Fashion: Yarn Style

A Masterpiece of Simplicity by Kim Hargreaves

 

 

How I love this simple cowl by Kim Hargreaves! It doubles as a snood, and its name is Covet. I knitted it in the kidsilk aura I bought when I thought I had lost my two shawls. This is a wonderful, simple pattern and the piece can be worn in a variety of ways. The bright pink is perfect for spring! You can find Covet in Kim Hargreaves' book, Enchanted, which is here:

http://www.kimhargreaves.co.uk/acatalog/Enchanted_Book.html

 

Perhaps this looks familiar to you? I knitted this design before, right when the book first came out. It fits perfectly and the drape over the shoulders is so elegant when you wear it as a cowl. Perfect for any spring dress when going out to dinner. And when it gets colder, draw it over your head. "Why make it again?" you are probably wondering. Well, one of my goals when I started the 100 day challenge of wearing my hand knits was to keep track of which knits I wore the most. It seemed to me that if I wore certain knits far more than others, this would determine which garment types or qualities were the most practical and valuable for me to make more of in future. Guess what was my #1 hands-down winner?

 

Yes, over a hundred day period I wore this snood more often than any other handknit. Is it because it is so spectacular in its design or construction? No. Is it something I slaved over for hundreds of hours? No. I wear this far more than any of my other knits because it keeps my ears warm! Which leads me to one inescapable conclusion as I plan my future knits: KISS (Keep it Simple, Stupid!)

 

 

Yes, this snood is happily pink and delightfully fuzzy. As much as I love the heirloom knitting approach, sometimes I just want to cuddle up to something warm and soft!

 

 

Perhaps it is the most basic things that make us happy in the end. The poet, Neruda, realized this and wrote a wonderful series of poems called Elemental Odes, celebrating the beauty of the ordinary. The poems have been translated into English and are wonderful. Here is an exerpt from one of my favorites, the ode to salt:

 

From “Ode to Salt”

…In ... caves
the salt moans, mountain
of buried light,
translucent cathedral,
crystal of the sea, oblivion
of the waves.

And then on every table
in the world,
salt,
we see your piquant
powder
sprinkling
vital light
upon
our food. 

Preserver
of the ancient
holds of ships,
discoverer
on
the high seas,
earliest
sailor
of the unknown, shifting
byways of the foam.

Dust of the sea, in you
the tongue receives a kiss
from ocean night:
taste imparts to every seasoned
dish your ocean essence;
the smallest,
miniature
wave from the saltcellar
reveals to us
more than domestic whiteness;
in it, we taste finitude. 

 

 

Pablo Neruda

 

 

50 Northamerican Knitters Descend on Paris yarn store

 

 

 

 

I apologize to those of you who recently were unable to access my blog. My host, typepad, had experienced a hacker attack this week. Now everything seems to be working again.

 

Before these technical issues intervened, I had promised to report on the unusual and fun party I attended in Paris at the invitation of Fabienne G. who works for Anny Blatt. Here is Fabienne, the host of the soirée herself, wearing a wonderful angora sweater. You can see she is wearing a label to help the Anglophones to identify her!

 

 

Anny Blatt, for those of you who don’t know the company, was founded in the early 1900s in Deauville, and dates back to the time of Chanel. Anny was the founder of the yarn company, and she catered to rich customers who were vacationing in Deauville. Anny Blatt and Bouton d’Or are part of the same company now and they comprise a spinning mill and dying house in Sérignan du Comtat. Yarnmarket has a lovely spotlight article on Anny Blatt which you can find through the link below. Their spotlight includes this marvelous photograph of the Anny Blatt production line:

http://www.yarnmarket.com/newsletter/spotlight/anny-blatt.html

 

Yarnmarket is the best source of Anny Blatt yarns and magazines I have found in the U.S. The best source in Paris is at the Modes et Travaux which I described in my earlier post:

 

http://yarnstylist.com/2014/04/-yarn-shopping-in-paris.html

 

When I was shopping there, Fabienne invited me to the party Anny Blatt was hosting four days later for 50 Northamericans traversing the canals of France on a knitting cruise. This was an irresistible invitation. In spite of an inflamed ankle, I hobbled over to the Hotel Pavillon de Saint Augustin, which was located on the same block as Modes et Travaux. I had to sit down on the sidewalk and rest several times on my way but I was determined, and that determination paid off.

 

As I approached the hotel, I saw two women wearing American-style clothes walking ahead of me, so I followed them into the hotel where a slim Frenchwoman waved us into a tiny room which was packed to the gills with people. 50? 60? 70? I’m not sure. When every available corner of the small space crammed with people, it was impossible for me to photograph the room. Not to mention the logistical impossibility of asking everyone present for their permission to take their photo. So I am afraid you will have to imagine the eager throng of sunburned women, ranging from late 30s to 80s, along with a handful of whitehaired men.  Inching forward, I squeezed into the crowd and watched as several French women dressed in high-fashion handknit jackets handed out glasses of wine and canapés to the assembled throng.

 

Hotel Saint-Augustin, Paris

 

Speaking to the women seated on either side of me, I learned that the assembled knitters came from Canada, and regions all over the United States, from New York to Iowa. There was even one American woman there who was residing in Germany. The name of their tour company was Craft Cruise, and they had spent 10 days traveling the canals in France, with highlights in Burgundy and Provence. The final hurrah of the trip seemed to be this yarn crawl in Paris. I have found the itinerary of the Burgundy and Provence Knitting Cruise online for anyone who thinks it might sound like fun to do something like this someday. Just click on the link below:

http://www.craftcruises.com/cruise.php?brand=Knitting%20Cruises&cruise_name=Burgundy%20&%20Provence%20Southbound%202014&cruise_line=Avalon%20Waterways&cruise_ship=Avalon%20Scenery&dep_date=2014-04-13&cruise=100&cruise_past=

 

 

Once Fabienne caught sight of me, she led me to the front of the room, and told me to translate for her. She announced to the entire crowd in French that I was not a part of the knitting cruise but since she had met me, and I was American, she invited me to the party anyway. I translated and there was a roar of applause from the crowd. I was a bit embarrassed to find myself in the spotlight in that way, but it was extremely kind of Fabienne to welcome me! This experience reminded me of how informal American culture is in contrast to most other cultures of the world where knowing the right people is so incredibly important, and to have the priveledge to be introduced to others opens so many doors. Take this party, for instance, which was not only a wonderful celebration itself, but allowed me an introduction to talented masters of the craft of knitting whom I could never have found on my own. If this were America, no doubt I would have been left to drift about the crowd on my own, but Fabienne introduced me to several people, including the tour guide, and made sure I received a glass of wine. I did not see Fabienne for the rest of the party, as it was her responsibility to lead tours of 15 people at a time to the Anny Blatt store for shopping. I was certainly glad I’d already picked out the magazines I wanted there the week before!

 

But before Fabienne left, she wheeled a rack into the room to entertain the rest of us---and entertain us it did! The rack contained breathtaking knitted sweaters designed by Anny Blatt that had been executed by the French knitters there. I would very much have liked to photograph the individual pieces on the rack for you, dear readers, but the crowd of eager enthusiasts surrounding those gorgeous pieces made it impossible. As much as I cropped my photos, you can still see all the eager hands reaching for the rack at once. The minute I took one sweater in my hands, I was asked to translate the profuse compliments of the English-speaking ladies to the French garment makers, which was a fun challenge in itself.

 

  

But I was much more interested in the French knitters than even their garments. Fabienne had mentioned to me that her group loves to meet foreign knitting groups. She said her group delights in discovering, in spite of all the language and cultural differences among Russian, Japanese, American and French knitters, for example, that the passion is the same the world over. So I was very excited to meet such open-minded Parisiennes. By great good fortune I was able to meet one lady in the crowd who introduced me to four other women in the group, and for the rest of the party, while the others went and shopped at Anny Blatt next door, we sat apart and had a wonderful chat in French.

 

 

These women's level of talent was absolutely extraordinary. Monique had made several incredible hand-beaded sweaters on the rack. She is the dark-haired woman wearing the fabulous green and gold sweater, which she also made by hand.  Christine’s blue jacket was absolutely ravishing. She kindly allowed me to take a closeup:

 

 

I wish very much that I could have taken close-ups of everyone and also found out who had knitted what on the sweater rack, but time was limited. I had given up lunch to chat with my new wonderful Parisian friends, without even time to snatch but one of the canapés that were handed around. After that short but very happy hour, I hobbled out again to find a cab to take me to my father’s flat where I could ice my foot before we headed to the Louvre. Still, I left France with the invitation ringing in my ears to join this amazing knitting group the next time I am back in Paris, and I will certainly make it a priority the next time I find myself there again!

 

In the meantime, here is my treasure trove of Anny Blatt yarns.

 

 

Above you see the Victoria ribbon yarn in white and claret which produces such a wonderful sheen, as well as the Muguet which is the metallic yarn which is often used for trims, in black and pink. This will be quite an interesting yarn combination, won't it? All the yarns go together in order to knit this Anny Blatt pattern from Magazine 216 Collection Printemps Eté: 

 

Classic Chanel-style, is it not? Next time, I'll share more photos of the Anny Blatt designs I fell in love with in Paris!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Adventures in Adapting a Denim Knitting Pattern for Regular Yarn

 

 

I am so happy to have finished my cardigan at last! This is Bay, a design by Kim Hargreaves from one of her first summer books, Nectar. I had hoped to finish Bay in Paris with the idea of photographing it somewhere fabulous like the Louvre, but I had to content myself with my rose garden instead. We returned to find our rose garden in full bloom, and what a sight it is!

 

There are 35 rose bushes in our garden, and they are all old English rose types, hybridized by David Austen. The pink rose bed is my favorite:

 

 

I miss Paris already, but the roses are consoling me, as well as this lovely finished cardigan. Bay was a tricky pattern to knit because Kim Hargreaves designed it for denim yarn. When you knit with denim, you factor in the shrinkage that occurs after washing, so denim patterns are written with more length than a regular design. However, I had some fabulous Malabrigo Arroyo yarn that I wanted to use up so I decided to take the plunge. The Arroyo has a rich, slightly variegated blue that has a bit of the look of denim, but with more sheen.

 

 

So how do you adapt a denim knitting pattern for regular yarn? According to what others told me, denim loses between 8-18% of its length after it is washed, and so denim knitting patterns are written accordingly. It is that extra length that is our concern here. Unfortunately, there is a big spread between 8 & 18! I wondered by what percentage I should shorten my cardigan in length. Luckily, I was able to find the free pattern, Core, which is available on the Rowan website. Core is a jacket that was originally designed using Rowan denim but was also modified so it could be made using All Seasons cotton.

http://www.knitrowan.com/designs-and-patterns/patterns/core

 

Core is written by Kim Hargreaves who is also the designer of Bay. This was perfect, as I assumed she would use similar approaches across her patterns, so the calculations she used in Core might be a good guide for my adaptation of Bay. It is also really useful for anyone who wants to adapt a denim knitting pattern because you can see the two versions side by side and make a step by step comparison. When I compared lengths in Core between the denim and cotton version,  there was roughly a ratio of 8-10% less in length so I chose 10% as the factor for shortening my Bay. I also used a template sweater that fits me well as a guide to compare lengths and make sure my fit was on track. I reduced row lengths by 10% in all areas of the Bay pattern, including body length to underarm shaping, depth to underarm, and the point where the shoulder/neck shaping starts. But I kept the peplum the same as I wanted mine to be longer than intended, so there the extra rows provided were a real help. One of the most important areas to reduce length is in the sleeves--you can go really wrong there, so watch out! I think the sleeves still came out a teeny bit too long because I didn't bring my template with me while I knitted the sleeves in Paris.

 

 

You can easily calculate a -10% length for your non-denim knit by looking at the measurements in the pattern for each section (pattern requires 22cm. Subtract 10% or 2.2cm =19.8 for you, for example). But I strongly recommend that you use your template garment as a guide throughout to double-check your calculations and ensure a good fit.

 

I chose this pattern because of the fabulous peplum, which is in fashion once again. 

 

 

It is constructed quite differently than Kim Hargreaves’ other peplum patterns. Kim Hargreaves is known for her peplums, but most of them are made by knitting a small number of stitches from side to side in a long strip which is then turned sideways to form the bottom of the garment. I am not a huge fan of that mode of construction so I was delighted to see that the peplum in Bay has a much more straightforward design. Bay’s peplum is created through a large cast on of double the number of stitches than are needed for the body of the sweater. This wide section is knitted straight up until the peplum is long enough, and then it is gathered into a ruffled shape through a K3 together K1 sequence. To ensure even more waist shaping, you downsize to a smaller needle to knit the waist section and then upsize to a larger needle to form the increases up to the bust.

 

In order to ensure proper fit in the chest area, I added two inches of bust darts: 

 

 

I knitted my horizontal bust darts starting two inches below my full bust point. The two inches of short rows were spaced with one stitch in between each wrap, ending 7 stitches in from the edge on both sides. I am very happy with the fit in the bust area that resulted from the use of darts—there is no gapping at all in the button hole band.

 

 

Things have been a bit hectic since our return from Paris, but I will write soon to describe the adventure of the 50 American knitters descending on Anny Blatt. It was a sight to behold!

Yarn Shopping in Paris

 

 

It is an interesting adventure shopping for yarn in Paris. There are quite a few boutiques, but they are relatively small. I get the sense, from remarks made by French knitters in the Ravelry group, Tricot & Co that knitting is not as popular in France as it is in the United States. In fact, some of the French knitters have commiserated in threads about the "grandmother image" knitting seems to have here. A few days ago, while we were waiting for our check at a small cafe, I pulled out my knitting needles and the waiter seemed very amused. "That is all dying out," he said in French, corroborating this possibility. Then again, perhaps he was just making polite conversation. Anyway, there are lovely jewel-like knitting boutiques here that are wonderful finds for any knitter, and I was lucky enough to visit the favorite boutique of my Parisian friend, Fabienne C. The name of her preferred store is Lil Weasel.

 

 

Lil Weasel is located in another one of the covered passages in France, le Passage du Grand Cerf.

 

 

Lil Weasel displays yarns by color instead of brand, creating a lovely rainbow effect.

 

 

For anyone seeking American or British yarn, this is a good destination. I saw Debbie Bliss Angel and Rialto, Cascade yarns, Lotus yarns, Spud and Chloe, Rowan felted tweed,

 Malabrigo, and Fonty.

 

 

There is also apparently a line of in-house yarn: Lil Weasel's "Lil Wiiz":

 

 

Across the covered passageway, a few steps away from Lil Weasel yarn is their lovely fabric store filled with interesting prints:

 

 

I was unable to find any of the Anny Blatt yarn I was seeking at Lil Weasel. However, when I asked the owner where I might find the patterns I was looking for, she directed me to Modes et Travaux.

 

 

Modes et Travaux is a three-floor emporium of sewing, embroidery, knitting, and the tools thereof:

 

 

Upstairs on the third floor I finally found what I was looking for—an entire boutique of Anny Blatt & Bouton d'Or catalogues and yarns:

 

They have a mini trunk show of knitted up patterns as well. There is a large stock of Victoria in different colors—Victoria is a ribbon yarn which is used in many Chanel-style designs by Anny Blatt. It comes in thin bobbins in a giant variety of colors. You can see it in the middle section of this photo:

 

I used the Victoria yarn to make my Charm Pull, and I bought some in black this time to use as trim in a future possible Chanel-style jacket. Along with the Victoria yarn, there is a sparkly yarn called Muguet which is used a lot in Chanel-style designs by the knitting company. Chanel has been adding more and more metallic elements to their designs over the past few years, so it is good to know of another source of yarn that can add a lot of sparkle to a jacket trim:

 

There is also a fine mohair yarn with subtle metallic element that reminded me a bit of Rowan kidsilk eclipse. You can see it in the middle section--it is surrounded by merino yarns:

 

My favorite find was the catalogues themselves. In the past I had ordered only one Anny Blatt catalogue directly from their website as a splurge birthday gift to myself. Between the cost of the magazine and the shipping, it was a total of $60!!!! However, here the design books were 6-8 Euros each, including translation where it was available! So I got several books with some intriguing designs I will be sharing with you later. Unfortunately, there was only one magazine with English translation booklet available in the store. We will see how I do with translating the French this time. The kind lady in the store said they would email me the English version in future.

 

 

The woman managing the Bouton d'Or/ Anny Blatt yarn section, Fabienne G., was very friendly, and told me that she was expecting a giant group of Americans to descend on the store Monday. Apparently there is a knitting tour of France going on right now. Fabienne told me the women have rented a boat and are traversing France via canal, knitting. Can you imagine the possibilities? Fabienne said that you can cross almost the entire continent of France by canal. And her French knitting group has invited the American knitters over for a party on Monday at a hotel close to Modes et Travaux and she invited me as well. If it is physically possible, I will attend. The sight of 50 American knitters stampeding Paris is too much for me to resist. If I manage to decipher the written instructions in French that I was given, I will be there in person to report and photograph what I can. Meantime, Bon Tricot!  (Happy Knitting)

 

 

The best three pâtisseries of Paris

 

http://www.fauchon.com/en/magazine/eclair-week-13.html

Yes, that's right. Fauchon hosted an éclair week this year. This tells you how good their éclairs really are. In the image above, the little colorful ovals near the woman's face comprise éclairs frosted in rainbow colors. She must be another pastry fan like myself. The company literature explains éclair week as follows,

"Building on its success, Eclairs weekend is set to become Eclair Week from 3 to 7 September 2013, for an entire week dedicated to signature FAUCHON pastries. In its Place de la Madeleine store in Paris, FAUCHON invites you to discover for the very first time in France its collection of éclairs designed in the Middle East and Asia by locally based pastry cooks. The House of FAUCHON is also re-creating 27 of its star recipes especially for the occasion."

 

That is Paris for you. A city that takes its pastries so seriously that a premier brand food store actually hosts a week-long celebration of the éclair. I take my pastries seriously too. That is why, when I visit Paris, my primary goal is to find the best pastry I have ever eaten to date. As of today, the salted caramel éclair of Fauchon takes the top spot.

 

 

That pastry, creamy, fragrant of caramel and with a salty bite that takes it over the top, now ranks in the top ten most delicious things I have ever eaten. And unfortunately, Fauchon is within walking distance of my hotel. Which means I'm going to have to exercise a great deal of restraint from now on.

 

Fauchon was founded in 1886 at La Place de la Madelaine and is known for gourmet foods, chocolates, and pastries. There is an entire branch of the store along the Place de Madelaine devoted to desserts:

 

But they sell many gourmet savory items as well. In fact, according to Fauchon's Wikipedia page, in 1968, French radicals raided Fauchon and distributed fois gras to the poor. This is just another example of how seriously the French take eating here. Fauchon is a great spot to grab a quick bite while shopping in the fabulous stores around La Place de la Madelaine, such as Eres (fine lingerie and swimwear) and Gien (porcelain and table linens).

 

We chose to lunch at Café de la Madelaine, as the sunny spring day was just calling us to sit out of doors at a tiny metal table. My husband ordered a French take on Caesar salad liberally festooned with bacon. (Honestly, is dieting unknown here?)

I dined on the special of the day which was a delicious blanquette de veau.

The tables were so close together that we were packed in like sardines with our fellow diners. This led to an embarrassing incident, when my husband, shifting backwards in his chair, was accosted angrily by the fashionably dressed Parisienne sitting behind him, who told him in an urgent undertone of broken English, "to remember that he was not in his own bathroom." We are not quite sure of what this means, except that stretching towards ones fellow diners is not polite. We suburbaners are insensitive to some of the compressed space restraints that people living packed into the city of Paris deal with. Look, for example at how tiny their cars are:

 

And yet they build pyramids out of éclairs. Is this some kind of compensation mechanism?

 http://www.fauchon.com

 

The second most delicious pastry I have eaten so far in Paris is the millefeuille au rhum at Ladurée.

The definition of millefeuilleis a thousand layers and according to Rick Steve's PBS show which I recently saw on France, the dessert was originally named the Napoleon. But after Napoleon's defeat at Waterloo, the chocolate N that had graced the top of the pastry was removed and it was renamed the millefeuille. Here again we see just how seriously the link between French politics and pastry has gone. The minute Napoleon lost power, he lost naming rights over one of France's favorite desserts as well. With or without the N decoration, the delicate puff pastry layers of the millefeuille, filled with rum-infused cream, make it quite an extraordinary dessert. The newspaper Le Figaro agrees with me--after having conducted an exhaustive taste test of millefeuilles from pastries across Paris, they declared Ladurée's millefeuille the winner a few years ago. I discovered this luscious concoction when we lunched at the opulent tearoom on the Champs-Elysées yesterday.

 Ladurée was founded in 1862, and is generally credited with inventing the tiny French cookie, the macaron. Here you can see the pastry store on the ground floor where all the macarons are on display:

 

It is difficult to explain even how many varieties of pastries are sold at Ladurée. Some of my favorites over the years have been their pistachio croissant, and their blood orange croissant, but they have many wonderful cakes as well:

There is usually a long line of people waiting to purchase a pastry on the ground floor, but you can while away your wait examining the gorgeous painted panels of the walls and ceiling which give the room an extraordinary beauty.

 

If you have enough time to linger, take tea upstairs and soak in the luxurious decor. I had a salad for lunch consisting of arugala, artichoke hearts, squash seeds and sundried tomatoes, the better to enjoy my millefeuille dessert.

 

Another pâtisserie that is almost as notable for its beauty as its pastries is Stohrer, located on a tiny cobblestone street closed to traffic in a historic section of the second arrondissement. According to my indispensable guide, Pâtisserie of Paris, Nicolas Stohrer was the royal pâtissier to Louis XV, and he left court in 1730 to open his bakery. No doubt there were some political consequences of his defection from the court—having sampled these delectable recipes for myself, I can only imagine how dejected Louis XV must have been. Yet again, we see the link in French history between delicious desserts and the powers that be.

 

As you can imagine, having been founded in 1730, Stohrer's bakery is one of the oldest in Paris, and features his signature recipes, babas au rhum and puits d'amours. I discovered puits d'amours on my last trip to Paris and could not wait to go back and sample them again! Literally translated as "wells of love," puits d'amours are tiny round puff pastries filled with cream and topped with a dense, crackling layer of caramelized sugar. It is something like a cross between a cream puff and a crme brulée and believe me, it is delicious!

As you can see, I could not wait long enough to paragraph this, I had to take a bite. It is really that good! Stohrer has an amazing variety of pastries, macarons and even jams.

 Another great favorite of mine is the pastry, La Religieuse, which is made to perfection here. Literally translated as a nun, the religieuse is a double-decker cream puff that resembles a nun's wimple. The religieuses sold at Stohrer that I like the best are filled with coffee cream and decorated with chocolate icing. But there are many other wonderful desserts I'm sure that I just have not tried.

The ceiling and walls of Stohrer are beautifully painted, and my favorite image is that of the nubile lady who seems to preside over the store, holding pastries in each hand.

I have no doubt she is a goddess who attained her mythic status by maintaining her svelte figure while eating all the pastries she holds in her hands. Above her hangs an exquisite glass chandelier.

As you can see, my greatest difficulty lies not in finding the most delicious pastries here, but in restraining my consumption of them. Although now that I have fulfilled my mission and discovered the salted caramel éclair of Fauchon's, I will abandon my pastry search and move on to other things.

The Secret Passages of Paris: An Antique Lover's Retreat

I have had a wonderful time exploring the passages in the 11th arrondissement, seeking a moment of quiet beauty amidst the teeming crowds. Many who visit Paris are unaware of this hidden shopping paradise, and I stumbled on it quite by chance. Here is the history of this roofed shopping passage, the precursor to the indoor shopping centers we know today. In 1799, the Passage des Panoramas was built, the first of its kind in Paris, and innovative in its use of a canopy made of metal and glass, and illuminated by gas lamps.

 

The tiny passageway is easy to overlook—the narrow entrance is set back from the Boulevard Montmartre in the 11^th arrondissement of Paris, in what was once one of the richest neighborhoods. It is a true refuge from the swarm of foot traffic consisting of working professionals and tourists streaming past on Boulevard Montmartre—the serene passageway, paved in a geometric pattern of white, grey and black, is filled with filtered sunlight drifting in through the glass canopy above.

 

In the 1830s, Stern, the famous engraver settled there, and soon a host of postcard and stamp sellers moved in. They are here still, selling amazing antique and collector's items as well as modern fashion and jewelry:

 

 

 

 

This passage also features some wonderful restaurants, Passage 53, a very pricey Japanese fusion French restaurant which we have not tried, and the far more affordable, L'Arbre a Cannelle  (Cinnamon Tree) which features a wonderful bavette aus eschallotes (grilled flank steak with shallots) and house-made tarts and pies. It is always full and it is fun to crowd into a tiny table, brushing knees with the diners on either side.

 

Across the street, the Passage Jouffroy was built in 1845 to build on the success of the Passage des Panoramas. This is where my ill-fated hotel is located. We are sad not to be staying there, but one has to be prepared for the unexpected here.

 

 

The passage Jouffroy features the same tiled floor and glass roof, giving the sense of walking through a giant jewelry box. This passage is a bit more touristy, with some tacky souvenir shops jostling elbows with lovely patisseries, antique book stores and boutiques filled with elegant bric-a-brac.

 

La Maison du Roy collectibles

 

 

Whenever I admire beautiful pieces inspired by history it raises the question of knitting history-inspired pieces--how is it that so many collectible and home design artists manage to bridge that gap but most knitted pieces attempting to do the same fail? What I love about antique-inspired home furnishings is that they give us knitters an opportunity to express the love of history that our souls crave without venturing into knitting and wearing costumes. Although I love the opulence of Renaissance and 17th & 18th-century textiles, I try to keep these references on my couch or coffee table instead of in my clothes.  I find that if I surround myself with little affordable antiques, I hold off the tempation to wear Jane Austen or Tudor knits from head to toe! Here at the Maison du Roy I purchased a marvelous candle holder modeled on an antique:

 

 

One hopes this little gem will hold me off from knitting a Catherine Howard jacket from Tudor Knits for another year. Not to take away from the beauty of Alice Starmore's designs, but in what everyday setting can one wear that gorgeous piece?

 

 

If there is one thing I have learned about knitting vintage-inspired clothes, it is that "vintage" knits have to be planned to fit into your current wardrobe in harmony with the modern pieces you have or it is doomed from the outset! Still, I took as many photos as I could of the historical architectural elements that inspired me in these passageways, hoping perhaps that would be a worthwhile inspiration for a textured pattern to knit someday.

 

 

Look at the lovely upper architecture of this darling little hotel in the heart of this passage. We rarely stay at the Hotel Chopin because it is always booked, but we found it quite affordable and hospitable.

 

My favorite store, though is the Libraire du Passage, which features a marvelous collection of fashion books, both historical and modern:

 

 
 

 

Here in the past I purchased some remarkable books on fashion details from 18th century clothing in France. I love to look at the fashion plates, which have been very helpful in my historical fiction about that time period. But I have yet to find a way to make a bridge between empire fashion and knitwear, alas.

 

As you reach the end of the Jouffrey passage, art books are spread out everywhere for you to browse through. 

 

 

And then the art galleries follow.

 

 

The passage across the street is met by the Passage Verdeau, which extends the Passage Jouffroy and features more art galleries and embroidery shops:

There are more antique book sellers here as well:

 

Here one really feels a sense of refuge, from the ugliness and bustle and ordinariness of modern life. I come here every time I am lucky enough to visit Paris to get away from it all. Away from everything, that is except from the cigarette smoke that seems to linger in the Passage Verdeau, where we dined tonight at the little restaurant aptly names "Le Bistro". My husband ordered the daily special, dinde roti au style provencale, which was delicious, the olives and garlic and stewed tomatoes making roast turkey, the blandest of meats, taste exotic and piquant. I ordered a salad which turned out to be a giant heaping bowl filled with jambon de Paris, fromage cantal, oeufs durs, tomates et pommes de terre en huile—a composed lettuce tomato salad which was much heartier, due to the giant portions of salty country ham and buttery cantal cheese than I had expected, but delicious nonetheless. The entire outdoor seating of the cafe was full, and the smokers puffing away in the confined corridor did create a bit of an unpleasant atmosphere in the bistro. However, I highly recommend the tearoom, "Le Valentin, La Tour des Delices" within the Passage Jouffroy, for a cup of hot chocolate and a giant raspberry cookie (macaron)  whipped cream sandwich, which we enjoyed on another day. 

 

We have been enjoying ourselves enormously so far in the teeth of every mischance I could have imagined. Our favorite hotel? Inaccessible due to a broken elevator. Currency? Our bank card has been rejected by all ATMs in spite of the fact that we personally visited our branch twice to ensure its use in Europe before we departed for France. Amenities? The first night of our stay, we accidentally blew out the lights on the fifth floor of our hotel by plugging an American appliance into the wrong converter. Luckily the fuse box just needed to be switched back and light was restored to all! Still, undaunted, our search for the perfect French pastry goes on, starting with the first ever patîsserie in Paris! A bientôt!

 

Dinner at La Fermette Marbeauf

 

 

We arrived in Paris yesterday in sparkling sunlight. The pale afternoon sun

gleamed on the wrought iron railings of the old buildings in the city center. It was

fascinating to see the pink and purple jeweled saris displayed in the windows of

the Indian quarter, and we giggled at quaint bistro names like “Hippopotamus”

as we sped towards our hotel. And there, as is so often the case in Paris, the charm

of our afternoon ended, the delightful ambiance of our hotel being only equaled

by its inefficiency. The art deco foyer of the hotel was filled with dirty piles of

nylon bags, and a large out of order sign eclipsed the elevator.   “Please forgive us,

this elevator will be broken for the next three weeks,” the sign read. “If you do not

wish to carry all your luggage up personally, telephone us.” Note: a phone was

not apparent. It is two flights up just to reach the reception desk, and it is a

seven-story hotel. For someone like me, recovering from a foot tendon

injury, this little sign spelled doom.   We are now established across the

street in a much smaller and less quaint hotel that does have a working elevator.

Sure, the bed is hard and the room is tiny, and we are facing the elevator shaft.

But there is a nest of doves outside our window that coo incessantly. In Paris, you

take the rough with the smooth and somehow it all works out.  

 

Take our dinner last night, for instance. My father, who also happens to be

visiting Paris, took us out for a lovely dinner at La Fermette Marbeuf, 

a Belle Epoque masterpiece. The dining room is a fantasy of stained glass work, 

designed by the architect Hurtre and executed by the artist Wielhorski.

 

 

 

 

The room was walled off for years, and was only rediscovered when a storeroom

for the restaurant next door was renovated . This is how the exquisite beauty of

the glasswork was preserved. It was declared a historic monument and now

houses a wonderful, classic French restaurant, La Fermette Marbeuf. We

ordered the tasting menu, which was fabulous:  

 

 

Appetizer: Fois Gras with fig jelly on toast  

Lobster bisque  

Salmon on a bed of leeks with veal reduction sauce  

Duck breast  

Grand Marnier soufflé

 

 

Paris Bound!

 

 

 

The first rose buds are emerging in the garden and I’m blossoming out as well.

 

A trip to Paris! The thought of this vacation has been a beacon of light ever since my illness from food poisoning at the end of last year. I feel like a  hopeful bud readying to unfurl my petals and bask in the Parisian sun!

 

A French client of mine was so happy with the work I did for her last year that she offered to let me stay in her fabulous Paris flat for free for a few days, and the ball started rolling from there. It has been wonderful to look forward to this much-anticipated trip during my convalescence. I’ll be continuing the 100 day challenge while I’m there which shouldn’t be too difficult—who ever heard of a Frenchwoman going out without a scarf?

 

I will be posting some photos of my favorite spots in Paris and reporting on my quest to find Anny Blatt knitting patterns:

 

 

I also plan to visit my favorite porcelain company in Paris, Gien, the maker of this fabulous setting, Les Quatre Saisons, which is based on 18^th century tapestries from the Louvre museum:

 

 

I may even be lucky and finish one of my knitting projects in Paris, in which case I’ll be able to photograph it there. In the meantime, here is an update on the 100 day challenge:

 

Day 71: Embrace by Kim Hargreaves

http://www.ravelry.com/projects/yarnstylist/embrace

 

Day 72: Belarus by Kaffee Fassett

http://www.ravelry.com/projects/yarnstylist/belarus

 

Day 73: Pink by Wendy Bernard

http://www.ravelry.com/projects/yarnstylist/pink

 

 

Day 74: Shapely Tank by McGowan-Michael

(It's the tank beneath the cardigan)

http://www.ravelry.com/projects/yarnstylist/shapely-tank

 

 

Day 75: Bold Stripe Scarf by Sarah Hatton

http://www.ravelry.com/projects/yarnstylist/bold-stripe-scarf

 

 

Day 76: Darcy by Kim Hargreaves

http://www.ravelry.com/projects/yarnstylist/darcy

 

Day 77: Ribbon Scarf Design from Imagiknit

http://www.ravelry.com/projects/yarnstylist/tapestry-scarf

 

Day 78: #11 Lace Tank by Nancy Cassels

http://www.ravelry.com/projects/yarnstylist/11-lace-tank-2

 

Day 79: Gabriela by Kim Hargreaves

http://www.ravelry.com/projects/yarnstylist/gabriela

 

 Day 80: Belarus by Kaffee Fassett

http://www.ravelry.com/projects/yarnstylist/belarus