Archive for the ‘hawai'i’ Category
Aloha Knitters Merchandise
Sunday, August 15th, 2010
Shirokiyas new craft department
Sunday, December 27th, 2009It might not be that new, but I didn’t know that Shirokiya had opened a craft department until someone at an Aloha Knitters meeting (Angela?) brought it up, and the next time I was at Ala Moana shopping center, I stopped by for a quick peek. I noticed fabric, ribbon, buttons, and yarn – small selections, but some very nice stuff. I’m planning to stop in again when I have more time.
Shirokiya
Ala Moana Shopping Center
1450 Ala Moana Blvd.
phone: (808) 973-9111
Hello October
Sunday, October 18th, 2009
Saturday afternoon, Satura Cakes, Ward Center. Browsing Ravelry, crocheting a neckwarmer, drinking an iced coffee (it looks a little odd b/c I put nonfat milk in it), and eating salted chocolate cookies.
My summer was extremely hectic, and things have begun to settle down (for now, at least). My pattern sales were way, way down this summer – it’s usually a slow period, but this year was really slow, despite this year having warm-weather appropriate patterns (the Star Jasmine headband and the Jules & Julia hat set). I do have some cold-weather appropriate patterns in the works but no clear timeline for when they will be done – I went back to one that’s been marinating for several months and *I* could not follow the instructions even though I wrote them and had crocheted a sample! Definitely time for a re-write, and the symbol diagrams need to be tweaked too.
Today I’m sewing up a curtain for my new place and getting started on another curtain – the results are either going to be delightfully tropical bohemian, or a hot mess of aloha print. I’ve been looking through my vintage crochet lace edging booklets, because patchwork aloha print might not be enough for me…this could get loud.
So a funny thing happened at knit night…
Thursday, July 30th, 2009Because there was a photographer coming, I made a special attempt to get to Thursday Night Knit Club at Mocha Java – changed my work schedule, put on my favorite new shirt, swiped on some lipstick. We’d been told that the editor for the story wanted us to do what we normally do, so I did what I normally do – I ate dinner and chatted, and then at the end of it, the photographer pushed the model release form going around the table away from me, saying that oh no, she hadn’t taken any photos of me, because…
I wasn’t knitting.
Well. When’s the last time someone just cut you dead out of a photo because you weren’t knitting? Hah! Oh, and like Patrice pointed out – you know, some of us also crochet.
But my story doesn’t end there – I took the bus home and took out my current project, a Top-Down Ribbed Beanie worked with 5 dpns…and the fifth dpn wasn’t in the bag. So: I rushed to knit night, then rushed out so that I could get the bus home, and then I didn’t get to knit even one stitch! Glad I went, though – got to chat with May and Opal, and admire the earrings Opal made for May, give K-Brow a hug before she leaves for Georgia, and sip a chocolate chai.
Oh, and have you checked out the new Aloha Knitters website?
Craft Supply’s Ribbon and Yarn Store
Saturday, July 18th, 2009Craft Supply of Honolulu’s King Street branch has closed, and Craft Supply’s Ribbon and Yarn Store has opened upstairs. Specializing in ribbons and yarns for making leis with, Craft Supply’s Ribbon and Yarn Store offers crochet and ribbon lei making classes, free with purchase of supplies. Classes are offered twice a day every day (except Sunday, when the shop is closed); for details on classes and times please call them at (808) 942-5044.
Yarns for sale include standards like Red Heart, Sugar ‘N Cream, Bernat (Baby Coordinates, Cotton Tots, Baby), and novelty/eyelash yarns from Crystal Palace and Trendsetter.
A small parking lot with free parking for customers is located behind the building; if you are driving east on S. King, the entrance to the parking lot is before the building. Nearby bus stops are served by routes 1 and 6 (check with TheBus for times and other possible routes).
1960 South King Street
(808) 942-5044
Monday – Friday 9am – 3pm
Saturday 9 – 12
Sunday CLOSED
Yarn: Tasted!
Monday, June 29th, 2009So the yarn-tasting at the Hawai’i State Library downtown this past Saturday went well – but I didn’t take any pictures, and when I realized that, immediately thought “great, now nobody is going to believe me.” I had capped attendance at 25, figured we’d be lucky to get 20, and then 30 people signed up (and I think a couple more showed up).
Fortunately for me, Nadine Kam from the Honolulu Star-Bulletin was there, took photos, and blogged about it (thanks Nadine!)
Yarn ‘Tasting’ at the library (Fashion Tribe)
There were a couple of things I wish I’d managed to do differently – I’d wanted to talk more about knitting/crocheting for charity, and I also wanted to chat more with the attendees! I did get to talk briefly with a few people, but I wanted to hang out with *everyone* who attended – I hope I’ll get to see some of them at an Aloha Knitters meeting, ’cause like I said at the tasting, you people are the ones I need to talk to – you don’t need to be listening to me. Seriously, you should have seen some of the gorgeousness being kipped/cipped in that crowd! Thanks to all who attended, and for reals, I want to hang out with you all.
Most of the yarns in the tasting came from Isle Knit. The Maui Yarns came direct from Sara, and the Peaches & Creme came from Wal-Mart (and as I mentioned at the event, Wal-Marts nationwide are closing their craft departments – Ben Franklin has Sugar ‘n Cream; if they don’t have Peaches & Creme you might want to ask them about carrying it).
Oh, and someone had asked about a knit clothes hanger cover pattern in a book – I knew I’d seen at least one.
Twinkle’s Weekend Knits by Twinkle Chia, and Glamour Knits at Home by Erika Knight both have a pattern. However, the library doesn’t have those books at this time. There’s a free online pattern by Sara Golder (Easy Coat Hanger Covers), though!
KCC Farmers Market
Saturday, June 20th, 2009
Breakfast: roasted Kahuku corn with butter and furikake
Where to get the "Popo's Ginger" shave ice
Parmesan baguette from Ba-le
flowers
Hawai’i Farm Bureau Federation
Saturday Farmers Market at Kapiolani Community College
07:30 – 11:00 a.m.
4303 Diamond Head Road
TheBus routes #3, 22, and 58
WWKIP Honolulu
Saturday, June 13th, 2009A bit last minute, but just in case anyone has been wondering and didn’t get the updates on Ravelry, Twitter, and the Aloha Knitters Yahoo! Group:
Worldwide Knit In Public Day: June 13 2009 (today!)
Aloha Knitters will be meeting in the center courtyard of the Aloha Tower Marketplace from 2 – 5 pm. I’ve added the marketplace to the map below in case anyone needs directions (the red marker sitting in Honolulu Harbor). If you plan to drive, I recommend finding street parking downtown and walking over – the Aloha Tower Marketplace does have a pay parking lot, and it gets very full rather quickly. Also, the Kamehameha Day Parade is today – it starts in downtown and goes to Waikiki; by 2 pm I’m thinking downtown will have cleared up but just in case, you may want to allow a little extra time for traffic.
Yarn Tasting at the Hawaii State Library
Friday, June 5th, 2009
My current plan is to have a short talk on the library collection of knit/crochet books and specific books particularly applicable for our climate, and then a quick review of the yarns. I haven’t chosen and acquired all the yarns yet; Blue Sky Alpacas Organic Cotton and Skinny Cotton, Cascade Eco Wool, Lana Knits Hemp for Knitting, and a seacell/silk blend are on the for-sure list, though.
Quick update:
“Come to the library for quick reviews of knitting and crocheting books in the library collection and a yarn-tasting! Sample bags will include mini-skeins of yarns good for tropical-weather garments as well as yarns good for use in felting and making warm garments and accessories for cold-climate friends, relatives, and charitable organizations. Feel free to bring a project to work on during the presentation, or to show off afterwards if you like. There will be a brief Q&A session if you have any questions about knitting/crocheting in Hawai’i. No how-to knit/crochet/spin lessons will be given at this event; reviews of instructional books, videos, and DVDs will be included in the presentation, though, and a handout of yarn shops and where you can take lessons will also be available.”
Toasty!
Wednesday, January 21st, 2009"…like fresh-baked bread for your feet" (moth heaven) It's true. I know that may sound really strange (bread? for feet?) but it's such a treat. Until I slipped on a pair of socks made just for me, I didn't really realize just how poorly the machine-made standardized size socks I buy at the store fit.
Opal (the Akamai Knitter) knit me these socks as a "because you’re my friend and you don’t have enough handknit socks and I need to not knit anymore socks for me" present. I've knit socks for other people, and I did have one pair of handknit socks that I got as part of a sock swap a few years back, but they were knit from worsted weight and very thick and heavy, so I rarely used them, and then I lost one of them.
The timing was perfect – it's been getting down into the 50's at night here, and I know many of you are not impressed by that, but wait! When it's 54F outside, it's 54F in my bedroom. The one with the 'industrial-chic' bare concrete floor. A sweatshirt has been added to my usual pj's and I keep slippers by my bed, but what I really wanted was a pair of warm wooly socks. I have lots of cotton socks. They don't keep my feet warm, and they also tend to slip off while I'm sleeping.
And now I have them!
These even match the colors of my patchwork blanket – I'll try to get a better photo later on today. I took these photos while I was still in bed this morning (that's my ceiling you see in the top photo).
Thank you Opal! They fit perfectly!
Get Around
