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Spill Guts Here. It's gotta go somewhere, know what I mean? Can you stand it?
purls before swine
Geek Knitting
West Indian Parade
West Indian Parade
Dog/Cat Wrestling
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2.27.2006
Have two whole, free days to work in my studio, barring a few errands, what a luxury!! Hopefully pictures of finished garments to follow later in the week. I'm also partially rearranging the studio to make it more efficient, and hopefully will then be able get my freaking machinery off the kitchen table!
I hate to fuckin talk about it, in case I change my mind, but having knitting patterns for sale on this site is getting higher on my list of to-do's. They're terribly overdue, like 10 years or so {how long the knitting stitch portfolio has been online. Free was good enough then!}. The patterns will be challenging, there are more than enough simple patterns available, and I think many people are finally looking for a challenge at this point in time. Am I right? Perhaps my timing is not so bad after all. and...Malcolm Gladwell has started a blog! 2.22.2006
The juicy textile stuff not related to myself is now piling up at Textilita. This blog is now more about my personal life, and the shop, also things I design.
Went down to Bay Ridge with Ranjit yesterday afternoon for some calamari and Century 21 housewares. Ranjit also managed to find some remote control fart noise machines. $3.99 each. A bargain!
On 86th street, we passed this place, and started joking about "relieving tension":  Than, we looked closer, and noticed it was closed, due to "Prostitution":  No Happy Ending for you! haha 2.21.2006
The real, finally final version. The file's gone off to the stickermaker, so I can't make any more changes. unhhh. {former, future and current art directors will sympathize} I would like to tweak for a bit more, but I had to meet the printing deadline. I'm happy with this, and then there also comes a point when it's not necessarily better, just different. That's the best time to let it go. THis time, I was lucky to get to clean it up.
I was tipped off to a great new idea/site: Knitting Shops Interactive! It uses MapMuse wiki-like technology, so you can enter yours or your favorite yarn shop, for everyone to know about all across the country! Excellent reference while planning summer trips, too. {thanks, Cindy Jett!}
 2.20.2006
New sticker design being made for the shop. 2" x 4":
 Please visually ignore the bleed mark. Updated:  Final Version:  Original is 600dpi, so the fine print should show up well, this is only 72ppi. I found a trove of knitted skirt and dress shots from the shop a few years ago, pre-digital, in my files, will be scanning/posting them in Flickr RedLipstick House Brand archives as time permits. 2.17.2006
oH, this is so mean, yet I laughed very hard at it. Thank you, Dany! omg.
Working on a few projects. some still in planning stages: net panties: still drafting/perfecting patterns. Have been wearing the test pairs myself, trying to avoid the dreaded "munch", what my Latvian grandfather called it when your pants/dress/underwear are stuck in your crack. Will have mammoth fabric cutting session for panties and dresses{fabric} Monday or Tues. and then start production also next week. I have an idea for a 3D hat with earflaps, knit flat, it's a logistical problem, have it worked out in my head, just need to knit one to see if it works. I know it will, but I need to make one. Maybe today, if there's time. Spring knit dresses are just off the machine, need finishing, washing and blocking, then sewing on of embroidered medallions & ribbon, etc. Have a lot of work to do. Starting another round of wholesale as well.
2.16.2006
Here she is in my window, lighting up Vanderbilt Avenue:
 click for CU.
Spent the morning digging up Pulsallama pictures and scanning them for the "GIRL MONSTER" compilation album coming out in April of this year. The following is when I was about 23, and the rubber, handsewn sequin, swarovski crystal studs and tassel dress was one I made, and performed in frequently, with garters, seamed stockings and 6 inch black patent babydoll heels from SEX, Vivian Westwoods early London shop/label. I still have the shoes and the dress, too! No extra charge for the impending nip-slip.
 New York Noise #2 has tons of reviews online, If you google "Pulsallama", there are lots more reviews and info than there used to be. At least it's happening before we're all dead! Not so lucky, our dear, ultraloud Wendy. 2.15.2006
Miniature enthusiasts will want to check out my exclusive photo set on Textilita.
2.14.2006
Off to the annual Toy Fair! This is manufacturers from all over the world showing their new toys to the trade. My shop has a small toy department, mostly, but not all, plush. This is where I get to see the new Japanese designer stuff, too. Today is going to be a great deal of fun!
2.13.2006
Scrubbed the kitchen today inbetween making medallions for the front of knitted jumpers. A glamourous life, to be sure.
 click pic for CU. 2.12.2006
Incredible blizzard going on, it's very beautiful! I'm getting ready to go shovel the studio building and the shop, then I'm opening up this afternoon, as it's supposed to stop snowing by 3pm. It may be futile, but I can sit around and drink french hot chocolate with Kathy from Le Gamin down the block if it's slow, however I feel that people are going to be out and about today, despite the knee high snow. Camera batteries are charging...
My only problem today is two little dogs that need to pee, the snow is over their heads. Damn it!! Laying down as much paper as possible in the house, poor little guys {poor me, later}. 2.10.2006
As promised, the gift:
 That's a box of the rare Hello Kitty Douche. Click for larger and the back of the box. This has so much potential for jokage I don't even know where to start. This is wrong and funny in so many ways. It's on display at the shop in a case for all to enjoy.
There's so much exciting, positive stuff going on, every day is sort of a marathon: get up, walk dogs, drink coffee, and hit the ground running till I stop late at night.
Just spoke to our new apt. building landlord, Pedro, this situation is going to be more than fine. My rent stays the same {you have no idea how rare this is}, and I get a lease if I want one. He also bought the building across from my shop, and they're now renovating it. That building had a 1970's era disgusting liquor store with crumbling metal gates, very depressing, mad-dog 40/40 {?} style, plexi window to pay through. There was nothing charming about it. So far they've taken out 5 containers of trash, a huge amount. He's making it into a brick and glass wine shop, with no metal gates, well lit. Our end of Vanderbilt is developing, it's so interesting. This part of Brooklyn is a tight neighborhood, really love it. The longer I'm here, the more I can see the interconnectedness of everything, the relationships, the larger pattern that becomes visible, which is what I'm always looking for. Very satisfying on lots of levels. For me, it's definitely Spring. Have pictures in the camera that need liberating tonight. . 2.09.2006
I got the most stunningly excellent present today from the wife of a longtime customer. She brought it back from Japan for me. I'll post a picture of it tommorrow. It's the most amazing thing EVER, but I have to post the pic with it, sorry for the tease. Unbelievable. It made my week, and I'm already having a good one...cream prune drops are weirdly good, it was the treat at work today. Many people bravely tried them. I will buy them again.
Have three pair of booties to finish tonight. Finally tired of knitting them.
Designer Submission Guidelines for the shop are posted. Why didn't I do this years ago? Good question, stupid answer. {I don't know}.
2.08.2006
A free photo gallery of one of the sexiest, weirdest, most incredible men ever. I'm going to translate some of these into embroidery.
I've received some interestingly opinionated emails regarding "handmade vs. machine or factory made" objects. I wasn't aware I was setting up a competition, or that there could even be one. I don't have time to answer you separately, ladies, so here it is in a nutshell: Naive handmade can be great, but I prefer professional, thoughtful, original, experienced work, not things that look like they were stolen from the occupational therapy room at a mental hospital {actually, that probably would be cool...}. Ok, that's a bit harsh, but you should see what's come in here over the years. Eye-glazingly lame... Try to exist without factory made goods, and you'll be living in a cave. How much intelligence, innovative thinking, R&D, and sheer brilliance does it take to invent the machinery, materials and processes to make an object? More than any one hand-worker possesses. I highly respect that. I adore it, as a matter of fact, it's interesting, modern and necessary. The sum is greater than it's parts. Is there a competition between the two? Not to me. It comes down to a professional attitude, ability to function within realistic current market parameters, stability, high quality materials and workmanship, ability to deliver when promised, and knowledge of your market. That applies both sides of the {machine made} coin. As a designer myself, who shamelessly mixes hand and machine work, I say to you, please get over it! There's nothing inherently more valuable or virtuous about making something by hand, sorry! That's your ego a-talkin, and it's tricking you. Flame/comment away, if you feel the need... this is already boring me. I have decided to post guidelines linked from the shop page for designers wanting to sell in my shop, will start work on that tonight. Then I can just give a URL, and get back to my work. sigh. Should have done it a long time ago. 2.07.2006
Spent a ton on new spring clothes for the shop today, as well as a pile of metallic plastic lucky pigs filled with chocolate for my customers. After my many stops in the garment district, I walked all the way down to Chinatown again for dinner, I've missed it. I used to go there alot in my 20's when I was very poor {musician!}. You could get two roasted pork buns for a dollar, and those were my dinner many nights, along with a giant orange. It's one of the few places in NY that's not changing at a rapid pace. I had dinner at a Vietnamese restaurant on Doyer st. {off the beaten path}, that I also used to frequent, it's so nice it was still there, and I had the same damn dish, beef wrapped in grape leaves, and a shrimp summer roll. mmmm. How can the roast pork buns only be $.70 now?
Lots of crap food treats too...  Looks like Bunny grabbed a magic mushroom by mistake instead of a yummy "Cream Prune Drop"...
Slept it off, feel good today, and so a bit behind in work. Textilita.com lives! Still working on it, though, small changes to occur over the next week < or >.
Would like to clarify yesterdays post a bit. The thing that I've hit the wall on, is the people who come in with varying forms of rectangle-based, garter stitch "products" also want to to know how to start a business, where to get wholesale yarn, how much to charge, who to sell it to, how to invoice, how did I do it, how much money do I make, etc... SO they come and ask a total stranger these personal things, and I'm expected to stop whatever I'm doing and tutor them. This has happened HUNDREDS of times in the past 6 years. I realized re-reading the post I neglected to give these details. My feelings remain the same. Do your research or take a class, buy a book, whatever, stop expecting a total stranger to set you up. She will rudely refuse! Thank you! Off to the city this afternoon for a shopping spree of epic proportions. 2.06.2006
The shop's had a storewide sale going on, and it's been insanely busy, not to mention everything else as usual. I also had a bit of studio building drama, with a longterm tenant leaving with only 3 days notice. I got very lucky, and the first artist on my waiting list took the studio, so I had no break in rent income. Still I had a few days of mild anxiety.
I lost it last week at the shop, and was very rude to a woman who came in to get advice about selling her amateur knits. She pulled out a garter stitch ipod/cel phone holder with a button sewn on, and I lost it right then, I've seen 100 million of those fucking things passing through my shop, every single beginning knitter thinks they're going to start a high-income business selling them, for god's sake, LEAVE ME ALONE. You're not going to get $60. for it, ANYWHERE. I promise. I'm normally open to see anything that comes in, I've discovered a number of great designers that way, but the low-end of it is very depressing and overwhelming. Getting the flu, running a slight fever this am. I was amusing the adorable 4 year old sick daughter of one of my customers the other day while her mom was shopping, and she kept coughing all over me and the shop, and this time I got it. Nerves are raw, I'm nursing a migraine, and if you're making lame, overpriced ipod holders or useless pouches, better stay the hell away from me, you'll get no encouragement or orders. Sorry. Don't give up the day gig. Life is unfair, isn't it? Going back to bed for a few hours, then running necessary errands this afternoon. 2.02.2006
Version 1 of the Textilita logo. Have to reduce it, but don't want to lose the thread visibility. Back to the embroidery machine. Close, but not quite...
Today is a day where I'm resenting the fact that I have to sleep {although I love to}. There are simply not enough hours in the day. sigh. 2.01.2006
Right about now, I'm feeling big love for my web host of over 8 years, HostProof. I would marry it if I could, because it's always been solid, stable and there for me, without variation, all this time. Sometimes, when things go so smoothly, you take them for granted, but I was reminded how great they really are this week, while setting up a second domain. Customer service is super prompt if you have a question, and the two times they've had a planned outage for maintainance, I received a warning email a week in advance. HostProof, THANK YOU! I will be your loyal customer FOREVER!
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