After checking into the Paramount Hotel in the Pearl District, we walked to the Button Emporium and Ribbonry. A small store boasting hundreds of buttons and ribbons. I could have stayed there poking through the buttons for hours. Scottie found some magnificent jeweled buttons that were perfect for her Nihon Vogue gathered sleeve sweater. 
We then went over to Knit Purl yarn store which sponsored the Catherine Lowe workshop. It was a wonderful store stocked with a wide variety of yarn that I haven't seen elsewhere - Solveig Hisdal kits and sweaters, Catherine Lowe silk blend yarns marketed in austere treasure boxes, a entire wall of Koigu colors. We met a delightful woman who had also arrived for the workshop - Jan divides her time between homes in Whitefish, Montana and Jacksonville, Florida. We invited her to join us for dinner at Jake's Seafood for a fabulous meal. Easy to tell why that restaurant is a long standing Portland institution! On the walk back to the hotel, we were quite amused to come upon a holiday meal by LaBrie Rich in the window of Knit Purl. Upon closer inspection we realized that the display was created using felted pieces and roving - from the turkey carrots, butter, bread rolls, salt and pepper inside shakers, gravy, cranberries, lattice pie, sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, candles, and clock on the adjacent wall. If you look closely at the wallpaper you may be able to make out the parking meters, fire hydrants, birds and rodents disguised as damask. It was all so marvelous.
On Saturday, navigationally challenged Scottie found her way to class and Arlene and I went out to explore the best of what Portland had to offer. We first went to the Contemporary Art Museum whose latest exhibit featured ordinary household items turned into art. Zippers, combs, teacups, melted plastic soldiers, lazer cut plastic jugs, lipstick tubes, felt tip pen caps and spools of thread had all been turned into various works of art. The gift shop featured a non-functional spinning wheel out of blown glass - mesmerizing but extremely expensive. We then went to the Arts & Crafts outdoor market which had dozens of booths selling wooden items, ceramics, jewelry, clothing, pet items etc. I purchased a "handbag" made out of reclaimed/recycled front and back covers of a Life "World Library" book on Eastern Europe titled "Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Poland" Both Rob's and mine family roots go back to parts of Eastern Europe long, long ago. For more of Mugwump's creations go to: http://www.imugwump.com/The venerable Powell's bookstore beckoned to Arlene and I, however, we didn't stray far from the ample knitting section of the enormous bookstore...
Saturday night we had the pleasure of Catherine Lowe joining us for dinner at a nearby Italian restaurant. She is a fascinating person - Literature academic turned knitwear designer and instructor who maintains her passion for writing. Her work is impeccable and meticulous. Arlene has taken some of her workshops in the past and Scottie raved about the current weekend workshop. On Sunday, Arlene and I explored most of downtown Portland. Walked along the river, enjoyed the many parks, rode the light rail, had pastrami sandwiches at Kenny and Zuke's deli, tried on $800 sweaters at a fancy boutique, lingered in a gadget filled cooking store, sipped hot cocoa at a store selling nothing but chocolate, admired modern implements at Canoe. I purchased some some bunny blend (Angora Rabbit) yarn at Knit Knot Studio and some Lucy Neatby DVD's at Dublin Bay Knitting Company. Lots of shopping as I did my ultimate best to prop up the sagging economy! Not much knitting completed except on the train. I have a lot of Nihon Vogue projects to catch up on. I'm already behind! Yikes.
1 comment:
What a great weekend! I would not have been able to pull myself out of the button store.
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