciting news! Lionbrand Studio just featured me on their blog. I used their yarn for my friend's wedding present, and brought it into the store to show it off. Patty, the Lionbrand manager, took some pictures of me in the sweater (it's a bit short on me, but the pictures show off the pattern nicely), and the store just blogged about it...

Please go and visit, it's beautifully presented.

Here is my friend Erin on her wedding day:

(The picures were taken late at night)

I also wanted to share a very beautiful design by Tanis Gray that I just finished. This is Anna with Tanis' Bartlett Cowl. I used her original pattern, but I changed the yarn and color. Because of the yarn change I added a couple of stripes to make it longer. I think Anna looks glorious, and now she can't wait for the fall so she can wear it!


:-)

Stitch And Bitch Cafe

Stitch & Bitch Café (147 W 35th Street, New York, NY 10001, Suite 807, (212) 268-4321 http://www.sewfastseweasy.com/) is located on the 8th floor of a fashion district building. I had a hard time finding it at first, because I was looking for an actual café on street level. I stood in the building staring incredulously at my piece of paper until a very friendly woman exited the elevator and used her blackberry to help me research where I needed to go. It turns out that Stitch & Bitch Café does not mean coffee and cake, but a virtual café, which is how the store started.

Greg, a partner at Sew Fast Sew Easy, which runs Stitch & Bitch Café, explained to me that the Café at the end of the name was a leftover from the time when the store was in a different location and everyone hung out and worked on either sewing or knitting projects. It was also the name of an online guest book. There was a conflict with knitting author Debbie Stroller over the use of the name, which has since been resolved. At some point, the company moved into its new office, massively increased its sewing space, and—over time—reduced its knitting and crochet space to one long shelf in the entrance room.

Although it is a small corner of yarn, the quality is very good (Punta Del Este wool, Aspen wool, Classic Elite cotton/bamboo, and Twinkle Handknits virgin wool). The selection shrinks in the summer and grows in the fall, so I saw it in the “small season”. (They also sell knitting, crocheting, and sewing needles, sewing machines, string, felt, and many other useful things for both sewing and knitting.)

Although it is not primarily a yarns store, Stitch and Bitch Cafe has a lot to offer its knitting customers. Greg showed me the sewing machines, gushing about the classes, and the principle that any $500 designer skirt can cost $50 if you make it yourself. The store has slightly altered some patterns of well known designers to make them accessible to regular sewers. This principle is very helpful for knitters as well. When I design, I often go through fashion magazines and imagine how some of the dresses would look knitted. I frequently look through my closet and measure clothes I have that I love in order to replicate them with yarn.

Sew Fast Sew Easy has published three books: All You Need To Know When You Start To Sew, Sew On, and Rip It. Rip It explains how to take existing pieces of clothing and turn them into new ones that are more trendy. There is a beautiful wrap around dress in the book Sew On which can easily be used as a pattern for knitters. Instead of cutting the fabric to the right proportions, you just have to do a little math to knit the fabric in its final shape. I love the possibilities. Greg's enthusiasm was contagious. We talked excitedly about zipper shops and accessory stores in the area. He told me that one of his students made it all the way to the fashion show of Project Runway…

I walked out, wondering if I had enough time to squeeze a sewing class into my hectic schedule. Unfortunately, the answer at this time is NO. My knitting time is the only luxury I can afford right now. My main projects are 2 and 4 years old. Anna is moving up to kindergarten in two days. I can’t believe she has already completed her first year in a regular school! My goal this week is not to cry when she walks down the aisle… :-)